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The comprehensive guide to the world's leading tax firms

Loyens & Loeff remains a dominant force in the Dutch tax market. The team offers a broad range of tax services, including European law, structured finance, transfer pricing, compliance, indirect taxes, tax controversy, international tax planning, wage ... [more]

Loyens & Loeff remains a dominant force in the Dutch tax market. The team offers a broad range of tax services, including European law, structured finance, transfer pricing, compliance, indirect taxes, tax controversy, international tax planning, wage tax and cross-border tax advice. The firm has the biggest tax practice of any law firm in the Netherlands with almost 400 tax specialists. This year the group advised the Schiphol Group, the Netherlands based airport operator, regarding its acquisition of a stake in Aeroports de Paris, the France-based manager of airports. They also advised Capgemini regarding its acquisition of Getronics PinkRoccade Business Application Service for a total of €255 million ($363 million). Peers praise Marco de Lignie for his investment funds work and Guido Derckx for M&A. One competitor said the firm is "good in technical terms and in how they approach the market". René van der Paardt is described as "Mr VAT of the Netherlands". One client praised the firm for giving "professional advice".

Fifteen people joined the Baker & McKenzie tax team this year taking the total number to 58. The transfer pricing group is a core part of the practice and is commended by peers. There are ten in the transfer pricing team including both lawyers and economists. ... [more]

Fifteen people joined the Baker & McKenzie tax team this year taking the total number to 58. The transfer pricing group is a core part of the practice and is commended by peers. There are ten in the transfer pricing team including both lawyers and economists. The indirect tax team is also sizeable comprising 15 lawyers. Head of the department, Herman Huidink, is mentioned for his international tax expertise. He advised Argenta Spaarbank this year in a $2.5 billion transaction. Other deals the team have worked on include representing Booz Allen Hamilton in the Netherlands in the separation and sale of the US government and global commercial businesses of Booz Allen Hamilton, as well as the sale of a majority stake in the US government consulting business to The Carlyle Group for $2.5 billion.

Ernst & Young has maintained its good reputation this year. The group offers advice on all areas of tax, covering planning, compliance and reporting. Ton van der Hoven leads the group. He specialises in international tax, transfer pricing and cross border ... [more]

Ernst & Young has maintained its good reputation this year. The group offers advice on all areas of tax, covering planning, compliance and reporting. Ton van der Hoven leads the group. He specialises in international tax, transfer pricing and cross border transactions

Peers commend Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for its transactional activity. Eelco van der Stok specialises in structured finance advice. Among the clients he advised this year are Merrill Lynch and JPMorgan. Hans Galavazi is recommended for M&A. He ... [more]

Peers commend Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer for its transactional activity. Eelco van der Stok specialises in structured finance advice. Among the clients he advised this year are Merrill Lynch and JPMorgan. Hans Galavazi is recommended for M&A. He advised Essent on its partnership with RWE to become part of the fourth largest energy supplier in Europe. This $12 billion deal was complex due to the various political tensions and the new law under which the production division had to be separated from the network division. Machiel Lambooij heads the group. He assisted Rexel, the French distributor of electrical installation supplies, in respect of its €3 billion ($4.4 billion) public offer for Hagemeyer, and the subsequent €1.5 billion divestment to Sonepar. This was important because of the complexity of the international tax issues in connection with the divestment to Sonepar

KPMG Meijburg is praised for its overall quality. The firm has 57 tax partners and over 500 tax professionals. The tax practice is led by Jaap Rog. The global head of international corporate tax is Wilbert Kannekens. They advise on all specialist tax ... [more]

KPMG Meijburg is praised for its overall quality. The firm has 57 tax partners and over 500 tax professionals. The tax practice is led by Jaap Rog. The global head of international corporate tax is Wilbert Kannekens. They advise on all specialist tax services including: transfer pricing, VAT & customs, EU law and state aid, tax accounting and expatriate taxation. Competitors praise the "depth of its practice". André Boekhoudt is mentioned for M&A and Bart van Zadelhoff for indirect taxes. One tax director praised Paul Kraan for being "responsive and creative".

PricewaterhouseCoopers has made a number of new hirings this year including Stef van Weeghel from Linklaters who is described as "a prominent tax person". Competitors have praised the group's efforts, with one calling it "the most successful of the big-four ... [more]

PricewaterhouseCoopers has made a number of new hirings this year including Stef van Weeghel from Linklaters who is described as "a prominent tax person". Competitors have praised the group's efforts, with one calling it "the most successful of the big-four firms" on the Dutch market. "They have hired new, experienced people and are very good at cherry picking," one peer said. The firm has offices in 16 cities across the Netherlands. It provides advice on all areas of tax from international tax to transfer pricing to VAT.

Clients highly rate the tax team at Allen & Overy. One said the team had "strong technical skills" and provided "long term good quality advice and solutions that hold in real life". Head of the department Olaf van der Donk is highly recommended by clients ... [more]

Clients highly rate the tax team at Allen & Overy. One said the team had "strong technical skills" and provided "long term good quality advice and solutions that hold in real life". Head of the department Olaf van der Donk is highly recommended by clients and peers. The group advised Corporate Express, a Dutch office products supplier, on its €3.1 billion high-profile takeover by Lyreco and bid by Staples. They also assisted Nuon on its €10.3 billion take-over by Vattenfall and the Dutch State on the €16.8 billion takeover of Fortis to buy all of Fortis's Dutch operations.

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek is highly respected in the Dutch tax market, especially for its transactional work. One peer said: "It is a small team with excellent and very intelligent lawyers". Both partners, Paul Sleurink & Dick Hofland, are highlighted ... [more]

De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek is highly respected in the Dutch tax market, especially for its transactional work. One peer said: "It is a small team with excellent and very intelligent lawyers". Both partners, Paul Sleurink & Dick Hofland, are highlighted for their M&A and cross border tax advice.

Deloitte has been involved in a number of important transactions on the Dutch market this year. The team advised RTL, a broadcasting company in the Netherlands, in the due diligence procedures and subsequent post transaction activities in a joint venture ... [more]

Deloitte has been involved in a number of important transactions on the Dutch market this year. The team advised RTL, a broadcasting company in the Netherlands, in the due diligence procedures and subsequent post transaction activities in a joint venture with Talpa, a media company. They also assisted Dutch Railways and Van Gansewinkel Groep. The tax department is led by Piet Hein Meeter.

Stibbe has advised an impressive list of clients this year including Swiss Re, Accor, Gazprom and Generali. The Amsterdam office consists of three partners and nine associates. They assisted ING, Rabobank and MeesPierson in their role as underwriters ... [more]

Stibbe has advised an impressive list of clients this year including Swiss Re, Accor, Gazprom and Generali. The Amsterdam office consists of three partners and nine associates. They assisted ING, Rabobank and MeesPierson in their role as underwriters on the tax aspects of the rights issue by Dutch builder Heijmans and TomTom, producer of navigation-products, on the tax aspects of its €430 million rights offering. The team advises on a range of areas including investment fund structuring, litigation and M&A. They advised Aéroport de Paris on its strategic cooperation with Schiphol Airport and cross-shareholding of 8%, creating a leading global alliance in the airport industry, a €320 million deal. Maarten de Bruin, head of the group, is mentioned.

Clifford Chance is well known for advising clients on financial transactions. Its three partners, Ate van Ijlzinga Veenstra, Frank de Vos and Willem Specken advise on a range of tax areas including real estate and VAT.

Hertoghs Lawyers specialises in conflict situations arising between corporate taxpayers and tax and judicial authorities. It is a specialised tax boutique led by renowned lawyer Hans Hertoghs.

Linklaters lost its whole tax team earlier this year when head of tax Stef van Weeghel left to join PricewaterhouseCoopers. The firm hired Olaf Kroon as counsel from Allen & Overy in August 2009 to run the new tax department.

Luminous Tax Matters is a new entry to the rankings this year. The firm, which was created three years ago, has already established a good following in the market with one tax director commending its "high quality". The practice has three partners: Michel ... [more]

Luminous Tax Matters is a new entry to the rankings this year. The firm, which was created three years ago, has already established a good following in the market with one tax director commending its "high quality". The practice has three partners: Michel Bilars, Huub Laauwen and Ivo Vreman. They advised a number of high profile clients this year including various multinationals listed in the UK and France.

Chris Warner is a partner and head of tax at NautaDutilh. He advises Dutch and international clients on all tax aspects of major public and private M&A transactions, public private partnerships and privatisations, cross border leasing, corporate reorganisations, ... [more]

Chris Warner is a partner and head of tax at NautaDutilh. He advises Dutch and international clients on all tax aspects of major public and private M&A transactions, public private partnerships and privatisations, cross border leasing, corporate reorganisations, debt restructurings, use of derivatives, and securitisations. The firm has a tax presence in its Amsterdam and Rotterdam offices.

Despite losing respected partner Peter de Brock, Simmons & Simmons has maintained a good reputation in the Dutch market this year. Head of tax René van Eldonk, counsel Hans Bol and partner Peter Flipsen have worked together for 25 years and have advised ... [more]

Despite losing respected partner Peter de Brock, Simmons & Simmons has maintained a good reputation in the Dutch market this year. Head of tax René van Eldonk, counsel Hans Bol and partner Peter Flipsen have worked together for 25 years and have advised an impressive list of multinational clients including UBS, Coca Cola and Fortis Bank. The team advised the shareholders of Essent on the unbundling of Essent and disposal of the commercial business to RWE, a €9.3 billion deal, as well as Royal Boskalis Westminster in the setting up of new group structure in view of the expiration of a favourable group financing regime.

Spigthoff advises on national tax law, international tax law and tax litigation. One of the firm's co-founders, Arnold van der Smeede, is a well known name on the Dutch tax scene and focuses on advising corporates and wealthy clients on international ... [more]

Spigthoff advises on national tax law, international tax law and tax litigation. One of the firm's co-founders, Arnold van der Smeede, is a well known name on the Dutch tax scene and focuses on advising corporates and wealthy clients on international tax.

VMW Taxand, another new entry to this year's rankings, is headed by partner Roelof Vos, who joined from Deloitte in April this year. Two more advisers also joined from Deloitte over the past 12 months. The firm is the Dutch member of Taxand, the global ... [more]

VMW Taxand, another new entry to this year's rankings, is headed by partner Roelof Vos, who joined from Deloitte in April this year. Two more advisers also joined from Deloitte over the past 12 months. The firm is the Dutch member of Taxand, the global network of tax advisers.