Remko Roosjen is a Dutch contract law attorney and co-founder of MAAK Advocaten in Amsterdam, where he leads the commercial contracts practice. He advises manufacturers, suppliers and distributors on drafting, negotiating and enforcing agreements under Dutch law, and represents them in court when a commercial relationship turns into a dispute.
What does Remko Roosjen advise on?
Remko Roosjen advises on Dutch commercial contracting: supply, distribution, agency and licence agreements, general terms and conditions, and the disputes that follow from them. His practice is international and most of it runs in English.
That work covers the whole life of an agreement. Before signature it means allocating risk in the clauses that decide cases later: limitation of liability, retention of title, force majeure, term and notice period. After signature it means enforcing those clauses, or defending against them.
A recurring theme is the gap between what parties think they agreed and what the wording will support in court. Dutch courts do not read a contract on its words alone; they ask what the parties could reasonably expect of each other in the circumstances. That is why the negotiating record matters as much as the final text.
Which agreements does Remko Roosjen draft and review?
Most frequently: supply and purchase agreements, distribution and reseller agreements, commercial agency contracts, licence agreements, manufacturing and production agreements, settlement agreements, and the general terms and conditions that sit underneath them.
For a cross-border relationship the clauses that decide the outcome are often the procedural ones. Which law governs the contract, which forum decides a dispute, and whether an arbitration clause is valid, are questions worth settling before the first delivery rather than after the first invoice goes unpaid.
How does Dutch law treat commercial contracts?
Dutch contract law leaves professional parties a wide freedom to arrange their own affairs, but tempers it with reasonableness and fairness. A clause that is valid in the abstract can still fail if relying on it would be unacceptable in the circumstances.
Two consequences follow for anyone contracting under Dutch law. A penalty clause is in principle enforceable, unlike under English law, though a court may reduce it. And a long-standing distribution or agency relationship cannot always be ended on the notice period the contract states: see terminating a distribution agreement.
What are Remko Roosjen’s education and qualifications?
He obtained his master’s degree in law at Tilburg University in 2007, studied at the University of Helsinki in 2008, and completed the specialist training in National and International Contracting Law in 2013.
Which legal areas has Remko Roosjen registered with the Netherlands Bar?
Every Dutch advocate must register their principal legal practice areas with the Netherlands Bar. Remko Roosjen is registered for civil law (general practice), and is required to obtain ten training credits each calendar year in that registered area.
That register is public, which makes it a practical check for any client instructing a Dutch lawyer. It shows the areas in which an advocate is obliged to keep training, rather than the areas they choose to market.
In which languages does Remko Roosjen work?
He works in Dutch, German and English. The greater part of his international practice runs in English, which matters when the contract, the correspondence and the hearing each involve parties from different jurisdictions.
Which clients does Remko Roosjen work with?
His clients are mainly companies in the manufacturing industry and in international trade: manufacturers, importers, suppliers, distributors and commercial agents. He acts both for claimants and for defendants.
How does Remko Roosjen approach a commercial dispute?
He starts from the commercial outcome rather than the procedure. Where a settlement serves the client better, he negotiates one. Where it does not, he litigates before the Dutch courts or in arbitration.
In practice that means testing the evidential position early. A claim that reads well on paper can still fail on proof, and the reverse is equally true. How Dutch civil procedure handles that is set out under litigation in the Netherlands, including the choice between summary proceedings and a full trial.
When should you contact Remko Roosjen?
Contact him when a Dutch commercial contract needs drafting or reviewing before signature, when a counterparty fails to perform, or when a continuing agreement such as a distribution relationship is being terminated.
MAAK Advocaten was founded in 2016 and is based at Kraanspoor 34, 1033 SE Amsterdam. Remko Roosjen is also listed on Wikidata under his full name, Remko René Elizabeth Roosjen.
