English-Speaking Lawyers in Amsterdam for Businesses

Q: What is a Dutch lawyer called?

A Dutch lawyer is called an advocaat. The title is protected: only a person registered on the roll of the Netherlands Bar (Nederlandse orde van advocaten) may use it (Article 9a Dutch Lawyers Act). The same advocaat advises, negotiates and litigates.

Published on 5 December 2023 · Last updated 6 November 2026

Looking for a lawyer in Amsterdam who works in English? MAAK Advocaten N.V. is a law firm in Amsterdam whose Dutch lawyers advise foreign businesses in English on Dutch law: contracts, commercial disputes, debt collection and corporate matters. When a case goes to a Dutch court, we conduct it for you in Dutch and keep you informed in English, from the first letter to the final judgment.

This page is for directors, in-house counsel and business owners abroad who need to hire a Dutch lawyer: when you need one, how to check one, how costs work and what can be done in English.

When does a foreign business need a lawyer in Amsterdam?

A foreign business needs a Dutch lawyer as soon as a Dutch party, court or authority sets the agenda: a writ of summons, an unpaid invoice, a terminated distribution agreement or a contract governed by Dutch law that is about to be signed.

These are the typical situations:

You have received a Dutch writ of summons (dagvaarding) or a letter from a Dutch lawyer. See Dutch proceedings in international disputes.
A Dutch customer does not pay your invoices. See debt collection in the Netherlands.
A Dutch distributor, agent or supplier ends the relationship, or you want to end it. See Dutch contract law.
You are about to sign a contract governed by Dutch law, or with a Dutch court or arbitration clause.
A Dutch party claims damages from you, or you want to claim damages. See liability law in the Netherlands.
You have a dispute with a Dutch co-shareholder or about a Dutch BV. See Dutch corporate law.
A Dutch market surveillance authority questions your product, or a competitor copies it. See product compliance and intellectual property law.

Deadlines can start running immediately. A defendant who does not appear on the first court date, through a Dutch advocate where one is required, risks a default judgment (Article 139 Dutch Code of Civil Procedure). Contacting a lawyer early keeps your options open.

Why does your English-speaking lawyer need to be a Dutch advocate?

Because in most Dutch court cases you can only act through an advocate (advocaat). Parties may litigate in person only in cases before the cantonal judge (kantonrechter); in all other cases they can only litigate through an advocate (Article 79 Dutch Code of Civil Procedure). One exception matters to foreign defendants: a defendant in summary proceedings (kort geding) may also appear in person, but not through a representative who is not an advocate (Article 255(1) Dutch Code of Civil Procedure).

The cantonal judge hears, among other things, claims of up to €25,000, including interest accrued up to the date of the summons, unless the underlying legal title exceeds that amount and is disputed. Regardless of their value, the cantonal judge also hears cases about employment, commercial agency, lease and consumer sale contracts (Article 93 Dutch Code of Civil Procedure, text in force since 14 July 2026). Most other commercial disputes are heard by the civil section of the district court (rechtbank), where an advocate is required.

The Netherlands has no separate solicitors and barristers. The same advocate advises you, negotiates for you and represents you in court. The title is protected: only a person registered as an advocate may use it (Article 9a Dutch Lawyers Act), and every advocate is registered on the roll (tableau) of the Netherlands Bar (Nederlandse orde van advocaten) (Article 1(1) Dutch Lawyers Act).

Already work with a lawyer in another EU or EEA state or in Switzerland? That lawyer may provide services in the Netherlands under the home-country title (Article 16b Dutch Lawyers Act). Where representation by a lawyer is mandatory in court, however, the visiting lawyer must work together with an advocate registered in the Netherlands (Article 16e(1)). We can act in that role alongside your own counsel abroad.

How do you choose and check a Dutch lawyer?

Check first that the lawyer who will handle your matter is on the Netherlands Bar register, then check fit: experience with your type of business dispute, working language, and clear written terms on approach, reporting and fees before work starts.

Anyone can consult the register free of charge (Article 8a(2) Dutch Lawyers Act). It shows the firm, its address and its advocates, and any irrevocable unconditional suspension or striking off the roll. MAAK Advocaten’s entry is in the register of the Netherlands Bar.

Part of what you can expect from any Dutch advocate follows from the law. The Dutch Lawyers Act sets five core values (Article 10a(1) Dutch Lawyers Act):

independence from client, third parties and the case;
partiality: the advocate protects the client’s legitimate interests;
expertise;
integrity;
confidentiality: the advocate acts as the client’s confidant.

The duty of confidentiality also binds the advocate’s staff (Article 11a(1) Dutch Lawyers Act). Advocates are subject to disciplinary law, exercised by the disciplinary councils and, on appeal, the Disciplinary Court of Appeal (Article 46 Dutch Lawyers Act).

In an introductory call, ask:

Who will actually handle my matter, and who is my point of contact?
How do you assess my position under Dutch law, and what would be the first step?
What is a realistic timeframe, and which deadlines apply now?
How are the costs estimated and invoiced, and how will you report to me?

What do legal costs in the Netherlands consist of?

There is no statutory rate for a Dutch lawyer. The fee is agreed between client and lawyer, usually as an hourly rate or a fixed fee, and depends on the complexity of the matter. In court cases, court fees and a possible costs order come on top.

They consist of:

Lawyer’s fee: an hourly rate, or a fixed fee for work with a predictable scope, such as reviewing a contract or general terms. Agree the arrangement in writing before work starts.
No cure no pay is, as a rule, not allowed. An advocate may not agree that a fee is only charged if a certain result is achieved, or that the fee is a proportion of the value of the result (Article 7.7(1) Regulation on the Legal Profession, Verordening op de advocatuur). The rules contain limited exceptions, such as a debt-collection rate that is customary and accepted within the profession (Article 7.8).
Court fees (griffierecht): a fee set by law that the claimant and, in district court cases, the defendant who appears must pay to the court. The amount depends on the value of the claim and the type of party (Article 3 Court Fees in Civil Cases Act). A defendant who does not pay on time risks a default judgment (Article 139 Dutch Code of Civil Procedure).
Costs order: the party that loses is, as a rule, ordered to pay the costs of the proceedings (Article 237(1) Dutch Code of Civil Procedure). The court sets the amount in the judgment, and in practice that amount does not cover all the fees actually incurred.

If you disagree with a fee note, you can turn to the complaints and disputes scheme that the Bar’s rules must provide for; it also decides disputes about the amount of a fee note (Article 28(2)(b) Dutch Lawyers Act). We do not publish rates; before we start, we discuss how the costs are estimated.

Not sure yet whether you need a Dutch lawyer at all? Send me the contract or the letter you received. I will tell you in English what I think the next step is and what it involves. You can reach me through our contact page.

Can your case be handled in English in the Netherlands?

Partly. Our advice, correspondence, meetings and reporting to you are in English. Proceedings before the ordinary Dutch courts are generally conducted in Dutch; we draft the court documents in Dutch and explain each step to you in English.

Court proceedings in English are possible before the Netherlands Commercial Court (NCC) of the Amsterdam District Court and the Netherlands Commercial Court of Appeal. This requires that the Amsterdam court has jurisdiction, that the dispute is international and that the parties have expressly agreed to it in a document; a clause in general terms only suffices if the other party expressly accepted that specific clause. Cantonal cases are excluded (Article 32a(1) Dutch Code of Civil Procedure).

Arbitration in English is also possible if the parties agree. Which route suits your dispute is explained on our page on commercial dispute settlement in the Netherlands.

What do our lawyers in Amsterdam do for international clients?

We act for foreign and Dutch businesses in business-to-business matters under Dutch law, from our office at Kraanspoor in Amsterdam. Our work for international clients covers:

contracts: reviewing and negotiating contracts governed by Dutch law, general terms and conditions, distribution and agency agreements;
disputes: negotiation, summary proceedings and proceedings on the merits before the Dutch courts in first instance and on appeal, and arbitration;
debt collection: demand letters, attachment and court proceedings against Dutch debtors;
corporate matters: Dutch BVs, shareholder relations and directors;
intellectual property: trademarks and trade names.

We do not handle family law, criminal law or immigration matters. More about our commercial practice: commercial law attorneys in the Netherlands. If your question is about advice rather than a lawyer for a specific matter, see legal advice in the Netherlands.

How does working with a Dutch law firm from abroad work?

You do not need to travel to Amsterdam. You can instruct us by e-mail, telephone and video call and send your documents electronically; meetings at our office are possible too. A typical start looks like this:

You contact us by telephone, e-mail or the contact form and briefly describe the situation and any deadline.
We check for conflicts of interest and confirm the engagement, the agreed approach and the fee arrangement in writing.
You send the key documents: the contract and general terms, correspondence, invoices and, if applicable, the writ of summons.
We assess your position under Dutch law and advise you in English on the options, the risks and the next step.
We act: a letter to the other party, negotiations, an attachment or proceedings, depending on what you decide.

Your commercial goal leads: getting paid, continued supply or a workable exit. We plan the legal steps around it.

Example: a writ of summons from a Dutch distributor

Suppose (illustration) a US software company terminates its reseller agreement with a Dutch distributor. Two months later, it receives a Dutch writ of summons for the Amsterdam District Court, claiming damages for termination without reasonable notice. Because the US company has no known domicile in the Netherlands or in Europe, the summons must give it at least three months until the court date (Article 115(2) Dutch Code of Civil Procedure).

The US company cannot appear in person before the district court (Article 79 Dutch Code of Civil Procedure). A Dutch advocate must appear on the court date and prepare the defence. If the Dutch court lacks jurisdiction, this must be raised in the statement of defence before any defence on the merits, or the objection is lost (Article 11 Dutch Code of Civil Procedure; see also Article 128(3)); a defendant who appears without contesting jurisdiction can confer jurisdiction on the Dutch court (Article 9(a)). Without a choice of law, a distribution contract is governed by the law of the country where the distributor has its habitual residence (Article 4(1)(f) Rome I), so Dutch law will often apply. For the substantive questions, see Dutch law for foreign businesses.

When should you contact an English-speaking lawyer in Amsterdam?

Contact a Dutch lawyer as soon as you receive a writ of summons or a letter from a Dutch lawyer, before you sign or terminate a significant contract governed by Dutch law, and when a Dutch customer stops paying.

The earlier we are involved, the more options remain open, such as a prejudgment attachment (conservatoir beslag) before the debtor’s assets disappear. Leave from the preliminary relief judge is required for that attachment (Article 700 Dutch Code of Civil Procedure).

A Dutch summons lands on your desk while your business has to keep running. In the first days, I want three things clear: what exactly happened, what the contract says, and which deadline applies. Then we decide together on the step that serves your business, whether that is a letter, a negotiated solution or proceedings. Call or e-mail me, Remko Roosjen, through our contact page, and you will hear from me in English.

Frequently asked questions about lawyers in Amsterdam

How much does a lawyer cost in the Netherlands?

There is no statutory rate. Client and lawyer agree the fee, usually an hourly rate or a fixed fee, depending on the complexity of the matter. A Dutch advocate may, as a rule, not work on a no cure no pay basis (Article 7.7 Regulation on the Legal Profession). In court cases, court fees and a possible costs order come on top.

What is a Dutch lawyer called?

A Dutch lawyer is called an advocaat. The title is protected: only a person registered on the roll of the Netherlands Bar (Nederlandse orde van advocaten) may use it (Article 9a Dutch Lawyers Act). The same advocaat advises, negotiates and litigates.

How do I find a lawyer in the Netherlands?

Search the public register of the Netherlands Bar, which anyone can consult free of charge (Article 8a(2) Dutch Lawyers Act). It lists law firms and their advocates by location. Then check experience with your type of matter and agree the terms in writing.

Can a foreign company litigate in the Netherlands without a Dutch lawyer?

Only in limited cases: before the cantonal judge, for example for claims of up to €25,000 or commercial agency disputes (Article 93 Dutch Code of Civil Procedure), and as a defendant in summary proceedings (Article 255(1) Dutch Code of Civil Procedure). In all other cases, parties can only litigate through an advocate (Article 79 Dutch Code of Civil Procedure).

Can court proceedings in the Netherlands be conducted in English?

Yes, before the Netherlands Commercial Court in Amsterdam, if the Amsterdam court has jurisdiction, the dispute is international and the parties have expressly agreed in writing to litigate there (Article 32a Dutch Code of Civil Procedure). Other proceedings are generally in Dutch, with reporting to you in English.