(May 1, 2018) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, is pleased to announce that CLINT, a leading labor and employment law boutique in the Netherlands, is joining its global platform. This marks the fifth European country Littler has expanded into in recent years, in addition to continued growth in North and South America, and is part of a strategy that includes combining with labor and employment focused firms in key international markets. Littler’s global footprint now includes more than 1,500 attorneys across 80 offices and 18 countries.
“We are excited to further expand our European presence to the Netherlands and to combine forces with CLINT, a firm that is well-respected for providing companies with exceptional counsel on complex labor and employment matters,” said Tom Bender and Jeremy Roth, co-managing directors of Littler, in a joint statement. “This addition continues our successful global expansion strategy, having already established a presence in Europe’s largest economies, and will directly benefit Dutch and multinational organizations operating across the continent.”
Founded by partners Dennis Veldhuizen, Wouter Engelsman and Eric van Dam, the CLINT team consists of eight labor and employment lawyers based in Amsterdam. The firm counsels clients on human resources and employment law matters related to transactions, including due diligence, labor relations, negotiations, day-one readiness support and post-merger integration. They also offer strategic employment law counsel related to international and national co-determination law, pension amendments, labor unions, collective bargaining agreements and international relocation of employees. CLINT lawyers also represent clients in employment litigation matters, mediations and arbitrations, as well as various issues related to the employer-employee relationship, including flexible employment relationships, restrictive covenants, disability accommodation, terminations and employment contracts and policies.
“Joining Littler’s global platform and leveraging the firm’s international reputation, commitment to outstanding client service, and technological resources will further differentiate our capabilities for local and multinational corporations,” said Veldhuizen. “Our experience in Dutch labor and employment matters, coupled with Littler’s vast resources and capabilities across the globe, will provide significant value to our collective clients.”
Veldhuizen counsels international companies, including in the medical device, healthcare, retail and hospitality sectors, on a variety of employment matters. Engelsman represents clients in such sectors as automotive and oil and gas on matters related to works councils, labor unions, collective bargaining agreements and co-determination law, among other areas. With a background that includes holding several management board positions within the fashion industry, van Dam counsels retail, consumer goods and automotive companies on employment law issues related to international expansion, employee privacy, and mediation and related disputes.
“Combining with CLINT is a key step forward for the firm’s international strategy, and provides our clients with access to lawyers in yet another of Europe’s most robust economies,” said Stephan Swinkels, a Littler shareholder based in Amsterdam who helps lead the development and integration of the firm’s global practice. “Together with our other European outposts in France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, the addition of the Netherlands will nicely complement our services to employers operating in Europe and around the world.”
Peter Susser, Littler’s Global Practice Leader and chair of the firm’s International Employment Law practice, added that, “through the course of our work supporting clients in international labor and employment matters, activity from Dutch companies, and multinational corporations with operations in the Netherlands, has increased substantially. This combination will provide immediate support for our clients from highly knowledgeable attorneys on the ground in the region.”
Littler’s international operations span three continents – North America, South America and Europe – and include Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, the United States and Venezuela. The firm’s global capabilities also include U.S.-based lawyers with exceptional international experience, who are dually licensed practitioners in Australia, Brazil, Japan and South Africa.
About Littler
Littler is the largest global employment and labor law practice, with more than 1,500 attorneys in 80 offices worldwide. Littler represents management in all aspects of employment and labor law and serves as a single-source solution provider to the global employer community. Consistently recognized in the industry as a leading and innovative law practice, Littler has been litigating, mediating and negotiating some of the most influential employment law cases and labor contracts on record for over 75 years. Littler Global is the collective trade name for an international legal practice, the practicing member entities of which are separate and distinct professional firms.
About CLINT
CLINT is a boutique law firm specializing in ‘corporate’ employment law and based in Amsterdam. Founded in 2016, CLINT renders advice and carries out employment litigation for large and middle-sized Dutch and international companies, as well as for executives and managing directors. CLINT is also involved in M&A related employment law and acts as strategic advisor for professional practitioners. CLINT is recognized in its field by Legal 500. For more information visit: www.clintlegal.com.
