Clyde & Co opens in Rotterdam through merger with Stadermann Luiten and hire of Frits van der Woude

Global law firm Clyde & Co has announced the opening of a new office in Rotterdam, Netherlands, through a merger with Stadermann Luiten Advocaten (SLA), as part of its strategic expansion in Europe. As part of this expansion, the firm has also hired Frits van der Woude as a partner joining the Rotterdam office from Kennedy Van der Laan.

The Rotterdam office will be led by Wence Rupert, Peter Knijp and Frits van der Woude, each with over 25 years of experience, and will be joined by four senior lawyers, ten other lawyers and six support staff from SLA.

SLA, based in Rotterdam, has operated for 25 years and represents both domestic and international insurance companies, and their insureds. The team has expertise in professional liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, personal injury, fire and building damage, coverage disputes, policy drafting and advisory services, litigation before Dutch civil courts, arbitration cases, and disciplinary tribunals.  

Wence Rupert who joined Stadermann in 2003, is a liability and insurance law specialist known for his strategic mindset and precision in both litigation and advisory work, particularly in cases involving directors’ liability, product liability, policy-related disputes, and professional indemnity claims. He represented insurers in the largest bankruptcy in Dutch history and nationalisations of two Dutch banks.

Peter Knijp joined Stadermann when it was founded and has been a partner since 2006. He has built a distinguished legal career with deep expertise in liability, insurance, and personal injury law. Peter is valued for his precision, strategic mindset, and commitment to achieving fair and effective outcomes. He is a member of the Dutch Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (LSA), where he served on the board for 3 years. Peter teaches at the Grotius Academy, offering courses on topics such as traffic liability, international private law, and international travel agreements.

Frits van der Woude, joins the firm from Kennedy Van der Laan and is a highly experienced legal professional with over 20 years in the insurance industry (placing and claims) and over 20 years as a lawyer specialising in insurance and liability law. He played a key role in adapting English insurance policies for the Dutch market and acts in large and media-sensitive cases in national and international insurance programs. He was appointed by the Minister of Finance as a member of the Advisory Committee in response to the childcare benefits scandal. Frits is a respected lecturer in insurance law at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam, combining academic insight with practical expertise.

Clyde & Co’s European insurance practice offers clients in-depth capabilities across all lines of insurance business in the firm’s core sectors as well as corporate and regulatory expertise. The firm opened its first European office in Paris in 1992. Since then, the firm has grown to nine offices with nearly 200 lawyers across France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Spain, and, now, the Netherlands. 

Matthew Kelsall, Chief Executive Officer at Clyde & Co, comments: "The opening of our Rotterdam office marks an important milestone in our European expansion strategy. Rotterdam's strategic location, its role as a major trading and logistics hub and the historic base of operation of both national and international insurance companies and even the (former) insurance bourse make it an ideal base for us to serve our clients in the region. We are excited to bring our expertise to the Netherlands and look forward to building strong relationships with our clients here."

Henning Schaloske, partner and European board chair at Clyde & Co adds: "The Rotterdam office will enhance our ability to support clients in the insurance sector, which is key area of focus for our firm. We are committed to providing top-tier multi-jurisdictional legal services and are confident that our new office will play a crucial role in achieving this goal. We warmly welcome Peter, Wence, Frits, and their team to Clyde & Co and look forward to the great work we will accomplish together."

This office opening follows Clyde & Co's recent expansions in Warsaw, Cairo, Boston, Milan, Dallas, Colombia, Chile, Accra, and Kumasi, further strengthening the firm's global footprint and its ability to serve clients across multiple jurisdictions.