Mediation and Other Forms of ADR

Short Reads - Earlier this year, the District Court in The Hague ruled that the Dutch State is liable vis-à-vis the victims and surviving relatives of a 1992 plane crash in Faro, Portugal. The State was found liable because it is responsible for the information provided by the Dutch Aviation Safety Board (a government agency) to the victims and surviving relatives. This information, on the causes of the crash was deemed by the court to be incorrect and incomplete.

Short Reads - Recent measures taken by the Dutch government to contain the outbreak and spread of COVID-19 (a novel Coronavirus) have led to an increase in questions regarding the consequences for commercial contracts. These measures influence society as whole, and have a serious impact on a wide range of specific sectors and industries. These measures have put the performance of commercial contracts, spanning activities ranging from delivering supplies to operating flights, under pressure. The following may provide some helpful general guidance.

Inside Stibbe - Brussels, 9 January 2020 – The Brussels office of Stibbe has promoted Delphine Gillet (EU/Competition), Jan Proesmans (Employment, Benefits, and Pensions) and Sophie Bourgois (Dispute Resolution) to Counsel and Elisabeth Baeyens (Dispute Resolution) to Of Counsel. The new appointments have taken effect on 1 January 2020.

Short Reads - The Research and Documentation Centre of the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security (WODC) has recently published the report "Blockchain and the law".

Short Reads - Two recent decisions from the Amsterdam Court of Appeal have confirmed that litigation vehicles cannot come empty-handed to the court, and should provide documentation regarding the assignments of claims they submit. The Dutch legal system allows companies and individuals to assign their claims to a “litigation vehicle” or “claims vehicle” that bundles those claims into a single action. In its decisions of 10 March 2020, the Court of Appeal ruled that it is up to litigation vehicles to prove that the assignments can be invoked against the debtor. 

Inside Stibbe - For the second consecutive year, Jeroen Kortmann has been nominated for the title of 'best Dutch litigator'.

Inside Stibbe - Brussel, 9 januari 2020 – Het Brusselse kantoor van Stibbe benoemt Delphine Gillet (EU-recht en mededingingsrecht), Jan Proesmans (arbeids- en pensioenrecht) en Sophie Bourgois (geschillenbeslechting) tot Counsel en Elisabeth Baeyens (geschillenbeslechting) tot Of Counsel. De nieuwe benoemingen gaan in vanaf 1 januari 2020.

Short Reads - On 1 October 2019, legislation will enter into force ending the KEI pilot scheme for digital litigation at the courts of Gelderland and Central Netherlands (Midden-Nederland). However, certain new procedural rules, which were part of the digitalisation pilot, will remain in force and will apply to all Dutch courts.