Benelux law firm spies Brexit opportunity

An Amsterdam-based firm will open a Luxembourg office to answer client demand for ‘stable political, economic and tax climates’ in light of British political turmoil.

AKD, an Amsterdam-based law firm, will open an office in Luxembourg as it seeks to capitalise on client demand for post-Brexit advice.

“Our clients are seeking ways to avoid the potentially difficult and costly fallout of the Brexit vote,” said managing partner Erwin Rademakers. “The Netherlands and Luxembourg are two EU member states with very stable political, economic and tax climates.”

The Luxembourg office will comprise three partners – two tax lawyers and one corporate lawyer – and their respective teams. The three partners are: Bernard Beerens, a former Allen & Overy corporate lawyer who for the last six years has run his own firm, Beerens & Avocats; tax and private equity specialist Ayzo van Eysinga, who joins from Stibbe Luxembourg; and Rutger Zaal, also a tax lawyer and former partner at Loyens & Loeff in Luxembourg.

AKD currently has 220 lawyers, civil-law notaries and tax advisors and operates from five offices in the Netherlands and Belgium.

The team in Luxembourg will initially operate as part of Beerens & Avocats in collaboration with AKD until the firm receives formal approval from the Luxembourg Bar Association to open under the AKD brand.