EJ Netherlands extended the network to two lawfirms who were asked to contribute to our reflections on how lawyers can improve their work today.
It is always a pleasure to welcome new members, and this month we were honoured with two lawfirms from the Netherlands jumping onto the Eurojuris bandwagon! The two lawfirms are MannaertsAppels, from the town of Breda, and EBH Elshof, from Delft. In getting to know them, we discovered the common ethics they share with the rest of the network, as well as how they can contribute to our approach of the job of a lawyer.
Peter Ruysch, from EBH, explains why his firm joined the network. “It all started with a simple Google search, really! Many of our clients were asking for contacts abroad. So we looked online and contacted several networks. Eurojuris was the only one to give a fast answer. As we value promptness in answering our clients, we thought it was the best candidate, and here we are now!” Sjoerd Tilman, from MannaertsAppels, tells another story. “We worked together with Racine, a Belgian lawfirm, on several occasions, and had a great collaboration with them. We soon realised they were members of Eurojuris, so we paid interest in the network too, and eventually asked to join.” And thus, EJ won two correspondents in the Netherlands.
It is no mystery anymore that Eurojuris values the local experience of its contacts, which differs from a foreign point of view with little knowledge of national customs, so we asked our two newcomers to contribute to our better understanding of the Dutch system. According to Sjoerd, the Netherlands is a place where it is especially interesting to try and avoid going to court. “You have to make it clear for your customer what kind of legal position they are in,” he explains. “What are their chances, their risks; because sometimes it is more interesting for your customers to reach a settlement rather than going to court, which is long and costly. We are never afraid of going to court if necessary, and sometimes it can help by putting pressure on the other party. But if your Dutch lawyer tells you that he has a better solution for you through a settlement, you can trust them!”
“This is true,” concurs Peter. “You must quickly understand what your client really wants, and most of the time, even if they don't know the technical terms to express it, you come to understand that their wish is not to go to court but rather to settle the case.” Peter also thinks this makes it easier for everyone: “It gives the client an opportunity to be back on speaking terms with the opposite party. Us lawyers can help both sides to understand where the real issue was rather than just arguing. We make discussion possible. We can help with reconciliation!”
Our two new members also appreciate the opportunity to be part of a network that can be very competitive. “There are a lot of very big and expensive lawfirms in the Netherlands,” says Sjoerd. “But ninety percent of the time you don't really need them; a small firm with a big network can do just as well, at a much lower price!” For Peter, another kind of competitor is important: “There is an increasing number of non-lawyers offering legal advice, such as accountants within legal departments and so on. We should always ask ourselves: why would my client work with me rather than with one of them? If you ask me, one of the perpetual advantages we have over these new professionals is the existence of rules for lawyers. These rules are not intended to protect us, but to protect our clients. For example, there is no need to sign a non-disclosure agreement with a lawyer, because it is already a rule for us.” Some food for thought coming from two new members who certainly fit well with the spirit of the Eurojuris network.
