BARENTSKRANS CONTINUES TO GROW ON ZUIDAS

Just two years after opening an Amsterdam office, BarentsKrans is already making its next move. In November, the law and civil-law notary firm is relocating from 2Amsterdam to Symphony Offices. Why? The firm has grown faster than expected. Hello Zuidas sat down with Joost Fanoy, managing partner, and Meltem Koning-Güngörmez, partner in Corporate/M&A, Private Equity & Venture Capital, to talk about their ambitions, developments in the legal sector and the appeal of Zuidas.

Growing faster than expected

“This relocation is a logical step at this point in our development,” says Joost Fanoy. “We are quadrupling our office space, from 260 to more than 1,000 square metres. That gives us room for further growth, means colleagues from The Hague can work here too, and strengthens collaboration between our two office teams.” BarentsKrans opened its Amsterdam office two years ago with the aim of growing its existing Corporate/M&A and real estate practices and also establishing new practice groups there. Meltem Koning-Güngörmez: “We didn’t want to simply relocate people from The Hague to Amsterdam, but to build new practices from the ground up. We’ve now expanded into Corporate/M&A, banking, fintech, real estate, employment law and civil-law notarial practices.” Having a presence in Amsterdam is also helping to attract talent. “We’re becoming better known not only among students and junior lawyers but also among experienced partners with their own client base,” notes Fanoy. “This is significantly accelerating our development.”

One firm, two locations

BarentsKrans now has more than a hundred lawyers and civil-law notaries working across its Amsterdam and The Hague offices. Going forward, their ambition is clear: to become the go-to full-service law firm for the business market. “In Amsterdam we see strong opportunities in Corporate/M&A, banking, technology, fintech and referral work from other law firms abroad,” observes Koning-Güngörmez. “Our litigation practice also shows growth potential in Amsterdam. This new location gives us scope to pursue those ambitions.” The two locations will continue working closely together, adds Fanoy: “We’re one firm with two locations. By pooling our expertise, we can offer clients truly comprehensive support.”

AI changing the legal profession

The legal sector itself is also facing major changes, with artificial intelligence playing a significant role. “We’re already using various AI tools and recently hired an AI Legal Engineer to bridge the gap between our lawyers, legal practice and IT,” Fanoy says. “This enables us to integrate AI more intelligently into our day-to-day work.” So, will lawyers eventually become redundant? “Absolutely not. AI will take over certain tasks, but human skills are as essential as ever. There’s no substitute for legal advice, critical thinking and personal contact.”

At the heart of the business district

BarentsKrans’ decision to take this next step on Zuidas was a deliberate one. “This location is extremely well connected, both for our own people and for international clients travelling via Schiphol,” explains Fanoy. “Many of our clients are based here, alongside banks, private equity firms and other professional services providers.” Equally important, according to Koning-Güngörmez, is the firm’s personal approach. “Even as we grow, we deliberately work in relatively small, tight-knit teams delivering high-quality work, and we want to bring that same personal approach to Zuidas.” The move marks a new chapter for BarentsKrans. Want to get acquainted? “Please do!” says Fanoy, who extends this invitation: “We’d be delighted to welcome anyone who’d like to drop by to chat over coffee!”

BarentsKrans  |  Symphony Offices  |  Gustav Mahlerplein 3, Amsterdam  |  www.barentskrans.nl

Text: Romy Lange  •  Photography: Roxanne Wilm  •  Artist Impressions: Maison Libre