Pels Rijcken

What Pels Rijcken does

Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn N.V. is a Dutch law firm headquartered in The Hague that serves as the Landsadvocaat (State Advocate) — the statutorily appointed counsel representing the Dutch State in complex legal matters — while also acting for large national and international corporates and regulatory authorities. The firm operates a single office in the New Babylon building on Bezuidenhoutseweg, with a workforce in the 251–500 band, and practices across administrative law, EU and competition law (including state aid), litigation and arbitration, securities litigation and EU class actions, employment law, real estate and construction, tax, privacy and data protection, health law, energy law, and corporate/M&A. It discontinued notarial services in July 2022, narrowing its focus to contentious and advisory legal work.

The firm bills primarily on hourly rates indexed annually to the Dutch consumer price index, with monthly invoicing on 30-day payment terms, and supplements hourly work with fixed-fee arrangements for specified matters. Distribution is direct and partner-led: ongoing relationships with Dutch ministries and agencies as State Advocate, plus direct engagement with corporate clients referred through partner networks and the firm's ranking-driven reputation. Marketing is content-led, centered on an extensive knowledge bank, sector newsletters, blogs, vlogs, whitepapers, and educational events that function as a top- and mid-funnel pipeline for both government and enterprise engagements.

Technology and process maturity are characterized by ISAE 3000 Type II-certified information security management, GDPR and Wwft (AML) compliance posture, and tightly governed use of AI as a supportive tool for legal analyses and text formatting — explicitly without replacing attorney judgment. The firm holds Band 1 rankings in Chambers Global and Chambers Europe for Dispute Resolution and Hall of Fame status in The Legal 500 for Commercial Litigation, and its partners contribute to leading practitioner guides such as Lexology GTDT's Securities Litigation.

Name

Pels Rijcken

Legal name

Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn N.V.

Website

https://pelsrijcken.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn N.V. is a top-tier Dutch law firm headquartered in The Hague, serving as the State's appointed Landsadvocaat and representing the Dutch government and large national and international corporates in administrative law, EU and competition law, litigation, securities, and related contentious and advisory matters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Tax Law (BPAHAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dispute Resolution, Appeals & Tax Tribunals (BPAIADAK), Tax Policy, Legislation & Rulings (BPAIADAA)

Keywords

• Legal services
• Litigation law
• Administrative law
• Competition law
• Government legal counsel

Headquarters

HQ city

Den Haag

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Hourly Billing: Legal services billed primarily on hourly rates. Rates are adjusted annually as of January 1st in line with the Dutch consumer price index for all households for the preceding September/September period, with amounts rounded to multiples of €5.
2. Legal Services - Fixed Fees: Work is in principle invoiced monthly to the client with a payment term of thirty days from the date of the declaration. Fixed fee arrangements may be established for specific matters.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pels Rijcken is a Dutch law firm providing specialized legal counsel and litigation services across administrative law, EU and competition law, litigation and arbitration, corporate/M&A, employment law, real estate, tax, privacy/data protection, health, and energy law. As the Dutch State's Landsadvocaat (State Advocate), the firm represents the Dutch government in complex legal matters while also serving large national and international corporations on commercial disputes and regulatory matters.

Product overview

Pels Rijcken & Droogleever Fortuijn N.V. is a Dutch law firm (advocatenkantoor) headquartered in The Hague, serving primarily government clients including the Dutch State as Landsadvocaat (State Advocate). The firm offers a comprehensive range of legal services organized by practice areas: Administrative Law, Competition and Market Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration, Employment Law, Real Estate, Tax Law, Privacy and Data Protection, Health Law, Energy Law, and Corporate/M&A. The firm also maintains a Knowledge Bank containing publications, blogs, vlogs, whitepapers, and newsletters that serve as knowledge resources for clients. The firm has ceased notarial services as of July 1, 2022.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Services - Administrative Law Legal counsel and litigation services covering administrative law matters, including government liability, environmental law, and public administration, for government and corporate clients.
• Legal Services - Competition and Market Regulation EU and competition law services including state aid, cartel damages, dominance issues, and market regulation matters for government and corporate clients.
• Legal Services - Litigation and Arbitration Complex civil law dispute resolution, including commercial litigation, financial litigation, and arbitration proceedings for large national and international companies.
• Legal Services - Employment Law Employment law counsel and litigation services for employers and employees.
• Legal Services - Real Estate Legal services covering real estate transactions, construction law, and property-related disputes.
• Legal Services - Tax Law Tax law advisory and litigation services.
• Legal Services - Privacy and Data Protection Privacy law counsel, GDPR (AVG) compliance advisory, and data protection matters.
• Legal Services - Health Law Healthcare and pharmaceutical regulatory legal services.
• Legal Services - Energy Law Energy sector regulatory counsel and litigation.
• Legal Services - Corporate/M&A Corporate transactions, mergers, acquisitions, and related legal matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked Band 1 in Chambers Global and Europe Guide for Dispute Resolution for many consecutive years
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• External Screening Service ProvidersminorOthersThe firm uses external service providers for candidate screening during recruitment processes. Where relevant, personal data is shared with these service providers to facilitate contact with candidates.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Clifford Chance: Global Magic Circle firm with strong Amsterdam and Brussels offices. Competes with Pels Rijcken for complex Dutch corporate, financial litigation, and regulatory mandates at the international end of the market.
• Linklaters: Global Magic Circle firm with substantial Amsterdam presence. Overlaps with Pels Rijcken on EU competition, state aid, and cross-border corporate litigation matters involving Dutch clients.
• Bird & Bird: International firm with a significant Amsterdam office. Overlaps with Pels Rijcken on technology, data protection/privacy, and regulatory work where Pels Rijcken has dedicated privacy and tech-adjacent practices.
• A&O Shearman: Global Magic Circle firm (formerly Allen & Overy) with a major Amsterdam office. Competes for the same Dutch-headquartered corporate and cross-border dispute work that Pels Rijcken serves.

Direct peers

• AKD: Dutch law firm with significant government-facing practices and litigation strength. Comparable to Pels Rijcken in administrative law, government liability, and public sector mandates.
• Houthoff: Major Dutch law firm headquartered in Amsterdam serving large corporates and financial institutions. Competes with Pels Rijcken for complex litigation, M&A, and regulatory mandates in the Netherlands.
• Stibbe: Leading Benelux-headquartered law firm with full-service coverage and particular strength in dispute resolution, banking, and EU/competition. Directly comparable to Pels Rijcken on complex commercial litigation and advisory work.
• Loyens & Loeff: Dutch-rooted law and tax advisory firm with strong cross-border tax, corporate, and dispute practices. Closely comparable in tax law advisory and Dutch-headquartered enterprise/government work.
• De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek: Amsterdam-headquartered tier-1 Dutch law firm with similar top-tier Chambers recognition across corporate, dispute resolution, and EU/competition work. The closest direct competitor to Pels Rijcken in handling complex Dutch corporate and government-adjacent matters.
• NautaDutilh: Top-tier Benelux law firm with strong litigation, corporate, and finance practices. Comparable to Pels Rijcken on dispute resolution, regulatory, and transactional work for Dutch and international clients.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pels-rijcken
• Xx.com/pelsrijckennv

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pels Rijcken