Michelle has been active in the energy industry since the liberalization of the market started in 1998. She works at the level where public affairs and strategic legal advice meet, providing her clients with guidance and assistance through (politically) sensitive issues and projects, towards creative and innovative solutions. She advises companies, regional authorities, and special interest groups throughout the energy sector’s chain of production, transport and supply, with a focus on the energy transition process. This includes renewable energy projects (biogas, wind, heat, and solar energy), infrastructure, tariff regulation, subsidies, and enforcement.

In addition, Michelle represents clients in administrative and civil proceedings in cases covering a wide array of topics. Some of these include permits, exemptions, enforcement decisions, and damages and compensation for (un)lawful government acts.

She is a published author and frequent public speaker (for example, at the FD Energy Debate: Housing Construction and Energy Transition). Michelle is consistently recognized as a leading energy and regulatory lawyer in the legal directories, such as Chambers Europe and Legal 500.

In 2018 Michelle was appointed deputy judge for the Court of Rotterdam in the Administrative Law sector.

Industry focus

• (Sustainable) energy
• Industrial sector
• Government
• Construction and real estate

Areas of expertise

• Constitutional and administrative law
• Energy

Experience

To illustrate Michelle’s practice:

• Advising new entrants to the Dutch energy market;

• Advising branch organisations on the drafting of legal views on the draft of the Collective Heat Supply Act (Wet collectieve warmtevoorziening);

• Advising on transactions concerning onshore wind energy and charging stations for electric cars (regulatory overview, due diligence);

• Advising a municipality on the development of a heat and cold storage project;

• Advising and litigating on the valuation of energy infrastructure;

• Advising an energy company on consumer protection standards of the The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM);

• Drafting legal views on draft decisions on the basis of the Government Information (Public Access) Act (Wob);

• Advising a developer of solar energy projects on the duty to connect of the regional grid operator;

• Advising on the compensation scheme for damage with regard to the connection of wind energy farms at sea;

• Advising a provincial authority on the sustainability of heat networks;

• Litigating for an educational institution regarding a reduction in the annual subsidy.
  

Awards

• Leading Lawyer, Who’s Who Legal Energy;
• Leading Individual, Legal 500 2020, Energy, Regulatory: Michelle "(...) has deep regulatory energy experience”;
• Ranked Lawyer, Chambers Europe 2020 Energy & Natural resources, Regulatory (Band 2): “She has a strong track record advising on the energy transition process and is adroit at dealing with tariff regulation and concessions, as well as contractual matters, such as supply agreements";
• Legal 500 2020 Energy: Regulatory (Tier 2) "The team provides assistance to clients in relation to the regulatory aspects in energy projects and offers particular expertise in the renewable energy sector. Jacques Sluysmans, who is recognised for his expertise regarding pipeline issues, and Michelle de Rijke, who has deep regulatory energy experience jointly lead the practice.";
• Legal 500 2020 Environment and Planning (Tier 1): “Boutique law firm Van der Feltz Advocaten, based in The Hague, has expertise in sectors ranging from construction and real estate, to energy and water. It advises on sustainable energy projects, zoning and planning matters and includes developers, investors, and local and regional authorities among its clients”;

• Legal 500 2020 Construction (Tier 3): "Van der Feltz Advocaten has a strong procurement and construction law team, which often works in conjunction with the firm's environmental, planning, and energy departments to meet a wide range of project-related needs."

• Legal 500 2020 Real Estate (Tier 4): “…The team at Van der Feltz Advocaten provides 'accurate and compelling advice'. It has 'very broad knowledge of both civil and public building law', leading to instructions from clients including developers, investors, construction companies, international organisations, and particularly municipalities and provinces. (...) The practice's expertise in the energy sector was strengthened by the recent arrival of Michelle de Rijke from Bird & Bird LLP”;

• Chambers Europe 2020: Public Law: Band 3, Planning & Environment: Band 2.

Professional associations

• Chief Editor of the Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Energierecht (Dutch Journal for Energy Law)
• Board member of the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Energierecht (Dutch Energy Law Association)
• Member of the Administrative Law Committee of the Haagse Orde van Advocaten (Bar Association of The Hague)