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

• Ranked in Who’s who Legal: Energy 2020;
• Ranked Lawyer, Chambers Europe 2021 Energy & Natural resources, Regulatory (Band 2): 'She has a broad regulatory practice, with strength representing clients in disputes before the regulator and administrative courts.'

• Chambers Europe 2021: Public Law: Band 3, Planning & Environment: Band 2: "Strengths: Reflecting on the firm's increasing market presence, one interviewee says:"Van der Feltz advocaten has a very impressive practice," before concluding: "The team has got itself established very nicely."

• Chambers Europe 2021 Energy & Natural Resources: Regulatory, Band 3

• Leading Individual, Legal 500 2020, Energy, Regulatory: 'Michelle de Rijke not only has a very good knowledge of the subject matters at stake, but also has a widespread network of people within the regulatory scope that helps to solve matters.’ ‘Michelle de Rijke is very knowledgeable, pleasant to work with and has a lot of experience.’ ‘Michelle de Rijke is always very pleasant to work with, respectful and patient.’
• Legal 500 2021 Energy: Regulatory (Tier 2): "Van der Feltz Advocaten's team, which has ‘excellent knowledge of energy law’, is sought out for advice on planning, permitting, tariff regulation, CO₂ emissions and the environmental issues of energy projects."
• Legal 500 2021 Environment and Planning (Tier 1): ‘The team is very well attuned to each other.’ ‘The people at van der Feltz are very accessible, of course they are very able, but also there advice is very usable.’ ‘They understand what needs to be looked in to.’

• Legal 500 2021 Construction (Tier 3): 'Approachable law firm with high expertise in contracting.’ ‘Dedicated to getting the job done within the boundaries of the assignment.’ ‘I am impressed by the decisiveness, speed and accuracy in dealing with the contract matters.'

• Legal 500 2021 Real Estate (Tier 5): ‘Knowledgeable, reliable and efficient.’ ‘Van der Feltz is a good business partner.' Their service is more than adequate and always in time.’

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)