Willem Van der Werf has significant expertise in the areas of construction, real estate, and government. Political and administrative authorities’ interests frequently play a large role in his practice. In particular, when it concerns development and transformation of a geographical area where public as well as private parties are involved. Willem’s experience enables him to look beyond just the legal aspects of a matter and to assess related political and administrative law risks. By maintaining good and effective relations with the competent authorities, and by being cognisant of the context of administrative authorities, he achieves effective solutions for his clients.

Willem specialises in urban and spatial planning, real estate, municipalities’ right of first refusal, long-term ground lease and lease. In addition, he advises and guides municipalities on expropriation proceedings from beginning to completion. Willem is also experienced in addressing questions of law in the area of public administration, such as accessibility and integrity. He lectures at a number of educational institutions and is also an editor of the Dutch Journal of Agricultural Law (Tijdschrift voor Agrarisch Recht) and Kluwer's "Legal Practice Models" (Modellen voor de Rechtspraktijk).

Industry focus

• Government
• Real Estate

Areas of expertise

• Constitutional and administrative law
• Construction law
• Land acquisition and exploitation
• Liability and damages
• State aid
• Real Estate
• Spatial planning and environmental law

Experience

Willem advises on developing and transforming geographical areas. And where needed, litigating on behalf of his clients. In addition to his know-how and expertise in the area of spatial planning administrative law, Willem is experienced in the area of expropriation law, land allocation agreements, long-term ground lease conditions and long-term ground lease agreements.

A few examples from Willem’s practice include:

• Advising and litigating for municipalities in the Randstad metropolitan area on relevant zoning plans and the expropriation needed for the redevelopment of the greenhouse districts and for the development of a residential area of 3,400 homes;
• Advising and litigating for one of the largest real estate developers in the Netherlands on property development in the Randstad metropolitan area;
• Advising on and providing guidance in a municipality’s negotiations about the legal structuring and development of a large multifunctional sport facility;
• Advising the Dutch Society for Nature Conservation (Natuurmonumenten) on various large-scale regional transformations of former quarries and factories into recreational areas and nature preserves.

Awards

• PropertyNL Top-60 Real estate lawyers
  
• 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.'"
• Legal 500 2022 Environment and Planning (Tier 1): ‘Van der Feltz has shown not only in depth knowledge of specific (fields of) laws and regulations, but also the ability to integrate insights from various fields into their advice.‘ 'Willem van der Werf combines his expertise with experience in comparable projects, which provided us with new perspectives and enabled us to prevent costly missteps.‘
• Legal 500 2022 Real Estate (Tier 5): ‘Individual members are highly specialised, thus offering a wide breadth of expertise as a team.’ ‘The work produced was of a high standard, despite tight deadlines.’

Professional associations

• Member of the editorial board of the Dutch Journal of Agricultural Law (Tijdschrift voor Agrarisch Recht)

• Member of the Dutch Association for Construction Law Lawyers (Vereniging voor Bouwrechtadvocaten)
• Member of the Dutch Association of Expropriation Law Lawyers (Vereniging van Onteigeningsrecht Advocaten)