Karel’s Legal Blog

Why would you settle for second-class service?

 

 

 

Practising the Art of Law & Tax

 

“The Netherlands Antilles office is considered the leading law firm in the Netherlands Antilles” (Chambers & Partners)

 

About the firm

Spigthoff Attorneys at Law & Tax Advisers is an independent law firm, established on January 1, 2001. The principal office of the firm is located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Spigthoff also has an office at Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. The Amsterdam office of Spigthoff concentrates on corporate, tax and securities law, with a focus on dispute resolution.

Spigthoff: a trusted name in tax & legal services

 

The Curacao office of Spigthoff is a full service law firm, offering services in any commercial area of Dutch Caribbean law, including tax law. Please contact us if you need advice on Dutch Caribbean law (a.k.a. Netherlands Antilles law, Curacao law, Bonaire law, Aruba law, St. Maarten law, St. Eustatius law or Saba law).

We will take care of your problem like it is our own

Areas of Practice:

• administrative law
• admiralty & maritime
• aviation law
• banking & securities law
• bankruptcy law 
• commercial law 
• constitutional law 
• corporate law 
• e-commerce
• foreign investment
• gaming law 
• intellectual property law (IP)
• insurance law 
• labor law 
• litigation & arbitration
• real estate
• tax (local & international) 
• telecommunication law 
   

Various key words:

• buying properties / real estate
• collateralized debt obligations (CDOs)
• credit-linked notes
• debt instruments
• hedge funds 
• insurance litigation
• joint ventures
• legal opinions
• liability
• mergers & acquisitions
• note issuance programmes
• patents
• privatizations
• real estate development, financing
• securities litigation
• structured finance
• (synthetic and cash) securitizations
• trade marks
• venture capital

 

Spigthoff currently employs about 45 attorneys and tax advisers. The partners in Spigthoff are experienced attorneys and tax advisers, who joined from large other firms. They are well seasoned in complex legal matters while some cases became landmarks in their field.

Chambers & Partners has compiled their independent and objective list of the World’s Leading Lawyers based on comments gathered from thousands of interviews with clients and lawyers. This guide which is ‘designed to reflect market opinion’ contains a view of the firms and attorneys who are considered leaders in their field. In their 2005-2006 review, Spigthoff and several of its lawyers are listed among the best. According to Chambers & Partners: “The Netherlands Antilles office is considered the leading law firm in the Netherlands Antilles“.

Three Spigthoff partners are working out of the Curacao office: Karel Frielink (see separate page), Xandra Kleine-Van Dijk and Martijn Welten.

Xandra Kleine-Van Dijk

Xandra is a partner at Spigthoff Attorneys at Law & Tax Advisers. She studied tax law at the University of Amsterdam. Started as tax adviser with Peat Marwick and Nobel & van Wierst in Amsterdam (which firm merged into Caron & Stevens/Baker & McKenzie). After a year of work and study in the US, studied criminal law at the University of Leiden.

Since 1993 salary partner at Baker & McKenzie, since 1998 working on Curacao, Netherlands Antilles with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Xandra heads the Curacao tax department of Spigthoff and she is in particular experienced in high net worth individuals and in international financing structures involving the Netherlands Antilles.

Large corporations, (hedge) funds and wealthy individuals (including classical musicians, pop artists, DJs, athletes, tennis players, golf players, entertainers, composers, fashion models) may benefit from the friendly Curacao tax climate. Netherlands Antilles (Curacao) based companies and foundations can be used to relieve taxes on dividends, interest payments and royalties (royalties can be earned from, e.g., performances, trademarks, copyrights, film rights and patents). It is of importance to mention that Curacao is not listed on any OECD or FATF blacklist. Curacao is OECD and FATF compliant.

Martijn Welten

Martijn is a partner at Spigthoff Attorneys at Law & Tax Advisers. He graduated in Dutch civil law at the Catholic University Brabant. Attorney since 1995. Specialties are a.o. corporate law, business law, mergers and acquisitions, litigation and insolvency.

Martijn has been appointed as one of the trustees in the bankruptcy of Dutch Caribbean Airlines. Martijn is admitted to the Netherlands Antilles Bar and a member of the Netherlands Antilles Bar Association.

 

 

Contact

AMSTERDAM

Spigthoff N.V.
PO Box 75546
1070 AM Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Apollolaan 151
1077 AR Amsterdam, the Netherlands
T +31 20 305 16 00
F +31 20 305 16 99
E info@spigthoff.com
I www.spigthoff.com

 

CURACAO

Spigthoff Advocaten & Belastingadviseurs (Curacao) N.V.
Scharlooweg 33
Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles
T +599 9 461 87 00
F +599 9 461 80 73
E karel.frielink@spigthoff.com
I www.spigthoff.com

 

Breaking news (29 August 2006)

 

FRANK PROMES HAS JOINED SPIGTHOFF ATTORNEYS & TAX ADVISERS

Top-notch lawyer opts for a remarkable new challenge

Former Advocate-General of the Netherlands Antilles, former Dean of the Netherlands Antilles Bar Association, former member of the Governing Board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Frank Promes has joined Spigthoff Attorneys & Tax Advisers (Netherlands Antilles).

Frank Promes earned his law degree from Free University (Amsterdam) in 1971. Frank has more than 20 years experience as a lawyer / attorney. Until June 2000 he was a partner with the law firm Promes Van Doorne (currently known as VanEps Kunneman VanDoorne). From June 2000 to July 2006, Frank Promes was attached to that firm as counsel.

Spigthoff Attorneys & Tax Advisers Netherlands Antilles (Curacao) is a full service law firm: (international) tax, commercial & corporate law, banking & securities, litigation, labor, administrative and constitutional law, bankruptcy & gaming law, and intellectual property law.

Spigthoff Attorneys & Tax Advisers commented: “The economic and political sector of the Netherlands Antilles continues to be characterized by dynamic and challenging developments. We expect Frank’s knowledge and expertise will help us keeping a leading role as legal and tax advisers.” (See the Amigoe for information in Dutch and click here for Frank Promes’ bio on the official Spigthoff website)

Karel Frielink
Attorney (lawyer) / Partner