What has been the highlight of your practice over the past 12 months?

I did succeed to negotiate 'integrally' some very difficult and exotic cases where tax and estate law interests were intertwined. Backed up by the threat of an arguable position in Court, the art of interest based negotiation or eventually as a mediation advocate, has become my niche specialisation - both in conflicts between private parties or with the tax authorities!

How did you get into private client?

25 years ago, I saw that many private clients were not advised properly by their lawyers and tax advisers and decided to do it differently. No top-down advice, but bottom-up with a keen interest in the dynamics of the client.

What advice would you give rising stars/new lawyers in the private client world?

Apart from studying the law, which in fact is and will increasingly become a ‘commodity’ in the future, pay attention to your personal skills since our clients need highly effective professionals. My prediction is that when young lawyers tend to these personal skills as much as they tend to the contents of the law profession, they will become more creative, flexible and ‘on top of things’: exactly what clients need.

What is your favourite quote?

“The Art of being wise is knowing what to oversee’.” This is my own version of an existing quote by William James, with a whole different conceptual meaning. In my view, it is essential to look at situations from as many perspectives as possible in order to completely digest it and from that point on, to decide how to go forward wisely.

Do you have any outside interests or hobbies?

Playing the piano, sports (golf, sailing) and photography.

When the restaurants reopen, where would you like to go?

De Keizerskroon, Netherlands - an Italian restaurant.