{"id":36391,"date":"2026-06-01T13:29:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T11:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kingstreet-magazine.com\/?p=36391"},"modified":"2026-07-13T16:55:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T14:55:00","slug":"gmw-knows-its-way-in-a-world-of-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kingstreet-magazine.com\/en\/gmw-weet-de-weg-in-een-wereld-vol-wetten\/","title":{"rendered":"GMW knows its way in a world of laws"},"content":{"rendered":"

GMW lawyers' monumental office villa on Scheveningseweg inspires as much awe as confidence that the 36 lawyers here defend their clients\u2019 interests tooth and nail. Meanwhile, those clients come from the international scene in around half the cases. \u201cBut within my area of law, the percentage is closer to 80,\u201d says employment lawyer Seliz Demirci in a four-way conversation with family and inheritance law colleague Marieke Morshuis, and real estate specialist Glenn Kerver. \u201cMost leads come in through our Legal Expat Desk, which provides a wealth of practical information, as well as through our network within the international community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"GMW

Six of GMW's 36 lawyers: front row, Seliz Demirci, Marieke Morshuis and Glenn Kerver; behind them Sieta Autar-Matawli (left), Sophie Vermeule and Antoine de Werd.<\/p><\/div>\n

Demirci assists expats, as well as international companies and embassies. \u201cThe cases often involve dismissal,\u201d she clarifies. \u201cIn the Netherlands, we have far-reaching dismissal protection that people in other countries are not always familiar with. That also applies to continued salary payment during illness \u2013 at two years, the term is the longest in Europe. The consequences of a non-competition clause are also slightly different here than elsewhere. To ensure that companies and employees are aware of these issues, I draw a lot of attention to them with my articles in MT Rendement magazine and as a board member of expat organisation Access.\u201d<\/p>\n

Impact<\/h2>\n

The employment lawyer recalls a recent case that exemplifies her work. \u201cThis expat held a senior position with a multinational company for 20 years, working in various countries, the last few of which were in the Netherlands. The position came to an end through a reorganisation, so the client turned to us asking: what are my rights? We then look beyond the number of years of service, because dismissal also affects tax and residence rights. If there is home ownership and the children attend school in the Netherlands, the impact is even greater. All these elements together ultimately determine the amount of the severance pay and any other agreements made upon the termination of the employment relationship.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Whereas personal circumstances can play a crucial role in the amount of compensation in employment law, this is not the case in real estate and tenancy law. \u201cTo the surprise of many expats, there is only limited scope for immaterial damages here,\u201d explains Glenn Kerver, who, as a partner at GMW, handles liability law in addition to real estate and tenancy law. \u201cThat means I often have to say, 'I hear you, I understand, but I must temper your expectations. It's a balancing act.\u2019\u201d Such was the case with the tenants who discovered by chance that their balcony was about to collapse. \u201cThe landlord intervened immediately, which closed the case. But these people continued to be troubled by the idea that something terrible could have happened to their children.\u201d<\/p>\n

Short cuts<\/h2>\n

Expats are often pleasantly surprised to discover how well protected they are against termination of a tenancy in the Netherlands. \u201cBut expats renting out their property who expect to evict tenants through clear agreements are mistaken,\u201d says Kerver. \u201cI had such a case the other day. Expats who had moved to the US asked an estate agent to rent out their property temporarily. He had the expats sign a lease permitting subletting. When they returned after three years, they could not move into their house because of tenancy protection. We argued that the expats had surely intended something else. And we were successful: the judge gave short shrift to the agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"GMW

Employment lawyer Seliz Demirci: \u201cIn my area of law, cases often involve dismissal.\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n

Family law is the most represented area of law at GMW lawyers. The international moves expats make in their working lives can complicate matters in this area, says associate partner and family and inheritance law specialist Marieke Morshuis. \u201cFor example: a Spaniard married a German in the US. After a few years, they moved to India, where they had their first child. Then they went to live in Morocco, and their second child was born there. Now they are in the Netherlands and want a divorce. Cases like this must be carefully untangled to determine which law applies and which outcomes are most favourable. Various aspects of the divorce \u2013 such as parental authority, maintenance and division of property \u2013 may even be governed by law from other countries. That is a new challenge every time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Protection<\/h2>\n

Inheritance law also falls within Morshuis's expertise. \u201cDue to the ageing population and the increasing number of blended families, this is currently a booming topic,\u201d she observes. \u201cUntil the European inheritance law regulation came into force in 2015, you could 'forum shop' in countries the testator was connected to, but now the last place of residence takes precedence. This can only be altered in the will if the testator has a different nationality.\u201d When an estate governed by Dutch inheritance law arises abroad, people there often do not understand the implications.<\/p>\n

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\u201cGMW is frequently asked to provide a 'legal opinion' explaining what Dutch law entails in various respects. There can be significant differences, even between European countries. It\u2019s therefore wise to seek advice on this when drafting a will, particularly regarding issues such as protection of the surviving partner, the legitimate portion for acknowledged children, and control in estate planning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fact that GMW lawyers has such a broad family law practice supported by expertise in business, labour and real estate is unique for a medium-sized firm. With knowledge of nine areas of law in-house, cross-pollination happens quickly. \u201cIf something comes up that goes beyond my own domain, I knock on my colleagues\u2019 doors,\u201d says Glenn Kerver. Marieke Morshuis adds: \u201cIn my work, I see many estates involving real estate and businesses. I then involve someone from the real estate or corporate law section to work together. We coordinate at lightning speed for the best result.\u201d<\/p>\n

www.gmw.nl<\/a><\/p>\n

www.legalexpatdesk.nl<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The imposing office villa of GMW Advocaten on Scheveningseweg inspires as much awe as it does confidence that the 36 solicitors here will defend their clients\u201c interests tooth and nail. Half of these clients now come from the international arena. \u201dBut within my area of law, the percentage is around eighty,\u201d says\u2026<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":36395,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[143],"tags":[1273,3330,3329],"opmaak":[2548],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGMW weet de weg in een wereld vol wetten<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"GMW advocaten helpt expats en internationals bij complexe juridische vraagstukken, van arbeidsrecht tot vastgoed en familierecht.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kingstreet-magazine.com\/en\/gmw-knows-its-way-in-a-world-of-laws\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"GMW weet de weg in een wereld vol wetten\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Kingstreet is h\u00e9t high-end mediamerk van Den Haag. 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