Itse S. Oosterhoff

Itse Oosterhoff assists clients with complex disputes in both domestic cases and matters with an international perspective. Seasoned in commercial litigation with 20+ years of experience, his other focus areas include construction litigation (e.g. EPCM disputes and cross border crisis management) and corporate disputes (e.g. M&A related litigation, shareholder’s disputes and director’s liability).

Chairing the Amsterdam Consumer Goods & Retail Group, he provides guidance on international go-to-market strategies, leads compliance investigations, assists with product safety and liability matters including EU-wide product recalls, and advises on complex commercial agreements such as franchise and distribution. His role involves leveraging global expertise to deliver practical, business-oriented solutions for clients operating in highly competitive markets.

Itse has registered the following principal (and secondary) legal practice areas in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister):

- General Practice
- Civil law

Based on this registration, he is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in each registered principal legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar.

• Assisted Hunter Douglas Europe with a broad range of disputes, including litigation and advisory work on multiple individual matters related to distribution, agency and commercial contracts, trade sanctions, attorney-client privilege, and product liability.
• Represented Arrow in Enterprise Chambers proceedings on the alleged obligation to provide information to a minority shareholder.
• Advised and represented Rituals on a complex dispute with a former franchisee regarding the termination of the franchise relationship, including litigation in the Netherlands and coordination of infringement procedures in Latvia and Lithuania.
• Led an internal investigation into bribery allegations in the Indian subsidiary of a leading multinational in the packaging industry.
• Advised Specsavers on a wide variety of corporate governance and contractual liability matters.
• Represented FSN Capital Partners on summary proceedings in a matter concerning the enforcement of an allegedly agreed to share purchase agreement for the acquisition of MTS Euro Products.
• Represented Catawiki in a high stakes dispute in relation to the auction of a EUR multimillion estimated piece of jewelry.
• Assisted and represented Takenaka in various conflicts and proceedings related to construction.
• Represented Verisure in a high-stakes dispute on alleged entitlement of an employee to bonus payments.
• Represented Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in various contentious advisory work, where the mandates ranged from advising on risks for specific MSF missions worldwide in various different jurisdictions.
• Represented a leading manufacturer of sport shoes and gear in a dispute with its former distributor in relation to termination of the distribution agreement, with EUR 50 million at stake.
• Advised a Dutch bank on its dispute with a defaulting borrower under a revolving loan facility, involving cross border asset freezing and arbitration.
• Represented an investment fund (with a minority shareholding in a company that went bankrupt) in litigation against the former directors and co-shareholders based on tort.

• Dutch & Japanese Trade Federation (DUJAT)
• Vereniging Corporate Litigation / Corporate Litigation Association (VCL)
• Dutch Bar Association (NOvA)

• Chair of Consumer Goods & Retail group Amsterdam (2018 - present)