Linklaters strengthens global M&A practice with addition of Björn van der Klip and Jeroen Smits in Amsterdam

Linklaters is delighted to announce that leading transactional partners Björn van der Klip and Jeroen Smits have joined the firm in Amsterdam. Their arrival reflects the firm’s continued investment in its global M&A capabilities and further strengthens its offering in the Netherlands.

Björn, who will serve as Head of Corporate in Amsterdam, is a highly experienced corporate/M&A lawyer with particular expertise in public M&A and private capital. Recognised by Chambers as one of the leading Corporate/M&A lawyers in the Netherlands, he advises corporates, boards and financial sponsors on complex and high-profile transactions, including public takeovers, strategic M&A and private capital investments.

Jeroen is a leading transactional tax lawyer, specialising in domestic and international tax for multinational corporates, financial institutions and private capital clients. He focuses on M&A and private capital transactions, capital markets, restructurings and investment fund structuring.

Together, Björn and Jeroen have advised on numerous M&A and private capital transactions, including Firmenich on its €42bn merger with Royal DSM and EssilorLuxottica on its €7bn public takeover of GrandVision.

They join an established team of leading corporate, tax, finance, litigation and arbitration specialists, including financial regulatory partner Mariken van Loopik, who joined last year, the firm is continuing to invest in a fully integrated, top-tier platform in the Dutch market.

Both partners join from Stibbe.

Guido Portier, Managing Partner, Amsterdam, commented:
“The arrival of Björn and Jeroen is a further significant investment in the Netherlands. Together with the strong team already in place, the Amsterdam office is well positioned to lead on complex transactions involving Dutch clients and assets, work seamlessly with the firm’s global network on cross-border mandates and play a central role in Linklaters’ global M&A and private capital practice.”

Simon Branigan, Global Head of Corporate, commented:
“We are focused on having top tier talent in all our markets. Björn and Jeroen will help build a tier 1 corporate practice in Amsterdam, acting for the largest corporate, banking, and private capital clients in the Netherlands, one of the key markets in Continental Europe. They will significantly strengthen our Dutch and global M&A capabilities, which will be critical to deepening our client relationships, winning new business, and delivering market-leading execution across our global platform.”

Björn van der Klip said:
“As transactions become increasingly international and complex, clients need corporate, tax, finance and regulatory expertise across jurisdictions to be brought together seamlessly. That is particularly relevant given further consolidation across sectors in Europe, including financial institutions. Linklaters’ integrated international network brings that expertise together for clients, and I look forward to helping build a top-tier corporate practice in Amsterdam alongside Jeroen and the team already here.”

Jeroen Smits added:
“In complex cross-border transactions, tax is not an afterthought: it is an integral part of how the deal is structured and implemented. What is particularly compelling about Linklaters in this regard is the combination of top-level tax expertise across jurisdictions with a deeply integrated global M&A practice. I look forward to working with Björn and the wider Linklaters team to bring that integrated advice to clients in the Netherlands and across borders.”

Linklaters has delivered an exceptional global M&A performance in the first half of 2026, advising on US$193.4bn of announced transactions worldwide, compared with US$56.7bn in H1 2025, an increase of more than 240% year-on-year. According to London Stock Exchange Group data, the firm was ranked 1st for M&A transactions across Europe.