Robert Sanders

Robert Sanders

Senior Associate | Attorney at law

Robert Sanders is a disciplinary law expert in De Clercq’s corporate law practice. He specialises in assisting independent professionals who are subject to disciplinary regulations within their field, such as lawyers, notaries, accountants and medical practitioners.

Disciplinary Law

Robert Sanders is a disciplinary law expert in De Clercq’s corporate law practice. He specialises in assisting independent professionals who are subject to disciplinary regulations within their field, such as lawyers, notaries, accountants and medical practitioners. He enjoys analysing content in detail, using the knowledge and insights he has acquired to help his clients.

Education and career

Following his law studies at Leiden University and after completing his military service as a reserve officer in the Royal Air Force, Robert embarked upon his civilian career in 1995 as an editor and publisher. He worked at three leading publishing houses over the course of 14 years, focusing on publishing medical, tax, financial and legal journals, among other things. In the meantime, he also completed his Bachelor’s degree in History (cum laude) at Utrecht University. In 2009, Robert switched to the Dutch Bar Association, where he mainly worked on disciplinary cases for more than six years, initially as a senior policy advisor and subsequently as an attorney. In 2017, Robert received his doctorate in Disciplinary Law for lawyers from the University of Amsterdam.

Robert’s daily practice

‘As an attorney, I am committed to helping independent professionals who are dealing with a complaint or claim that may result in disciplinary proceedings and/or a professional liability claim. First of all, I investigate the lawfulness and reasonableness of the complaint or claim. This is important, because in practice, two-thirds of all disciplinary claims are eventually proved to be unfounded. Naturally, I consult with my client to determine a suitable strategy. Wherever possible, I aim for a case to be resolved by mutual agreement, sometimes succeeding in convincing the opposing party of the untenability of their claim based on arguments, and sometimes by reaching a settlement. As far as I am concerned, going to the disciplinary court is a last resort, but I will not hesitate to take that step if it proves necessary.’

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The latest developments

Corporate Law

The explanation of technical requirements in procurement tenders

17 April 2026

Last month, we successfully represented a contracting authority in summary proceedings before the District Court of The Hague. The central question was whether a delivered machine complied with the knock-out requirements set out in the tender. However, beneath this lay a more fundamental legal question: how does the court interpret technical requirements?

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Corporate Law

The Letter of Intent: a non-binding document or a binding agreement?

14 April 2026

This is the second blog in a series on the legal and strategic aspects of mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In the previous blog, the focus was on what buyers and sellers actually aim to achieve with the transaction. Once they have found each other, a next step often follows: the drafting of a letter of intent, also referred to as an LOI or intent agreement. This document marks the moment at which the parties set out their intentions in writing. But what are the legal consequences of this? And what should buyers and sellers pay attention to?

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Corporate Law

The life cycle of a business (5): How do you cooperate within a company? The importance of clear agreements

31 March 2026

In this ten-part blog series, we reflect on the life cycle of a business. Which legal form should I choose? What is required to establish a company? How does a company come to an end? Who are the stakeholders involved, and how do you deal with a business partner who leaves? In this fifth part, we discuss how arrangements within a company can be structured. We also address the importance of clear agreements.

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