Tim de Vries

On 10 June 2026, the Limburg District Court delivered an interesting judgment on directors' liability in the context of a failed startup. The bankruptcy trustee argued that the company's directors had manifestly mismanaged the company and were therefore liable for the entire bankruptcy deficit. The court dismissed that claim but did hold the directors personally liable for preferential payments made to affiliated parties shortly before the company's bankruptcy.

In this ten-part blog series, we explore the lifecycle of a business. Which legal structure should you choose? What is required to incorporate a company? How does a company come to an end? Who are the key stakeholders, and how should you deal with a business partner who decides to leave? In this sixth instalment, we discuss the reasons why companies are acquired, with a particular focus on the buy-and-build strategy.

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?