Mr. Dr. Paul Bavelaar LL.M

Mr. Dr. Paul Bavelaar LL.M. graduated from the University of Amsterdam in 1990 with an average grade of 8.3 out of 10. In 1993 he obtained his doctorate magna cum laude from the Christian-Albrechts-Universität in Kiel, with Prof. Dr. Timmerman (now Advocate General at the Supreme Court of the Netherlands) as co-supervisor. In his thesis, Paul examines the liability of parent companies for the debts of their subsidiaries, in which directors’ liability also plays an important role.

In June 1993 Paul was sworn in as a Dutch lawyer (advocaat), and in 1996 as a German lawyer (Rechtsanwalt). From 1993 to 2000 he worked at Stibbe in Amsterdam. On 1 January 2000 he joined the KPMG law firm in Amsterdam as a partner, where he headed the German Desk. From May 2002 to March 2012 Paul was a partner at Van Mens & Wisselink (later renamed VMW Taxand N.V.), where he also headed the German Desk. For almost two years he led VMW Taxand N.V. as managing partner. From 2005 to 2008 Paul practised from offices in both Amsterdam and Frankfurt am Main.

In March 2012 Paul founded the law firm Bavelaar & Bavelaar Advocaten Rechtsanwälte. Thanks to his dual admission, Paul can represent clients in court proceedings in both the Netherlands and Germany.

Paul advises Dutch and international clients on corporate law, company law and real estate law. Having guided a considerable number of acquisitions, mergers, restructurings and real estate transactions since 1993, conducted many negotiations and drafted and reviewed countless contracts, his advice is not confined to the law: he is able to think along with his clients on every aspect of running a business. In real estate, Paul acts for a large number of German real estate funds that have invested in Dutch property. He also advises Dutch investors in German real estate.

Paul is a member of the German-Dutch Lawyers’ Association, a participant in the Dutch-German Lawyers’ Conference and a member of the International Bar Association (IBA). He publishes regularly on a range of subjects and teaches at the Amsterdam School of Real Estate (part of the University of Amsterdam).

In his spare time, Paul competes in regional, national and international show jumping competitions with his horses Vesuvius and Ecorado. In the equestrian sector he has also held a number of board positions at the KNHS (Royal Dutch Equestrian Federation), the KWPN (Royal Warmblood Studbook of the Netherlands) and the Stichting Veilige Paardensport (SVP, the Dutch foundation for safe equestrian sport). Paul is now free to act against the KNHS, the KWPN and the SVP.

Paul has registered corporate law as his practice area in the register of practice areas of the Dutch Bar Association (Nederlandse orde van advocaten).