Built on a legal career spanning more than thirty years, Marie-Louise has established herself as an experts/specialists in both domestic and international employment law. Marie-Louise began her career in Rotterdam in 1990, practising at one of the country’s leading international law firms Loyens & Loeff (and legal predecessors) at which time she was admitted to the Rotterdam Bar. Following the company merger in 2000 she continued with Loyens & Loeff until 2003 in the capacity of internal company lawyer. In 2003 she moved to the national law firm Borsboom & Hamm where she practised for the next 5 years. She then joined the international law firm Eversheds Sutherland in Rotterdam where she continued her (international) employment law practice for the next 10 years. She represented a range of large and medium sized national and international companies next to providing services to directors, employees in the higher (management) segment and other individuals helping to resolve their employment law issues. The rich variety of clients and wide range of challenging employment issues provided ample inspiration and opportunity to develop Marie-Louise’s expertise within the legal employment sector.

This long work period led to Marie-Louise's decision to make time for a sabbatical in 2019 and 2020 during which time she continued to practice intermittently in the District Court in Rotterdam and the international law firm Buren in The Hague, while at the same time performing voluntary work in a hôspice and completing her specialist studies in post-doc Legal Mediator / ADR (Appropriate Discpute Resolution) at the ADR institute at Amsterdam.

Marie-Louise's experience extends across the entire playing field of (international) employment law. She has experience in providing advice (in Dutch and English), cooperating in transactions and reorganisations and has conducted a substantial number of legal proceedings, with a focus on a dismissal practice. She has helped many clients navigate the complex network of Dutch employment law in various cases and to understand the international aspects and dilemmas.

Marie-Louise has strong analytical, communciation and drafting skills and is able to translate complex legal issues in practical solutions. She considers it of importance to determine the proper strategy and approach in joint consultation with her client at the beginning of each matter. It is always understood that it is preferable to resolve a matter on the basis of a settlement, but where necessary, legal proceedings will need to be inititated. Therefore, in addition to her advisory practice, Marie-Louise has additionally developed extensive litigation experience over the years.

Marie-Louise is a member of several associations of specialised employment lawyers: the Dutch Employment Lawyers Association (VAAN), the Rotterdam Employment Lawyers Association (VRAA) and the VvA (Employment Lawyers Association). This membership ensures that she keeps up to date with all legal developments.