Ms. M.P.J. (Rieke) Smakman | Partner
Rieke, co-founding partner of Oostwaard Advocaten, is a corporate and commercial litigator with a broad range of domestic and international experience. Her particular focus is on breach of commercial contract claims and banking and financial disputes. Her breach of commercial contract claims experience includes cases involving fraudulent misappropriation of assets, multi jurisdictional asset tracing exercises and obtaining and challenging freezing orders.
Her banking and finance experience includes acting for a financial institution in respect of challenging freezing orders obtained with respect to claims arising from complex financial products, as well as acting against a financial institutions in connection with claims on the failure to observe due diligence.
Rieke represents clients in arbitration as well as in court proceedings, including arbitration associated court proceedings, such a the enforcement and setting aside of arbitral awards. Rieke’s non-contentious assignments include drafting contracts for a variety of corporate and commercials business dealings, including SPA’s and general terms and conditions of service.
She has acted as Secretary to a significant number of international and domestic Arbitral Tribunals, under NAI , ICC and ad hoc arbitral regimes. Rieke is a listed arbitrator with the Netherlands Arbitration Institute.
Background
Rieke graduated from the Utrecht University in 1995. She was admitted to the Amsterdam Bar in 1996, and she joined Baker & McKenzie in that year, in the corporate and commercial litigation department. She co-founded Oostwaard Advocaten in 2001.
Professional Groups
Rieke is a member of the Amsterdam Bar, the International Bar Association (IBA) and of the Association of Corporate Litigation (NL).
Ancillary Positions
Rieke is the General Secretary of the Board of the European Professional Women’s Network, a French Federation that unites 18 local City Networks of female professionals across Europe. She is an active proponent to appoint more women in decision-making positions, particularly in the Netherlands.
