BRAND VOICE MANAGEMENT AND INVESTMENT
A law firm with a boutique spirit Striking a balance between the dedication required by business law practice and the focus on personal, tailored relationships can be a tricky business. We caught up with the Luxembourg-based partners of Van Campen Liem about how to get it right. SPONSORED CONTENT BY VAN CAMPEN LIEM
Van Campen Liem was founded in Amsterdam in 2012 through the spin-off of the entire private equity and M&A team of Baker McKenzie. The Luxembourg office opened shortly after that, in April 2013. For a firm whose strategy is focused on alternative funds and asset managers, there was no question about the Luxembourg office opening. Luxembourg complements the Netherlands perfectly: a lot of our clients appreciate us having both jurisdictions on offer, which enables to provide nonbiased advice. Where does the focus of the Luxembourg office lie?
The Luxembourg office consists of more than 25 lawyers within three core practices: funds and asset management, corporate and tax. The firm provides niche expertise to alternative asset managers and investors in the context of fund formation, fund review, corporate transactions and structuring, regulatory compliance, financial law and international tax structuring. 2019 has been and continues to be a year full of changes, with the firm growing significantly in Luxembourg through the addition of a two-partners team from Stibbe in the funds practice (with overall nine new members joining Van Campen Liem’s funds practice this year), one partner (from White & Case) and four lawyers joining the corporate practice this year. 36 —
How have you positioned yourselves in the Luxembourg market?
We are one of only few Luxembourg boutique alternative asset management firms. All our practices share the same vision and strategy: to be the single point of contact for asset managers
“We put more emphasis on the trusted adviser relationship than on numbers.” Renaud Graas Partner
and investors in the alternative asset space. With our client-focused, cross-practice approach, we are a one-stop shop that offers a 360-degree vision of all corporate, tax, regulatory and transactional work involved in the setup and operation of alternative fund or asset management firms.
You describe yourselves as a firm with a boutique spirit. What does this mean exactly?
We are eager to develop long-term, personal relationships with our clients, whilst remaining a relatively small firm with a startup spirit, where partners work hands-on alongside their teams. Our target clients typically look for tailor-made, individualised services with a personal touch and we treasure those relationships – we put more emphasis on the trusted adviser relationship than on numbers. A large part of our clients is comprised of smaller venture capital firms or so-called first-time teams looking to launch their asset management business. Our clients like the availability of senior lawyers and our entrepreneurial spirit, which is a trait we share with them.
PHOTO Jan Hanrion & Patricia Pitsch (Maison Moderne)
What can you tell us about Van Campen Liem?
— Septembre/0ctobre 2019
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