Michiel assists clients in conflicts with financial regulators, including the imposition of sanctions, as well as with financial institutions, including duty of care, customer due diligence and inclusion in referral registers. He has in-depth expertise in financial regulation and compliance, especially in relation to investment structures, anti-money laundering (AML), cryptocurrencies (MICAR) and blockchain/distributed ledger technology.
Michiel’s extensive professional experience is highly valued by his clients. He was previously with De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek in Amsterdam and The Hague where he worked on large financial transactions and corporate law issues. His career as a litigator then developed further when he joined one of the first large litigation boutiques in the Netherlands. He then worked as a solicitor at a Big4 firm, where he focused on large-scale licensing processes, compliance audits and remediation operations at various financial institutions in collaboration with accountants and consultants. In addition, he acted as judicial liquidator for the settlement of an internationally operating investment fund.
Michiel is a trusted advisor and, where necessary, a seasoned litigator, particularly for fintechs and other start-ups in the financial sector, fund managers and trust offices. Clients also value his knowledge and experience in disputes with banks and insurers and in proceedings concerning directors’ and professional liability, data protection and fraud-related claims. Clients describe him as “pragmatic”, “to the point” and “sharp”, as well as “solution-oriented”, “diplomatic” and “efficient”.
Michiel graduated in business law and economics from Utrecht University and was admitted to the Dutch Bar in 2001. In 2025, he obtained his PhD from the Open University with a thesis on the relationship between banks’ fight against financial and economic crime and the privacy of their clients. He regularly publishes and lectures on a wide range of financial law topics. Michiel is fluent in Dutch and English.
