Arnold & Porter opens in Amsterdam with two life sciences lawyers

August 1, 20226:05 PM UTCUpdated ago

Signage is seen outside of the law firm Arnold & Porter at their legal offices in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 10, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Summary
Law Firms

Schoonderbeek, Jong to set up Arnold & Porter's Amsterdam office
Amsterdam becoming a life sciences hub following Brexit

(Reuters) - Arnold & Porter said Monday it has hired two partners in Amsterdam for a new office in the city that will focus on life sciences and healthcare work.

The Washington, D.C.-headquartered law firm's chairman Richard Alexander cited increased client demand along with the shifting of EU’s medical regulator, the European Medicines Agency (EMA), from London to Amsterdam following Brexit as reasons to launch a life sciences practice in the Dutch capital.

Carla Schoonderbeek and Bart Jong join Arnold & Porter from IP-focused Dutch firm Hoyng Rokh Monegier. Schoonderbeek, who was previously a partner at Hogan Lovells, will head the new Amsterdam office.

The lawyers in the new outpost will advise clients on matters before the EMA and the European Commission, and will also assist in the coordination of regulatory responses and cross-border filings across the EU, according to Arnold & Porter’s website.

Co-chair of Arnold & Porter’s life sciences and healthcare regulatory practice Dan Kracov said the firm has expanded the group in Europe beyond the UK and Brussels due to growing EU regulation and COVID-19.

Amsterdam is emerging as a hot location for companies looking to relocate post Brexit. The Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency said 78 “Brexit” companies shifted their base from the UK to the Netherlands in 2020. Life sciences and healthcare is one of the main sectors where this movement has been most frequent, according to the agency.

Schoonderbeek specializes in regulation of medicinal products, advising clients on EU market access and authorizations, regulatory data protection and enforcement actions before national and EU regulators, according to her online Hoyng Rokh Monegier bio.

Jong was a former judge in the District Court of Amsterdam and specializes in pharmaceutical regulatory matters, Arnold and & Porter said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Hoyng Rokh Monegier did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the moves.

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