Yvette Kouwenberg

lawyer/associate partner

About me

I graduated in commercial economics at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (fully in English). I then studied law at the University of Amsterdam. After having worked in Human Resources/Personnel Management for a number of years, I have been a lawyer in employment law since 2008, with a special interest in privacy on the work floor and employee participation. I completed the postgraduate specialisation course in labour law at the Grotius Academy with a cum laude result.

What do I do

I am the go-to person for a variety of employment law issues, such as with regard to the drafting and assessment of employment contracts, the introduction and amendment of personnel policies, enquiries about collective labour agreements, reorganisation processes, performance, dismissal, non-compete clauses, flexible employment relations and the contract of assignment. Within the field of employment law, my sub-specialism is privacy. Advising clients on e.g. personnel monitoring, privacy aspects related to incapacity for work, employee screening and internet/email use therefore constitutes a great part of my practise. Additionally, I enjoy assisting works councils to help them navigate through various reorganisation processes and to advise them on implementation and changes of different personnel policies e.g. related to background checks, monitoring and privacy.

Why work with me

My approach can be best described by making the connection between the legal and the practical, without losing sight for the human touch. Being an entrepreneur myself, I fully understand the legal challenges organisations can face in their daily operations. This allows me to swiftly identify potential legal bottlenecks and to help repair them so that organisations can keep focus on their core business. Because I also assist works councils and private (expat) individuals, I am well acquainted with both sides of the chessboard.

Memberships

I am a member of the Association of Employment Law Attorneys in the Netherlands (VAAN), the Association of Employment Law Attorneys Amsterdam (VAAA) and the Association for Employment Law (VvA).

Nice to know

From 2013 to 2017 I was a volunteer for the Laluz Foundation, a foundation that links (legal) professionals to non-profit organizations to use their knowledge on a voluntary basis. From 2013 to 2020 I was an editor at the Amsterdams Balie Bulletin, a publication of the Amsterdam Bar Association. I speak/write English fluently.