Claire Nijssen

Claire specializes in commercial law, including drafting and analyzing general terms and conditions, assessing breaches of contract, and evaluating damage claims. She also assists clients in exploring how they can be released from contractual obligations. A legal review of a draft contract can often prevent a great deal of trouble. It’s far better to guide clients away from potential pitfalls in advance than to have to acknowledge later that escaping from a signed, onerous contract is impossible.

In real estate law, Claire specializes in drafting and reviewing contracts related to property purchase, leasing, project development, and construction agreements. When issues arise in an ongoing construction project, she always prefers an amicable settlement, as halting construction costs both time and money for all parties involved. However, if litigation becomes unavoidable, Claire takes the lead, guiding clients through the process, whether in civil court or before the Arbitration Board for the Construction Industry.

Public sector organizations and those largely funded by public money are required to follow procurement regulations above certain threshold values. Many private entities also opt for voluntary procurement when awarding large contracts, aiming for transparency in the process.

However, the procurement documents are not always as transparent as they should be. Procurement law is rife with formalities and deadlines. Claire frequently advises parties who have become entangled in the process of submitting bids or completing procurement documents. For a rejected bidder, she can assess whether there is still an opportunity to challenge the outcome, such as through a preliminary injunction to halt the procurement process or to prevent the award from going to the “winning” bidder.

Within Thuis Partners, Claire is part of the Deutsche Beratung section, specializing in providing services to German-speaking clients. She is fluent in German and often assists German-speaking clients planning to acquire real estate in the Netherlands. Reviewing and explaining a purchase agreement under Dutch law in German is part of her daily practice, ensuring that her clients fully understand the legal aspects of their transactions.

Postgraduate Education 

• IBR VBR-A Private Law
• Governance Training for Supervisory Board Members and Directors (Wagner)

Memberships 

• Association for Construction Law Attorneys (VBR-A)
• Deutsch-Niederländische Rechtsanwaltsverein (German-Dutch Lawyers Association)
• German-Dutch Business Club Aachen Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• German-speaking section of the International Practice Group (IPG)
• Board Member of the Limburg Real Estate Society (LVS)
• Board Member of the Landgraaf-Onderbanken Library
• College of Delegates of Limburg
• Honorary Consul of the Republic of Austria for Limburg

Teaching/Guest Lectures 

• Guest lectures on Tenancy Law at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences
• Guest lectures on Law of Obligations at BNA (Dutch Association of Architectural Firms)

• Real Estate Law (Construction Law, Emphyteusis, Easements, Neighbour Law)
• Procurement Law

*According to the standards set by the Dutch Bar Association, these registrations require Claire to obtain ten continuing education points annually in each of the registered areas of law.