Michelle’s practice covers both energy law and administrative law. She represents clients in administrative and civil proceedings on a wide range of topics, including permits, exemptions, enforcement decisions, compensation for (un)lawful government acts, and the Open Government Act.
She has been active in the energy sector since the liberalization of the energy market in 1998. She advises energy companies, network operators, project developers, local authorities, large consumers, and interest groups throughout the entire chain of energy production, transport, and supply, with a focus on the energy transition process. This includes renewable energy projects (heat, solar energy, wind energy, hydrogen, biogas), infrastructure (closed distribution systems, smart grids, storage), tariff regulation, subsidies, connection, transport, supply, and operating agreements, consumer protection, and enforcement.
Michelle’s practice regularly operates at the intersection of public affairs and strategic legal advice and often involves (politically) sensitive matters and projects that require creative and innovative solutions.
She publishes, teaches courses, and regularly speaks at conferences. Michelle has been highly regarded as an energy law expert by (international) guides such as Chambers Europe and Legal 500 for many years.
In 2018, she was appointed deputy judge at the Rotterdam District Court, administrative law division. Michelle is editor-in-chief of the Dutch Journal of Energy Law and a board member of the Dutch Association for Energy Law. She is a member of the administrative law committee of the Bar Association in The Hague and chair of the Legislation and Regulation Program Council of the Heat Network Foundation.
Partner | Attorney at law
Energy | Administrative law