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Janet Meesters

Partner
She is a very experienced construction lawyer, and excelled in setting up the team. She's very calm and focused in negotiations, very strategic, and has a clear and structured approach, which made a difficult project very smooth."
— Chambers Europe, 2023
Amsterdam
About

Janet Meesters has vast experience in the field of procurement law and construction law. She advises both tenderers and contracting entities and both contractors and employers and she has extensive experience in civil court litigation.

In procurement matters, Janet provides strategic advice on the design of tender procedures and the different types of procedures, the tender documentation as well as the application and bid for tenders. In addition, she assists both bidders and contracting authorities in legal proceedings in relation to procurement procedures.

In the field of construction law, Janet advises and represents employers and contractors in complex law disputes in civil court and arbitration proceedings (Dutch Arbitration Board for the Building Industry, Netherlands Arbitration Institute, ICC) involving different types of contracts (including DB, DBFM and contracts based on the international FIDIC standards). She is also experienced in negotiating contracts in the field of construction, project development, and public-private partnerships (PPP/PPS). She understands technical language and is praised for her ability to translate complex technical issues into comprehensible legal advice or court documents.

She advises a wide range of clients including Dutch and international companies in the field of construction, infrastructure, transport, (renewable) energy, waste management, technology, education and insurance and several (semi-)governmental bodies and universities.

Areas of FocusLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsConstruction and Engineering
Professional QualificationsAdvocaat admitted with the Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten

EXPERIENCE

  • Drafting and negotiating contracts (such as main construction contract, subcontract, FEED contract, construction team constract) for large construction projects including a plastic waste recycling plant, a carbon capture plant, a hydrogen installation and several solar parks. 
  • Assisting several international companies in their preparations for and participation in European tender procedures initiated by Dutch contracting entities, based on the Classical as well as the Utilities Directive.
  • Assisting and representing some of the largest Dutch construction and infrastructure companies in several procurement and contractual matters in construction projects.
  • Providing legal and strategic advice to the consortia acting as main contractors in the DBFM project for the widening of a motorway, including tunnel construction, and the DB project for one of the largest movable locks in the world, including the civil and arbitration proceedings resulting from those projects.
  • Advising and representing clients in several sectors in relation to technically complex infrastructural and utility works (amongst which installations for renewable energy, bridges, plants, malls and radar and air traffic technology).
  • Advising several (semi-)governmental institutions on the tender phase and execution of design & build projects.
  • Assisting and representing Dutch and international construction companies in construction matters in the Netherlands and abroad involving UAV, UAV-GC, DNR, FIDIC (Yellow Book, Green Book, Red Book, Silver Book), DBFM and custom-made contracts.
  • Assisting and representing an international dredging company in several dredging and construction related matters.
 

Languages
  • English
  • Dutch

Awards and Recognitions

  • Ranked in Legal 500 EMEA 2025 as Next Generation Partner for Construction:
     ‘Janet Meesters has excellent knowledge of construction law and litigation. Very dedicated and super fast comprehension of complicated legal questions. Proactive in providing advice, without being overactive.’

    ‘Janet Meesters is verbally strong, a fast thinker, communicates fluently and is able to summarise difficult content in a short and compelling story.’

    ‘I can wholeheartedly recommend Janet Meesters and Anne Josephus Jitta for construction law disputes. Janet is a very experienced, engaged partner who never loses sight of the overall goal and I particularly value her recommendations on potential tactics and options. ’

  • Ranked in Chambers Europe 2025 for Real Estate: Construction:
    "Janet Meesters consistently demonstrates a high level of expertise. Her ability to provide thoughtful, strategic insights while maintaining a client-focused approach makes her a valuable asset."
    "She is highly responsive and committed to delivering quality results, making her contributions stand out in any team."
 
Education
  • Grotius Academy, Grotius European and Dutch Procurement Law (cum laude), 2008
  • Utrecht University, Dutch Law, 2004

Insight Overview

Janet regularly publishes on matters relating to procurement law and construction law and recently also on the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic for the Dutch construction sector. She speaks at conferences and gives lectures at the Instituut voor Bouwrecht (Institute for Construction Law) and the Public Procurement Research Centre of the Utrecht University. Janet is also one of the authors of the Tekst & Commentaar Aanbestedingsrecht and a regular annotator for the procurement case law journal Jurisprudentie Aanbestedingsrecht.

Publications

Janet frequently writes in specialist journals on current topics relating to construction law and procurement law. In recent years, she has also contributed to books on broader legal topics at the request of Dutch specialist associations in construction and procurement law. Below is a selection of her most recent publications:

  • Co-author leading commentary series on Procurement Law (Tekst & Commentaar Aanbestedingsrecht) (2014-present)
  • Extension of time in construction projects; A push for pragmatic solutions that navigate a complex legal playing field (Termijnverlenging in de bouw; een aanzet voor pragmatische oplossingen die laveren door een complex juridisch speelveld) (TBR 2025/81)
  • Annotation procurement law to Court of Appeal Arnhem-Leeuwarden 21 January 2025 (JAAN 2025/04)
  • Co-author and chairwoman of working group publishing a Prealiminary advice report (Preadvies) on Past Performance in procurement law on behalf of the Dutch Association for Procurement Law (2024)
  • Annotation procurement law to Court of The Hage 3 July 2024 (JAAN 2024/130)
  • Annotation procurement law to Court of Netherlands Central 17 April 2024 (JAAN 2024/102)
  • Co-author Preliminary advice report (Preadvies) on legal aspects of concurrent delay and inefficiency in construction projects (Juridische aspecten van samenlopende vertragingsoorzaken en inefficiëntie in de bouw) on behalf of the Dutch Association for Construction Law (December 2022)


TEACHING POSITIONS

  • Lecturer Grotius specialist education programme for Construction law
  • Lecturer Institute for Construction Law (Instituut voor Bouwrecht, IBR)
  • Lecturer University Utrecht (procurement department)
 

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Member of the Dutch Association for Procurement Law (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Aanbestedingsrecht – NVvA)
  • Member of the Dutch Construction Lawyers Association (Vereniging voor Bouwrecht-Advocaten – VBR-A)
  • Member of the Dutch Association for Construction Law (Vereniging voor Bouwrecht – VBR)
  • Member of the Dutch Arbitration Association (DAA)
 

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Connect

Phone

+31 (0) 20 5419 248
(Work)
+31 (0)6 4314 2758
(Mobile)