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We are Hertoghs advocaten

For the worst case the best scenario

We leap to your defence

If you’re suspected of fraud, government agencies will track you down.
And they know no mercy.

If you’ve reached an impasse in your talks with the tax authorities or you’re suspected of fraud − and definitely if the Public Prosecution Service is hot on your heels − what you need most of all is a safe haven, a place where you can tell your side of the story and where someone takes immediate action to protect your private and business interests. At Hertoghs, you can count on our unparalleled expertise and an intrinsic drive to defend your case.

Grandmasters at two-level chess

Where procedural tax law and criminal law intersect

Our area of expertise lies where procedural tax law and criminal law intersect. We chose this combined specialisation three decades ago and have since become first class in our field in the Netherlands. While the majority of cases we take on concern fraud, a dispute can also be purely tax-related. Most of the time, however, they involve both fields, and that’s exactly when our attorneys are at their best.

When the Public Prosecution Service is hot on your heels, what you need most is a safe haven.

Hertoghs offers unparalleled expertise
Our attorneys apply the four-eye principle

The best conceivable defence

Achieving the best possible result in court can take years. Our strategy can alternate between being aggressive and playing the soft card. This can be tough on clients, especially if they feel wronged and the walls are closing in. But you can trust us; we know what we’re doing. We always work in teams. We apply the four-eye principle; for attorneys this is unique: every document is reviewed by at least two people. Also among colleagues, we tend to criticise each other’s views. All the expertise we have at the firm culminates in the best conceivable defence.

De Hertoghs methode van onderhandelen

What would be the best outcome?

Our negotiations are typically with the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration or the Public Prosecution Service. Negotiating with the authorities is a special discipline because the relationship can be qualified as asymmetrical and hierarchical. Civil servants do not have a personal financial interest in the outcome of a dispute. Their main concern is the correct application of the law. For this reason, we have converted the Harvard Negotiation Method into the Hertoghs negotiation method, which makes allowance for these specific relationships. Safeguarding the right to institute legal proceedings plays an important role in our strategy, as does the willingness to take a matter to court and fight it out to the end. In that sense, the combination of negotiation and legal proceedings creates a more level playing field.

News and publications

Hertoghs beschouwt

Hertoghs is committed to gathering and sharing knowledge. We keep close track of developments in our field and we like to be an early adopter. We’re always keen to embrace relevant trends and integrate new methods into our service provision. Our professionals get together every week to discuss the news, the impact of new developments on our clients, case law and publications in professional journals.