11 January 2021
De Balie and De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek enter into partnership
Centre for debate and culture, De Balie, and law firm, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, have entered into a durable partnership. The partnership encompasses both the exchange of knowledge regarding public debate and societal topics, as well as support for the broader mission De Balie that has taken on.
International law firm De Brauw is headquartered in Amsterdam and is the home base for some 400 lawyers. It will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2021. Marnix Leijten (managing partner De Brauw): "Standpoints and insights flowing freely is crucial to be able to provide clients with legal assistance of the highest quality. The same is true for public debate and the rule of law: the open exchange of different views in society shapes the future of the law. Public debate therefore is an essential part of the rule of law. It fuels the dynamics of our society and must be cherished prudently. We are proud of our partnership with De Balie, an iconic platform dedicated to free speech and culture, which at the same time allows open debate to be closer to our firm and our colleagues".
Institute for art, culture and politics De Balie - based in a former courthouse - initiates many national and international projects and is a cradle for independent thinkers worldwide. Yoeri Albrecht (director of De Balie): "We stand for an open society, a healthy democracy and a well-functioning constitutional state. The people of De Brauw understand very well that we have an independent editorial statute, and therefore make critical programmes. These can sometimes also affect their clients. It is a good sign that the largest law firm in the Netherlands considers social rooting and public discourse to be important, and that they focus not only on what is permitted by law, but also on what is needed for society".