Summary

Martje is widely known for her expertise in commercial arbitration and complex cross-border litigation, notably in the field of energy, where she advises clients on critical strategic matters and has represented these companies in a range of arbitrations and court cases.

She has over a decade of experience in the oil and gas industry. This includes in-house experience gathered during a secondment to Shell's litigation department in Houston and her role as litigator at the Houston office of Haynes & Boone. Clients value Martje as an accomplished practitioner who can advise on both legal and economic issues in complex disputes. She also handles highly political and sensitive disputes and negotiations, managing numerous stakeholders and interests.

Martje's expertise includes disputes related to joint ventures and collaboration agreements, and issues related to recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments and annulment of arbitral awards as well as related attachment proceedings.

As a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration (ICC), Martje actively participates in the Court’s judicial supervision of ICC arbitrations, including the appointment of arbitrators, decisions on challenges against arbitrators, and the scrutiny and approval of ICC arbitral awards. In addition, Martje is an executive board member of the Dutch Arbitration Association and included in the Netherlands Arbitration Institute (NAI) and the Shanghai Arbitration Commission’s (SAC) panels of arbitrators.

Martje has been included in GAR's latest edition of its '45 under 45' – a guide to the leading younger practitioners in international arbitration.

Martje’s recent work includes advising and representing:

  • an international energy company in various gas price review arbitrations under long-term gas sales agreements under the ICC and UNCITRAL rules;
  • an international energy company in two ICC arbitrations under New York law arising out of long-term LNG purchase contracts;
  • international energy companies in a variety of arbitration and litigation matters related to the accelerated shut-in of and damages claims in relation to the Groningen gas field;
  • Shell before the Dutch courts in a case under Nigerian law brought by four Nigerian farmers and environmental organisation Milieudefensie related to oil spills in Nigeria, and in the successful mediation between the parties;
  • Enel and Enelpower in their successful defence against the recognition of a EUR 435 million Albanian judgment, including a de novo review under Albanian law and in successful Dutch Supreme Court proceedings, multiple attachment-related proceedings, and a successful defence against a request for preliminary witness hearings.

Qualifications

  • Profession

    Advocaat, admitted to the bar in the Netherlands in 2009

  • Languages

    Dutch, English

  • Education

    Utrecht University

    Macquarie University

    University of Nottingham

  • Additional positions

    Executive board member (treasurer) of the Dutch Arbitration Association

    Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration for the period 2024-2027

    Chair of the Gender Diversity Committee at De Brauw

Personal Assistant