Van Benthem & Keulen marks strategic refinement with new name: VBK
22-04-2026
VBK is the new name of law firm Van Benthem & Keulen. By choosing this new name and brand positioning 'VBK partner in progress', the firm marks the next step in the development of its legal services.
Societal and technological developments are making legal issues increasingly complex and are confronting companies, public authorities and social organisations with major challenges in achieving their objectives. This calls for a firm that partners at a strategic level. With its renewed strategy, VBK is opting for an approach that combines sharp legal insight with a deep understanding of the client’s interests and objectives.
Unchanged foundation
“Legal issues increasingly have a direct impact on an organisation’s strategy,” says Wouter Koelewijn, partner and member of the executive board. “That requires more than expertise alone; it requires us to keep aligning our services with the changing needs and expectations of our clients, the rise of AI in the legal sector, and developments in our labour market. With the new name and strategy, we are giving a sharper and more contemporary form to what has been the foundation of our firm for 85 years: legal expertise and genuine commitment to the client’s organisation.”
Investing in people
“With a view to continuously enhancing our services, VBK makes explicit choices,” says CEO Gijs van Wijgerden. “We are placing even greater emphasis on our people. Their role as strategic sparring partners and their understanding of the client’s context are becoming even more important. That is why we will be making additional investments in our VBK Academy in the coming years. We will also deepen our expertise in the sectors we are active in and continue to share our knowledge in innovative ways in order to stay connected to our clients. Finally, we are making focused investments in attracting and training talent that embraces this future-oriented way of working.”
Strengthened by technology
In addition to strategic and substantive expertise, VBK will be investing heavily in AI technology and its IT infrastructure in the period ahead. Van Wijgerden says: “This is a very deliberate choice. AI technology enables us to further improve our services, while at the same time changing our role as lawyers and civil-law notaries: from purely legal experts to partners who combine technology and expertise to help clients progress more effectively. We embrace the new opportunities offered by technology because we believe it helps us fulfil our role as a strategic sparring partner even more.”
About VBK
VBK is a leading full-service law firm with more than 100 legal professionals and is consistently ranked among the 20 largest firms in the Netherlands. VBK assists companies, public authorities and social organisations in various sectors: financial services, industry, tech, mobility, energy, retail, real estate & construction, education, government and healthcare & life sciences. Through a strong international network of independent firms with local market knowledge, VBK provides seamless support in the Netherlands and beyond. In recent years, VBK was named the Netherlands’ best legal service provider' in 2019, 2021,2023,2025 (MT1000).
