GMW lawyers

28 October 2026

Director, but not a decision-maker of the company: stay alert!

In many companies, policy is not determined jointly by all directors. Sometimes one director has the upper hand, because of experience, seniority or simply a dominant personality. In other cases, policy is even determined by a third party who is not registered as a statutory director.

22 October 2026

Racist images in a group chat: summary dismissal too severe

Do racist messages in a private group chat with colleagues justify summary dismissal? The Hague Court of Appeal held that they did not, and criticised the employer for the process it had followed.

14 October 2026

Acquisitive prescription of a boundary line

Have you been in possession of a piece of your neighbour’s land for more than 20 years without any objection? If so, that land may have become your property through prescription.

8 October 2026

What if a will is never signed – does the deceased’s wishes still count?

A will makes it possible to depart from the standard rules of inheritance law, also known as intestate succession. Anyone who wants to arrange their estate differently from what the law prescribes must go through a notary. A will is only legally valid once it has been officially signed in the presence of the notary and executed by the notary. But what if that signature never takes place? Can a draft will still be decisive?

5 October 2026

Recourse claims in the WHOA

The Dutch Act on Private Restructuring Plans (WHOA) offers businesses in financial distress the opportunity to reach an agreement with creditors outside of bankruptcy.