Profile
Hans Urlus focuses his practice on antitrust and competition issues affecting clients in various industry sectors, and handles competition matters on both the domestic and cross-border level, with a concentration on vertical competition law issues regarding market entry strategies. Hans has vast experience advising clients on EU and national competition law, and EU regulatory issues, including handling complex multi-jurisdictional mergers and acquisitions.
Hans also coordinates inbound and outbound FDI with respect to China and represents international clients in all legal and regulatory aspects of international trade, commercial agency, and franchise and distribution law issues. He is also involved in litigation and arbitration in relation to these matters. In addition, Hans also counsels various multinational clients on Dutch corporate law and governance obligations regarding holding activities.
Hans also deals with other regulatory aspects of EU law and the Dutch implementation thereof, such as the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (in Dutch: Wet ter voorkoming van witwassen en financieren van terrorisme (Wwft)).
With more than 30 years of experience in the regulatory field, Hans has advised on numerous cases involving the introduction of various regulated products into the EU market.
Concentrations
- Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (Wwft) and Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) registration
- Competition law and EU regulatory law
- Corporate law (governance, mergers and acquisitions)
- Franchise, agency and distribution law
Capabilities
Experience
- Advised various national and international clients on compliance with the Wwft, towards regulators and third parties on disputes with banks, as well as parties as to Wwft disclosure obligations, and litigation of the same.
- Advised principals and agents in landmark cases regarding commercial agency and brokerage in inter alia shipping, financial services and media industries, and advised many non-European clients on market entry and distribution structures, including many Chinese (government-owned and private) companies.
- Advised international companies, including a major European oil company, on Dutch holding and financing activities, and created for the latter a Dutch structure for a Latin American joint venture with a major Chinese oil company.
- Litigated and arbitrated complex international public law and private international law issues in various jurisdictions, including recognition of immunity of a United Nations institution.
- Advised on competition law issues regarding both horizontal and vertical aspects, and represented clients with the European Commission and national competition authorities in various merger control cases and antitrust complaints.
- Involved in the first public bid in the Netherlands by a Chinese company.
Recognition & Leadership
- Listed, Chambers Global
- Corporate/M&A (Foreign Experts - Netherlands and International Firms, Experts Based Abroad - China), 2015-2016
- Expert Based Abroad, 2014
- Listed, The Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa, EU and Competition, 2009, 2013 and 2023-2024
- Listed, Who's Who Legal, "WWL: Franchising," 2023
- Chair, Franchisor's Working Group on the Dutch Franchise Code
- Arbitrator, Fenex Arbitration
- Arbitrator, German Institute of Arbitration (DIS)
- Arbitrator, Netherlands Arbitration Institute (as franchise expert)
- Involved as Chairman of the Franchisors Think Tank in the Drafting Process of the NFC, the Dutch Industry Code for Franchising
- Lecturer, Bar Educational Program
- Visiting Lecturer, Asser Institute
- Member, Supervisory Board of Directors, Janssen Group, 1992-1998
- Member, Dutch Bar Association
Credentials
- LL.M., University of Leiden, Faculty of Law, 1978
- The Netherlands
- European Courts
- Dutch, Native
- English, Fluent
- German, Fluent
- French, Conversational
News, Insights & Events
Hans is a contributor to the GT London Law Blog 
and the GT Israel Law Blog
Hans regularly lectures and serves as a panelist addressing subjects concerning commercial agency and distribution and vertical competition law issues.