Interview with our senior legal counsel Lisette Domhoff-Spaaij
Interview with our senior legal counsel Lisette Domhoff-Spaaij
- What inspired you to join House and the House Team, and what makes House unique for you?
When House (then still House of Lawyers) started in 2019, I was approached by Maaike with the question of whether I wanted to join her House Team as an independent. I had just started as an independent myself a few months ago, and Maaike's mission and vision for House immediately appealed to me: To provide legal support to companies in a pragmatic, uncomplicated and complicated way. Really thinking along with the client. Not thinking in terms of impossibilities but in terms of possibilities. This is exactly why I started as an independent lawyer.
- Can you describe a project that you are particularly proud of within your work for House's clients?
A company in the scientific sector that I had been providing on-demand legal support for several years with employment law issues was, at some point, forced to reorganize urgently. Because this had never happened before and the board had no experience with this process, I guided them from start to finish in the (legal) steps to be taken: from informing the employees, comparing the available functions, correctly reflecting them, and ultimately terminating the employment contracts.
- How do you contribute to the success of our clients, and what impact do you see on their companies?
I am always aware of the type of client/company that I assist (the target group). I think along with them and listen to their wishes and do not get bogged down in endless, difficult-to-read notes. As a result, clients can quickly get started with my advice and actually take action, regardless of whether it concerns a request for advice from the Works Council or negotiations about the individual termination of an employment contract.
- What do you think are the most important qualities that someone needs to be successful at House?
Especially if you perform on-demand work for House, flexibility is an absolute must. You must be able to switch quickly and effectively between the various legal issues within your field of expertise as well as between the different types of clients. That makes working for House extra interesting and challenging for me. The variety keeps me sharp.
Interview Daphne van Oppenraaij – Beijdorff, General Counsel/Head of Legal PreZero
How can House support a company like PreZero Netherlands with flexible legal services?
In a short interview, one of our valued clients, Daphne van Oppenraaij – Beijdorff, General Counsel/Head of Legal PreZero Netherlands, revealed her experience with our legal services and the collaboration with our senior legal counsels. A glimpse of that here:
“House has proven itself as a reliable partner in legal services by providing expert interim counsel who are not only legally strong, but also understand the non-legal aspects of corporate legal work. A specific achievement was during the furlough period of one of our corporate lawyers; House managed the transition and transfer seamlessly and professionally. Their approach combines legal precision with a pragmatic approach, which is essential for effective corporate legal support. Communication with House is always pleasant and professional, and their technical meetings are enriching and interesting. I would certainly recommend House to others looking for reliable and expert legal support."
Are you looking for legal support that suits your company? We are here to help and are always open to a conversation. Legal for tomorrow!
Robert Buisman - CEO & Founder NOMOBO.
Robert Buisman - CEO & Founder NOMOBO.
NOMOBO is a creative video content agency producing exciting, energetic content for the world's leading brands.
1. What doubts did you have beforehand?
"It was more that I didn't know House well enough. I thought we were going to hop from legal counsel to legal counsel all the time. That it didn't come down to building a relationship".
2. How was your experience with our legal services in the end?
"Very nice, really great. I also have direct contact with our legal counsel Paul. We built a relationship in a short time. I can call him right away. He knows what he is doing, works thoroughly, stays critical. He also keeps the right pace and goes into enough depth".
3. What were your results from using our legal counsel Paul?
"To start: better protection of our productions and covering risks on location. In addition, during turbulent times, our legal counsel ensured that we do things by the book and follow the statutes. Furthermore, at NOMOBO - through the quick "legal" check on certain issues - we were able to force openings in business conflicts. I can share my vision with our legal counsel and then I get enough ammunition to get going myself, preventing a real legal escalation. By the way, this doesn't mean I use legal counsel for hours, I can just make a phone call. This reflection gives self-confidence. Our legal counsel is a real trusted advisor and sparring partner".
4. Who would you recommend this to?
"I highly recommend House's legal services for start-up companies. If you have a business and you want to protect it, bring in an expert, so you have precisely quick access to legal and therefore quicker results. If I had known House earlier, as in at an earlier stage of my business, it would have helped to cover risks quickly. It can really save you in the long run. I also like the approachability of House and that they have an expert in house for every subject".
5. What else is fun to talk about?
"There is so much to think about in terms of legal. We were filming in San Francisco (USA) during a production, which featured an iconic tower with a company logo on it. Then it turned out that even if you film in public, there can be certain restrictions in terms of image rights, such as that the architecture is protected. So the images couldn't just be used commercially. After we investigated everything carefully, it turned out that - the moment you don't specifically focus on some buildings - it is allowed to use "cityscapes”.
