History

The history of the Van Dam & Kruidenier Advocaten law firm goes back to 1909, when W.A.C, van Dam, LL.M., set up his office as a lawyer and solicitor in Rotterdam. He focused almost inevitably on shipping, inland shipping in particular. His involvement in inland shipping was not solely limited to legal activities: he was chairman of 'Koninklijke Schuttevaer', the royal association of Dutch barge-owners, skippers and crew, for 25 years (1935-1958).

In 1936, J.C.W. van Dam, LL.M., son of the firm's founder, started working for his father. In the WW II bombardment on 14 May 1940, the Van Dam office at the Bierhaven (Beer Harbour) was destroyed.

For this reason, the office was temporarily established in their 'tjalk' boat 'De Vrijheid' (Freedom), which was moored in the Zalmhaven (Salmon Harbour) during the war years. After the war, the office was relocated to the Mauritsweg, until moving to the Schiedamsedijk by the Leuvehaven in 1953.


In 1958, J.C.W. van Dam, LL.M., succeeded his father as chairman of 'Koninklijke Schuttevaer'. He also held this position for 25 years. At the beginning of the 1960s, L. Kruidenier, LL.M., joined J.C.W. van Dam, LL.M., who had run the firm alone after his father's retirement. The name of the firm was changed to Van Dam & Kruidenier Advocaten.

The firm is currently still involved in the ups and downs of inland shipping. The grandson of the firm's founder, M.J. van Dam, LL.M., started working for the firm in 1981 and has been secretary of the Rotterdam branch of 'Koninklijke Schuttevaer' since 1983.


At the start of 1999, the firm had grown to big, so it moved from its office on the Schiedamsedijk to a modern office building in the Rivium business park in Capelle aan den IJssel. From then, it was no longer possible for captains to moor their boats directly in front of the office.

The firm has gradually grown in the last decade to its current size.

< back