Criminal lawyers

Meijers Canatan Lawyers, founded in 2008, is a law firm specializing in criminal law. We handle large (international) criminal cases, but we also take on smaller cases. From our offices in Amsterdam, Schiphol, Utrecht and Groningen, our criminal lawyers assist suspects throughout the Netherlands. We do so at every stage of the criminal process, whether prior to a police interrogation or during a hearing at the criminal court.

We're a full service criminal law office. This means, among other things, that we not only provide legal assistance in court, but also in appeal before the court of appeal and in cassation before the Supreme Court. Michael Berndsen also litigates at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

By full service, we also mean that we can help you with all kinds of proceedings related to the criminal process. Think about deprivation of unlawful gains, the return of seized property, TBS, juvenile criminal cases, review, WOTS cases, extradition and surrender. As long as it has to do with criminal law, we have the right knowledge and experience.

Operating nationwide

From the center of Amsterdam, at one of the most beautiful locations in the city, we serve clients throughout the country. But we also assist both national and international clients from our Schiphol office. With the addition of offices in Utrecht and Groningen, we have expanded our national coverage. We are happy to speak with you in our office, but will also travel to you if necessary. Naturally, we visit detained clients regularly, especially before important hearings or events.

We understand how far-reaching persecution can be. Because of our experience with the hundreds of cases we deal with each year, we have seen almost everything you can deal with. Because we only focus on criminal cases, we are highly specialised. We regularly handle large, complex criminal investigations or media-sensitive cases. The size of a case is never a problem for us, we regularly work as a team.

In order to be able to practice criminal law at the highest level, we focus on both quality control and quality improvement. For example, Kerem Canatan and Michael Berndsen have been admitted as members of the Association of Cassation Lawyers in Criminal Matters and several lawyers have completed the Specialisation course in Criminal Law. All our attorneys attend several compulsory and non-compulsory courses on criminal law subjects each year. We attend congresses and meetings at home and abroad. Not only to gather and share knowledge, but also to maintain our network. We are affiliated with all the leading associations in our field, such as the Dutch Association of Defence Counsel and the European Criminal Bar Association and the Dutch Association of Young Defence Counsel. Naturally, we are also affiliated with the Dutch Bar Association.

Our firm consists of 14 lawyers. That is small enough for a personal approach and short lines of communication between the lawyers, but also large enough to be able to work as a team and deputize for each other. If your own lawyer is not available, we always provide a replacement. The lawyers are supported by a highly experienced and expert secretariat who have been with our firm since its inception.

Because criminal law problems are not tied to working hours, you can reach us 24 hours a day via our general number (020-6383606), also in the weekend. During office hours, you will be assisted by our secretariat and outside office hours you can be put through to our lawyers directly. You can always leave a message if your lawyer is busy or temporarily unavailable. He or she can then take action as soon as possible. All clients receive the mobile number of their own lawyer. They can also be found on this site, on the profile pages of the lawyers.

You can also contact us if you are not satisfied with your current lawyer. With the right instructions, we will ensure a quick and efficient takeover of the case. Are you looking for a (new) lawyer for your partner, family member, friend or colleague? We can help you, as long as it concerns a criminal case. If you call us, we can tell you immediately if we can do something for you.

Our work consists of advising, informing and assisting. The client's interests always come first, without losing sight of our professional task as lawyers. We always strive for the maximum result, but also give you a realistic assessment of your chances. If necessary, we will litigate up to the highest court. Sometimes with an entirely new defence strategy and if necessary as a team.

The basis of any lawyer-client relationship is trust. You can be confident that your lawyer is an expert and will get the most out of your case. And, of course, you can trust us to handle your case confidentially. We take professional confidentiality very seriously, not only because confidentiality is our legal duty.

Our experience has taught us that criminal proceedings can be very drastic. The efforts of the police and the judiciary are often overwhelming. We make sure that you get a fair trial. Every suspect has this right and we do not take this lightly. The fact that our firm has repeatedly achieved results for our clients after years of litigation up to the European Court of Human Rights is an example of this.

We're accessible lawyers. We listen carefully to you, but know how to filter the information we need. You will hear from us what awaits you and what our plan of action will be. In addition, you can expect us to inform you honestly about your opportunities.

On this website we have tried to inform you as well as possible about our office. Only when you meet us and we get to work can we really show what we can do. Because we understand that a good lawyer is not good because he says so himself, but because of what he does and what he can do.

We are Meijers Canatan Lawyers.