Returning to “home base”, Conny Staudt joins AKD Benelux lawyers' employment law team as a partner.

Pieter Huys, who leads the team, comments: “We are thrilled to welcome Conny at AKD. Coming at a time where flexible employment has become a hot topic, her expertise in this field neatly complements our own expertise. Earlier this year, the Balanced Labour Market Act (Wet Arbeidsmarkt in Balans) came into force, the purpose of which Act is to make flexible employment less flexible and steady employment less steady. We find that this new legislation has given rise to many questions from our clients, duly aggravated by the uncertainties thrown up by the Covid-19 crisis. Conny's expertise and experience add real value to our team”.

Conny adds: “For my part, returning to AKD completes the circle. Having worked at AKD between 2002 and 2008, I guess the cliché that blood is thicker than water rings true after all. I look forward to applying the experience I have gained over the years since and the network I have built to contributing to the continued growth of AKD's employment law practice”.

“I have been an employment lawyer for nearly 25 years now and have seen the work change dramatically. From a mainly national practice, our work now stretches across borders most of the time. That creates many challenges. Think transnational employment, the Posted Workers in the European Union (Working Conditions) Act, international reorganisations, privacy issues that do not stop at borders, and the balance between flexible and steady employment”. The Covid-19 crisis has generated new employment issues in its own right. Conny explains: “Take remote working. What are the rights and obligations of the employer and the employee? With borders shrinking to the size of cat flaps, what options do enterprises have to hire foreign employees? What are the consequences for the demand for flexible employment? It ensures that you have to be right on top of developments in “the greatest job there is”, according to AKD's brand new partner.