Mr.
Mr. K.N. van der Heijden Karlijn Senior Attorney
LinkedIn +31 30 23 20 804 VCARD

Karlijn van der Heijden has been an attorney with Wijn & Stael since 2018. She advises and represents employers, collective bargaining parties, and employee representative bodies on employment and employee participation matters. Her practice includes counseling on and litigating disputes involving collective bargaining deadlocks, pay equity and pay transparency, business transfers, reorganizations, and amendment of employment terms.

Engaged and Approachable
Karlijn is committed to building lasting client relationships and is known for her approachable style — from engaging in informal discussions to providing comprehensive guidance through complex legal matters. She takes the time to understand her clients’ organizations and industries to deliver solutions that are both legally robust and tailored to their needs.

Broad Perspective
Karlijn recognizes that navigating legal matters often involves more than just legal considerations; it also requires an understanding of the broader context and the interests of all parties involved. “I love the intellectual challenges of my work and the unique dynamics that each case presents. That's why I take the time to understand my client’s world and truly value the close, personal relationships I build with them.”

Future-focused
Karlijn stays current on the issues that matter to her clients, both now and in the future, including leveraging employer branding as a strategic tool, social safety, pay equity, diversity, and inclusion. She integrates these insights into her counseling and litigation approach.

Professional Activities & Memberships

  • Member VAAN (Association of Employment Law Lawyers in the Netherlands)
  • Member VAAMN (Association of Employment Law Lawyers in Central Netherlands)
  • Member BVMP (Professional Association for Participation Professionals)
  • Member of the Harassment Complaints Committee  (Greenpeace International)

Academic Background

  • Postgraduate course in Employment Law, cum laude (2022)
  • Employment and Corporate Law, LL.M., 2017, Utrecht University
  • European Law School, 2016, Maastricht University

Representative practice

  • Counseled an employer on the application of a scope clause in a collective agreement for its companies.
  • Oversaw the implementation of a reorganization for an employer.
  • Counseled an employer on the consequences of transfer of business.
  • Counseled an employee organization on the validity of collective agreement provisions.
  • Counselled a large employer on a very sensitive case on the qualification of an agreement with a worker.
  • She acts as house counsel to many (international) companies, meaning that she handles all day-to-day employment law questions, all employment law matters and restructurings.

Bar register of legal practice areas

Karlijn has registered the following principal (and secondary) legal practice areas in the Netherlands Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister):

  • Labour law
  • Codetermination

Based on this registration, she is required to obtain ten training credits per calendar year in each registered principal legal practice area in accordance with the standards set by the Netherlands Bar.