Mr.
Mr. S.E. Wierenga-Heintz Sophie Senior Attorney

Sophie Wierenga-Heintz has been a practicing attorney since 2004 and joined Wijn & Stael in 2017. She concentrates her practice on labor and employment law and the labor and employment branch of privacy law. She assists clients with reorganizations, co-determination, individual and collective termination law, human resource management and labor and employment law privacy issues, among others.​

Ethical and Personal Commitment
Sophie is a dedicated attorney with strong analytical skills, a hands-on approach to cases, and an open mind. She listens carefully to her client’s wishes, learns about the client’s business, then pursues the best solution. She not only looks at what is legally possible, but also at what is practically feasible and desirable for the client. “Entrepreneurs don’t want to waste time on long proceedings. That’s why I look for ways to reduce the hassle for them and pursue creative solutions.”

Proactive Sparring Partner
Sophie scores high in the Legal 500 of 2020. In it, clients describe her as: ‘out of the box thinker, pro-active, knowledgeable, responds quickly to questions’ and ‘unique mixture of warm personal skills combined with hard result-driven solutions, a pleasant sparring partner.’

Professional Activities & Memberships

  • Member, VAAN - Association of Employment Lawyers of the Netherlands
  • Member, VAAMN - Association of Employment Lawyers of Central Netherlands

Academic Background

  • Employment Law, postgraduate, 2009, Erasmus University Rotterdam
  • Dutch Law, 2001, Utrecht University

Representative Practice

  • Counseled a large employer (operating a number of companies) on restructuring, transfer of business, collective bargaining agreements and harmonization issues.
  • Counseled an employer on unlawful employee competition.
  • Counseled a number of employers on labor and employment privacy issues.
  • Litigated and counseled on whether a contract qualified as a contract for services or an employment contract.

Recommendations

  • Legal 500 - 2020: Employment
    Testimonial: "Sophie Wierenga-Heintz has a no-nonsense approach. She has a unique mixture of warm personal skills combined with hard result-driven solutions. She is analytical and a pleasant sparring partner in law matters"
  • Legal 500 - 2023: Employment
    Testimonial: “Sophie Wierenga is always willing to do something extra even on her days off, and she is thorough in her way of working without slowing the process down, which is very important in a fast-moving business environment.”

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

  • Labour law

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.