In the Press: A Conversation with Robby Reggers (English)

Article Mr. Online 

On October 15, Mr-Online (link), published an interview with Robby Reggers. Mr. is the leading platform for legal professionals in the Netherlands. It reports on current affairs in the legal world, offering insights and commentary from an independent perspective. Mr. targets all legal professionals active in the Netherlands as well as law students at university level. 

Topics of the Article 

It’s fantastic that Robby had the opportunity to share more about his experiences in Sweden (and Scandinavia). In this interview, Robby Reggers had a chance to talk about: 

• Returning to the Netherlands and plans for AMST Legal (in addition to an office in Sweden, now also on the ZuidAs in Amsterdam). 

• Challenges and opportunities in setting up his own firm in Sweden. 

• Cultural differences between Sweden and the Netherlands. 

• Major pitfalls in negotiations and how to avoid them. 

• Tips for lawyers and legal professionals looking to work internationally. 

• Experiences with negotiating in different cultures. 

Mover of the Week 

This week we are interviewing Robby Reggers. He is the Mover of the Week and founded AMST Legal in the summer of 2021 in Stockholm. Robby moved back to Amsterdam this summer, which means AMST Legal now has an office in Stockholm and in Amsterdam.  

He specializes in commercial contract law. Prior to this, Reggers worked as Legal Counsel / Head of Legal at several companies in the Randstad, and before that as a lawyer at Hogan Lovells (Amsterdam). See the Interview with Robby Reggers (AMST Legal) on Negotiating in Scandinavia below. 

Welcome back to the Netherlands! Why did you return, and what are your plans and goals for AMST Legal in the Netherlands? 

Thank you! We moved back to the Netherlands as a family due to my wife’s work. We also realized that, with the growth of AMST Legal and many Dutch clients, this was the best choice.  

The goal is to further expand AMST Legal in Stockholm, but especially in Amsterdam. This seems very achievable, as there is high demand for our specialty: flexible legal advice on drafting and negotiating commercial contracts. Our expertise in process improvement through standards, including the use of Legal Tech & AI, is particularly in demand. 

What were the main challenges and opportunities you encountered when moving to Sweden and setting up your own firm there? 

We experienced our move to Sweden as an incredibly enriching experience. It was the perfect opportunity to really get to know and discover the incredibly fascinating world of Scandinavia. It’s fantastic to see how such a large and relatively unknown part of Europe can be so interesting. 

In addition to Sweden, we now have clients from Norway and Finland to the Baltic states. These are countries where I never expected to do business. I’m still waiting for my first meeting within the Arctic Circle, but I’m sure it will happen. 

The biggest challenges were, without a doubt, setting up my own business in Sweden. It’s already complicated to start a business in the Netherlands, let alone abroad. 

What were the most remarkable cultural differences in your work between Sweden and the Netherlands, and can you elaborate on those? 

Swedes try to avoid conflicts where possible, so that’s a significant cultural difference to keep in mind. This is important to realize in your personal and business life. Be mindful of this when working with colleagues, in negotiations or when you advise companies.  

Additionally, it’s important to understand that relationships are crucial for doing business, and there is a strong focus on consensus in decision-making. This means that processes tend to be a bit slower than in the Netherlands. 

What surprised me the most was that Swedes — much like in France — have a culture of enjoying long lunches in the afternoon. There are many affordable lunch deals or buffets in the city where lawyers, accountants and construction workers all have lunch together – fantastic! It’s also completely normal to go for a walk outside in -15°C weather in the snow to discuss matters with a client or colleague. 

You also offer negotiation courses. What, in your opinion, are the biggest pitfalls in negotiations, and how can professionals avoid them? 

The biggest pitfalls in negotiations are usually a lack of preparation and poor listening and communication. To avoid this, we emphasize in our training how you can 1. enter negotiations better prepared by breaking them down into three different phases, and 2. achieve better results by using quality questions and empathetic listening — without always having to reach a compromise. It’s all about understanding the other party better. 

What is your tip of the week for lawyers and legal professionals who are considering working internationally or starting their own firm abroad? 

Learning the local language as early and as well as possible makes a huge difference in your ability to find clients abroad. It may sound obvious, but most people tend to overlook it (myself included). 

Additionally, it’s important to build a local network. In this context, I’ve had a great experience collaborating with Dutch business clubs. I find, for example, the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in Sweden to be fantastic, which is also closed with the Dutch embassy.  

Also, make sure to attend as many meetings and conferences as possible. This has been incredibly helpful for me in establishing connections with local and international clients who have ties to Sweden and are active in Scandinavia. 

Conclusion

In this interview, Robby shared his experiences of living, working, and establishing a new business abroad. If you have any questions or would simply like to discuss these experiences, feel free to contact Robby at +31 6 50608964.

You can also reach out to Robby for training sessions (for teams or professionals) on improving negotiation skills in an international context.