VIP Interview with Reinier W.L Russell, Lawyer and Honorary consul of Brazil to the Kingdom of The Netherlands, Amsterdam, 7 June 2022

About Reinier Russell

Russell Advocaten was founded in 1943 by Mr W.M.J. Russell, especially for business.

Reinier Russell specializes in corporate, human resources, real estate and government issues. He has been a lawyer since 1990. He is also a certified mediator. 

Reinier is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Society of Primerus Law Firms. In addition to his work as a lawyer, Reinier is an honorary consul of Brazil and director of various charitable institutions.

What does your company do?

We are a law firm in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, that has been in operation for nearly 80 years and specialises in international business in Dutch markets. We deal with all aspects of foreign investors on the Dutch market, whether they have subsidiaries here or are just starting, whether they have employment here or are looking to relocate. As you are aware, the Netherlands is very safe, and everyone is bilingual. If you walk through a park in the Netherlands, everyone speaks any language from all over the world, and people love it here. We have one client with  300 employees, with only two Dutch people and 298 from all over the world. This makes the Netherlands very international, and we often say it is a gateway to Europe because if you make it here, you will also make it in Germany, France, Portugal, and Spain.

How is it to be a successful businessman in the Netherlands?

Of course, the last two years during Covid were difficult; fewer incoming treats, less tourism, and the higher costs prevented people from visiting their families abroad. That was difficult for them, and governments stepped in to help business people with financial subsidies. We are still very much international-focused, making it more difficult. However,  we now see a lot of work going on. People continue to flock to the Netherlands, believing it to be a haven.

How did you handle the culture gaps?

To begin with, language is very important; some countries want lawyers that speaks their language. We believe speaking a language is not as crucial as understanding someone’s business. We understand our clients’ businesses whether we represent them as an airline or a local producer. We don’t mind, but we know the company’s circumstances and on the working floor. Finally, you have to go to court, where the judge reviews three or four parties of the day, and you have to explain to the judge what is going on, what the specific circumstances are, and why being late in international delivery, for example, is so harmful to business and why there are damages. You will find that an hour later, the Judge is doing something completely different. Legally, you start with the contracts, establish the facts and circumstances of the case, and then go from there. This compels us to visit our clients and walk them through their operations to understand their processes better. When dealing with clients, you must first serve their needs and respect them. However, we are dealing with actual Dutch courts and Dutch judges, and we know our way around the legal system. Fact-finding is critical because the facts are based on what is happening within the company. Working with officers like collar workers is very different from working for a company with blue-collar workers and other circumstances.

Can you give us a few examples of cases and how you handled the case from law and soft diplomacy perspectives?

It is not always the best way to make a demand by knocking on someone’s door; perhaps it is better to first talk to someone and sit around the table. However, it is already a few years that we have new instruments such as mediation, whereby we are seated around a table, discussing the needs of one party with the needs of the other. How can we come to a mutual solution, and if that doesn’t work, we can still go to court and seize someone’s assets. Such actions can make the other party afraid or start new fights, which are not always the best options. In some cases, it is strongly advised to begin with the talk or a simple demand curve. There are numerous factors to consider, including the language spoken by the individual, regional and local issues, and the interests of both our clients and the opposing party.

You are also part of the business consulate here in the Netherlands. Would you like to share your role in this case?

I’ve been an Honorary Consul of Brazil for nearly 30 years. I have Brazilians who have difficulties in the Netherlands, such as losing their wallets, tickets, and passports. We promote the economy, trade,  culture, and tourism is on the rise again. It is always nice to have someone nearby for help when you are in trouble. I’m always thinking that if I get into trouble anywhere in Brazil and a  Dutch consul comes to help me, I would be overjoyed.  I am also chairman of Corps Consulaire Netherlands  Last year; Corps Consulaire Netherlands celebrated its 25th anniversary by publishing a beautiful book featuring 25 interviews with consuls from around the world because every country, every consul creates their networks to meet the needs of their respective countries. Every different story from 25 colleagues about what happened during their consular years was very nice to read, and I can tell you these are magnificent stories.

Compared to my legal profession, being a consul is a different challenge that cannot be planned. If  a problem arises, you can’t say, “I’m going on vacation now; call me next week.” The problem must be resolved today or tomorrow, so you must change your planned schedule and begin working on it. When problems arise, you need a well-connected network to reach out to people. Because you never know how a situation will escalate, you must have made connections before it occurs.

 Would you like to give a few pieces of advice to young diplomats and business people?

Facts! Facts, facts, facts! We always return to the facts when dealing with young partners and entrepreneurs. “Solve my problem, don’t look in an old contract, but solve” despite the fact that we must refer to the old contract. So, if you start your own business, make a good employment contract that includes general terms, set up your business correctly, and spend your money wisely to build it up from the start in an orderly manner that will pay out later when problems arise. In addition, meet with your company’s council, employees, customers and joint venture partners to determine whether you want what the other wants. This supports negotiation because it is not always what you want yourself nowadays. 

Of course, ethics are very important. There are laws against bribery in England, so we always include bribery and good governance corruption in our international clients. Since social media has bridged the gap between employers and employees, incorporating social media clauses is also one of the aspects to include when doing business.