I am an attorney at law and professional mediator. I specialise in cases involving juvenile and family law, as well as 3rd party liability, damages and personal injury. My focus is on preventing and effectively solving conflicts. In this process my clients’ interests are central.

Conflicts are part of life. As an attorney at law I help organisations, professionals and individuals in solving their disputes.  When possible I assist them through the use of mediation, a process that relies on confidentiality, voluntary compliance to the process and party autonomy. Solving a conflict by mediation is valuable; it can save relationships. As such mediation can be an efficient and not seldom a more effective alternative to proceedings in court. Solutions agreed upon by parties in a final contract are subject to law. As a qualified registered mediator I call on my extensive legal experience to guide the parties in evaluating the processes and risks of a case and to evaluate the sustainability of solutions.

I published several articles and through the years I organise workshops. I am a member of the editorial board of the Dutch Mediation magazine and a frequently invited speaker on subjects related to mediation.

Nederlandse Bar
Désirée has registered the following principal legal practice areas in the Nederlandse Bar’s register of legal practice areas (rechtsgebiedenregister):
– family law,
– juvenile law (youth protection law as well as youth criminal law),
– personal injury and damage (including victim’s rights).

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 Nederlandse Bar.

• Nederlandse Mediation, 2022/35: Group mediation, wrongful act, compensation in money and in kind
• Nederlandse Mediation, 2021/15: Wrongful act, contributory negligence, sever permanent injury
• Nederlandse Mediation, 2020/35: Commercial law – wrongful act minor, parental liability, prescription  
• Nederlandse Mediation, 2019/50: Criminal law – restorative justice, wrongful action minor, parental liability, damage
• Newsletter Criminal Law (NbSr) 2018/4 no. 95 – restorative justice, expenses of a successful mediation (art. 591 Dutch Code of Criminal Procedure), annotators: D.M. Siemerink-Looten, A.H.T. de Haas
• Nederlandse Mediation, 2018/10: Criminal law – tort, abuse, compensation for damage
• Nederlandse Mediation, 2017/48: Criminal law – wrongful act, abuse, damage
• Nederlandse Mediation, 2017/11: Criminal law – unlawful act, joint ownership and property
• Nederlandse Mediation, 2016/21: Co-author: Criminal law / Family law – misappropriation, unlawful act and aspects of pre inheritance mediation, D.M. Siemerink-Looten, J. Dierx
• Nederlandse Mediation, 2016/16: Neighbors’ statutory rights and obligations – Unlawful act
• co-author Manual Child Abuse (Kindermishandeling, handboek medische diagnostiek en aanpak?) subject: child protection orders – Springer media Bohn Stafleu Van Loghum, 2013
• NTvG 2011: co-author Negative advance directive in an acute comatose patient, D.E.M. Sijpkens, D.M. Looten, W.G.H. Corté, A. Wiegman, P. Speelman, J.A. Romijn
• Co-author (1st, 2nd and 3rd edition of) Pension Act, text and comment, edited by prof. dr. E. Lutjens, subject: procedural law, Kluwer 2007, 2008 en 2010 
• Pensioen en praktijk 2006: The draft Pension Act: more equality despite marital status?

Workshops

• mediation course for juveniles, 2016-2022
• family law in the Netherlands, 2017- 2021
• legal aspects: children and personal injury, 2012
• teacher VU Law Academy, postdoc.: pension law, 2006-2013
• several aspects of health law, disciplinary action law and liability in health care, 1998-2013
• law of confidentiality in health care, 2011
• aspects of compensation and claims, 2004
• liability of insurance doctors, 2003
• disciplinary action law, ‘de Jonge Balie bij de Hoge Raad der Nederlanden‘, 2001