Testimonials

Joost as a student

“I studied Law here in Rotterdam. I lived in Coolhaven but had friends with whom I always studied on Campus Woudestein or at EMC. I spent a lot of my time in the University Library. Usually, we would study during the day in the library, had dinner together and continued studying afterwards. I also went clubbing with this group of friends. For me, going out was an essential part of being a student.

Besides studying, I was a student assistant at the Criminal Law department, and I used to work out a lot. I joined The European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) in Rotterdam and Probus, the civil law association within JFR. Honestly, going out was my “main hobby”. I did that the most besides studying.

By working as a student assistant, I was already involved in many activities within the Criminal Law department, so I naturally became a part of a multitude of projects. I participated in many activities as a student assistant, and after I graduated, I continued to do so, but on a full-time basis. I do not have a spectacular story about finding my first job as I simply applied for a full-time position within the department.”

Contributing to new legislation remains a highlight of my career

“Soon after my appointment, I joined the Antillean project team, led by Hans de Doelder, Professor of Criminal (Procedural) Law at Erasmus School of Law. This team has contributed to the formation of the New Caribbean Penal Code, and the revision of the Caribbean Code of Criminal Procedural Law. At that time, I was in Curaçao six times a year for two or three weeks to write new legislation. After the Caribbean revision, Hans and I also wrote new legislation for the Penal Code of Suriname for a local legislative committee. In 2015, this code was adopted as active legislation.

I am most proud of the Penal Code’ revisions because we worked very hard and our propositions were adopted. We expect our revision of the Code of Criminal Procedural Law to be implemented any time now. Together with a small group of colleagues, we have worked on it for a long time, and it cost us a lot of time and effort. For example, we had been working on the Caribbean Penal Code between 2003 and 2013. Every occasion that our work becomes active legislation, it is a great compliment and a milestone in my career.”

Finding it difficult to say “no”

“Besides working on the project in the Caribbean, I am part of a multitude of projects. I have done much research for the police, Marechaussee (Dutch military police), FIOD (Fiscal Information and Investigation Service) and PwC. Also, since 2015, I am a deputy judge for the Rotterdam Court of Justice. I jump from one project onto another, which has been a constant throughout my career. Often, I cannot say “no”, and I should do it more often; however, I tend to find the projects very interesting and tempting.”

I aim to write as much as possible because I enjoy writing legal codes and books the most. In the past, I wrote columns for ‘de Havenloods’. I started after being interviewed by them about murder. They asked me if I would be interested in writing a weekly column for their magazine. I continued to do this for five years, after which I was ready for a new challenge.”

Writing and teaching is what I love the most

“I do not have a fixed work schedule. Most days start at 8.45 AM by turning on my computer and reading my emails. After which, I usually start writing. Every Tuesday, I write a newsletter for my website ‘SR Updates’ including the three most important verdicts of the Dutch Supreme Court in the previous week. Also, I teach a course biweekly, usually to practising lawyers. In the end, I spend most of my time writing, because I want to publish books. My passions are writing and teaching.”

Students and teachers are a union, without an authoritarian relationship

“My biggest challenge at this time is the felt gap between my students and me. It can be difficult to bond with students in a short period of five weeks. Students can easily find each other or the tutors, but it seems more challenging for the lecturers to connect with them. In particular with bachelor students as there are 800 of them. That creates a division and especially right now when all lectures are online.

Some students ask questions during my lecture or the breaks, but most ask their questions to tutors or other students in WhatsApp group chats. Honestly, I would like to be a part of those group chats, so I know what occupies them and which topics require more explanation in my lectures. It would also be beneficial for students because they would get a better idea of what is expected of them. Canvas might offer a possibility to chat but is used much less than WhatsApp.

You can clearly feel the division between teachers and students in the way students express their opinions about our exams and teaching. On occasion, we receive legal letters of complaint, which does bother me as it is not how I want to communicate with my students. In my opinion, students and teachers are a union, without the traditional authoritarian relationship. It is not like high school, where the teachers are in charge.”

It was like talking to a brick wall

“My workweek changed a lot due to the switch to online education. When we suddenly had to stay home as much as possible, it certainly took me some time to adapt. Luckily, the lecture rooms were already assigned to us and fitted with recording equipment. That is why we decided to proceed with the lectures on the planned dates, but with an online audience.

It felt quite bizarre to give a lecture in an empty hall. I did my first lecture on my own, but that quickly changed. I did not like to be alone in such ample space, because it feels like you are talking into the void. Also, every fifteen minutes, the lights would go out because the sensors did not detect any movement in the hall. If someone is there with you, that does not happen, and it feels less like talking to a brick wall.

It was very quiet on campus with everyone studying and working from home. I still had to be on campus to record my lectures, and sometimes I would come in early to get some work done in my office in Sanders Building. This way, I would not be bothered or distracted. When more people started to come to the campus, I did worry about maintaining our social distance. Luckily, we quickly set up a system within our department to notify colleagues about any plans to work on campus that day.”

Online education is a more significant burden for students than for teachers

“How our education will look like in the coming months depends on the speed of the vaccination program. After most people are vaccinated, I think everything will get back to ‘normal’ quite quickly. I expect that the social distancing will stay and that our education will remain online, at least in the short term.

Personally, online education does not bother me that much, and it is a more significant burden for the students than for the teachers. A big part of their study experience consists of getting together, meeting new people, and exchanging views in person. That is way harder with online courses and social distancing.”

My family is my biggest source of inspiration

“Whilst growing up, I looked at the way my parents and my uncles and aunts lived their lives and what they were doing. My family focuses on what interests and satisfies them. I have learnt that from a young age, and I am very proud of it.”

My name is Ynze de Jong and I work as a Senior Claims Handler at the Claims department of Willis Towers Watson division Corporate Risk and Broking.

My current work entails the handling of claims within the Marine department. The claims I am dealing with concern a broad variety of fields within Maritime and Transport Law, for example claims corresponding to Carriers liability, Marine cargo, Land based equipment, P&I, Charterers Liability and Hull & Machinery policies.

The work includes evaluating claim notifications in relation to policy cover, informing underwriters, instructing surveyors and lawyers in close cooperation with underwriters, discussing and negotiating with underwriters and the insured on the possible settlement of claims under the policy and coordinating recovery if applicable.

The knowledge I have gained in the master Maritime and Transport Law is very valuable in my day to day work. When starting the Master, I was the oldest student with 54 years of age and had gained during my career already quite some practical experience in the logistical field. Nevertheless I gained more and valuable in depth legal and theoretical knowledge during my study. This in depth knowledge is useful when advising clients or discussing with underwriters or opponents on certain Maritime or Transport law issues. I would therefore surely recommend the master Maritime and Transport Law to students who want to work in the Marine department of an insurance company or insurance broker.

Although I hoped that after my study the field of Maritime and Transport Law would hold no secrets for me anymore, I can tell you that this was a mere illusion. It is a very broad and interesting field that is continuously developing and will keep you on your toes.  I still learn new things every day!

My name is Ana Carolina Gossain and I am working as a Legal Analyst for BG Freight Line BV, the headquarters being in Rotterdam.

BG Freight Line BV is a shipping line that provides a comprehensive range of logistics services to and from Ireland, the UK, and continental Europe. These services include door-to-door shipping, feedering, and quay-to-quay shipping for all types of containerised cargo.

My current work entails drafting Charter Parties, reviewing and providing legal advice regarding Bills of Lading, Terminal Contracts, and Transport Service Agreements. Additionally, I assist the Head of Claims. A working day as a Legal Analyst at BG Freight Line BV roughly looks like coming to work and checking emails first thing, evaluating and drafting several type of contracts, doing legal research, and maintain contact with different stakeholders in order to procure facts and evidence, that will enable us to handle claims properly.

The knowledge I have gained in the Maritime and Transport LL.M is reflected in my work on a daily basis. The courses on Charter Parties and Bills of Lading, Transport Law and Bills of Lading especially, have been crucial to the work I do as a Legal Analyst at BG Freight Line BV.

My name is Ramoe Jagesar and I’m working as a (strategy) consultant for KPMG Advisory in The Netherlands. My current work consists of supporting clients in the Public Sector on various topics. The projects range from business cases, policy evaluations, impact assessments, strategy execution and the design (or implementation) of new organizational structures. The work I do typically consist of gathering a lot of data and insights (mostly through desk-research and interviews). We use the obtained information for an in-depth analysis on the problems that our clients are facing and examine possible solutions to move forward. 

The knowledge I have gained in the master is reflected in my work through the valuable (practical) skills you need in a business context. During the LL.M. you are exposed to academically challenging research subjects, but also receive ample opportunities to further improve your critical thinking and (written/verbal) communication skills. Mastering these skills are essential for your professional career, regardless of the industry you want to work in. The university is known for its excellent academic staff. In a small-scale teaching environment, the professors are stimulating you to get the most out of your time as a student. Being in the vibrant city Rotterdam and having a classroom full of students from all continents of the world, ensures you will have a very enjoyable (cultural) learning experience.  

My name is Sonia Vanzo and I’m working as an in-house legal counsel for Sanne Group Luxembourg, which is a leading service provider in the investment funds industry.

My current work entails addressing all legal related needs of the company in a team of two, working together with the company's legal team head. Working in such a small team allowed me to learn at an extremely fast pace, being involved in the company's legal and regulatory framework.
This leads to a less strict daily job routine, as I have had several different tasks. For example, I have worked on setting-up new procedures, new agreement and terms and conditions templates, monitoring the legal and regulatory standing of the company as well as providing the company's clients with appropriate agreements, reviewing and negotiating the necessary clauses together with the client's lawyers.

The knowledge I have gained in the master is reflected in my work especially through my company law knowledge and my negotiation skills. I truly believe that the international focus of the Commercial and Company Law master efficiently covers all the most important concepts that a young legal professional should know at the beginning of their career, no matter what country they will be working in.
During the master, I also had the chance to represent the university at the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot competition, which was a remarkably valuable experience that enriched my commercial and arbitration law knowledge and most importantly allowed me to develop several soft skills, being instructed by encouraging and supporting coaches.

In my opinion, there are numerous ways to develop one's skills by being engaged in the different opportunities the faculty offers (for example student panel, moot court competitions, student associations), which are as important as the legal knowledge gained during the studies and which certainly facilitated me to find a job during the completion of the LLM.
In conclusion, I am satisfied to have chosen this particular master and would recommend it to students interested in commercial and company law. 

My name is Juan M. Sánchez Pueyo and I am a Managing Associate in the Dutch and Spanish Dispute Resolution Practices of Linklaters LLP. I specialize in commercial and investment arbitration. I joined Linklaters in 2019 after having worked at NautaDutilh as member of the Arbitration Practice. I have participated in numerous highly complex and high value matters, and gained experience under a variety of arbitration rules (including UNCITRAL, ICC, SIAC, CEPANI and NAI rules). I often act as counsel in arbitrations and arbitration related court proceedings, such as setting aside proceedings and enforcement proceedings. I also have experience in court proceedings and regularly advise clients regarding crisis management and litigation strategy. Recently, I had the honour to represented a client in the first merits hearing conducted before the recently opened Netherlands Commercial Court.

 I obtained my bachelors in Law and Political Science and Public Administration in the University of Seville, Spain. After I finished those studies, I wanted to study abroad and – after an extensive research on the different opportunities that I had within Europe – I decided to study the Masters’ Degree on Commercial and Company law at Erasmus University, where I graduated in 2015.  

My first contact with the arbitration world took place thanks to Erasmus University and the Erasmus Willem C. Vis Moot team that, at the time, was sponsored by NautaDutilh. After the Vis Moot competition was over and I had finished my masters, I was offered an internship at NautaDutilh. That is how I began my career as arbitration practitioner. My personal experience shows that not only the degree or masters that you choose on itself is important but also the environment in which you are studying and living. In my opinion, Erasmus University has a lot to offer in this respect. Rotterdam is a dynamic, entrepreneurial city, and the Erasmus University Campus is a reflection of this, filled with lots of interesting people, great professors and many, many opportunities.

Going back to where I once started

“I have been working at Erasmus University since 1996, so I have been around for quite some time now. I started in the L-building IT department (L-building Information provision and Automation, known as LIA). After the university centralised the individual ICT departments, I became a Business Intelligence Developer at the Shared Service Center ICT.

After several years, there was a vacancy at Erasmus School of Law's Education Office. I already knew the people here, particularly the Education Office, due to my previous job at LIA. Thus, I returned to the building where I started.”

The numbers tell the tale

“I work as an information specialist with the task of making our education measurable and more insightful. In principle, I can answer any questions about education from other users if they cannot retrieve the needed information out of the system themselves. A large part of my work consists of retrieving information from various information systems, particularly OSIRIS. There we can find data about the registration and study progress of our students.

My searches vary tremendously. I can calculate the study results of larger groups, but I can also make detailed reports of exams. For example, if some groups score worse than others. Additionally, I make a booklet once a year with educational information, such as the number of students, registrations and awarded diplomas.”

Communication gap

“My biggest challenge is to familiarise people with OSIRIS. I am a trained technician but work with people who are far from a “techy”. That can cause a communication gap. Something might make sense to me but is incomprehensible for people who have more difficulty with the digital world.

I am the 'key user’ of OSIRIS. It means that I am the "primary helpdesk" for the system and help set it up and research various usage options. On occasion, I miss a second "key user". Someone with interest in ICT and processes, but who is not a trained technician and speaks the user's language more easily. That way, we could bridge the communication gap.”

Broad development

“I learned the most from my time at LIA. There, I dealt with more aspects of IT than I could ever have imagined. Naturally, I like to focus on things that I am already good at. However, developing skills that I have more difficulty with is also important. One example is programming, which has proved very valuable in my career. Programming can be very frustrating as you can easily spend hours blindly staring at a problem. However, once you have conquered the problem, it is very satisfying.

At LIA, I was able to develop a wide variety of skills and I always try to first solve problems myself. That way you learn more than by immediately asking for help at the first hurdle.”

Inspiring colleagues

“I had many inspiring colleagues at LIA, including my department head Rob Kampman. He challenged me to learn new things and always focused on talent development. He had an eye for people who could do more than what they already did and allowed them to grow. Off course, we did not always see eye to eye, and he would often say: "if we always agree, we are doing something wrong".

Another colleague worked from home for a few weeks, during which he invented SIN-Online, the system which has been used by the university for twenty years now. I had many colleagues who were very good in their jobs, and I learned a lot from them.”

The lonesome expert

“I am most proud of my in-depth knowledge of OSIRIS. It is a fairly complicated database, and I have been working with it for twenty years. Therefore, I am not only consulted by direct colleagues, but also by colleagues from outside Erasmus School of Law.

It is also a big responsibility to be the system's expert. Rob Kampman always said that there should never be only one person who knows something and that you should always have a backup; "If the expert gets hit by a tram, someone must be able to take over". It is nice to know a lot about something, but it would be good if more people on campus and within Erasmus School of Law have that same knowledge.”

The future curator of a Rolling Stones Museum

I have had many different jobs and tasks since working at Erasmus University. A lot can happen in the next ten years: I could get a similar position, return to the university's main level or perhaps do something completely different.

I do expect to continue to work on campus; I feel at home here. Honestly, I do not think I will do something completely disconnected from information technology. If that is the case, I would like to turn a hobby into a career, such as being the curator of a Rolling Stones museum.

An unexpected connection between Law and Economics

“Being born and raised in Rotterdam, it just made sense to study at the Erasmus University, so that is what I did. I found Economics very interesting, but eventually, I decided to study Law. After graduating in 2002, I worked at the Training Centre for Law & Practice (Dutch: ORP) of Erasmus School of Law as a student assistant. There, I focused on the organisation of postgraduate legal courses. Also, I started working part-time as a course coordinator for the Department of Business Economics (Dutch: Bedrijfseconomie) of Erasmus School of Law. Together with ORP, we organised financial-economic courses for lawyers working in the field of Insolvency Law. We have been organising these courses with great success for over 20 years now.

In the past, the Department of Business Economics consisted mostly of economic scholars; therefore, even though I did not choose to study Economics, it still crossed my path. Whilst working for ORP, the department of Business Economics was developing a master’s in Financial Law. We were the first university in the Netherlands to develop this master. I was asked whether I would be interested in helping with the development of the master’s programme; that is how I became the first programme coordinator within Erasmus School of Law. The position provided a great opportunity and challenge to develop an interdisciplinary and innovative master together with several passionate colleagues. Since then, I have been dividing my time between ORP and the Department of Business Economics to enhance and enrich the master. Several years ago, the department merged with two different departments forming the current Commercial and Corporate Law & Financial Law department.”

Juggling multiple jobs at the same time

“For a considerable part of my career, I have had two -and shortly, even three- part-time jobs at the same time, all within Erasmus School of Law. New opportunities arose frequently, and I have always had very diverse tasks; thus, my job never got boring. For example, I have worked as board secretary and coordinator of the Social Security Research School, I was coordinator of the Erasmus Institute Monitoring & Compliance and I was secretary to the Faculty Council. The vast majority of these positions was focussed on activities or programmes needing a (fresh) start. It was quite challenging as there was no orientation period possible or transfer of work by a predecessor. However, it also gave me much freedom to develop activities and ideas in my own way. A few years ago, I did start to focus more on my work for the Financial Law master, but the diversity of my responsibilities and tasks has only increased since then.”

Jack of all trades

“You could say I am a jack of all trades and that I am interested in almost every subject. I try to stay informed about everything, including, for example, the methodology of teaching. Having worked on the development of our master for a long time, I became the first point of contact for information about the programme. Also, I support my colleagues wherever necessary, solicited, and unsolicited.

My schedule never looks the same, and it changes rapidly due to the number of different projects. It depends on which projects require attention or what is urgent at that time. For example, one week, my focus will be on the organisation of a symposium, and the next week will be filled with the revision of the master or even my task of thesis coordinator. Now, I use most of my time to support our teachers, wherever I can with the challenges and impact of COVID-19.”

Professional organiser

“As a student assistant at the ORP, I realised that I enjoy organising and having a variety of tasks. My organisational skills were put to good use whilst developing the master. Professor Auke de Bos and Han Donker – the founding father of the master’s in Financial Law – of course had a vision and master plan. However, I was responsible for the organisation and to support the teachers wherever necessary. I was given a lot of freedom, the space to grow, and they placed their trust in me, for which I am still very grateful to this day.

I have come across many different departments in- and outside of Erasmus School of Law in my career. I have met many new people along the way, and I was offered several new career opportunities. However, I was never able to step away from the Business Economics department and our ever-growing master’s programme.”

The biggest challenge of all

“I get much fulfilment out of my work due to the great variety of tasks. However, there are also times when there are too many things needing my attention simultaneously. Juggling those proved to be a great challenge, especially as I always strive to complete my tasks properly. A different challenge I encountered at the very beginning of my career. My workplace was dominated by experienced academia, who ‘definitely knew more than me’ being a recent graduate. I was afraid to make mistakes, but I soon realised that they are all humans just like you and me and sometimes even quite clumsy when it comes to organizational matters.

At this time, my biggest challenges are the implementation of the revision of our master and the transition to online education. I try to support the teachers as much as I can, and I am convinced that the changes made for the digitalisation of our courses will remain beneficial once the pandemic is over.

The current students are part of a generation, who have grown up in a digital society and, therefore, learn differently. In that, I see many opportunities I would like to brainstorm about with colleagues. The current digitalisation was born out of a necessity, but online education will remain an added value to on-campus education in the future.”

First-generation student

“My student-life was filled with challenges and unexplored paths. I was a so-called first-generation student as I was the first in my family to attend a university. The journey of being a student was unknown territory, and it was hard for my parents to support me actively during my studies.

I did not have a set plan for my life after graduation. Perhaps that was due to not having any role models in my environment. I quickly realized through office visits that I did not aspire becoming a lawyer. I recommend joining the (career-related) activities of Erasmus School of Law and the study associations. It could help you determine what interest you. In particular, I hope that current first-generation students succeed in figuring out what the world of academia could mean for them and in what field they feel most at home.”

Satisfaction

“The appreciation I receive from colleagues is something that gives me great satisfaction. I feel proud that people appreciate my presence and work. It is encouraging to see that my contribution helps others. That is what makes my job so enjoyable and why I feel at home at Erasmus School of Law. I am not interested in my position or my rightful place in the hierarchy, as long as my work is challenging, and I am satisfied with the things I do.”

Passion for sports and education

I have a great passion for sports, so it was an obvious choice for me to go to the sports academy after high school. Studying at the sports academy for four years was a wonderful time. I loved doing something that I enjoyed without having to worry about other things. Although the labour market was tight in the eighties, I managed to quickly find a job as a gymnastics teacher at a secondary school in Nieuw-Vennep (North-Holland). Because I enjoyed teaching, I started studying German part-time so that I could teach both gymnastics and German. In the years that followed, I also completed a study in physiotherapy, but I never worked as a physiotherapist.

Career switch

After more than ten years of teaching, I became a planner at that same high school. I knew I could not and would not be a gymnastics teacher until the age of 65. A few years later, I started working as an educational logistics employee at Erasmus School of Law. Among other things, I created the (exam) schedule and the study guide. After two years, the role of study advisor became vacant in the department where I worked. Together with several colleagues, I became part of the application committee. The committee was overall disappointed with the applicants and shortly after I was asked to become the new study advisor. As I had no legal background, which was a requirement for this position, I started doing a propaedeutic law course. It began with a propaedeutic year in 2001 and ended with a PhD in 2012. After a period in the role of study advisor, I became a teacher at the beginning of 2007 –  I have always been passionate about teaching - after a vacancy arose in the Constitutional and Administrative Law department. This transition happened about thirteen years ago.

Commitment to society

With my research, I always try to contribute to practice. I think the average citizen of Rotterdam should be aware of the fact that our university is located in this city. I very much welcome the fact that students have side jobs, even if they are not directly related to their study. However, having a side job should not be at the expense of the students’ academic results. For example, I find it very admirable when students act as 'buddies' of children who are less wealthy or have some sort of disability. I have been chairman of the appeals committee of the municipality of Rotterdam for several years. Together with the other members of this committee, I hear citizens who think the government has not acted correctly, and advise the board about this. In this way I aim to make a contribution to the city of Rotterdam with my legal expertise.

Connecting with students

I am motivated to make improvements. Even if things are going well, you can always do better. You try your best and give it your all, but you should not get too comfortable when everything is just going well. In science, this can be difficult. When writing an article, it must eventually be finished and published. I remember being nervous when I received my printed thesis; I was worried about seeing an error when opening it, fortunately, that was not the case. I always try to improve in my lectures. If after an exam it turns out that students find a particular subject difficult, I try to pay more attention to it during the lectures the year after. Teaching as good as possible is also my biggest challenge at the same time; I am a self-proclaimed 'education freak'.

Your study time is a critical phase in your life; you learn to stand on your own feet and make your own choices. I love to teach this mixed group of students and convey my joy, enthusiasm and passion for administrative law to them. Not everyone has to become crazy about it, but I strongly believe in collaboration and establishing a connection with students in education. I could in theory record my lectures and play them again next year, because the content of the education probably will not have changed that much. However, I want to answer questions from students and ask questions to find out what someone does not understand and especially why they do not. Also, broadcasting last year's lectures this year would mean that the word 'corona' would not be mentioned. Well, as most of you understand at this moment in time that is not possible. The law study is about society and is very topical, which should be evident from the content of the lectures.

Role model

I admire students because I see the pace at which they study these days. Studying at the university can be quite demanding for students, and I, therefore, feel obliged to provide the correct information in time and publish error-free texts. It makes me proud when students tell me they are happy with me as a teacher, it makes my (educational) heart beat a little faster. I am also proud of the fact that I regularly get invited to write a scientific article about my expertise and that I am allowed to use my knowledge for society, for example as a deputy judge, the role I fulfil since one year now. I hope I will be able to continue being a deputy judge in the coming years and that I can look back on my working life with great pleasure in ten years' time. I am happy with the work I do, and I feel fortunate.

Law or economics?

In high school, I faced the choice of studying law or economics, and I chose economics. After my brother convinced me to go to university - I wanted to do the Economic-Legal direction of the HEAO (School for higher education in economics and management) in Arnhem because then I could continue to live at home- in the eighties there was only one place where you wanted to go: Rotterdam! In my second year of economics, I took the elective course ‘political law’ with Prof. Wim Couwenberg. Because of his inspiring lectures, I decided to study law (in addition to economics). What I mainly remember about Prof. Couwenberg is that he was an enthusiastic teacher who entered the dialogue and discussion with us, and who listened to what we had to say. Sometimes he even let us convince him, which was very different from the detached and massive lectures in which an economics teacher exercised a mathematical model and in which there was no room for interaction.

Inspired by law

I still remember the first sentence by Prof. René Foqué during my first law lecture: “Ladies and gentlemen, law is learning a new language”. I was immediately captivated and felt at home in law school. Prof. Foqué showed me that law is alive and is shaped by people. He held duo lectures with sociologist Prof. Anton Zijderveld, and during those lectures they entered into a debate. They showed live that you can have different opinions about the same subject, and that the perspective from which you study law is essential. I also learned a lot from Prof. Jan van Dunné. First, he showed that humour is very important in lectures, but he also taught us that you can have your own opinion. Maybe I learned from these four inspirers together that university is not primarily about finding the right answers, but about asking the right questions. Subsequently, you can discuss the answers and learn from that. I hope that I can convey that openness to my students.

Eventually, I finished both law and economics, but law suited me better. I became a mentor at Erasmus School of Law during my studies, and I had a really good time there. With a small group of motivated and driven students, we gave mentor groups to first-year law students. We had close contact with many lecturers and felt part of the faculty. Many mentors attended tutorials and lectures together, and we were very active. I do not know if the teachers always liked that, but we certainly did! When I became a second-year mentor, I met a lovely new mentor during the introductory dinner with the new first-year mentors. The pleasure turned out to be completely mutual, we are together for 28 years already. I could not have wished for a better study time!

First job

Just before my graduation, the head of the mentor program asked if I wanted to become a PhD student and write a dissertation on ‘a game-theoretical analysis of Dutch wrongful act law’. I gladly accepted the offer. I already knew many people in the department, and now I would become one of the teachers who took care of the mentoring assignments and mentor briefings. I found the first period very tiring. Apparently, a work rhythm was quite different from a study rhythm! In addition to my doctoral research, I soon started doing other activities, such as coordinating the Joint Programme in Economics and Law and teaching in the European Master in Law and Economics (EMLE). This brought a lot of variety to my work.

Growing

During my PhD position, I already had many teaching and management tasks, so the next step to Assistant Professor was not so big. A few years after defending my dissertation, I became an Associate Professor and a few years later an endowed professor. Since 1 December 2020 I am full professor. Each new step offered new interesting opportunities. For example, I am (vice) director of the Rotterdam Institute of Law and Economics (RILE), coordinating program leader of the Liability and Insurance research program of the Ius Commune Research School, I have been on various WODC (Dutch Research and Documentation Centre) supervisory committees, fifteen PhD students completed their thesis under my supervision and I have been director of the EMLE program since December 2018. There is a potential risk here for a career at the university: because you are driven and have a passion for your profession, you take on more and more assignments and because you like most things, you do not even realize it. I am therefore not surprised that many academics indicate they experience a high workload.

Smart money calculation tool

I find research in the field of pain and suffering damages fascinating. In several publications, I argue that insights from health economics can help in better assessing pain and suffering damages for personal injuries. Together with a colleague from Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management, I am also developing a calculation tool that compares the quality of life of people with injury to that of similar people without injury, and that expresses the lost quality of life in money. I hope that such a tool meets the need to assess pain and suffering damages for personal injuries in a more objective and verifiable way than is currently the case.

Serving leadership

As (vice) director of RILE and director of EMLE, I try to lead cooperatively. Not primarily directive, but more through ‘serving leadership’, so finding out what is needed and trying to organize it. This supportive, collaborative role suits me better than singlehandedly setting the terms and it is nice to see that this attitude is usually appreciated. I am happy with the good ratings I receive from students and I hope that in ten years' time I will still be teaching with the same passion. As coordinator of the Joint programme in  Economics and Law, I think it is great to meet pre-university students for the first time, to see them develop over a number of years, and to finally see them at the closing ceremony organized by In Duplo as a graduated economist and lawyer. If some then also do EMLE and even EDLE (European Doctorate in Law and Economics), the party is complete!

Ambition

I hope that in the future, I will be able to devote more time to teaching and research and that Law and Economics has become even more important to Erasmus School of Law than it already is. I always hope to encounter new exciting topics that I can analyse from a legal economic perspective.