Global law firm Dentons has appointed Dirk-Jan Gondrie, partner in its Amsterdam office, as Europe Head of Real Estate through to December 2027. In this expanded leadership role, Gondrie will oversee strategy and performance for one of the largest legal real estate teams in Europe, aiming to sharpen investor engagement and accelerate high-performance culture across the region.
Gondrie’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Europe’s real estate market, where institutional investors are seeking legal partners with cross-border expertise and sector specialisation amid evolving ESG mandates and tightening capital markets. His leadership promises to position Dentons as a key legal player in unlocking value across logistics, data centre, residential and mixed-use assets – sectors currently outpacing traditional office investments.
In addition to his new role, Dirk-Jan Gondrie continues to lead Dentons’ Real Estate practice in the Netherlands. With 18 years of experience, he is trusted by international and Dutch institutional investors and developers for their most complex real estate deals, including transactions involving large-scale portfolios and single assets. His practice covers everything from acquisitions and leasing to development, asset management and restructuring. He also lectures at the Amsterdam School of Real Estate (ASRE), strengthening his connection to emerging talent in the sector.
“I am delighted to take on the leadership of a practice with such a strong reputation across Europe. I look forward to building on our successful strategy of driving client growth by delivering best-in-class real estate investment solutions to institutional investors, private equity and sovereign wealth funds, investment banks and international developers. It’s a privilege to work alongside more than 50 talented real estate partners whose deep expertise and market insight continue to set us apart,” said Dirk-Jan Gondrie.
“Dentons’ Real Estate practice is a go-to team for clients seeking quality legal advice on their landmark transactions across Europe. It is also a source of great pride for our firm,” added Wendela Raas, Europe CEO at Dentons. “Dirk-Jan is recognised as a proactive, commercially minded lawyer, and I’m confident he will bring fresh energy to lead our Real Estate team into the future.”
Dentons’ global Real Estate practice comprises over 1,000 lawyers, including approximately 250 in Europe alone, making it one of the most extensive real estate legal networks on the continent. The team holds Band 1 rankings in six European jurisdictions according to Chambers Europe 2025. As institutional investors seek higher yields in the logistics and data centre markets – often involving facilities exceeding 50,000m² – Dentons is expected to play an increasingly strategic role in enabling large-scale, pan-European developments and cross-border transactions exceeding €500m.
People mentioned:
Dirk-Jan Gondrie – Europe Head of Real Estate, Dentons, and Head of Real Estate Netherlands
Wendela Raas – Europe CEO, Dentons
Companies mentioned:
Dentons – Global law firm, with over 250 real estate lawyers in Europe
Amsterdam School of Real Estate (ASRE) – Educational institute for property professionals
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