On Tuesday, June 18, a majority in the House of Representatives approved a motion by MP Ellian (VVD) proposing to consolidate the oversight of the legal profession and complaint handling within the new independent Legal Profession Supervisory Authority (OTA), under the public law professional organization Dutch Bar Association (NOvA). Departure from the Original Proposal This structure deviates from the initial proposal by Minister Weerwind, which suggested placing oversight with the OTA while keeping complaint handling with the local deans. Concerns and Implications The General Council, NOvA's board, understands the desire to integrate complaint handling into the OTA, driven by the expectation that insights from complaint handling can more effectively enhance supervision. However, as outlined in the General Council's vision on the reform of legal profession oversight dated March 10, 2023, incorporating complaint handling into the OTA would have more fundamental implications for the long-established system of the Dutch legal profession. This change would end the historically valuable role of the local dean, as recognized by internal and external stakeholders, and disrupt the institutional dynamics associated with this role. The General Council believes that such a systemic change should not proceed through the introduction of a national supervisory authority as proposed by Minister Weerwind. It requires more fundamental reflection and a methodological justification that is currently lacking. Next Steps The question now is whether the motion will be implemented. This will be determined by the new State Secretary for Legal Protection. The originally planned public consultation of the bill, scheduled for …
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During the meeting of the Board of Delegates of the Dutch Bar Association (NOvA) on June 25, Maaike Bomers was elected to the General Council. She will begin her role as a board member on July 1, 2024. Background and Experience Mr. M.L.J. Bomers has been a lawyer since 1994 and currently runs her own …
