BZSE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner
- Managing Partner / St. Maarten
Camiel graduated in 2003 in Civil law and European Union law at the University of Utrecht. During his studies he participated in a six months exchange program and attended the University of East London.
Before moving to Sint-Maarten in 2010, Camiel worked as an attorney at law for a law firm in Utrecht for over three years, where he practiced employment law, real estate law and general civil law.
On March 1, 2010, Camiel Koster started working for BZSE and on January 1, 2017, he climbed up the ladder and became a partner of BZSE. His practice consists for a substantial portion of litigation, in majority in employment, real estate, timeshare, and general contract law cases. In the past eight years with BZSE, together with partner Joeri Essed, Camiel advised and litigated on employment related matters in large reconstructions and take-overs. Occasionally, Camiel litigates against government entities. A couple of landmark cases were about the so-called Counterpart policy and the 1% license fee (which case is currently being dealt with by the Court of Appeal).
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate / St. Maarten
Job Titles:
- Board Member of the Foundation Sint Maarten Tax Committee and Member of Tax
- Tax Partner
- Tax Partner / St. Maarten
Gert Bergman is a tax partner at BZSE and has worked as a tax lawyer and attorney at law for over 30 years in the Netherlands, Curacao and Sint Maarten. He studied law and tax law at the Universities of Utrecht (1986) and Amsterdam (UvA) (1988).
Gert mainly focuses on tax advice and tax litigation but on related areas such as tax civil procedures, tax penalties and tax criminal procedures as well. He also was appointed as trustee in several moratorium cases on Sint Maarten.
Gert is a board member of the Foundation Sint Maarten Tax Committee and member of tax professional organizations. He is a regular speaker and lecturer on topics related to tax litigation and tax civil procedures.
Job Titles:
- Secretary, Management Asst.
- Secretary, Management Asst. Curaçao
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / Curaçao
Jaap Maris was born in Hilversum, the Netherlands in 1976. He studied law at Leiden University and at the Radboud University in Nijmegen where he participated in the Dual Master Business and Law. He graduated from the Radboud University in 1999. He was admitted to the Amsterdam bar in 2000.
Jaap started his career at Stibbe in Amsterdam; one of the leading law firms in the Netherlands. As from 2006 he worked as a senior associate for the law firm HouthoffBuruma in Rotterdam. In 2010, he joined SNS REAAL, a large Bank / Insurer in Utrecht, as senior in-house counsel. After moving to Curaçao with his wife and two sons, Jaap joined BZSE Attorneys at Law Curaçao as a partner in March 2015.
Jaap is specializing in Mergers and Acquisitions (including distressed M&A), Joint Ventures, General Corporate Law, Restructuring, Contract Law, Commercial Contracts, as well as Banking and Finance. Among other fields, he has extensive experience in the Banking and Insurance sector, as well as in the Telecom and Energy sector.
In his leisure time, Jaap enjoys reading, cooking, traveling and golf.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / St. Maarten
Jelmer Gerard Snow, one of the founding partners of the law firm, was born in the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands. After moving to Curacao and graduating from the former Peter Stuyvesant College (high school), he joined the University of Leiden in the Netherlands where he received his law degree in 1989.
Jelmer was admitted to the Bar in Sint Maarten shortly after and has been practicing law there ever since, with an interruption of one year when he worked for a renowned law firm in Curacao. During his time in Sint Maarten Jelmer was a partner of the oldest law firm there and both Dean and Treasurer of the Sint Maarten Bar Association. His areas of expertise are labor law and property law.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate / St. Maarten
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner / Curaçao
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant / St. Maarten
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner / St. Maarten
Pieter was born in Curacao and raised in Sint Maarten. He graduated in 2010 in civil law at the University of Amsterdam.
After his graduation he returned to Sint Maarten to pursue a career as an attorney. Pieter Soons has been working for BZSE since January 2011 and became a partner in the firm in 2017. Pieter specializes in litigation in the fields of civil and administrative law, and advises corporate clients in the fields of finance, project development and commercial transactions. His main specialty is advising and litigating in conflicts with the Government.
Outside of work Pieter is a passionate sailor and swimmer. His other hobbies include ocean kayaking, traveling and hiking.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Council of Advice of Sint Maarten
- of Counsel & Mediator
Rik (Gerrit Roland) Bergman (1966) was born in Utrecht, the Netherlands. He studied law at the State University of Utrecht and graduated in 1991. He started his career in Curacao - back then part of the Netherlands Antilles - and he was admitted to the Bar in 1992. In 1997 Rik went to Sint Maarten and founded the law firm, which was later on known as Bergman Bloem & Bergman. On January 1, 2009 this firm merged with the law office ZwanikkenSnowEssed.
Rik is active in the field of general civil law and over the years he became the lawyer of a variety of persons and enterprises on the island. In 2003 he was appointed as trustee in the moratorium of the Windward Islands Airways International (WINAIR) N.V. and in 2012 as trustee in the moratorium of Pelican Resort.
In 1995 Rik was one of the founding members and first chairman of the Junior Bar Association (in Dutch : Jonge Balie) of Curacao. He was later appointed in the board of the Foundation for Professional Training for Lawyers (in Dutch : Stichting Beroepsopleiding Advocatuur) in Curacao and later one of the founding members and chairman of the same Foundation in Sint Maarten. Rik is member of the board of the University of Sint Maarten (USM). Rik is a former dean of the Bar Association (in Dutch : Deken van de Orde van Advocaten) of Sint Maarten and - as of 2006 - he is member of the Disciplinary Board of Lawyers (Raad van Toezicht op de Advocatuur).
In 2011 Rik was appointed as extraordinary member of the Council of Advice of Sint Maarten, one of the High Councils of State.
Rik is certified mediator since 2014.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner / St. Maarten
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Associate / St. Maarten
Suhendra Leon joined BZSE Law at their office in Sint Maarten on September 1st 2019. Suhendra grew up in Curaçao and studied law at the University of Amsterdam. After finishing her studies in 2012 she returned to Curaçao to work at a reputable law firm, specializing in general civil law. After five years working as an attorney at law, she worked as a corporate legal counsel for an international shipping company. Since she missed the work as an attorney, she decided to return to the law practice.
Suhendra about BZSE: "As BZSE is known for a straightforward approach, independence, integrity, quality, loyalty and team spirit, I'm happy with the choice I made. I am confident that my experience will be valuable for my new colleagues at BZSE and the clients of the firm".
BZSE about Suhendra: "We are delighted to have Suhendra join our team. The first experiences with Suhendra's work have been outstanding, and we look forward to have her on board for the long run".
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Secretary / St. Maarten
Job Titles:
- Messenger
- Messenger / St. Maarten