EDE – Abdullah Al-Musawi (27) joined Van Veen Advocaten on October 2, 2023. He worked for four years as a lawyer for the largest law firm in the Netherlands at the Amsterdam Zuidas.
Recently, he made the conscious decision to make his business dreams come true with the Ede-based firm. The reason? Here, as a corporate law attorney, he is in more personal contact with entrepreneurs from the region and beyond. He can also build up his own practice at Van Veen Advocaten.
He is just a four-month-old baby when Abdullah lands on a United Nations plane in the Netherlands. His parents left almost everything behind during the Gulf War in Iraq to bring their six children to safety. The family builds a new existence in Ede.
Abdullah says, “This family history has had a lot of impact on the choices I have made. My parents gave me the opportunities to build a good life in the Netherlands. They have always advised and supported me to develop myself personally and intellectually. I am very grateful to my parents for this. This is also where my ambition comes from; I am determined to get the most out of everything. So too from my studies and career.”
Abdullah passes his VWO exams at Marnix College and then starts studying law at Radboud University in Nijmegen. He was ambitious and undertook many activities in addition to his studies. He works as a clerk at the District Court of Gelderland, teaches first-year law students and participates in the Human Rights & Peace working group. He is also selected by his State Law professor for the Student Parliament; a national debate competition in the House of Representatives. Abdullah decides to spend a semester studying law at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto. Upon his return, he is noticed and passes several selection procedures at the university and at major law firms. Abdullah enjoys gaining practical experience and interns at several leading law firms both at home and abroad. After obtaining his dual master’s degree in Business & Law, he is sworn in as an attorney and joins De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek at Amsterdam’s Zuidas business district.
It soon becomes apparent where his business passion lies: personally guiding the entrepreneur through the sometimes complex legal process. For example, Abdullah helps clients with acquisitions, corporate law issues within a company or commercial discussions between companies. In his own words, he is “hard on the substance and soft on the relationship.” One-on-one, Abdullah is calm and weighs his words carefully, but in the courtroom, he comes off as sharp and can improvise when necessary. This sharpness is also noted during his professional training where he was named a champion debater. Previously, several clients have indicated that they like his genuine interest and style so much that they would like to keep Abdullah as their regular (house) lawyer. Personal contact with clients is also essential for Abdullah. There was less room for this at the Zuidas, due to the large size of the office.
At gym Tesqua, Abdullah spoke several times with Aart Jan Stokkers (partner and attorney at employment and insolvency law) of the firm Abdullah has known since childhood. Abdullah kept a good feeling from these conversations. The lawyers at the professional, medium-sized Van Veen have personal contact with their clients and often know the companies well. Also, each lawyer at Van Veen can build his own practice. The firm offers, so to speak, “service+” and does a lot of knowledge sharing. This appeals to Abdullah. He therefore decided to make the switch to Van Veen Advocaten. Apart from some trips to Nijmegen, Toronto, Amsterdam and Curaçao, Abdullah has always lived in Ede.
Abdullah: “When I was young, I definitely had the thought that I wanted to leave Ede. Looking for more vibrancy. However, you learn to appreciate Ede as you get older. I love nature and the moors are within cycling distance. After the hectic pace of a busy working day, I find my peace in these beautiful surroundings. An environment that feels familiar. Also because my family and friends live nearby. I have enjoyed playing soccer at DTS for 15 years. All that together makes a place feel like home”.
Abdullah joined Van Veen Advocaten as a corporate law attorney on October 2 of this year. He is very much looking forward to the further course of his career. He says: ” With family I am already on the speed dial for a listening ear and appropriate advice. I hope to meet many entrepreneurs from the Foodvalley region in the coming period and get a spot on that speed dial with them as well. Feel free to call me for an introduction.
