Meet our team: Yvonne Van Mierlo

Gimbrere Legal is pleased to introduce you to Yvonne, our Dutch lawyer and Barcelona lover

My name is Yvonne van Mierlo. I was born in Someren-Heide, a small village in the beautiful Brabant. During my lawstudy at Tilburg University, I lived in Tilburg for four years. Here I lived in a student house with 14 people. After the necessary drinks and exams there, It was in 2017 time to move to Breda. I have now bought a beautiful house here, which I have recently renovated into my own, cozy place. 

After high school I found it very difficult to choose a further study. I’ve always had an interest in law, but I thought that was mainly due to series such as ‘Suits’. Of course we all know that not every office has a Harvey Specter with a Donna by his side.

After a few attempts to choose a different career path, the legal profession remained the most interesting for me. My first full time internship period at a law firm in Breda was the deciding factor for me. I saw the lawyers at work in ‘the real world’ and knew this was what I wanted to do. Even though it was from the start also clear to me that it would be hard work in a very hard world.

During my studies I constantly did internships and work at many different offices in order to see / learn as much as possible. When I graduated in 2019, I was finally allowed to work full-time. With a kickstart at Gimbrere Legal, I flew into the legal profession  that I have not regretted for a second.

In addition to my work, I am mainly involved in sports in the Netherlands. I love clearing my head after a busy day with a tough crossfit workout.

Because of our office in Barcelona, I have the opportunity to work from there occasionally. This has given me the opportunity to get to know Barcelona well and it now feels like my second home. Apart from the fact that the cases there are interesting, it is also a fantastic city to stay in. Barcelona is unique in being a large metropolis with also a wonderful beach. I now have a nice group of friends and acquaintances of different nationalities with whom I undertake both business and leisure activities in Barcelona. 

Barcelona is also a sporty city, which I really like. It is of course wonderful to walk home on the beach after work. If then several people are exercising on the beach, my day is complete.

From September 2019 I have been working at Gimbrere Legal. Beforehand I never thought I would feel so comfortable at an office. This is due to the close-knit team we have, which means that the atmosphere is always good. In addition, there is always room at Gimbrere to ask questions or to spar. Due to the diversity in colleagues and jurisdictions, we can all tackle (almost) all matters together. The attitude is: ‘making mistakes is allowed, if you learn from them’. That has turned out to be a very nice and instructive learning environment for me. I also notice that this atmosphere works well for the already stressful work as a lawyer. Especially if you have just been sworn in.

At Gimbrere, the bar is high in terms of quality in work, but also for relaxation and experience. A drink or a party is rarely minimal and all ideas for organizing are negotiable. This of course ensures the good atmosphere and the many memories you make together as a team. Gimbrere is the perfect example that hard work pays off.

Besides work I like to do sports (crossfit, tennis and yoga) and spend a lot of time with friends & family. We also have regularly drinks with De Jonge Balie, which is an organization with lawyers from Zeeland-West Brabant. If it happens that I have a free weekend or evening, I like to keep myself busy with music and health. I like to educate myself about mental health and teach myself something new like playing the piano for example. At least this is a plan for years.

My short-term goals at Gimbrere are first and foremost to specialize myself in different areas of law. I want to keep developing and challenging myself in new and bigger things.

Also, I want to continue to work within Gimbrere to remain an office that is as pleasant and familiar as possible for everyone, while also guaranteeing quality. Keeping thinking about innovation and distinguishing from other offices keeps me very busy. This both in the Netherlands and abroad. Preferably as far away from ‘the standard’ or ‘the normal’ as possible, but at the same time also stay as close to ourselves as possible. 

Spain is a fantastic country to do business, live or invest. Unfortunately, Spain is also a country where the pace of work differs from what the Dutch are often used to.

I think Gimbrere can help many Dutch clients who – in one way or another – have concluded an agreement in Spain. Due to my experience with dealings with Spanish counterparties, I have noticed that the agreements made in Spain are not taken as closely as in the Netherlands. Dutch clients (rightly) assume that the agreement concluded in Spain will be fulfilled without further ado. It has often turned out that this is not the case. If no good detailed agreements have been made, it is possible that the Dutch will soon be left empty-handed in Spain. This applies to the purchase of a house or a business/collaboration agreement. 

It is therefore very helpful for the Dutch to call in Gimbrere before an agreement is concluded in Spain. It is also important to call in help as soon as an agreement is not properly fulfilled. It often happens that a party disappears during the fulfillment of an agreement. 

A language barrier is not necessarily helpful. Gimbrere can of course assist clients perfectly in this.

Get in contact with us:

Barcelona@gimbrerelegal.com 

+34(0)936288201