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Bas Baks
Partner

Bas Baks

Advocaat | Co-Head of the CMS Insurance Group

Languages
  • German
  • English
  • Dutch
Social media

Bas Baks is a partner in our Insurance & Litigation Practice Group. He specialises in insurance and liability matters, with an emphasis on claims in relation to construction related matters and D&O. ​

Bas has experience in various areas of professional liability and product liability (recall, notifying food authorities, recovery). He has experience in advising and litigating on coverage issues, in which capacity he has represented various international insurance companies and multinationals.​

In addition to litigating in civil courts, he has experience in arbitration, including the Arbitration Board for the Building Industry and the NAI. He has also been deputy registrar to the Dutch Board of Discipline.​

Bas has been a practising lawyer since 2000. He started out with a large law firm in Rotterdam, then later gained valuable experience as in-house counsel for a multinational in Eindhoven. He also worked as an intern in the insurance and re-insurance business at CMS Cameron McKenna in London. In June 2009, he completed a post-graduate course in Business and Liability at the Grotius Academy.

Awards & Recognitions
01
  • Quote
    "Bas Baks has a sharp view and is a pleasure to work with."
    Chambers Europe, 2024
  • Quote
    "He has good technical core procedures but is also very pragmatic."
    Chambers Europe, 2023
  • Quote
    "Bas Baks, Annelies Zwart and Oskar van de Weijer – friendly, engaged, proactive in solving matters, high knowledge of the industry."
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2023
  • Quote
    "His key strength is improvising, connecting and knowing how to get the job done."
    Chambers Europe, 2022
  • Quote
    "Pragmatic, has an eye for commercial issues and can bring the right people for a team together."
    The Legal 500 EMEA, 2021
  • Quote
    "Well experienced, realistic, pragmatic, focused on the goal of his client, and always ready to go."
    Chambers Europe, 2021
  • Quote
    Bas Baks is noted for his impressive cross-border practice, especially with London.
    Chambers Europe, 2020

Relevant experience

  • Litigation on behalf of a university against (sub) contractors, car and property insurers regarding “material damage” from flooded ICT cables and resulting transmission quality issues.
  • Litigation/arbitration against employers and car insurers over disputes about defective materials/Professional Indemnity unclear designs/faulty workmanship and other related issues.
  • Litigation/arbitration in relation to coverage aspects of a number of large D&O/Professional Indemnity claims.
  • Litigation/arbitration on behalf of a construction company against car insurers regarding “material damage” caused by slags. 
  • Drafting car policies for insurance companies.
  • Advising regularly on the indemnity and insurance provisions relating to construction and PFI projects.
  • Litigation on behalf of a university on coverage issues under consequential loss cover in relation to material damage in a power plant. 
  • Ongoing advice to several insurers regarding specific questions relating to coverage under property, Professional Indemnity and car policies (e.g. exception for third-party owned property, material damage and all its sub-questions, salvage costs etc.).
  • Proceedings between various contractors and insurers in connection with liability for delayed construction projects and the underlying policy cover.

Memberships & Roles

  • Insurance law Association
  • Lecturer Liability and Insurance Law for the Stichting Opleiding Advocaten Arrondissement Utrecht
  • Technical Insurance Professionals Club (Beurs Club Technische Verzekeringen)
  • Causarie

Awards & Rankings

  • Chambers Europe, 2024, Ranked in Insurance
  • The Legal 500 EMEA, 2024, Bas Baks is ranked Leading Individual
  • The Legal 500 EMEA, 2024, Bas Baks is Recommended
  • Who's Who Legal, 2023, Global Leader Insurance & Reinsurance

Education

  • Commerce and Liability, Grotius Academy for Post-Graduate Law Studies
  • Dutch Law, Utrecht University