About Mariëtta Buitenhuis
A senior associate at AKD, Mariëtta Buitenhuis specialises in issues pertaining to public order and its maintenance, as well as subversion of the law.
In her role, Mariëtta regularly assists mayors issuing closure orders under Article 13b of the Dutch Opium Act and the Municipalities Act. Apart from advising on and litigating in matters relating to decisions under the Public Administration (Probity Screening) Act [Wet Bibob], she also handles issues about public protests. Her advisory work includes complex and recurring considerations relating to upholding law and order surrounding events taking place in the public or semi-public space. In her practice, she regularly deals with integrity and confidentiality issues in public-sector organisations. Mariëtta also issues strategic advice on enforcing fire safety measures, at large event venues, for example. The options to take enforcement measures against digital disturbances of the peace have her particular attention.
Mariëtta, in addition, is well-versed in the fields of environmental law enforcement, compensation for loss resulting from administrative acts, government liability and other matters of administrative law. Although she typically represents local and higher authorities in these matters, Mariëtta also has experience assisting companies and private individuals.
Mariëtta is considered an approachable and pleasant person to work with. The cutting edge where the interests of the corporate sector and the public sector meet is where Mariëtta feels right at the home. She is described by her clients as an engaged lawyer who communicates in clear language and who is good at helping them navigate complex issues thanks to her political awareness and affinity with administrative relationships, which goes beyond mere matters of law. Always going the extra mile, she is particularly adept at attuning her message and powers of persuasion to the target audience. Skills that Mariëtta developed and honed over the years she spent in local politics as chair of a national political party's chapter.
Mariëtta is a well-known and frequent author of clear and intelligible blogs and publications about public order and policy. She is a regular writer of annotations for the De Gemeentestem journal. Since 2022, she has been the editor-in-chief of a monthly newsletter titled 'Ontwikkelingen Openbare Orderecht & Ondermijning' (Developments in Public Policy Law & Subversion). In 2020, Mariëtta was awarded the prize for best administrative law blog by the Academie voor de Rechtspraktijk. She published two articles in De Gemeentestem on the question whether Dutch mayors have the power to wield their powers in the digital space, imposing “digital area bans” and internet bans.
Mariëtta completed a post-academic Grotius Academy course on General Administrative Law with honours.
Mariëtta regularly teaches classes on public order and policy to mayors and municipal lawyers, for instance through the Dutch Association of Mayors [Nederlands Genootschap van Burgemeesters].
You can follow Mariëtta on LinkedIn for the latest updates in her area of expertise.