Lodewijk Berger (Lou)

Lou Berger has significant experience in international tax planning, M&A, and tax controversy and is consistently recognized as a leading tax lawyer by major publications, including The Legal 500, Chambers Europe, and Who's Who Legal: World's Leading Corporate Tax Lawyers.

Lou has long-standing trusted relationships with a number of the largest U.S. multinationals and represents them on planning, (multilateral) audits, and international tax controversies. He is very engaged in EU and OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) changes, including BEPS (base erosion and profit sharing), ATAD (Anti-Tax Avoidance Directive), State aid, and DAC6 (EU Directive on Administrative Cooperation), and proactively counsels clients on related risks and implications.

Representative tax planning work highlights include: corporate reorganizations for multinationals; counseling clients on strategic transfer pricing, particularly related to IP and treasury activities following BEPS and ATAD; and advising corporations and private equity clients on international holding structures.

Representative tax dispute resolution engagements include: strategic counsel to a U.S. multinational on pan-EU multilateral control; representing a Dutch multinational on a major tax dispute and settlement; and representing U.S. multinationals on private equity, transfer pricing, and withholding tax disputes across Europe.

Lou also regularly acts as tax counsel on cross-border M&A transactions as highlighted in his experience list.

Lou began his practice as an international tax lawyer in Amsterdam in 1997. He spent two years working in London and six years working in New York before returning to Amsterdam. He is a member of the ABA and the IFA (International Fiscal Association) and speaks regularly at tax conferences. He currently serves as chairperson of the Tax Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands.