Karel Frielink

Karel Frielink has been an attorney as from 1989. He commenced his career with Russell Advocaten in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and subsequently worked with Loeff Claeys Verbeke. He has been working in the Dutch Caribbean (f.k.a. the Netherlands Antilles) from 1997. Until 1 October 2014 he was the managing partner of Spigt Dutch Caribbean. He is now the managing partner of BZSE Attorneys at Law Curaçao.

Karel is specializing in finance law, corporate law and corporate governance. He received his PhD degree from the University of Curaçao on 14 October 2021. His doctoral research was conducted under the guidance of Professor Gerard van Solinge and Professor Frank Kunneman. His dissertation is about the liability and responsibilities of quasi-directors (de facto and shadow directors) under the corporate codes of the Netherlands and Curaçao.

He is the representative of ICC’s FraudNet for the Dutch Caribbean (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba). FraudNet is an international network of independent lawyers who are the leading civil asset recovery specialists in each country. FraudNet is operating under the aegis of the International Chamber of Commerce.

Karel Frielink has (co-)authored over two hundred books and articles on various aspects of Dutch and Dutch Caribbean law. He is the author of the leading textbook on Dutch Caribbean corporate law: Kort begrip van het Nederlands Caribisch en Surinaams Rechtspersonenrecht (A concise understanding of Dutch Caribbean and Surinam Corporate Law; 2nd edition 2023; 560 pages) and of Karel’s Legal Blog.

He is the author of ‘Toezicht trustkantoren in Nederland ‘, together with Michiel van Eersel and Melis van der Wulp (Supervision on trust offices in the Netherlands; 3rd edition 2020), ‘Geschillen in het effectenverkeer ‘, together with Jerry Hoff (Disputes concerning securities transactions; 1st edition 1995) and Rechtspersonen en personenvennootschappen naar Nederlands Antilliaans en Arubaans recht (Corporations and partnerships under Netherlands Antilles and Aruban law; 1st edition 2003; 2nd edition 2006).

Karel Frielink is a core editor and frequent commentator of ‘Jurisprudentie Onderneming en Recht (JOR), the Netherlands leading publication of jurisprudence in corporate and commercial matters, and a core editor of the ‘Caribisch Juristenblad ’ (the leading publication in Dutch Caribbean law matters). He was a core editor of ‘Financieel Recht in de Praktijk (FRP) ‘ (a leading publication on Dutch finance law) from 2015 thru 2022.

Memberships:
• FraudNet
• Curaçao Bar Association
• Fellow of the Business & Law Research Centre, Radboud University Nijmegen

Miscellaneous:
• Honorary Consul of Germany in Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius & Saba (2012 – present)
• Chairman Supervisory Board Bonaire Holding Maatschappij N.V. (2019 - present)
• Member Supervisory Board Water- en Energiebedrijf Bonaire N.V. (2019 - 2023)
• Three-term Dean of the Consular Corps of Curacao (2017 – 2020)
• Lecturer on Advanced Corporate Law at the University of Curacao (2016 – 2022)
• Two-term President of the Curaçao Bar Association (2008 – 2012)
• Member of the Board of Directors of the Curaçao Chamber of Commerce (2009 – 2011)
• Lecturer on Corporate Law at the University of Curaçao (2008 – 2011)
• Member of the Board of Directors of the foundation Youth into Media (Caribbean Kids News) (2009 – 2012)
• Member (current Chairman) of the Advisory Board of the foundation Citro (Citizens Rescue Organization) (2007 – present)
• Lecturer at the University of the Netherlands Antilles on ‘conflict of laws’ (private international law) (1999 – 2002).

Karel is married with two children. He resides in Willemstad, Curaçao