Edith Nordmann

Managing partner ACG International - Attorney at Law

Chairman Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT)

Edith is Managing Partner at ACG International in Amsterdam where she also heads the corporate and commercial litigation department.

She is a highly experienced corporate and commercial litigator, who has been representing both companies and private individuals in highly complex matters and has a vast expertise in cross-border business transactions, contract disputes, and national and international litigation.

In addition, Edith is a certifed mediator, who assists her clients in finding amicable resolution of their disputes. For more than twenty years Edith has been working with international clients from all over the world. Being fluent in German (native speaker), English, Dutch, French and Italian, Edith is not only able to communicate with many of her international clients in their mother tongue, but also to understand the difference in mentality, culture and legal systems. Through her deep-seated local knowledge and international networks across practice areas and borders, Edith uses her business minded strategic approach to assists her clients in getting deals done and finding solutions that achieve the best results for their actual needs.

As a seasoned litigator Edith was invited in February 2019 by the New York International Arbitration Centre to give a presentation and inform New York attorneys about the Netherlands Commercial Court (NCC).

Recently Edith was invited at the Business Forum on The Changing World of Cross-border Financial & Banking Transactions in Mauritius, where she spoke about the challenges of opening and maintaining a business bank account in an international context and the constraints this poses on doing business internationally. At the same time, she launched the International Comparative Banking Regulations Guide on how to open a bank account in 15 different jurisdictions.

Next to her professional career Edith engages in many charitable and social organisations using her professional expertise, not only helping others but also empowering them in their endeavours.

Edith was awarded “Women of the Decade in Law & Social change” by the Women Economic Forum in 2017.

This in-depth interview with Edith gives a good insight in what drives her ambition.

What did you want to be in the past and why?

"I wanted to become a teacher. My motive for this was that I really enjoyed teaching others new things and making material understandable in a pleasant way. I also gave tutoring lessons at school at a very early age and loved it when 'my' tutor children had an 'Aha moment' and then got good grades and felt better as a result."

Who is your role model?

"I have several role models, there are so many fantastic ladies and gentlemen who have shown how they can combine work, private life and developing special subjects. One such role model is Mr Lakshmi Kumaran - he is a lawyer in India and started a law firm with his brother 40 years ago. Now the firm has 400 lawyers and he is a leading expert in the field of taxation. He was at the forefront of the revision and digitalisation of the VAT system in India (GST). He is my role model because, on the one hand, he is full of innovative ideas, still implements them daily and enjoys his work. On the other hand, I admire him because he is a pious and grateful man with great respect for others. We meet regularly and discuss the cultural differences between the Netherlands and India, the wishes and needs of the Dutch and the Indians. We brainstorm how we can build bridges between the two countries, using our networks, to strengthen the economy and mutual understanding. "

What brought you to where you are today?

"I married very young - I was 19 and came to the Netherlands from Switzerland, without any knowledge of the Dutch language. At first, I helped my husband build up his business. After the children were born and the youngest went to playschool, I started studying law. In the morning, I took them to playschool and to school, then I ran to university to pick them up again in the afternoon. With three young children, I did the shopping and everything else that other mothers do, to the playground, swimming lessons, etc. When they were in bed at 8pm, I picked up my study books - within 3 years I had completed both my bachelor and master studies. Thanks to my employer back then I was able to combine my job as a lawyer with my family. I could pick up and drop off the children - even if I had to do so in between - but I also felt responsible and worked into the middle of the night if necessary. My husband supported me fully in this - without his support this would not have been possible. In addition, I also devoted myself to helping others with the knowledge I had gained. The children felt inspired by this - they still say so today, when they are 31, 30 and 27. They have all graduated, are married (the youngest almost is too!), enjoy being with others and also commit themselves selflessly to others. And in the meantime, I often ask them for advice!"

What are the life lessons you want to pass on?

"Try not to be like someone else. As a woman, especially, don't try to be like a man. You must first understand what you are good at and what gives you pleasure. Use this knowledge and insight to develop yourself and don't forget to give others 'wings' as well. Let people know that they can become the best version of themselves - not a copy of someone else. Don't let traditions, resistance and the fact that it might be difficult get in the way of setting goals and achieving them and inspiring others to do the same.

My mother wanted to have her own flower shop when she was young. Her father was against it because it makes your hands ugly. When she married, she was told that the woman belonged to her family. Her love for flowers and the arranging and rearranging of them has never stopped; despite a wonderful family and a fulfilled life, she regrets never having started a flower shop. So, listen to yourself, to what you really want to do and achieve - only in this way can you become the best version of yourself and only in this way can you inspire others.

Another important life lesson that I try to apply every day is to be and stay genuinely and interestedly curious - the world has so many interesting facets and people, every day is an opportunity to learn new things, to get to know people, to broaden one's horizons and to help others in the process. Choose a profession you enjoy, then you will become good at it, you will enjoy developing yourself and the 'hard work' will not be a burden, but a challenge to do even better.

In what are you a role model yourself?

"Just like when I was at school, I still love helping young people to see new and different perspectives, to inspire them to develop and to pursue their goals. I do this actively with young employees in the office. I take them along so that they can see and experience as much as possible of the enthusiasm that comes from helping clients. I also mentor young female professionals - it is wonderful to show them what they are already doing very well and that some doubt is part of the development, as long as it is healthy doubt and not reluctance or becoming reluctance.

We have excellent professionals in the Netherlands who almost always find a way to do their work with great enthusiasm and pleasure. This is why the Dutch are among the happiest people. Fortunately, that enthusiasm and the idea that you should not strive for the impossible - but rather try to find and develop the best version of yourself - inspires many. I also speak at various international conferences and try to inspire young people, including mothers who would like to do something else. It helps when I tell them that I myself only started my studies when the children were 2.5, 5 and 6 years old - and that without a nanny or childcare!"