About us
The IJI is a knowledge centre for private international law and foreign law. The IJI has been advising legal practitioners in this field for over one hundred years
Our clients are mainly the judiciary, lawyers (corporate or otherwise), mediators, and notaries. Given our thorough and in-depth knowledge, built up over many years and recorded in our own smart knowledge system, our well-equipped (digital) library and our broad international network of legal experts, we can support our clients quickly and cost-effectively. Depending on the case, the findings of the IJI are presented in either a longer or a shorter report, both of which will be well-document and case-tailored.
The Mission of the IJI
Our mission is to contribute to the resolution of disputes between citizens and businesses in international legal relations. Why? Because every person in need of justice deserves the same treatment, regardless of background, and this attitude helps to make the world a better place.
Our goal is to make private international law and foreign law accessible by providing independent advice and information to the legal practice. This is expressed in advice, research and education. For example, we invest part of the income from our advisory services into research and education. The focus of research and education is always on practical solutions to bottlenecks in the application of PIL rules and foreign law in Dutch legal practice.
Martijn Polak – Vice President of the Supreme Court and board member IJI
Martijn Polak on the idealism of the IJI
What our Clients Say About Us
Lawyer Tim de Greve, partner at Stibbe.
I regularly engage the IJI in cases where PIL aspects play a role. The institute has existed for over 100 years and can therefore boast a long history and experience. There are prominent people associated with it. Not least Mr Strikwerda. They support you from the outset, immediately understand the question you are faced with and suggest possible solutions. They have the right connections at home and abroad to answer questions within a reasonable timeframe. Apart from that, it is very pleasant to work with the people of the IJI.
Lawyer Channa Samkalden, Prakken d'Oliveira
We have received advice from the IJI on several cases. One example is a case brought by a number of Nigerian farmers against Shell concerning oil pollution in Nigeria. That case is about the application of Nigerian law by the Dutch court. The IJI looked into the framework of tort law in Nigeria for us. We used that advice in the proceedings and also submitted it to the court and it showed, for instance, that our plaintiffs were also entitled to claim against Shell under Nigerian law. The IJI is extremely useful in all such cases because you receive very sound advice on the basis of which you know whether you should have a number of things investigated further. It’s very useful advice at an early stage of your procedure.
Attorney Ria van Seventer, Meesters aan de Maas Advocaten
Our law firm is based in Rotterdam, a city of more than 170 nationalities, so we regularly have to ask the IJI for advice. For example, I had to deal with the recognition of a child by an Italian man, to which Italian law had to be applied. I don’t speak Italian so I could not do that myself. Nor did I have access to the sources which the IJI has.
Visie van het IJI
As a result of ongoing globalisation, citizens and businesses are confronted with more complex international legal issues. The IJI aims to offer certainty in this context by providing academic advice that can be easily applied to the case at hand.
The IJI is independent and provides factual, objective advice. Based on this core value, we have served the judiciary, the legal profession, the notarial profession and the business community for over one hundred years.
The IJI is closely connected with academia. As a result, the IJI also monitors the quality of internal know-how and staff.
In cooperation with the Asser Institute and various universities in the EU, we contribute to academic research, often funded by the European Union, and education in the field of private international law and the application of foreign law more generally.
The IJI offers a cost-effective service by utilising our wealth of knowledge that we have built over many decades. In addition, we are constantly building on our international network of legal experts, so that the necessary knowledge can be shared and applied quickly.
The IJI is committed to providing its clients with a fast and case-tailored service. To this end, the IJI wants to communicate directly and quickly with its clients in order to clearly map out mutual expectations. In line with this, the IJI aims to offer easily accessible services.