Houthoff Buruma and Loyens & Loeff are to convert to a limited liability structure, becoming the latest in a string of major Dutch firms to ditch traditional partner-ship in a bid to ward off ‘melt-down’ negligence claims.

Loyens and Houthoff are both currently in talks to convert to become naamloze vennootschap (NV) – making all the partners shareholders and signalling another nail in the coffin of the traditional Dutch partnership model.