Mr. Dr. Antoinette Vlieger
Lawyer & researcher
- Profiel
Sociology of law — an unconventional perspective on the law
Antoinette Vlieger studied at five different faculties, providing her with a multidisciplinary view of the law early on. She obtained her PhD from the University of Amsterdam with a socio-legal study conducted in the Middle East, focusing on the legal status of domestic workers in Saudi Arabia and Dubai. Her English-language dissertation remains available via Amazon, while an accessible version was published as a work of fiction by Prometheus.
The sociology of law examines the interplay between law and society: the relationship between values, norms, and sanctions; the role of institutions; the phenomenon of juridification; and the gap between formal law and law in practice. Her research methods include grounded theory, qualitative and quantitative research, and discourse analysis. This background allows Vlieger to view legal issues from a perspective rarely held by traditional legal professionals. Following her PhD, she provided policy advice to the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO).
University Lecturer — Broad and In-depth Expertise
For many years, Vlieger held teaching positions at the University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), and the Clingendael Institute. She obtained her University Teaching Qualification (BKO) from the University of Amsterdam and is registered with the CRKBO.
The subjects she has taught cover a remarkably broad spectrum: privacy law, administrative law, administrative procedural law, legal theory (encyclopedia of law), corporate law, contract law, contract law in perspective, criminal law in perspective, liability law, European law, European private law, specific types of contracts, dispute resolution, argumentation theory, mergers and acquisitions, contract drafting, and migrant rights. She currently teaches privacy law at TU/e.
Lawyer — from SMEs to public-private partnerships
Vlieger qualified as a lawyer in 2015. She advised and represented a portfolio of SMEs and organizations in matters involving civil law, administrative law, subsidy law, freedom of information, mergers and acquisitions, shareholder agreements, franchising, commercial contracts, and public-private partnerships. She represented clients in court and engaged in lobbying activities at the House of Representatives.
Vlieger expanded her expertise over the years. In addition to the mandatory professional training for lawyers, she completed four postgraduate Grotius courses: Liability & Enterprise, Administrative Law (cum laude), Health Law, and Privacy Law.
She left the legal profession because she prefers looking forward to looking back. However, that practical experience has proven invaluable, sharpening her ability to assess risks and evaluate the strength of legal positions.
From the coronavirus crisis to EHDS expertise
During the coronavirus pandemic, Vlieger was approached by scientists with a specific question: why were they unable to pool their data to support policy decisions? Fingers were being pointed at the GDPR. However, as a legal sociologist, Vlieger suspected otherwise: the problem lay not in the GDPR itself, but in how it was perceived and misused. That hypothesis proved correct.
Moreover, she saw that the solution was being offered from Brussels in the form of the European Health Data Space (EHDS). For two years, she collaborated with Health-RI on the Netherlands' preparations for this legislation. Since then, she has advised organizations such as ZonMw, the National Health Care Institute (Zorginstituut Nederland), Palga, and other umbrella organizations on the EHDS, the GDPR, and open data law. She publishes regularly in legal journals and national media and is a sought-after speaker and advisor.
Antoinette Vlieger (LL.M., Ph.D.) is a legal expert specializing in the EHDS and one of the few Dutch lawyers with an in-depth understanding of the European Health Data Space. She combines doctoral-level research with extensive practical experience as a lawyer, years of university teaching, and a keen eye for details others overlook.
“The question is never whether something is permitted. The question is what you want to achieve—and how we can structure it so that it is both permissible and effective.”
Education, certifications, and additional roles
- PhD in Sociology of Law — University of Amsterdam (2012)
- Master’s degrees in Dutch Law and International Law — UvA (minors: Economics, Argumentation Theory, Anthropology, Political Science & Arabic)
- Postgraduate specializations (Grotius Academy): Privacy Law, Health Law, Administrative Law (cum laude), Corporate Law & Liability
- CIPP/E — Certified Information Privacy Professional/Europe
- University Teaching Qualification (BKO) — UvA
- Professional training program — Netherlands Bar Association (three-year course)
- CRKBO-registered — education exempt from VAT
- Chair of the Supervisory Board — consumer protection foundation (mass damage claims, WAMCA and WCAM proceedings)
- Languages: Dutch (native), English (fluent), French & German (basic).
Contact
Would you like to know how Antoinette Vlieger (LL.M., Ph.D.) can assist your organization? Please feel free to get in touch by clicking here. An exploratory meeting is always free of charge.