In her legal practice, Francien Rense concentrates on enforcement and sanctioning related issues companies, institutions, organisations, officers and professionals face. Her core duties include providing assistance and advice in proceedings or discussions with the authorities regarding compliance with laws and regulations and the sanctions imposed in that context.
These cases play out in various fields, such as finance and tax (such as ABAC, AML), in the field of trade sanctions and export controls, rules governing products and services, hygiene, and internal and external safety (environment). Francien has had dealings with a wide range of authorities, including the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), the Dutch Healthcare Authority (Nza), the Dutch Health Care Inspectorate (IGZ), the Dutch Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM), the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration/Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD), the police, and the public prosecutor’s office. Francien’s advice and assistance encompass the entire spectrum of services, from prevention, compliance, and internal and external investigations to repression and sentencing resulting from criminal prosecution.
Francien studied Dutch law (criminal and civil law) at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. She also followed a post-doc in forensic auditing focusing on commercial economics, audit techniques, external reporting, and internal risk management and control. Francien joined NautaDutilh in 1997, where she worked in the general litigation practice in the fields of financial and economic criminal law and corporate and commercial litigation. Between July 2001 until 2016 she worked at Leijnse Artz, 11 years as a partner. During that time, she built an independent practice in the field of enforcement and sanctioning. On 1 January 2016 she rejoined NautaDutilh's Litigation & Arbitration practice group as Associate Partner, with the same focus on business. As per 1 January 2019 Francien was appointed Equity Partner, leading the Fraud & White Collar Crime Group of NautaDutilh in Rotterdam.
Francien publishes and lectures in her field. In 2008, Francien’s peers elected her the best financial and economic criminal law attorney in the Netherlands under the age of 35. Francien is also an attorney member of the Advisory Board of the Dutch Bar Association as well as a member of the Dutch Association of Defence Counsel. Francien regularly writes articles for NautaDutilh's Compliance & Business Integrity blog and the Current Affairs section on money laundering of Tijdschrift voor Sanctierecht & Onderneming.