Tim Backx is a respected lawyer specialised in family law, a divorce mediator, and a collaborative divorce lawyer. In his practice, Tim assists entrepreneurs (DMS), high-net-worth individuals, expats, top athletes, and artists, among others, in complex divorces and related issues such as the settlement under property law of a marriage or cohabitation, maintenance and care arrangements. His expertise lies mainly in matrimonial property law, both nationally and internationally, and with a keen eye for the legally relevant details. Tim has an advisory and litigation practice, in which he also provides second opinions to clients and colleagues. He is also fluent in English.
Tim regularly acts as a sounding board for financials and family offices on family law issues. In this context, he advises, both national and international, clients and advisers on drawing up or amending Dutch prenuptial agreements and last wills (estate planning), where possible in close cooperation with the inheritance law specialists within SmeetsGijbels. Precisely because of his many years of experience as a divorce lawyer, Tim has the knowledge to advise clients prior to or during the marriage on any necessary adjustments to prenuptial agreements or cohabitation agreements to avoid problems in the future. He also lectures this topic (pre-matrimonial mediation) to lawyers, civil-law notaries, and tax specialists.
Tim seeks to resolve the dispute out of court whenever possible in the form of consultation with the other lawyer, a collaborative divorce or as a mediator. He is known for wanting to make a difference for his clients, to take their worries out of their hands, and offer a listening ear during an emotionally charged period for them, thus arriving at a tailored lasting solution, so that the client can actually move forward. That is where he gets his motivation and drive from. Tim has a direct and pragmatic approach, so the client always knows where he or she stands.
Tim graduated cum laude from the Utrecht University in 2010 and already started working at Banning Advocaten in 2009 – during his studies – in the family law section, in which area he fully specialised as a divorce lawyer, (pre-matrimonial) mediator, and collaborative divorce lawyer in the following years. Since 1 September 2023, Tim has been affiliated with and has been a partner/shareholder at SmeetsGijbels, where he continues his family law practice.
Tim is a member of both the Dutch Association of Family and Inheritance Lawyers Divorce Mediators (vFAS) and the Association of Collaborative Professionals (VvCP). Furthermore, Tim has been a member of the legislative advisory committee on family law of the Netherlands Bar Association (NOvA) for many years. He regularly publishes in academic journals and is a regular editor of Rechtspraak Familierecht (Family Law Case Law – RFR). Within his field, Tim lectures matrimonial property law, including as part of the pre-matrimonial mediation course. In addition, he is a regular author of the Kluwer Models for Legal Practice as regards models related to family law. Tim is also a proud member of Round Table The Netherlands.
Tim Backx has a listing in the Netherlands Bar register for the following principal and secondary fields of law:
- Law of persons and family law (collaborative divorce, divorce, maintenance cases, contact arrangements, mediation, parenthood, and recognition)
A condition of his registration is that, every calendar year, he is required to obtain ten study credits for each of the main fields of law for which he is listed, in accordance with the standards of the Netherlands Bar.
