DEJONG marks a new chapter with opening of Curaçao office

WILLEMSTAD--DEJONG has officially opened its newest office in Curaçao, marking another milestone in the firm’s continued expansion across the Dutch Caribbean.

The official opening ceremony, held on Friday evening, June 26, brought together government officials, members of the judiciary, business leaders, clients, colleagues, family and friends. The event celebrated not only the launch of a new office, but also the continued growth of a Caribbean law firm that began its journey on Saba and has since expanded to St. Maarten, Bonaire and now Curaçao.

The ceremony opened with remarks by Curaçao Branch Manager Ms. Lisandra Figaroa and included speeches from Attorney Dagmar Daal, Attorney Valya Pantophlet, business acquisitions and client relations partner Ms. Cece Pinette, keynote speaker the Honorable Patrice Gumbs, Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure of St. Maarten, and DEJONG founder Mr. Gerald Simmons-de Jong. The evening concluded with the unveiling of the new office logo.

A special moment during the ceremony was DEJONG’s donation to the In Her Shoes Foundation, a Curaçao-based organization founded by Ms. Alicia Alba van der Dijs to support women facing a breast cancer diagnosis.

Speaking from personal experience as a cancer survivor, Ms. Pinette said the foundation’s work reflects compassion, presence and support for women during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.

“I know what it means to face that diagnosis, the fear, the uncertainty, and the profound gratitude for anyone who shows up and says: I see you, and I am here,” Pinette told guests. “That is exactly what the In Her Shoes Foundation does.”

DEJONG founder Gerald Simmons-de Jong joined Pinette in presenting the donation cheque to Ms. van der Dijs and Ms. Janice da Costa Gomez. Ms. van der Dijs thanked the firm and shared that she was overwhelmed by the support shown to the foundation.

In his remarks, Simmons-de Jong reflected on DEJONG’s journey from a one-man practice on Saba to a regional law firm with offices across the Dutch Caribbean. Speaking in both English and Papiamentu, he said the Curaçao office represents more than expansion.

“Curaçao is not simply another office,” he said. “It is a bridge between islands, between legal systems, a bridge within our Kingdom, and between its people. It is our commitment that DEJONG is here to stay.”

Attorney Dagmar Daal, who recently joined the firm after many years of legal practice throughout the Caribbean, described the opening as a personal homecoming. Having started her legal career in Curaçao more than a decade ago, she said returning to the island with DEJONG was an opportunity to help build what she described as “a truly Caribbean law firm.”

She noted that while many firms expand from the larger islands outward, DEJONG’s path has been different, growing from one of the smallest islands in the Kingdom toward Curaçao.

“It reminds us that where you start does not determine where you can go,” Daal said. “What matters is having the courage to begin.”

Speaking on behalf of the St. Maarten office, Partner Valya Pantophlet reflected on DEJONG’s rapid development since its establishment in 2023. She said the firm’s success belongs to the many professionals who have believed in a shared vision and worked together to build something lasting.

Pantophlet also highlighted the firm’s core values of integrity, excellence, accessibility, innovation and service, noting that every client who enters a DEJONG office is treated not only as a client, but as part of the firm’s extended family.

Delivering the keynote address, Minister Gumbs praised DEJONG’s solution-oriented approach to legal practice. He said the practice of law should not only revolve around litigation, but also around helping people resolve complex issues in practical and sustainable ways.

Minister Gumbs commended the firm’s emphasis on mediation, preparation, collaboration, strategic thinking and attention to detail. He said DEJONG’s approach shows that strong legal representation is built not only on legal expertise, but also on understanding people, building trust and working toward meaningful solutions.

With the opening of the Curaçao office, DEJONG now maintains a permanent presence across Curaçao, St. Maarten and the three BES islands. Since its establishment in 2023, the firm has distinguished itself in commercial law, government administrative law, legislative drafting, mediation and strategic legal advisory services.

“Our work has never simply been about winning cases,” said Simmons-de Jong. “It is about building relationships, creating trust, solving problems and leaving every client, every organisation and every community stronger than we found it. That is what DEJONG stands for. That is what we are bringing to Curaçao.”

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