LegalRail is the only law firm in the Netherlands which is totally specialized in Railway law. The founder of LegalRail, Mrs. Viola Sütő, is well known in the Dutch railway and (re)insurance market, as an attorney as well as railway law scientist.
Experience Viola Sütő
Viola was the legal project leader for the Dutch State, when the Dutch Railway Company privatized in 1998-2002.
She was one of the leading lawyers involved in the establishment in 2003 of the Transport and Rail Section at the Dutch Competition Authority.
She acts as attorney for international train operating companies - both freight and passenger transport - and their (re)insurers, for railway constructors, rail equipment builders and also for different devises of the Dutch State.
Viola has dealt with the main railway accidents in the Netherlands like the derailment of a freight transport in 2008 at Muiderpoort, the collision of two trains at Zwolle, 2009, the disaster in 2010, when a train crashed in Stavoren (NL) and also in several accidents abroad (f. ex. Peine (G), 2010) and Borne (2013). Furthermore she is active in several homologation proceedings for rail equipment. She defended successfully engine drivers involved in railway accidents and acts for railway companies which are prosecuted. In the mean time she prepares and negotiates railway contracts for her clients.
Viola has a wide network in the railway sector. This makes it easy for LegalRail to communicate with the relevant institutions, like the Inspectorate of Environments and Transport, the Ministry of Infrastructure & Environments and the Infrastructure manager.
Viola is fellow at the University of Leiden, were she had her PHD in 2004. She has lectured at university for more than 20 years, specifically on the Masters of Civil Law and Liability. Concerning Railway Law, she initiated a yearly Post Academic Course at Leiden University, which is unique in the Netherlands. She lectures also for the Dutch Bar Association.
Secondary activities
Viola is inter alia member of:
- the Supervisory Board of ‘OV loket’ (the institution established by the Dutch State for passengers complaints concerning public transport), www.ovloket.nl ,
- the Board of the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Zeerecht en Transport (Netherlands' Association for Maritime and Transport Law,) which was founded in 1905 (www.nvzv.nl) ,
- the Scientific Advisory Board of the European Public Social Responsibility Institute (das Institut für daseinsvorsorge in Europe - www.psr-institut.at ) and
- the Board of the Association Henri Capitant, Dutch devise, a worldwide organization on French orientated law founded in 1935 www.henricapitant.org.