I started my employment law career in the corporate world, at places like Deloitte and de Bijenkorf. That gave me great insight into what a business owner wants. My approach is solution-oriented and pragmatic. I don’t shy away from confrontation, but I’m also an expert at sorting out and resolving issues. I work primarily with employers but also partner with works councils and employees.

I studied Dutch law at Radboud University in Nijmegen. My thesis Protection against female genital mutilation within the United Nations legal system, was named best legal thesis for the 2003/2004 academic year by the Radboud University. After graduation, I followed the Professional Training Course for Company Lawyers and earned a partial master’s degree in Employment Law at the University of Amsterdam.

I’m a member of Vereniging Arbeidsrechtsadvocaten Nederland (VAAN). In 2016, I successfully completed the Postgraduate Course in Employment Law (PALA) and the Postgraduate Course in Sport and Law at VU Amsterdam in 2022. I teach a wide range of courses on employee participation, privacy in the workplace, transgressive behaviour, and current affairs in employment law at SDU and the Institute for Employment Law, among others.

I’m also a member of Vereniging Arbeidsrecht Advocaten Nederland (VAAN).

What clients have to say about Irene:

‘Irene has been my go-to person for complex legal issues and changes for many years. She can think outside the box and approaches things from multiple angles. She outlines different scenarios and lets you choose your approach in a friendly way and with good, clear dialogue. She delivers quickly, is accessible, and is a pleasure to communicate with. It also really feels like we’re working together, and that’s unique.’

‘Once again, we were immensely pleased with our work with Irene. We had a difficult issue with an employee around a violation of a non-competition clause. Thanks to our constructive collaboration, we eventually won our case in court. That was crucial for our company, and we were very happy with the result.’

Cursisten over Irene:

“De manier van lesgeven door Irene is heel leuk en levendig. Zij is erg enthousiast over haar vak.”

“De cursus was informatief en interactief. Een optimale verhouding van luisteren en vragen stellen. Zeker een aanrader.”

“Het was een fantastische cursus, inhoudelijk interessant en bruikbaar in de praktijk.”

“Mevr. Francken is een geboren spreekster. Erg boeiend.”