Veerle Hammerstein

Criminal Defense Lawyer | Expert in justice, moral dilemmas, and the human side of the law

Veerle Hammerstein is a prominent criminal defense lawyer and partner at Van Gessel Advocaten. Since 2005, she has been representing defendants in complex criminal cases. Her work lies at the intersection of law, psychology, ethics, and human vulnerability, which means she speaks not only about the law but especially about the person behind the act.

Employability:: Guest lecturer, Keynote speaker, Moderator, Podcast
Languages:: Dutch, English
Categories:: Behavioral Science

Behavioural Science

Ethics

Human Rights

Law

Moderators

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About Veerle Hammerstein

Why do people make choices that have lifelong consequences? How fair is our justice system really? And what can organizations learn from how we judge, listen, and deal with offenders?

Veerle Hammerstein is one of the best-known criminal defense lawyers in the Netherlands. Since 2005, she has represented defendants in complex criminal cases and is a partner at Van Gessel Advocaten. In her daily practice, she operates at the intersection of law, psychology, ethics, and human vulnerability. This unique experience makes her a speaker who not only talks about the law but especially about the person behind the act.

“Behind every judgment lies a story. Those who are truly willing to listen will forever see justice differently.”

Veerle grew up in a real family of lawyers. Both her parents were judges, and her grandfather and uncles were lawyers. Yet, she chose her own path. According to her, those who have been condemned by society deserve a fair defense. Not because every defendant is innocent, but because a rule of law only functions when everyone has access to an independent defense.

The general public knows Veerle from her media appearances and the successful podcast Veroordeeld, which she hosts with journalist Lauren Fabels. In this podcast, they talk with people who have been convicted of a crime. Not to romanticize crime, but to provide insight into the complex reality behind guilt, punishment, retribution, and second chances. With this, Veerle shows that almost every criminal case hides a human story.

During her lectures, Veerle takes the audience behind the scenes of the courtroom. She shows how prejudices arise, how moral judgments are made, and why justice is often less black-and-white than we think. Her stories are exciting, intense, and sometimes confrontational, but always nuanced and respectful.

That’s precisely why she appeals to a broad audience. Executives, HR professionals, lawyers, healthcare institutions, governments, educational organizations, and companies recognize universal themes in her stories like integrity, trust, responsibility, empathy, shame, and guilt.

Veerle combines legal expertise with accessible storytelling. She knows how to make complex criminal cases understandable without losing the nuance and invites her audience to look beyond the first impression. It is not uncommon for visitors to leave her lecture with a fundamentally different view on guilt, responsibility, and human behavior.

Veerle’s lectures offer organizations not only insight into the law but especially into the human aspect.

Topics

1. The person behind the crime

What drives someone to make a wrong choice? Based on practical experience from criminal law practice, Veerle shows how behavior develops and why quick judgments often fall short.
2. Justice is rarely black-and-white

An inspiring lecture on guilt, punishment, retribution, shame, and forgiveness, and the dilemmas that judges, lawyers, and society face daily.
3. Integrity under pressure

How do you make good decisions when the pressure is high? From courtroom practice, Veerle links legal dilemmas to leadership, governance, and professional responsibility.
4. Biases and Judgment Formation

Everyone judges. But based on what? On the psychology behind prejudices, perceptions, and objective decision-making.
5. Second chances

What does it mean to start over after being convicted? A lecture on recovery, inclusion, humanity, and the social value of reintegration.
6. Behind the scenes of the courtroom

A unique insight into the world of criminal cases, pleas, and the daily reality of a criminal defense lawyer.
7. Podcast on location

Veerle brings along a former offender and interviews him on stage so that the audience can also ask questions.

Publications

View: Who is contestant Veerle Hammerstein from The Smartest Person 2026?
KRO-NCRV portrays Veerle Hammerstein as a contestant on The Smartest Person 2026 and highlights her career as a criminal lawyer, personal background, and her podcast Convicted.
View: Mediameester
Mediameester is the platform of criminal lawyer Veerle Hammerstein, where her various activities in the fields of criminal law and media converge.