André Verburg appointed as professor of Legal Protection against the Government

André Verburg was appointed professor of Legal Protection against the Government at Utrecht University on April 15, 2024. This chair is part of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance. As a new chair holder, Professor Verburg brings a lot of practical experience in administrative law to the table. In addition to his academic work he is a judge at the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State. He has also been a judge at the District court of The Hague and the Central Netherlands District Court. In his research and teaching, Professor Verburg will focus, among other things, on the relationship between citizens and government and the operation and strengthening of legal protection against the government. 

Before his appointment as professor, André Verburg was a lecturer and researcher at the Institute of Constitutional, Administrative Law and Legal Theory at Utrecht University, where he received his PhD in 2019 with the dissertation 'Even-handed Proceedings before the Administrative Law Judge. The Hearing, Final Dispute Settlement and Matters of Proof'. He regularly publishes on administrative law topics, in particular administrative law of evidence, final dispute resolution, procedural justice, responsiveness and plain language in a judicial context. Administrative legal protection was also one of the areas of interest of Professor Ben Schueler, who passed away unexpectedly in January 2023. Verburg and Schueler have worked closely together at Utrecht University and at the Council of State. As the new professor, André Verburg will continue some of Schueler's tasks.

Societal change and the responsive rule of law

Themes to which Verburg will contribute with his research as a professor include: the importance, operation and strengthening of legal protection against the government. He also focuses on the relationship between citizens and government: the ability of citizens to act and the responsive rule of law. He will look at the role of the judge and the system of administrative legal protection.
Verburg will study themes with a societally felt urgency such as legal protection against algorithmic decision-making and the rise of public interest litigation. The role of the civil judge in climate cases is also a theme that belongs to Verburg's chair.

The Council of State

Since the end of 2017, André Verburg has been a judge at the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State. The Administrative Jurisdiction Division is the highest general administrative court in the Netherlands. It hears appeals lodged by members of the public or companies against decisions or orders given by municipal, provincial or central government. Disputes may also arise between two public authorities.  André Verburg will continue to fulfill this (main) position in addition to his professorship at Utrecht University.