KRALENDIJK- Robin Rispens has been appointed as new civil-law notary on Bonaire by Royal Decree on 15 September. The swearing in will take place on September 19, 2022.

The 55-year-old Robin Rispens has been working at Aniek Schouten’s office for a year as a candidate civil-law notary. In this role he was already responsible for family law deeds such as wills, certificates of succession and prenuptial agreements. He regularly acted as an observer for the current (acting) civil-law notary, Aniek Schouten.

Rispens obtained his diploma at the University of Utrecht in 1993, completing his education in Notarial Law. In his native province of Friesland he started working as a candidate civil-law notary in Leeuwarden and later in Joure. In 2005 Robin was officially appointed Notary Public in Gorredijk by Royal Decree. After working as a civil-law notary there for 16 years, he resigned from his position in 2021 due to the move to Bonaire.

In principle, Rispens says that he finds all areas of notarial work fascinating, but above all that he enjoys being able to support people when they are at an important crossroads in their lives.

‘Within the legal world, we are used to using a lot of technical jargon, and most deeds often look like higher mathematics to people who are not legally trained. I like to return that official to the human while practicing my profession

to bring. In this way, together we ensure that concrete agreements are made, but in an understandable way.’ According to the civil-law notary. Robin is fluent in Dutch, Frisian and English, and is also on his way to speak Papiamentu, like his daughter Margo.

Aniek Schouten is leaving

In this case, appointing a new notary also means that one leaves. Aniek Schouten, who has been working as a (junior) civil-law notary on Bonaire for over 20 years, will stop as a civil-law notary. ‘I fell in love with this profession on Bonaire and have been able to practice it with great pleasure over the past year. Many interactions with the people who have been in my office will stay with me forever . I have been working with Robin for a year now, and in a short period of time he has shown me that he is an enormous added value for the notary’s office.

Robin supported me with difficult issues and he deals with clients and his colleagues in a very pleasant way. With his specialist knowledge and experience, I trust that he is the right person to take charge of the notarial profession on Bonaire,” said Schouten.