The Legal 500

Employment boutique Norrbom Vinding maintains its market-leading position, offering ‘high-level specialist service’. The renowned Mariann Norrbom successfully represented the Danish Football Association in the Supreme Court. Industrial relations expert Jørgen Vinding is known for representing employers in Supreme Court cases and advising Denmark’s largest media groups on restructuring. Christian Clasen provides ‘quick, business-oriented advice on collective bargaining’ and represented Scandinavian Airlines System in a high-profile age discrimination case, while Yvonne Frederiksen represented Air Greenland in a complex collective bargaining process. Tax expert Torben Mølgaard Hededal represents public and private sector clients. The defection of rising stars Marianne Granhøj and Jens Lund Mosbek to Kromann Reumert was mitigated somewhat by the arrival of Nicole Offendal from Lett Law Firm.

Bech-Bruun’s practice head Bjarke Vejby is representing Amagerbanken in a Supreme Court case concerning claims by retired bank employees, while Morten Ulrich successfully represented TDC in a Supreme Court case. Jette Ronøe specialises in stock options cases, while discrimination lawyer Mads Krarup was appointed partner in 2009, and Lars Svenning Andersen is also recommended. Mette Klingsten and her team joined from Abel & Skovgård Larsen Advokatfirma.

Kromann Reumert’s 14-lawyer practice combines standalone employment advice with transactional support. The firm has been strengthened significantly by the arrival of Marianne Granhøj and Jens Lund Mosbek from Norrbom Vinding, and now represents a serious challenge to the market leader. Practice head Helene Amsinck advised DONG Energy on employment aspects of the acquisition of A2Sea and represented Sterling Airways in negotiations with the unions. Copenhagen team leader Claus Juel Hansen possesses ‘fantastic presentation skills’, and is ‘loyal, service-minded, creative and available 24/7’. He successfully defended VKR Holdings and Cisco Linksys KiSS before the Maritime and Commercial Court, and won a leading case for Encorium Danmark. Tina Brøgger Sørensen is also recommended.

Plesner’s four-partner group focuses on transactional support, restructuring, outsourcing and insourcing, large-scale redundancies and incentive programmes. New clients include Dansk Shell and Eniro. Group head Tina Reissmann advised Texas Instruments and Infineon Technologies Denmark on redundancy programmes, while Gitte Westall and Jacob Falsner acted on the Sterling Airlines bankruptcy.

Accura Advokataktieselskab’s four-lawyer practice, headed by ‘outstanding and trusted adviser’ Anne Katherine Schøn, ‘has a modern touch and feel and creates pragmatic solutions’. It advises on standalone employment matters and transaction-related issues. Catrine Søndergaard Byrne displays ‘professionalism, knowledge and a will to win’.

Bruun & Hjejle’s four-partner team primarily provides transactional support. ‘Excellent communicator’ Elise Ross-Hansen provides ‘knowledgeable, pragmatic advice’ to public and private sector clients, notably Technitrol and Pulse Engineering, and also assisted Sandoz International and Danish shipping group D/S NORDEN with restructuring and rationalisation.

Niche employment practice Advokatfirmaet Elmer & Partnere has an excellent reputation for its representation of employees and trade unions. Peter Breun is recommended. In 2009, the team was strengthened by the arrival of Peter Albrechtsen from Lett Law Firm.

Aarhus-based Jacob Sand and his team at Gorrissen Federspiel provide transactional support and advice on collective dismissals and insolvency-related matters, particularly in the banking sector. Recent mandates included supporting transactions involving Danish retailers, notably IDEmøbler and Inspiration, and handling employment disputes. Nina Wedsted is recommended.

Horten’s 10-strong team is led by Finn Schwarz and Erik Wendelboe Christiansen, who successfully represented Lloyd’s Register in the Supreme Court. Signe Renee Bundgaard is also recommended. The group provides ‘timely, accurate and practical advice’. The firm’s close links with DLA Piper LLP and other international firms enable it to handle cross-border mandates effectively. Clients include Siemens Wind Power and The City of Copenhagen.

Lind Cadovius represents six trade unions. Birgitte Horn and Asger Tue Pedersen specialise in labour law, while Nicolai Westergaard is a judge in Denmark’s Labour Court.

Anders Worsøe at Magnusson Advokatfirma advises longstanding client LSG Sky Chefs Danmark. Anders Etgen Reitz is commended for his ‘international expertise’ – he and his team offer ‘specialist knowledge of benefits and compensation’, and have attracted new clients Accenture, Dionex and Microsoft.

Ulla Jacobsen and Karen-Margrethe Schebye at Advokatfirmaet Schebye Jacobsen represent employees and trade unions.

Hans Juhler and his group at Eversheds Advokataktieselskab advise on mass redundancies, data protection, and compliance. The practice represents German construction group Lindner on collective agreements and contracts in different jurisdictions, and advises Gate Gourmet on transfers of undertakings.

Lett Law Firm’s Niels Henrik Nielsen is representing football club Vejle Boldklub Elitefodbold in a high-profile arbitration. The team offers transactional support and standalone advice to Danish and international clients including Royal Dutch Shell, DSB and TDC. However, the group lost former practice head Nicole Offendal to Norrbom Vinding and Peter Albrechtsen to Advokatfirmaet Elmer & Partnere.

MAQS Law Firm’s team offers ‘excellent service at all hours’, and advises on Swedish and Danish employment law including transactional support. Henrik Teide co-heads the practice with Jeppe Hoyer Jorgensen, who arrived from Bech-Bruun.

Mette Ravn Steenstrup at Mazanti-Andersen, Korsø Jensen & Partnere advises on structuring and outsourcing, including employee transfers.

Philip Law Firm handles collective redundancies and advises foreign businesses establishing Danish operations. Steen Rode recently advised Rambøll on its share incentive scheme. Other clients include Tia Technology, Vattenfall and Mondux.

Poul Schmith Law Firm represents the Danish government in employment matters.

Anne Marie Abrahamson and Anja Staugaard Jensen at Rønne & Lundgren advised Albihns regarding its merger with Zacco, and assisted clients such as Ebay Classified Denmark and ITC Infotech India in establishing Danish operations. The team also handles mass redundancies.