The Legal 500

Bruun & Hjejle handles high-profile litigation, restructuring, M&A, and ‘documenting and analysing of tax issues’. ‘Tax controversy specialist’ Søren Lehmann Nielsen represented TDC in a High Court case regarding transfer pricing principles for capital gains. Together with Jan Steen Hansen, who is ‘good at putting cases together’, and senior associate Tobias Steinø, Nielsen assisted Bank DnB Nord and DnB NOR (Norway) with the creation of a hybrid structure for transferring freehold units from a bankrupt estate.

Kromann Reumert’s dedicated 12-lawyer team, led by Arne Møllin Ottosen, assisted with the pre-IPO restructuring of TDC and advised Danisco on its takeover by DuPont. Mette Porskær Winther heads the private client practice, while Lene Juel undertakes employee work. Henrik Stig Lauritsen focuses on stock options. The group represents multinationals in transfer pricing disputes. Corporate tax specialist Michael Nørremark was promoted to partner.

Plesner’s 16-lawyer group is led by Hans Severin Hansen, who is described by some clients as ‘the best Danish tax litigator’; Hansen is permanent adviser to the Ministry of Taxation and the only lawyer on the government Tax Commission. Hansen, Svend Erik Holm and Tom Kári Kristjánsson advise on direct and indirect taxation, including VAT and customs and excise. The team successfully represented ISS before the Danish Tax Tribunal. Standalone tax clients include A.P. Møller – Maersk, Novo Nordisk, Danske Bank, GE Capital and Group 4 Securicor.

Ole Schmidt heads Accura Advokatpartnerselskab’s group, which advises on corporate tax, M&A and transactional tax structuring, investments and funds. Schmidt and Malene Overgaard assisted an international consortium of buyers with structuring the acquisition of Falck. Niclas Holst Sonne assisted PensionDanmark Ejendomme and ATP Ejendomme on its acquisition of three Magasin stores. Lene Pihl joined from MAQS Law Firm.

Sys Rovsing leads Bech-Bruun’s five-partner tax team, as part of which Anders Oreby Hansen specialises in M&A-related tax planning, group restructuring and transfer pricing for clients including Danish and international banks. Carsten Pals provides ‘client-specific advice, combining tax and business issues’, and Aarhus-based Michael Serup specialises in changes in business ownership and company structure. The team maintains an excellent record in tax controversy cases. The team was strengthened by litigator Kaspar Bastian, who joined from Gorrissen Federspiel and Thomas Frøbert, who joined from Philip Law Firm.

Gorrissen Federspiel focuses on corporate reorganisations, transactional support, financial services issues and disputes, and notably advised Pfizer on tax aspects of its acquisition of Ferrosan’s consumer healthcare business. This ‘available, responsive’ team is led by Jakob Skaadstrup Andersen and the ‘analytical’ Lars Fogh, who is recommended for his ‘in-depth knowledge of national and international tax rulings’; the pair advised Victor Hasseblad on restructuring its Danish operations.

Horten’s ‘dynamic, friendly’ team of seven lawyers is led by ‘skilled networker’ Nicolai Thorsted, and was strengthened by the addition of international tax law specialist Niels Schiersing from Nordia Advokatfirma and senior associate Peter Ambus. The group handles domestic and cross-border taxation and complex restructurings, and also has long public sector experience. Jakob Arrevad handles leading tax fraud cases.

Lett Law Firm is first alternative for the Ministry of Taxation when Poul Schmith Law Firm is conflicted. Clients recommend the ‘effective, charming’ practice head Artur Bugsgang, who is representing DSB in a VAT dispute and acting for Allan Mark in a dispute about joint taxation liabilities between companies. Other clients include the association of Danish TV and radio transmission organisations. Jess Thiersen joined from Lind Cadovius.

Aarhus-based Advokatfirmaet Tommy V Christiansen’s 18-partner tax group enjoys an excellent reputation. Top tax litigator Tommy V Christiansen and Torben Bagge are recommended.

Nielsen Nørager’s Henrik Peytz handles major disputes and is best known for his EU tax law expertise. Jakob Mosegaard Larsen specialises in corporate tax planning for private equity structures.

Poul Schmith Law Firm’s contribution to most major tax cases in Denmark is assured by its role as Kammeradvokaten (legal adviser to the Danish state).

DAHL Advokatfirma’s Bent Ramskov in Herning is recommended for his tax expertise.

Delacour Dania Law Firm’s ‘top-level, specialised practice’ concentrates on indirect taxation, primarily advising the transport sector, trading companies, and professional and industry bodies. Aarhs-based practice head Anders Hedetoft successfully represented DSV Road and its insurer, Tryg Vesta, in a leading case against the Danish Ministry of Taxation concerning the dual taxation of goods in transit.

Eversheds LLP Robert Mikelsons is an expert on VAT, and handles cases before the Danish courts and the ECJ. He represents Royal Unibrew in tax and VAT disputes concerning its sponsorship of Danish soccer, and successfully represented a holder of Nokia stock options against a Danish National Tax Tribunal ruling.

‘Intelligent, creative and responsive’ tax litigator Nikolaj Bjørnholm joined Hannes Snellman Attorneys at Law Ltd from Bech-Bruun, and focuses on corporate taxation, transactional support and international and EU issues. Clients include Thomas Cook Airlines and P.O.A. Ejendomme.

At Johan Schlüter Law Firm, Jørn Qvisteand his team handle cases before the administrative taxation authorities, the National Income Tax Tribunal, the High Courts, and the Supreme Court, and advise on national and international tax law and tax liability.

Lars Lokdam’s team at MAQS Law Firm advises Danish and international clients on restructuring and M&A, transfer pricing and indirect taxation. Poul Jensen, Lars Lokdam and Philip Graff advise on tax planning, and Thomas Ryhl and Anders Torbøl handle higher-end tax litigation.

Mazanti-Andersen, Korsø Jensen & Partnere’s Hanne Magnussen specialises in international tax planning. Peter Krarup is an experienced tax litigator.

Jakob Bundgaard and his team at Moalem Weitemeyer Bendtsen advise on tax structures, particularly for private equity and venture capital fund formations or on transactions. It advised Købstædernes Forsikring on the handling of share losses and DSV on its top management incentive scheme. Key clients include the Danish Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.

Bente Møll Pedersen, heads Rønne & Lundgren’s six-partner practice, which provides ‘first-rate’ advice on transactions, tax planning, pensions and VAT, and acts in Supreme Court cases. Clients include NCC Construction and Steen & Strøm. Recently promoted partner Jan Hansen has a growing private client practice and impresses with his ‘superb understanding of complicated tax codes’.