The Legal 500

Clients praise Bruun & Hjejle as ‘one of the best tax controversy firms in Denmark’, handling high-profile litigation and advising on restructuring, M&A and tax planning. Søren Lehmann Nielsen, who ‘possesses a unique power of oral persuasion’, and Jan Steen Hansen, who is ‘good at identifying the correct arguments’, successfully acted for telecoms giant TDC in several contentious tax cases before the National Tax Tribunal.

Kromann Reumert’s ‘effective, well-respected’ team is led by Arne Møllin Ottosen, who is commended for his ‘detailed knowledge of tax law’ and ‘unique insight into cross border mergers and restructuring.’ The group is representing a US multinational in a Danish tax matter involving several billion DKK, and is advising private equity funds following Danish tax law changes. Mette Porskær Winther heads the private client practice, while Lene Juel undertakes employee work. Henriks Stig Lauritsen focuses on stock options. Michael Nørremark is recommended.

Plesner’s ‘widely recognised’ 16-lawyer tax group is led by Hans Severin Hansen, who has an ‘incredible unbeaten record in landmark cases’. He is the only lawyer on the government Tax Commission and is permanent adviser to the Ministry of Taxation. Hansen, Svend Erik Holm and Tom Kári Kristjánsson specialise in direct and indirct taxation, VAT and customs and excise. Lasse Esbjerg Christensen provides ‘highly skilled, spot on and swift tax advice’, notably assisting A P Moller-Maersk with the €346m sale of Norfolkline to DFDS. Standalone tax clients include Novo Nordisk, GE Capital, France Telecom and DONG Energy.

Accura Advokatpartnerselskab has a strong transactional and commercial focus, advising on corporate tax, M&A, tax structuring, investments and funds. Ole Schmidt from Ernst & Young and Niclas Holst Sonne from Grant Thornton replaced Lars Fogh, who moved to Gorrissen Federspiel and Thomas Booker who joined the judiciary. Clients appreciate the lawyers’ ‘good technical knowledge, communication and patience’.

Bech-Bruun’s tax practice has been weakened by Nikolaj Bjørnholm’s departure to Hannes Snellman Attorneys at Law Ltd and Christian Bachmann’s move to Abel & Skovgård Larsen Advokatfirma. Clients appreciate Anders Oreby Hansen’s ‘out-of-box thinking’ in M&A-related tax planning, group restructuring and transfer pricing. Carsten Pals advises on structured finance products. Aarhus-based Michael Serup specialises in changes in business ownership and company structure. Senior associate Anne Becker-Christensen is commended for ‘incredible theoretical insight’. The team maintains an excellent record in tax controversy cases.

Horten’s seven-strong tax team, led by Nicolai Thorsted, is commended as ‘trustworthy, helpful and good at thinking out of the box’. It handles domestic and cross-border taxation and complex restructurings, and benefits from referrals from the DLA Piper LLP network and its long experience representing public companies, the state and other public institutions. Jakob Arrevad defends clients in high-profile tax fraud cases.

Lett Law Firm is first choice for the Ministry of Taxation when Poul Schmith Law Firm is conflicted. Practice head Artur Bugsgang, commended for ‘addressing both the legal and business issues and responding quickly to pressing matters’, is representing DSB in a VAT dispute and advising Etex on the Danish elements of a cross-border merger. Other high-profile clients include the association of Danish TV and radio transmission organisations.

Aarhus-based Advokatfirmaet Tommy V Christiansen’s 20-partner tax group enjoys an excellent reputation. Top tax litigator Tommy V Christiansen and Torben Bagge are recommended.

Gorrissen Federspiel hired Lars Fogh from Accura Advokatpartnerselskab. The practice focuses on corporate reorganisations, transactional support, financial services tax issues and disputes. The group, led by Jakob Skaadstrup Andersen, advised DFDS on tax issues in its acquisition of NorFolk Line, Banijay Entertainment SAS on its acquisition of Nordisk Film TV, and represented a global investment fund in tax litigation on withholding tax on dividends.

Jess Thiersen of Lind Cadovius is a tax-planning expert and litigator. Nielsen Nørager’s Henrik Peytz acts in major disputes and is best known for his EU tax law expertise. Jakob Larsen specialises in corporate tax planning.

Philip Law Firm wins praise for ‘great response times, extensive knowledge and l value for money’. Its close relationship with Baker & McKenzie brings it complex cross-border tax cases. Thomas Frøbert advised Adobe on Danish tax issues related to its $1.8bn merger with Omniture.

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’s seven-lawyer team includes Henrik Kleis, who specialises in customs and duties.

Robert Mikelsons at Eversheds Advokataktieselskab is an expert on VAT, handling significant cases before the Danish courts and the ECJ. Mikelsons was appointed as an expert witness in an important case in Norway, and represented a holder of Nokia stock options in a leading case where the Danish National Tax Tribunal ruled for a significant change in the Danish tax practice. Clients include SAS and Cimber Air.

At Johan Schlüter Law Firm, tax expert 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, especially regarding tax liability.

MAQS Law Firm advises 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 tax litigation, often involving claims exceeding DKK1bn. The team was strengthened by Lene Pihl from PricewaterhouseCoopers

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

Moalem Weitemeyer Bendtsen hired Jakob Bundgaard from Deloitte. ‘Strong negotiator’ Dan Moalem advises on tax structures, private equity and venture capital fund formations and transactional support, advising Kuben on the sale of Kuben Ejendomsadministration to Dan Ejendomme. Other clients include the Danish Venture Capital and Private Equity Association.

Rønne & Lundgren’s practice was strengthened by Michael Amstrup and Nicolai Bo Sørensen following the merger with Amstrup Jung & Partners. It advises on tax planning and VAT, and acts in Supreme Court cases as well as providing transactional support. Jan Hansen assisted Pandora in optimizing its tax structure prior to its IPO. Group head Bente Møll Pedersen advised shopping centre manager and owner Steen & Strøm.