The Legal 500

BA-HR is ‘a top-tier M&A firm’, which provides
‘a level of service surpassing some of the most renowned US and European law firms’. ‘Efficient and solutions-oriented’ Svein Gerhard Simonnæs heads the department. Lars Norheim ‘combines commercial awareness with an in-depth knowledge of the legal field’, and Peter Hammerich 
provides ‘excellent overall corporate support’.
Rune Svoren and Bård Sandstad advised Aker Exploration on its NOK4.3bn merger with Det Norske Oljeselskap. Robin Bakken, Bjørn Gabriel Reed, and Morten Plesner Smørdal 
are also highly recommended and Børre Sofus Arnet ‘handles complexity within tight time constraints’.

Advokatfirmaet Schjødt DA is ‘a leading firm with broad competence in M&A and private equity’. Viggo Bang-Hansen has an ‘impressive presence in public market work’. Thomas Aanmoen and Anne Gro Sundby led in advising Oslo Børs and NYSE-listed Renewable Energy Corporation to a NOK4.5bn equity issue and simultaneous debt restructuring. Einar Caspersen has ‘top-tree negotiating skills and solid commercial understanding’, Dag Sigvart Kaada stands out as ‘an excellent lawyer – highly competent and dedicated’, and Knut Smith-Erichsen provides ‘quality advice’.

Selmer is ‘a strong alternative to the big players – fully competitive with BAHR and Wiersholm’. Dag Erik Rasmussen is ‘a top-notch all round corporate lawyer, not least due to his creativity and constructive deal-making attitude’. Thomas Michelet recently acted as lead counsel to Infront when it acquired Sweden’s leading financial news agency. Also highly commended are M&A experts Sverre Tysland and Nils Bugge, corporate law specialist Kristin Normann, and Are Herrem, who now heads the department. Lars Knem Christie is well respected for his regulatory expertise. Clients include Det Norske Oljeselskap.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is ‘among the strongest legal advisors in the market, responsive and strong in M&A’. The team is involved in most of the major transactions in Norway and handles a large number of mid-range transactions. Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS recently advised Wintershall Holding through its NOK5bn acquisition of Revus Energy. Kim Dobrowen is consistently commended for his M&A work and Anders Arnkværn is ‘singled out’ for stock exchange and securities instructions. Mons Paulsen is highly rated for corporate and tax matters and Olav Vikøren ‘is an excellent all-rounder’.

Wiersholm acts in numerous, complex, cross-border and domestic transactions and capital market instructions for such corporate clients as Norske Skogindustrier and Orkla, as well as private equity leaders including Nordic Capital and Altor Equity. ‘Efficient, accessible’, Jarle Kvam assisted Herkules Private Equity purchase Kraft’s Norwegian salted snack division, and ‘extremely knowledgeable and impressive in finance’ Erik Thyness acted for Emerson Electric in its voluntary offer to acquire all outstanding shares in Roxar. Also highly rated are Stephan Jervell, who has ‘a very effective negotiating style’, and Sverre Sandvik, recommended for capital markets work with public authorities and corporates.

Wikborg Rein is ‘top rank – excellent service, prime response time – a strong and pro-active team’. Leif Petter Madsen, Susanne Munch Thore, Marius Gisvold and Ketil Bøe have well-established reputations and clients also point to a younger generation which is showing its mettle. Per Anders Sæhle is ‘highly experienced in structuring M&As’, Cecilie Kvalheim has ‘a thorough knowledge of regulatory law’ and Sigurd Opedal is ‘excellent where a stock exchange listing is planned’. Andreas Kildal is ‘young but bright, street-smart, and analytical’. The team’s clients include Aker and Pareto Group.

Aabø-Evensen & Co Advokatfirma ‘is doing a great job, we have worked with the top three or four firms in Norway over past five years and Aabø-Evensen are clearly in that group, with the added personal touch and service of a somewhat smaller firm’. The firm acted as sole legal advisor to Gjensidige in connection with its acquisition of Citibank International’s Norwegian Consumer Banking Division. Ole Aabø-Evensen is highly recommended.

Arntzen de Besche ‘is the best firm that I 
have come across in Norway’. Recently, the practice advised Gjensidige Forsikring in its discussions with Storebrand about a possible amalgamation of the two insurance companies. Per Dagslet and Terje Granvang are ‘highly competent, efficient and excellent communicators’. Also recommended are Geir Evenshaug and Trond Vernegg.

Advokatfirmaet CLP DA ‘is on the same level as the other top corporate law firms in Norway’. Alexander Lund is ‘very good and almost always available’, Lars Gunnar Aas has a ‘pragmatic approach’, and Edvard Cock demonstrates ‘persistence on behalf of his clients’. Clients include Cubera, Validus and Energy Future Invest.

Kvale Advokatfirma Da ‘stands toe to toe with the largest and top-ranked firms in Norway’. Robert Romansky, recommended for transactions, ‘always does a good job – he is a competent and tenacious negotiator’ and Tobias Hvinden is ‘a very experienced and skilled M&A lawyer’. Christian Stang Våland is principal legal advisor to NattoPharma. Øystein Løken is recommended for private equity work, and Thomas Farhang leads in complex corporate matters. Clients include Bilfinger Berger and Tele2.

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA offers a ‘great service, with available lawyers who always give rapid answers’. ‘Talented, determined’ Ståle L Hagen leads the group, in which Morten Winther is ‘very accurate, professional and service minded’. Claus Flinder acts for private equity fund Herkules Capital, and Henning Øvrebø is ‘highly experienced and expert’ in M&A. Henrik Holmboe is recommended. Clients include ErgoGroup and Sparebanken SMN.

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA has strengthened its national corporate offering, and celebrated the firm’s twentieth anniversary, with the acquisition of DLA Piper’s respected Bergen office. In Oslo, Robert Sveen is ‘extremely good, an excellent advisor of long standing’, and Susanne Schneider recently handled a series of complex restructuring assignment on behalf of Tandberg Data. Thor Ask Terkelsen’s ‘strength is in corporate strategy’. Odd Erik Johansen is also recommended. The firm has acted for Kommunalbanken and EDB Business Partner.

DLA Piper offers ‘a strong team, high quality, and perfect response times’. Harald Hellebust provided ‘the best overall service I have ever experienced, superb advice’. Tord Eide is rated ‘as one of the top five lawyers in Norway when it comes to corporate transactions’. DLA Piper clients include Aller Group, Carnegie and Wega Mining.

Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS provides ongoing support to some major corporations including Telenor and Atea. Kjetil Hardeng heads the department. Trygve Norum ‘shows a reasoned and pragmatic approach throughout transactions’, and Bjorn Brevik is also recommended. Amund Fougner Bugge recently represented Skagerak Energi on the NOK500m merger of the company’s broadband interests with Lyse Energi.

Kluge Advokatfirma DA has ‘very skilled lawyers with a good understanding of the client’s business and needs’. The firm’s corporate strengths are concentrated in Norway’s ‘petro-capital’ Stavanger, where Thomas Abrahamsen is ‘a very strong transactional lawyer’, and Snorre Haukali has a strong track record in both corporate and transactional work. Clients include Lyse and Wintershall Norge.

Vogt & Wiig AS’ ‘shipping industry knowledge and experience is great, and its advice is always appropriate and well considered’. In addition to skills in the corporate aspects of the marine sector, Bergen-based Børge Knustad is ‘a particularly good lawyer in general corporate law’; Kristin Farstad receives similar accolades. In Oslo, Christian Ditlev-Simonsen is highly rated, as is Bjørn Kise for his ‘professional and people skills’. Clients include DNO International.

Brækhus Dege Advokatfirma ANS has an excellent reputation for all-round client support in corporate matters. Bredo Stabell handles a portfolio of branded international companies’ Norwegian interests. Stein Hove and Ivar Barstad are also recommended. Clients include Fuji-Siemens Computers, Wincor Nixdorf and Visma.

Advokatfirmaet Grette DA provides a ‘remarkably swift response while calmly putting the right structures in place’. Dag Horsberg Hansen leads the group which is recommended for effective corporate work in the mid-tier. Roland Mörsdorf consolidated and expanded the strong German desk. The firm’s clients include Bohus, the Norwegian subsidiaries of Tetra Pak, and Sandvik.

Advokatfirmaet Hjort’s corporate offering has levered off the firm’s strong litigation and energy expertise in recent years, particularly in the mid-range corporate market. The recruitment of Ragnar Østensen from Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS in September 2009 brings solid corporate experience with tax expertise. Jørn Uggerud is ‘a very good, effective corporate lawyer’. Rolf Trolle Andersen and Claude Lenth are also commended for bringing, respectively, financial and labour law expertise to their corporate advice. Clients include Norli Gruppen and Morgenstjernen Group.

Advokatfirma Ræder DA’s lawyers are ‘extremely professional, very responsive and good value for money’. Carl Garmann Clausen is ‘very approachable and fast while still delivering high-quality work’. Jan Martin Fjellestad heads the group, in which Jens Kobro is also recommended. Clients include Thin Film Electronics, and several Norwegian operating subsidiaries of global groups.

Føyen Advokatfirma DA’s corporate team is well placed to handle cross-border work with Sweden through the FOYEN Group alliance. The firm’s strengths in IP/TMT and construction have been recognised in the reshaping of the corporate group to include construction specialist Ottar Egset and IT expert Knut Glad. Clients include Access Industries and Northzone Ventures.

Advokatfirmaet Nordia DA’s demerger leaves Bjørn Hanestad and Inge Fredriksen leading the Norwegian corporate group in the only law firm in Scandinavia with offices in three countries. The practice acts for Johnson & Johnson and BDO Noraudit.

Advokatfirmaet Sverdrup DA’s corporate offering will build on the strengths of its former Advokatfirmaet Nordia DA partners. Terje Sverdrup Mår is ‘probably one of the leading experts on franchise contracts in Norway’.