The Legal 500

BA-HR ‘has some of the best contract lawyers in Norway – they have a remarkably clear understanding of the key issues in dispute resolution’. In one of 2009’s most complex instructions, Helge Olav Bugge successfully represented the Reitan family, owners of the major retailer Reitan Group, in Supreme Court litigation concerning the inheritance tax treatment of assets transferred within the family. Gunnar Sørlie and Geir-Arne Borgestrand are ‘experienced and proactive, very competent’. Sam Harris is also recommended.

Advokatfirmaet Hjort is currently ‘in the first division in dispute resolution’ with Erik Keiserud, ‘a particularly good choice’ and Else Bugge Fougner ‘a heavyweight, understands the game, and plays hard’. The firm faces the challenge of maintaining the strength of the team in the short term; the departure of Frode Elgesem for Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS and the nomination of Bergljot Webster to the Supreme Court are significant. On a positive note, Alex Borch is increasingly highly rated as ‘a very good choice – tactically very smart, super-fast and efficient’, and Anne Marie Due, a recent recruit at senior associate level, ‘is an excellent lawyer, especially good in court’. Clients include Oslo Børs, Statoil and Finansgruppen.

Advokatfirmaet Schjødt DA continues to attract complex, high-value dispute instructions. Ingvald Falch and Dagfinn Clemetsen are representing BW Gas and Farstad Shipping in precedent legislation over the application of the constitutional rule against retrospective legislation to changes in shipping tax legislation. Advokatfirmaet Schjødt DA is also representing investors who invested in a linked note sold by Danske Bank, which subsequently lost more than 85% of its value. Cato Schiøtz and Nils-Henrik Pettersson are recommended.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS’s litigation group has been strengthened by Frode Elgesem’s arrival from Advokatfirmaet Hjort. Borgar Høgetveit Berg successfully represented hydro-power company Tussa Kraft in a NOK400m contract dispute, and Carsten Riekeles and Jan Morten Evertsen succeeded in a high-profile case concerning title to the sculpture ‘Miss Pogany’ by Constantin Brancusi. Anders Pind is defending in a major class action on behalf of Ringnes Park. Senior associate Margrethe Buskerud Christoffersen, ‘impresses greatly’.

Wiersholm provides ‘a very good level of overall service’. Anders Ryssdal appeared before a Grand Chamber hearing in the Supreme Court and successfully overturned a rule which allowed appellate courts to reject appeals in criminal cases without reason. Ryssdal, with Kyrre Eggen and Olav Perland, is representing leading banks in two major class actions concerning retail structured investment products which collapsed in value. Magnus Hellesylt ‘has the impressive ability to quickly grasp facts and define the crucial points’. Stephan Jervell and Jan Fougner are recommended. Clients include Statoil and Norwegian Hull Club.

Arntzen de Besche ‘ranks well above other companies we have experienced, both in terms of general service and lawyer quality’. Lars Holo, who specialises in employment law, ‘impressed in litigation before the Supreme Court’; Terje Granvang is ‘good on tactics, and communicates well with the court’, while both Ingeborg Moen Borgerud and Thomas Nordby are ‘very skilled, and know the oil and gas industry well’. Clients include PricewaterhouseCoopers and KPMG.

Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS’ construction law specialist Rasmus Asbjørnsen recently succeeded for 700 lessees in an unusual, NOK1.3bn class action suit against property developers. The practice is regularly instructed by government departments and institutions such as hospitals in construction litigation; Johnny Johansen and Olav Bergsaker specialise in this work, while Harald Arnkværn focuses on pensions and employment matters.

Kluge Advokatfirma DA is ‘among the best firms in Norway for dispute resolution’. The firm is regularly instructed by state and regional authorities. Harald Kobbe and Christian Galtung are ‘both lawyers of very high quality’. Eirik Jensen, a petroleum tax specialist, represented ConocoPhillips Skandinavia in the Court of Appeal, and Preben Falck assisted Marathon Petroleum Company in a number of complex rig contract disputes.

Kvale Advokatfirma Da’s Jens Brede is ‘a truly top litigator’. The firm is representing big-name construction companies Bilfinger Berger and Pihl in several cross-border and multi-party disputes, as well handling numerous disputes 
for Statoil. Thomas Farhang is recommended for tax controversy, and is also appearing with Lars Trygve Jenssen for Dagbladet in a major copyright infringement and unfair competition litigation. Arne Seemann Berg is noted for IP 
and insolvency litigation, and Christian Stang Våland is an accomplished Supreme Court performer.

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s team includes seven Supreme Court attorneys. Erik Myrh Nilsen, who joined the firm when DLA Piper’s Bergen office changed allegiance, ‘is an almost perfect team leader’ in complex, resource-heavy cases. In Oslo Ian Kenworthy and Bjorn Stordrange both regularly appear in the Supreme Court; Stordrange was recently instructed in a precedent case concerning the principles of waterfall valuation. Morten Steenstrup and Magne Revheim also handle high-value arbitration and litigation. Clients include Skanska Norge and Schlumberger.

Vogt & Wiig AS shows ‘a high level of competence in litigation – good response times and value for money’. The firm is a centre of excellence for shipping and ‘can be confidently recommended for litigation and arbitration in the maritime sector’ with Morten Lund the counsel of choice. Alf Nielsen, Kristin Farstad and Anne Grete Larsen Hestnes ‘have a strong commitment to winning their cases, and always give attention and priority’. Joakim Marstrander, ‘is really good – thorough and eager to win’. Jan Vablum, in Bergen, is also recommended. Clients include Skuld and Iver Ships.

Wikborg Rein’s litigation group leader, Per Ristvedt, ‘is very tactical, excellent in court – he has turned cases’. Morten Goller successfully defended Lemminkäinen Norge against breaches of cartel rules in a criminal prosecution by Økokrim, the economic crimes unit. Trond Eilertsen and Gaute Gjelsten are representing the insurers Gard and other parties in a NOK250m action against the Norwegian State following the grounding of the MV Rocknes; the claim alleges inadequate warning of shoaling. Dag Steinfeld and Sven Eriksrud are recommended.

DLA Piper’s Runar Hansen demonstrated his expertise in transport and insurance law when he successfully represented insurer Cox Dedicated Corporate Members against a personal injury claim which reached the Supreme Court. Cecile Haavik is recommended for litigation with an IP element, and Are Hunskaar is noted for construction disputes work. Clients include AIG Europe and Chubb Insurance Europe.

Føyen Advokatfirma DA is regularly instructed in dispute matters by such clients as Adecco Norge and Aberdeen Property Investors. Karl Marthinussen, ‘a very good litigation lawyer’, and Jostein Ramse spend the greater part of their time on dispute resolution. Preben Mo Fredriksen is ‘very clever – he really digs into the material and looks for solutions’.

Advokatfirmaet Grette DA’s IP specialist Amund Brede Svendsen has recently pleaded a case about the experimental exception in patent law before the Supreme Court, and Jacob Bjønness-Jacobsen litigated a case connected to the Finance Credit fraud scandal before the same tribunal. Svein Ruud Johansen is also an expert in IP. Anne Cathrine Røed was admitted to the Supreme Court in 2009 and acts on behalf of construction majors Bravida Norge and Sønnico.

Kyllingstad Kleveland Advokatfirma DA is highly rated for offshore, oil, gas, and shipping disputes. Eirik Høiby ‘has a unique ability to drill down to the root of a particular issue and present a compelling argument’. Per Kyllingstad is also recommended. Clients include Subsea 7.

Advokatfirmaet Lund & Co DA’s Stein Erik Stinessen, Caroline Lund, and Ulf Larsen, are ‘very competent lawyers, honest and clear in their advice’. The firm continues to act for the ‘Terra municipalities’ in litigation with DnB NOR Bank.

Selmer has reshaped the 20-fee-earner dispute resolution department under Asbjørn Berg, to focus on real estate, IPR, tax, insolvency and telecommunications. Katinka Mahieu and Berg represented Bredbåndsalliansen in a NOK2.4bn arbitration case with Network Norway and its three largest shareholders.