The Legal 500

BA-HR’s ‘response time is good and the firm has adequate resources to handle challenges’. Boasting particular strengths in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, the team includes star litigator Gunnar Sørlie, and Lars Norheim, highly sought after for his expertise in IP/IT transactions. The group’s media expertise has been enhanced by the recruitment of Jacob Møller from Schibsted. Beret Sundet is noted for her competition expertise where IT issues are to point.

Føyen Advokatfirma DA is a top rank TMT firm, ‘among the leading firms in Norway and the Nordic region, when it comes to knowledge and experience of TV and media rights’. Arve Føyen and Knut Glad ‘as a duo, are probably the leading team of lawyers in Norway on IT and media matters’ Lars Giske, and Jostein Ramse are also highly sought after. The firm is particularly well supported by major IT service providers. Clients include Lyse Tele, Accenture and Google Norway.

Advokatfirmaet Grette DA provides ‘a good international network, well-founded advice and great value for money’. The firm is very strong in traditional IP work, and has a growing presence in IT procurement and life sciences. Jarl Roar Sæbø has established the foundations of a good TMT practice. Øystein Flagstad is ‘quick to respond and has a tremendous capacity for work’, and Astri Lund ranks as ‘one of the leading copyright experts in Norway’. Svein Ruud Johansen, Amund Brede Svendsen and Ida Gjessing are also recommended. Clients include AstraZeneca, Lycatel and EDB Business Partner.

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA ‘has an outstanding knowledge of the telecoms sector and offers high service standards and 24/7 availability’. Espen Tøndel leads a team with ‘highly qualified junior lawyers, with experience from the industry’. Partners attracting plaudits include Tor Stokke who has ‘strong strategic capabilities’; Jan Sandtrø ‘clear, to the point, and gives good follow-up of issues’; and Herman Valen who acts ‘like a partner as well as a legal adviser’. Ståle Hagen and Rune Ljostad are ‘excellent, proactive lawyers’. Clients include Telesonera, TV 2 and Nordic Semiconductor.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS provides ‘superb overall service levels’, with deep strength in media and IP, and the pharma sector. Arne Ringnes, who heads the practice, is ‘highly intelligent, thorough and focuses on fully understanding the facts of cases’. Haakon Opperud and Jan Morten Evertsen are also recommended. Kristine Schei has established a new trademarks service group. Clients include Rubicon TV, Intervet Schering-Plough and Mundipharma.

Wiersholm is ‘far ahead of most law firms in this field’. Hans Erik Johnsen ‘a living textbook’ is ‘by far the best lawyer for TV and broadcast matters in the Nordics’, and John Gulbrandsen, a specialist in media and broadcasting law, as well as IP, ‘offers great strength in negotiations, and is good in court’; Gulbrandsen has appeared in many precedent cases representing such majors as Monster and Telenor. Kyrre Eggen is also recommended. Advisory clients include Hegnar Media and Pantagruel.

Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS’ Anne Marie Sejersted, who ‘is particularly good’, heads the practice group, which has been rejoined by Espen Werring from the Telenor legal department. The group is strong in litigation, and telecoms contracts, for which Dag Thorstensen and Frode Sæter are recommended. Nina Melandsø is adept at the crossover area of competition and trademarks. Helge Olav Bergan is ‘very skilled and talented in radio regulation and licensing’. Clients include Get AS, Actavis and Jøtul.

Advokatfirmaet Schjødt DA’s ‘team is very strong, particularly at the top, and response is impeccable’. The practice strengths lie in IPR/media/telecom and particularly in dispute resolution. Group leader Halvor Manshaus is ‘very strong on business strategy, and also on the legal tactics’; Manshaus continues to lead for Aker MH in the long running Transocean patent litigation. Kaare Risung has ‘a very good approach to matters and understands the in-house lawyer’s position’. Clients include NetWork Norway, Motorola and TV2 Zebra.

Wikborg Rein’s practice leader Torleif Dahl ‘provides a no-bull-straight-to-the-case-advice no matter the hour or time of day’. Rolf Riisnæs is recommended for major computer systems procurement projects. Gunnar Meyer ‘is first choice for pharma work, and a good litigator, particularly in the big cases’. Clients include TeliaSonera and Transocean Offshore Deepwater Drilling.

Arntzen de Besche’s IP/TMT team is strongest in the wider sector. Tommy Dahlen assisted Blaaster Wind Technology with IP licensing and manufacturing agreements, including patent due diligence. Clients include QFree and Google.

Bing Hodneland advokatselskap DA offers ‘relevant skills at a lower price than the big firms’. Clients ‘especially highlight the strong team for public procurement law’. Magnus Ødegaard has a broad practice which ranges from trade mark disputes, to international licensing agreements. Ole Tokvam is an effective negotiator whose IT skills are noteworthy. Clients include Polo Ralph Lauren and Digiplex.

Bull & Co Advokatfirma AS’ Bente Holmvang heads the IP practice, and is recommended for brand protection litigation. Kristine Madsen is a director of the Norwegian Anti-Counterfeiting Group, and also specialises in IT procurement. Amund Grimstad specialises in pharmaceutical and medical patents within his wide IP practice. Clients include Altea and Sissener Sirius.

DLA Piper offers ‘thorough knowledge, and the ability to swiftly draw on an international network’. Nils Arne Grønlie ‘consumes and processes information quickly, and has excellent communication skills’. Bård Racin Meltvedt is expert in media, entertainment, and sports law. Cecile Haavik is recommended for both contentious and non-contentious IP rights.

Advokatfirmaet Hjort’s Kristin Veierød heads the practice and advises Telenor and Nokia Siemens Norge. Monica Syrdal ‘is very bright and especially good with regard to IPR/Media and telecoms’. Rolf Trolle Andersen heads the IP department which focuses on complex industrial and technical licensing agreements, and has entered into a framework agreement with Statoil.

Kluge Advokatfirma DA’s group is ‘knowledgeable and responsive’. Torstein Arendt has ‘combined technical and legal knowledge to become an expert in public procurement’, and Ingvild Mestad is ‘knowledgeable and responsive’. Steffen Asmundsson specialise in IP, technology and communication. The firm has established framework agreements with several State departments including the Norwegian Tax Administration.

Kvale Advokatfirma Da’s Lars Trygve Jenssen offers wide expertise ranging from trade mark and counterfeiting issues to musical copyright and publishing. Frode Lillebakken is recommended. Clients include Compusoft and Swarco.

Selmer’s Nils Kristian Einstabland is highly rated for his IT/TMT expertise, and leads a small team which offers ‘a broad range of services’ including liigation and support for the firm’s strong transactional practice. Clients include Freebit and Infosys BPO.

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s Fredny Bade provides expert advice in IPR matters where there are complex technical aspects. Katrine Malmer-Høvik is ‘accessible, direct and gives high-quality advice’. Clients include Lucas Bols.

Advokatfirmaet Vogt & Wiig AS has expanded its IT/TMT practice. Joakim Marstrander continues to exploit his niche in sports-related work, andsucceeded in the Supreme Court in ‘image protection’ litigation for snowboarder Andy Finch. The group has also comprehensively assisted start-up mobile telecoms provider Call Norwegian. Clients include Comperio and Aspiro.

Brækhus Dege Advokatfirma ANS’ Per Bjørnsen acts for the Customs & Escise Director for public procurement matters. Eva Jarbekk chairs Privacy Tribunal Norway. Clients include Capgemini Norge and Ruter.

Legalteam advokatfirma DA is staffed substantially by ex-Telenor lawyers with an excellent understanding of TMT. Per-Kaare Svendsen is expert in telecoms and regulatory affairs.

Advokatfirma Ræder DA’s IPR group, led by Inge Svae-Grotli handles a wide range of IP-related matters, particularly brand-name protection.

Kulturadvokatene’s Eirik Djønne is ‘a very good lawyer – one of the best copyright lawyers in Norway’, recommended for literary copyright and the creative arts.

Advokatfirmaet Sverdrup DA’s Erik Dahl, formely a member of the Ericcson legal department, has considerable expertise in TMT.