The Legal 500

BA-HR offers ‘a good knowledge base of the industry and proactiveness in advice’. Stig Bech has ‘the ability to translate legal issues to commercial consequences’, and Anne Sofie Bjørkholt ‘gives us quick response and good quality advice’ but clients note, ‘it does seem however, that there is a problem in getting similar quality from other lawyers’. Recent instructions include assistance to Pareto Private Equity in connection with several sales and purchases of high-value buildings by various portfolio companies. Sam Harris is recommended for construction litigation, Haakon Flaaten for complex transactions, and Jan Einar Barbo for construction law.

Føyen Advokatfirma DA is ‘one of the best firms for real estate law’ but is perhaps even stronger in the construction field. Heikki Giverholt heads the construction side of the practice in which Karl Marthinussen provides ‘quick response and has a high degree of knowledge regarding building industry and technical questions’. Ottar Egset leads the transactions team, and is ‘very constructive in finding the way to close deals’. Johan Henrik Vister is recommended for municipally sector matters. Clients include, for construction Backe Group and Selvaagbygg, and for real estate Gjelsten Holding and Salto Eiendomis.

Kluge Advokatfirma DA’s 50-fee-earner practice ‘delivers excellent service with very short response times’. Espen Nyland is ‘a brilliant specialist in construction law as well as a splendid all-rounder’, and in real estate Øystein Henriksen has ‘extensive knowledge, is very accurate and catches the details, but is also interested in solving issues’. Other recommended members of the excellent group include, for construction matters, Odd Tvedt and Steffen Asmundsson, and for real estate Knut Prestvik. Clients include Oslo lufthavn and Aspelin Ramm Eiendom.

Advokatfirmaet Schjødt DA is ‘among the best overall, on the top edge of knowledge in real estate’. Geir Sand, who heads the real estate group, offers ‘very high quality in negotiations’ and construction group head Hallgeir Østrem is ‘top class’. Pål Grønnæss is also highly rated. Clients include contractors Skanska, PEAB, and Veidekke, and developer Oslo S.

Selmer’s team ‘is so fast in response that I get the impression I am their only client’. Practice head Even Berg is ‘very competent and stays on top of the case’, and Mikkel Vislie is ‘easy to collaborate with, has a good business attitude, and is highly qualified’. Andreas Rørvik is highly recommended for real estate transactions. Clients include Norconsult, Profier and Entra Eiendom.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS offers ‘high-level advisers determined to achieve the right result’. Christian Müller, who heads the department, assisted Genesta Nordic Baltic Real Estate through a NOK540m commercial property acquisition. Christopher Borch is also recommended for the breadth of his practice and expertise. Anders Pind’s litigation practice is substantially in complex construction matters. Clients include Norgani Hotels and Sjælsø Norge.

Torkildsen, Tennøe & co, Advokatfirma AS, widely acknowledged as a real estate leader, has ‘high-quality lawyers at all levels, and always an experienced partner fully up-dated about the work in hand’. Recommended lawyers in a strong team include Tom Torkildsen for his commercial property expertise, Andreas Iversen and Børge S. Nygårdshaug for transactional matters, and Kjell-André Honerud, an excellent all rounder with construction law expertise. Harald Christensen has a substantial architects practice. Senior Christian Hartmann is very promising. The firm has offices in Oslo and Bergen. Clients include Aberdeen Property Investors and Eiendomsspar.

Arntzen de Besche is ‘a very good firm offering excellent service’. The four-partner practice divides equally between Oslo and Trondheim, where Kjell Sagen Berg ‘is a number one lawyer in building and construction law’. Hans Henrik Kværne, who heads the group, is recommended for transactions, and Jon R Gresseth for construction projects. Arntzen de Besche acts for Veidekke and Reinertsen.

DLA Piper’s four-partner group is ‘proactive and inventive in negotiations’. Bjørn Slaatta heads the team, in which Espen Moe is ‘especially good and capable within all areas of real estate’. Hans Christian Brodtkorb is recommended for construction disputes; Brotkorb succeeded for NCC Construction AS in legal proceedings against Telenor. Clients include IKEA, Skanska Bolig and Peab Bolig.

Deloitte Advokatfirma AS’ ‘give us the service we need to an acceptable cost’. Thorvald Nyquist leads a ‘a very strong team of lawyers’ which includes Bjørn-Olav Johansen and Torill Hasle Aarnelfot. The team continues to assist Nordre Jarlsberg Brygge in the Vestfold project, which involves VAT and public procurement issues, as well as negotiations with the municipality. Other clients include Maud Eiendom and Tønsberg Bolig.

Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS’ seven-partner department is divided into construction and real estate teams. Håvard Skogvoll is highly recommended for transactions; Skogvoll led the work for Sektorgruppen on the complex auction and demerger of a shopping centre portfolio valued at NOK7.1bn. Johnny Johansen is noted for construction expertise. Henning Nordtvedt is an expert construction law litigator, frequently instructed by the State. Clients include AFGruppen and Realbygg.

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s head of construction Alf Johan Knag is ‘very good with his clients, calm and polite – but sharp and quick during court proceedings’. Hege Birkeland Ersdal and Bjørn Stordrange ‘deliver what is asked for, and not general advice’ in real estate matters. The firm tends towards contentious matters and complex negotiations such as the representation of 150 property owners seeking compensation from Statnett in connection with power plant construction. Clients include Valter Jensen Eiendom and Viking Gruppen.

Wiersholm ‘has a very strong team and due to the size of the firm, it can draw on different resources if needed’. The strength of the team is biased towards high-value, complex transactions in the sector and Tom Rune Lian is ‘one of Norway’s best all-round real estate lawyers, whose negotiation skills combine with a brilliant knowledge of the legal framework’. Nicolay Vold is also recommended for transactions and financing work in the property sector. Clients include Værste and Pareto.

Wikborg Rein assisted Niam in connection with the acquisition of Sektor Eiendomsutvikling, a deal valued at NOK5.5bn. Line Ravlo-Losvik heads the practice group, which has ‘stood up very well to the loss of a leading partner in 2009’. Erlund Holstrøm is recommended for construction disputes, and boasts considerable international experience from his time as head of the firm’s Far East offices. Clients include Oslo Areal and Skanska.

Bing Hodneland advokatselskap DA’s ‘partners’ knowledge, experience and analysis are good but the depth of the team needs to improve’. Per P Hodneland is ‘extremely good, and highly ethical’. Ole Tokvam can ‘solve complex questions in a very precise and rapid way’. Arne Sørsdahl and Paal Haugaard are also highly recommended. Clients include Veidekke Eiendom and Urbanium.

Brækhus Dege Advokatfirma ANS’s Ivar Barstad and Embret Støeng are recommended for construction matters. In recent instructions, Linde was assisted with two LNG plant construction projects by Øystein Sverre and Jan Krohn.

Advokatfirmaet CLP DA is ‘a small real estate firm offering value for money’. Tore Økseter is recommended for construction disputes and transactions.

Advokatfirmaet Grette DA’s Torgeir Myrstad is recommended for construction matters and the firm’s litigators support this seam of expertise, with two recent Supreme Court representations in the sector. Jørgen Aardalsbakke has joined from the Norwegian Public Road Administration.

Advokatfirmaet Hjort’s construction team is headed by Jarl Borgin Dørre, who has advised Skanska and its subsidiaries for many years. As might be expected, litigation support in the sector is impressive. Halvard Leirvik heads the real estate group and, along with Frode Innjord and Liv Aandal is recommended for complex transactions. Clients include Telenor and JM Byggholt.

Kyllingstad Kleveland Advokatfirma DA’s Anders Myhre is recommended for property and construction matters associated with the firm’s key competences in the offshore sector. Clients include Subsea 7 NUF.

Advokatfirmaet Lund & Co DA is recommended for expropriation and public planning matters. Caroline Lund is an expert in land law.

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA’s Peter Simonsen heads the group, which is recommended for transactions. Clients include Swiss Real Estate and Navimar Group.

Advokatfirmaet Vogt & Wiig AS‘ Bjørn Kise is highly recommended for real estate development instructions and has advised Bjørvika Utvikling throughout a major project. Bjarte Bogstad is also recommended. Clients include Norwegian and Oslo S Utvikling.