The Legal 500

Advokatfirmaet BA-HR DA’s six-partner practice continues to thrive, particularly in tax disputes in the oil and gas industry. Joachim Bjerke heads the team, while Jan Jensen is ‘a doyen of the tax industry’ and regularly handles significant litigation such as his current representation of Statoil in a test case pending before the Court of Appeal. The team also regularly advises on M&A handled by the firm’s corporate practice. Clients include BP, Shell and ConocoPhillips.

Ernst & Young Tax is particularly strong on international and transfer pricing taxation issues. The ‘excellent’ Hans Georg Wille and ‘knowledgeable and solution-oriented’ Øyvind Hovland are recommended for their international tax work, and Marius Leivestad is in charge of the transfer pricing group.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS provides an ‘excellent service’ to clients such as Accenture, Dell and Telenor across a range of contentious and non-contentious matters. Ola Mæle shows ‘a practical approach and general business understanding’, and has a burgeoning reputation on transfer pricing. Other recommended partners include department head Ståle Kristiansen; the ‘very experienced’ Sverre Koch; Christian Bruusgaard, who is ‘very good at handling tax controversies’; and Finn Backer-Grøndahl.

Wiersholm’s seven-partner practice advises on national and international, direct and indirect, contentious and non-contentious tax issues. Harald Willumsen and Bettina Banoun are acting in major litigation relating to the taxation of convertible bonds. Nicolay Vold is ‘very good’ on real estate taxation, and Arvid Aage Skaar is recommended for international tax.

Selmer handles a raft of domestic and international work both on a standalone basis and for its extensive pipeline of corporate clients. Team head Morten Sandli has ‘excellent ability in real estate tax work’. Energy tax expert Einar Bakko is advising Miklagard Energy Management on the tax structures for Norwegian investment in hydroelectric power plants in Turkey. The ‘diligent, solution-oriented’ Sverre Hveding joined from DLA Piper in 2011.

Arntzen de Besche’s ‘business-oriented’ tax team is gaining traction in the market, and recently hired the ‘absolutely brilliant’ Hanne Holen and the ‘technically outstanding’ Ulf Andersen from PwC. Holen and Andersen brought with them Transocean as a client, which they are representing in several tax cases. The team is praised for its ‘excellent industry knowledge’ in the oil and gas arena and its clients include ExxonMobil Exploration & Production, and Petroleum Geo-Services. Team head Anders Heieren is ‘very strong on equity deals’.

Deloitte Advokatfirma AS provides a ‘very good and responsive’ service across a range of transactional, VAT, transfer pricing and international tax issues. The ‘customer-oriented and efficient’ Audun Frøland heads the M&A tax group and recently advised Wilhelmen Holding Invest on tax issues relating to its acquisition of a minority stake in NorSea Group. Hans Martin Jørgensen, Rolf Saastad and Alexander With are recommended for transfer pricing, international and indirect tax issues respectively.

At Advokatfirmaet Grette DA, the ‘proactive and competent’ Nils Eriksen has ‘extensive experience with large cross-border transactions and can quickly pinpoint not only the corporate tax issues but also the corresponding VAT implications in various jurisdictions’. The ‘flexible and service-minded’ Thomas Alnæs ‘shows a huge degree of competence’, in particular for direct tax matters.

Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS’ four-partner team provides an ‘excellent service’ across the gamut of contentious and non-contentious tax matters. Nils Flesland Bull is ‘very good’ for indirect taxation, and team head Espen Nordbø has excellent credentials for international tax.

Boutique tax firm Harboe & Co AS can advise on issues including transfer pricing, indirect tax and international corporate tax. The ‘excellent’ Einar Harboe is an accomplished tax litigator.

Kluge Advokatfirma DA’s ‘well resourced and technically strong’ four-partner team is best known for its petroleum tax expertise. Team head Eirik Jensen has ‘deep knowledge on transfer pricing rules’. Clients include ConocoPhillips, Avinor and DONG.

Advokatfirmaet Schjødt AS’ Trond Larsen has ‘deep competence and experience of VAT matters’, and is representing a Nordic investment bank in a major dispute regarding VAT exemption. Team head Cecilie Amdahl is recommended.

Simonsen VogtWiig’s Jan Syversen is noted for his petroleum tax expertise and is advising Talisman Energy on various norm price questions. Trond Erik Andersen’s clients include TeliaSonera and Global Blue.

The ‘commercial and knowledgeable’ Anders Myklebust leads Wikborg Rein’s four-partner team, which is expert in shipping, offshore and international tax matters. Clients include BW Offshore and Petrus.

Brækhus Dege Advokatfirma DA’s Øystein Sverre advises foreign corporates on tax compliance in Norway.

At Advokatfirmaet Mageli ANS, Hans Olav Rostveit is a vastly experienced adviser on corporate taxation.

Advokatfirma Ræder DA’s tax group includes practice head Rolf Nicolaissen as well as Jens Kobro and Trond Sanfelt, who handle commercial and business tax matters.

Advokatfirmaet Seland DA advises on VAT, property and international tax. Einar Heiberg heads the team.

At Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA, Bergen-based Ulf Sørdal is ‘very strong at identifying the customer’s needs and finds practical solutions that can be implemented’.

Advokatfirmaet Sverdrup DA’s tax clients include Askim Merger & Consulting, Rosing Industrier and Fornebu Consulting. The experienced Gunhild Buestad heads the practice.