The Legal 500

At Gernandt & Danielsson Advokatbyrå, Manfred Löfvenhaft and Krister Skoog advised Cinven Partners and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners on the €1.8bn sale of Ahlsell.Skoog and the much-admired Dick Lundqvist acted for Verifone Systems on its acquisition of multinational Point, and Fredrik Palm represented Sony in a €1.05bn joint venture.

‘A truly international law firm with a solid cultural foundation’, Mannheimer Swartling has a ‘world-class’, 34-partner practice. Led by firm chair Biörn Riese and Eva Hägg, the team continues to win top-quality work including acting for Skandia Liv on its SEK22.5bn acquisition of Old Mutual and handling Sancik’s SEK6.2bn public exchange offer for Seco Tools. Emil Boström and Lucas Jonsson were promoted to partner in 2012.

Roschier consolidated its ‘excellent’, ‘solid’ and ‘value-for-money’ practice following its 2011 raid on Advokatfirman Vinge. ‘Service-minded and pragmatic’ public M&A head Ola Åhman and Mattias Friberg advised Volkswagen on a €5.3bn mandatory offer. Private M&A head Malin Leffler acted for Bonnier on several deals, including the acquisition of PocketShop.

Christina Kokko’s ‘commercial’ team at Advokatfirman Vinge ‘always delivers’. It advised Triton Managers on its sale of Bravida and acted for IK Investment Partners on its acquisition of Actic. Björn Mullaart and Kristian Fordadvised Skånemejerier on a company transfer and share sell-off. Following several departures in 2011, Peter Bäärnhielm joined from Carnegie and Charlotte Levin was hired from Linklaters LLP.

At Advokatfirman Cederquist, US and Sweden qualified pair Martin Ulfson and Wilhelm Lüning represented Nordic Capital in its 55% stake purchase of Resurs Group. In other cross-border work, Carl-Johan Deuschl advised Domtar Corporation on its €180m acquisition of Swedish-based Attends Healthcare. Petter Wirell heads an experienced team.

Peder Hammarskiöld heads the practice at Hammarskiöld & Co AB, which is ‘expensive, but worth it’. The ‘business-savvy’ team advised insurer Länsförsäkringar on a SEK5bn acquisition, Mastercard on its acquisition of a settlement company, and Folksam regarding a 51% share acquisition in a Finnish company. Lars Ulrichs and Jakob Falkman are recommended.

Hannes Snellman Advokatbyrå AB’s busy team is led by Richard Åkerman, whose Nordic clients include Å&R Carton, industrial group Sulzer, and Fiskars. Björn Kristiansson and public M&A head Sören Lindström represented Investment Kinnevik in a takeover bid. Fredrik von Baumgarten left the firm.

Linklaters LLP’s focus is on major multi-jurisdictional deals. Fredrik Lindqvist advised Assa Abby on a €82m sale and, with Jörgen Axelsson and Elisabet Lundgren, acted for ITT Corporation on the Nordic aspects of its three-way split. The four-partner team saw several departures in 2012: ‘rising stars’ Darragh Byrne and Charlotte Levin joined White & Case Advokat AB and Advokatfirman Vinge respectively, and Krister Hansen left the legal sector.

The ‘skilled’ Ulf Johansson heads a ‘very strong’ team at White & Case Advokat AB, and recently advised Priveq Investment Fund on a deal with Smoke Free Systems. Anna Sundberg left the legal profession and Jan Lombach joined Advokatfirman Törngren Magnell KB, but public M&A specialist Rikard Stenberg arrived from Advokatfirman Vinge along with dual-qualified Darragh Byrne from Linklaters LLP.

At Ashurst, Martin Börresen’s 25-strong team acted for existing client Kinnevik on the £1.6bn merger of Korsnäs and Billerud. Managing partner Jon Ericson assisted Grasim Industries on its £208m acquisition of Domsjö Fabriker.

Baker & McKenzie Advokatbyra’s ‘strong’ Carl Svernlöv advised Ansell Healthcare Europe on its €23.7m acquisition of Lithuania’s Trelleborg, and Auxilium Försäljning on a SEK80m private sale. Johan Nylén advised China Youngman on an unsuccessful SEK4bn bid for the bankrupt Saab Automobiles.

At Advokatfirman Delphi, David Aversten acted for new client CapMan on its acquisition of Swedish United Audio Starlight, and, with Michael Juhlin, advised the seller on the divestment of Bilvision to Eterna Invest. Marcus Nivinger advised NIBE Industrier Team on a €459m public offering. Per Granström heads a ‘broad’ team.

Peter Högström leads Advokatfirman Lindahl KB’s ‘responsive’ 30-partner practice. A ‘pragmatic and very helpful’ cross-border specialist, Carl-Olof Bouveng advised Battery Ventures on the SEK237m acquisition of software company Jeeves. Mats Tindberg assisted Wasa Kredit on the SEK1bn acquisition of SN Finans Nord, and Gabriel Svedberg represented Sweden Carnica Group in its sale of Broadbandnet Sweden.

Setterwalls advised Bain Capital on its acquisition of Bravida, and Bure Equity on the sale of Carnegie Asset Management. M&A head Anders Söderlind’s 58-strong team includes ‘smart negotiator’ Jonas Frii. Marcus Winqvist is recommended for his ‘quick thinking’. ‘Exceptional’ finance specialist Peter Sederowsky returned to the firm.

At the ‘excellent’ Wistrand, the ‘exceptional’ Lars Hasp advised Trinity Biotech on the $13.1m cross-border cash and stock acquisition of Fiomi Diagnostics; Magnus Forssman represented Fazer Food Services in its acquisition of SFAB; and Gothenburg-based Per Dalemo and Martin Wedén advised Nokas on its acquisition of G4S Cash Solutions. The ‘experienced’ Kristian Lundius is also recommended.

Bird & Bird’s Nordic-focused team is led by Rickard Poppelman. Andreas Börjesson, Caroline Carlshamre and Jacob Blidberg advised the shareholders in the sale of Easy Park to Verdane Capital, while Hans Svensson advised Talentum on the sale of a subsidiary.

At DLA Nordic, Mathias Berggren and Björn Sjöberg advised CPA Global on its multi-jurisdictional acquisition of Ipendo Group; and Anders Malmström and regulatory partner Ingrid Eliasson represented Viropharma in a SEK220m acquisition. The ‘in-depth’ Peter Ihrfelt is recommended for infrastructure and energy deals.

Martin Prager’s seven-partner team at Hamilton Advokatbyrå rises in the ranking, on the strength of the quality of its deal flow and copious client praise. ‘Skilled communicator’ Mattias Detterfelt advised Priveq private equity house on its acquisition of Office Management, and the newly promoted Johan Danelius assisted Skandia Liv with aspects of its SEK22.5bn acquisition of Skandia.

Sören Druve’s team at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton focuses on real estate deals and mandates from the firm’s US offices. Druve represented Cargotec Oy in several transactions. Erik Nerpin advises listed companies including Lundin Petroleum and Tethys Oil.

MAQS Law Firm’s Jürgen Conzen advised Danone Group on an R&D agreement, and Colemont Global Group on the sale of a subsidiary. Patrik Essehorn represented the Swedish government on its SEK3m acquisition of Scandinavian Helicopter Invest. Stockholm-based Jens André and Gothenburg-based Mikael Kowal head the practice.

Highly rated transactional boutique Advokatfirman Törngren Magnell KB attracted new clients including Interflora and Incitia Ventures. Sten Hedbäck’s 11-strong team also advised Mineral Invest International on a gold mining joint venture in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ulf Jonsson and Jonas Bratt head Eversheds Advokatbyrå AB’s five-partner practice. Bratt worked with the firm’s London office to advise Cisco on Swedish matters relating to its $5bn acquisition of NDS, and also advised Autoliv Inc on the sale of a subsidiary.

At Hellström Law, the ‘responsive’ Manne Bergnéhr advised Nynas on its intended acquisition of Shell refinery assets in Hamburg, while Paul MacDowall represented Realm Spirits in the divestiture of The Xanté Company to Altia.

Clients of Magnusson Advokatbyrå’s ‘value-for-money’ practice include Bank of China and Veolia Water Group. ‘Outstanding’ practice head Anders Bäckman advised Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications on the €1.05bn sale of its stake in Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson to Sony Corporation. Jonas Bergquist advised Finnish Ekokem on an acquisition from E.ON. Peter Friiss and Jonas Holmstedt joined the team.

At Ekenberg & Andersson Advokatbyrå, Jonas Rogberg advised CTS Beijing on the management buyout of its Swedish subsidiary Svensk-Kinesiska Resebyrån AB.

Mats Jansson heads G Grönberg Advokatbyrå AB’s four-partner team. Anders Hedman and managing partner Sascha Schaeferdiek advised Hakkon Invest and Forma Publishing Group on cross-border divestitures.

Gärde Wesslau Advokatbyrå’s 25-lawyer team includes Staffan Olsson and practice head Bob Lee.

At the ‘fast-responding’ Advokatfirman Glimstedt, Erik Borgblad advised Anralk Holding on its SEK100m sale of shares in Klarna Holding.

Lindstrand Leffler Advokatbyrå advised Scandinavian healthcare group Norlandia Care on its acquisition strategy. ‘Highly skilled’ managing partner Carl Lindstrand handled Norwegian Aberia Health Care’s acquisition of Roslagens Elevhem.

Moll Wendén Advokatbyrå’s practice head Anders Steén advised Posted Norge on two haulage company acquisitions, while Thomas Moll represented the owners of Cede Group in a part-sale to a private equity firm.

Advokatfirman Westermark Anjou AB’s recent client wins include Karnov Group, which Carl-Adam Drakenberg represented in its acquisition of VJS. Anders Björnsson advised Klevrings Sverige on a SEK45m sale.