The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance (including shipping finance), BA-HR is a first tier firm,

BA-HR’s ‘service levels, response times, availability and quality of advice are excellent and highly professional’. Terje Sommer is ‘particularly good’. Finn Myhre is well-followed by savings banks seeking covered bond advice. Rolf Johan Ringdal joined with shipping finance guru Ole Lund to assist cruise ship operator Hurtigruten through a complex series of financing deals totalling NOK5bn. Richard Sjøqvist, the department head, and new partner Anders Gullåsen acted for Nordea Bank in connection with Seadrill’s $1.5bn funding for the purchase of four newbuild drilling rigs.

Within Corporate and M&A, BA-HR is a first tier firm,

BA-HR is ‘characterised by speed and accuracy as well as superior commercial understanding’. Svein Gerhard Simonnæs is ‘very bright, capable, solution oriented and extremely responsive’, and Lars Norheim is ‘a very good legal adviser, and a great discussion partner’. Peter Hammerich and Børre Sofus Arnet are ‘extremely knowledgeable and offer high standards’ in asset management and regulatory advice. Arne Tjaum assisted Axel Springer through its €82m take-private offer for Oslo Børs listed StepStone. Other members of an excellent department include Robin Bakken, Geir Mikalsen Bjørn Gabriel Reed, Morten P Smørdal, and Rune Svoren. Clients include JPMorgan, Orkla and Posten Norge.

Within Dispute resolution, BA-HR is a first tier firm,

BA-HR’s ‘hourly rate is high but experience shows that the total billed amount is quite often lower than similar sized law firms’. The firm has attracted a blue-chip corporate following for broad-based dispute resolution expertise. Clients include Aker Marine and Siemens. Sam Harris heads an indisputably expert 11-partner group which includes Jan-Fredrik Rafen, ‘without doubt the best marine insurance lawyer in Norway and therefore probably in Scandinavia’. In recent complex instructions, Helge Olav Bugge represented Oppland Energi in the Eidsivating Appeal Court in a dispute over power delivery prices. Gunnar Sørlie acted for Pfizer and Eisai & Co in the Aricept litigation, one of the most significant Supreme Court patent cases of recent years.

Within EU and competition, BA-HR is a first tier firm,

BA-HR ‘ranks among the leaders in competition law, against some strong contenders’. Department head Beret Sundet, who ‘simplifies complex law and applies it to our organisation’, is leading the complex work for several global pharmaceutical leaders in the expectation that an ongoing investigation by the EU will be followed up by Konkurransetilsynet, the Norwegian Competition Authority. Helge Stemshaug is ‘very to the point and practical’. Clients include Stakraft, Veritas and Color Line.

Within Electricity, nuclear and renewable, BA-HR is a second tier firm,

BA-HR offers ‘in-depth knowledge of the energy sector and short response times’ at partner level, and is recommended for transactions in the sector. However, clients comment that ‘the backup from experienced senior associates is not always strong’ and point to ‘a lack of cost control and poorly documented invoicing’. Morten Smørdal has ‘exceptional business acumen, combined with analytical strength and strong practical sense’; Rune Svoren is ‘a strong lawyer who thinks and acts strategically and commercially’; and Helge Olav Bugge provides ‘very deep and detailed know-how’. The firm acts for Oslo kommune, Statkraft and E-CO Energi.

Within Employment, BA-HR is a second tier firm,

BA-HR’s employment group is led by Tarjei Thorkildsen, who is ‘is quick to respond and very knowledgeable’. The availability of wider expertise within the firm considerably broadens the offering of the nominally small team. Peter Hammerich is leading the complex litigation for Norske Shell AS which is in dispute with former managers over the interpretation of pensions contracts; a Court of Appeal hearing is scheduled for 2011.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, BA-HR is a first tier firm,

BA-HR is ‘the bond-holders’ favourite’. ‘Efficient, business-minded and practical’ Richard Sjøqvist heads a department which excels at complex restructuring. Recent instructions include commercial bond rearrangements of some NOK6bn for Petromena. The group which is ‘very good in all elements’, includes Karstein Espelid, Finn Myhre and Camilla Borge-Andersen, who offers specialist tax expertise.

Within Intellectual property and TMT, BA-HR is a first tier firm,

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.

Within Legal market overview,

BA-HR, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS, Wiersholm, and Wikborg Rein are generally consider to be the elite firms, although the quartet occasionally appear to be complacent about competition, not only from effective and ambitious Advokatfirmaet Schjødt DA and Selmer but also from the stronger mid-tier firms, which are frequently noted as providing better value for money.

Within Maritime law (including insurance), BA-HR is a second tier firm,

BA-HR’s Øystein Ore and Jan-Fredrik Rafen are leaders in dry insurance matters. On commercial aspects, which frequently blend with oil and gas issues, Geir Gustavvson and senior lawyer Mats Sæther are ‘invaluable in terms of providing top notch bespoke legal advice in negotiations’. Clients include, for insurance matters, Atlantica Båtforsikring, and complex charter contract instructions, Hurtigruten.

Within Offshore construction and shipbuilding, BA-HR is a first tier firm,

BA-HR is ‘recommended, as a friendly firm with strong senior lawyers’, including Jan Einar Barbo, Gunnar Sørlie, Rolf Johan Ringdal and Morten Smørdal. The firm’s blue-chip client list in the offshore and oil sectors can lead to conflicting out but there is no doubt as to the expertise on offer. The firm is regularly instructed by Aker Group, Sevan Marine, and has increasingly been handling complex international assignments, and incomers to the Norwegian market such as China Oilfield Services (COSL) Europe.

Within Oil and gas, BA-HR is a first tier firm,

Arntzen de Besche’s oil and gas group has a very broad practice which includes work for government departments in Norway and as adviser to sovereign governments in Asia, Africa and South-America, as well as for leading oil companies. The loss of Jan B Jansen to BA-HR is significant. Christian Michelet ‘combines deep legal knowledge with a wide understanding of petroleum policy and industrial and commercial issues’. Erlend Bakken is ‘one of our best strategic advisers’, and Dag Erlend Henriksen is ‘a very skilled lawyer’. Clients include BP, Shell, Total and Petroleum Geo Services.

Within Real estate and construction, BA-HR is a first tier firm,

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.

Within Tax, BA-HR is a first tier firm,

BA-HR’s head of tax Joachim Bjerke, Frode Talmo and Njaa Hoyland are ‘a tax troika who work together as a genuine team’. The arrival of Jan Jansen, ‘one of the best tax lawyers we have in Norway’ creates a formidable group which has expertise across the board, and a particular strength in tax litigation. The firm provides tax advice to Prosafe Production Public, Sevan Marine and Statkraft.