The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance (including shipping finance), Selmer is a first tier firm,

Headed by the ‘excellent’ Einar Grette, Selmer’s 12-strong team recently advised DnB NOR on the NOK5.8bn refinancing of Norgani. The ‘very hardworking’ Katriina Kekkonen is praised for her ‘excellent financial structuring’, and along with Grette recently advised Morpol on a combined €250m loan facility and NOK500m bond issuance. Regulatory expert Knut Endre ‘knows the industry very well’ and continues to work closely with the authorities to develop a framework for savings bank mergers.

Within Corporate and M&A, Selmer is a first tier firm,

‘Service-minded, knowledgeable, pragmatic and commercial’, Selmer’s ten-partner team has the critical mass to advise on a tremendous volume of private and public M&A, often involving an international component. The ‘excellent’ Are Herrem is regularly involved in high-profile private equity transactions, and recently represented China National BlueStar on its $2bn acquisition of Elkem. Thomas Michelet has ‘strong commercial experience’, and recently represented Herkules Capital on its acquisition of Norsk Jernbanedrift. Marius Juul Møller heads the team.

Within Dispute resolution, tier 4

Selmer provides ‘prompt and reliable advice’ to a range of clients including Rom Eindom, Kilen Hotel, Cardinal Foods and Alstom. Asbjørn Berg heads the team, which has been busy handling public procurement disputes and recently acted for Air Liquide to secure an injunction postponing procurement for delivery of medical gases to hospitals. Jon Vinje is recommended for tax disputes.

Within EU and competition, Selmer is a second tier firm,

Selmer handles a significant flow of merger filings, thanks to its strong corporate practice. Team head Katinka Mahieu represented China National BlueStar on its acquisition of Elkem. The ‘excellent’ Harald Evensen is another key practitioner and has been involved in recent savings bank mergers.

Within Electricity, nuclear and renewable, Selmer is a second tier firm,

Selmer’s four-partner team includes well-known practitioners such as Roy Slettvold, who has ‘deep knowledge of the Norwegian power sector’, and Einar Bakko, who is ‘able to combine commercial understanding with a high level of competence within the renewables sector and M&A’. Halvor Grov has ‘expertise in the power industry, in particular with respect to business models for financial analysis’. The firm has been busy in the renewables sector and recently advised Norconsult on hydropower projects in Peru, Nepal and Albania.

Within Employment, Selmer is a second tier firm,

Selmer attracts standalone instructions, as well as substantial instructions arising from the firm’s excellent M&A practice, and advised on China National BlueStar’s $2bn acquisition of Elkem. Pensions expert André Istad Johansen is praised for his ‘integrity and his ability to be critical when needed’. Hans Jørgen Bender is strong on M&A-related employment issues, and Martin Jetlund specialises in international employment law.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Selmer is a first tier firm,

Selmer provides comprehensive service to creditors and debtors in significant restructurings and insolvencies, and its team includes insolvency lawyers, public accountants, financial advisers, forensic specialists and former probate judges. Recent highlights include advising Bergen Oilfield Services on its $173m restructuring. Practice head Thomas Steen Brandi is recommended along with Jon Skjørshammer, a member of ICC Commercial Crime Services (ICC Fraudnet), who is able to handle global asset recovery assignments.

Within Intellectual property and TMT, Selmer is a third tier firm,

Selmer’s practice head Nils Kristian Einstabland is a TMT expert. He advises Accenture on a raft of issues including outsourcing and other contractual work.

Within Legal market overview,

The market is dominated by the full-service firms BA-HR, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS, Wiersholm and, to a slightly lesser extent, Wikborg Rein. Advokatfirmaet Schjødt AS and Selmer provide compelling competition in the majority of practice areas.

Within Offshore construction and shipbuilding, Selmer is a second tier firm,

Selmer’s team head Nils Bugge advised Kleven Maritime on the NOK760m shipbuilding contracts for offshore service vessels with Olympic Shipping, and also acted for Odfjell Drilling AS. Nicoline Wessel-Aas has assisted clients, including Kleven Maritime, with new construction contracts.

Within Oil and gas, Selmer is a second tier firm,

Sverre Tysland heads Selmer’s practice group, which provides a ‘prompt and reliable’ service to clients including Odfjell Drilling, Grenland Group and Deep Sea Metro. It is particularly accomplished at transactional work where it is able to leverage off its ‘excellent’ M&A team, and Thomas Michelet recently represented Njord Gas Infrastructure on its acquisition of ExxonMobil’s stake in Gassled Transportation System.

Within Real estate and construction, Selmer is a first tier firm,

Selmer’s eight-partner team has ‘excellent knowledge across a wide spectrum of real estate matters’, but the firm’s expertise in tax and M&A makes it particularly strong at real estate transactions. Mikkel Vislie advised new client Storebrand Eiendom on its €138m acquisition of Steen & Strøm Magasin, a high-end shopping centre in downtown Oslo. Andreas Rørvik and Thomas Reppe Wetting are ‘likeable personalities and have very good commercial skills’. Even Berg heads the practice.

Within Tax, Selmer is a second tier firm,

Selmer’s ‘young and aspiring team’ has ‘the ability to be proactive in business processes and to keep its customer updated on relevant changes in tax and legal issues’. Praised for its ‘combination of the theoretical and commercial’, the team provides comprehensive advisory, litigation and transactional tax support and frequently works alongside the corporate and real estate departments. Morten Sandli heads the team, has ‘a brilliant mind and is focused on problem-solving’. Additionally, Einar Bakko is ‘the ideal tax lawyer: a practical adviser who sees the bigger picture’; Jon Vinje is ‘very good at explaining complicated tax issues in a simple way’; and Harald Johannessen is ‘very good on international tax’.