The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance (including shipping finance), Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a second tier firm,

Headed by the ‘very strong’ Peter Aall Simonsen, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA’s reorganised finance team now includes banking, capital markets and regulatory lawyers under the auspices of one unified department, and it provides ‘a high level of service’ to banks and corporates. As well as a significant flow of traditional debt financings, the team is increasingly acting on debt capital markets, and Leif Tore Rønning advised DNO International on its $240m bond issuance. Morten Winther excels in sophisticated financial products and recently advised Deutsche Trustee Company on the NOK10.9bn securitisation of Santander auto loans – the first securitisation under Norwegian law. Sindre Walderhaug is recommended for shipping finance.

Within Corporate and M&A, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a second tier firm,

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA provides ‘effective advice’ to an impressive roster of corporate clients and is increasingly active in the private equity market for clients such as Herkules Capital, Alipes, Via Venture Partners and Verdane Capital. On the public side, Henning Øvrebø and Leif Tore Rønning advised Jacobs Engineering Group on Norwegian aspects of its $913m acquisition of Aker Solutions’ worldwide operations. Kenneth Mikkelsen is ‘talented, clever and knowledgeable’.

Within Dispute resolution, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a third tier firm,

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA’s seven-partner team is marked by ‘good business understanding’ and ‘excellent performances in court’, and has appeared at all levels of the Norwegian court system, as well as the EFTA, ECJ and ECHR. It is particularly adept at IP and TMT disputes, and Karin Fløistad and Tomas Myrbostad are representing TV2 in a complex case regarding distribution pricing for the main cable channel. Team head Knut Boye has recently handled a number of construction disputes. Sigurd Knudtzon is praised for his ‘pleasant demeanour and solutions-oriented advice’.

Within EU and competition, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a second tier firm,

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA has ‘outstanding knowledge of the TMT industry’, and regularly advises clients such as Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Oracle, TV2 and TeliaSonera Norge on EU and competition law issues. Practice head Mona Søyland has an excellent reputation and was recently appointed as a member of the Norwegian government’s expert committee formed to consider changes to the Norwegian Competition Act.

Within Electricity, nuclear and renewable, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a second tier firm,

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA provides ‘very effective advice’ to owners and investors on developing and implementing new energy projects including wind farms, gas power projects, and hydropower plants including tidal power plants. The ‘helpful, service-minded and highly ethical’ Peter Aall Simonsen advised Industrikraft Møre on its NOK3bn gas power plant on Norway’s west coast.

Within Employment, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a second tier firm,

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is particularly experienced in employment law in the IT, telecommunications and healthcare sectors. It advised Norfolier Norge on a major group restructuring and subsequent redundancies. ‘Serious and professional’ team head Per Arne Damm provides ‘a high level of service’, and senior lawyer Lill Christin Egeland, who ‘shows good understanding, gives highly skilled advice and turns it into practical solutions’, has handled a raft of privacy protection audits.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a third tier firm,

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA’s ‘competent and efficient’ group handles court bankruptcy appointments as well as restructurings and distressed M&A. Claus Flinder has a prolific record as administrator of bankrupt estates, and Peter Aall Simonsen often advises creditor banks on restructuring as part of his broader finance practice.

Within Intellectual property and TMT, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a first tier firm,

Described by one client as ‘the leading firm within TMT’, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA provides ‘highly practical and business-oriented advice’ and is staffed by a number of former in-house IT lawyers with good industry insight. The ‘responsive and precise’ Espen Tøndel is ‘absolutely the best for IT and telecoms’, and is part of a strong team that includes senior lawyer Kristin Haram, who ‘has a black belt in IT-related law’. Ståle Hagen is ‘extremely service-minded and proactive’.

Within Legal market overview,

Firms such as Arntzen de Besche, Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA, Kluge Advokatfirma DA and Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA are smaller, but provide services comparable to the larger firms in certain fields. Additionally, a number of boutique firms have developed leading reputations.

Within Oil and gas, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a second tier firm,

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA’s 16-lawyer team is well regarded on policy issues and advises various sovereign governments on drafting regulatory frameworks. It also has a good reputation for work on the Norwegian continental shelf for clients including BG, Repsol and OMV. Per Seime ‘delivers good, to-the-point responses’, and Bjørn-Erik Leerberg is also recommended.

Within Real estate and construction, tier 4

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA’s team head Peter Simonsen is recommended for real estate transactions.

Within Tax, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA is a third tier firm,

Simonsen Advokatfirma DA’s Jan Syversen has ‘very good contacts within the tax community’ and is regarded as ‘one of the best within the oil and gas field’. Trond Erik Andersen has ‘very broad insight into Norwegian tax’ and recently advised TeliaSonera on the tax implications of its restructuring.