The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance (including shipping finance), Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS’s group is ‘absolutely one of the best when it comes to response time, relevant industry competence and value for money’. ‘Service-minded and solution-oriented’ practice head Hans Haugstad led the team which represented a syndicate of banks, including DnB NOR and Nordea, in the granting of a NOK10bn loan and guarantee facilities to Renewable Energy Corporation. Siri Wennevik, and Berit Stokke and their assistants ‘have excellent knowledge and experience in maritime loan finance’. The team is also instructed by Royal Bank of Scotland and Fokus Bank.

Within Corporate and M&A, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS ‘provides senior resources with the ability to give answers without spending time writing endless memos and e-mails’. Hans Cappelen Arnesen’s group includes Kim Dobrowen, ‘by far the best lawyer, proactive, and always on top of the job’, and Anders Arnkværn, ‘based on our experience, one of the best, if not the best, lawyer in Norway for large M&A or capital markets transactions’. Lars Eirik Gåseide Røsås is ‘a future star, a good team player with high quality delivery’. Recent instructions include counselling Norsk Hydro through the NOK10bn acquisition of the aluminium operations of Vale SA.

Within Dispute resolution, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS’ dispute resolution group, headed by Frode Elgesem, includes nine partners skilled in litigation, and alternative resolution procedures, eight of whom are admitted to the Supreme Court. Representative recent instructions include a NOK250m contracts dispute settled by senior associate Margrethe Buskerud Christoffersen after extensive mediation. In court litigation, Erik Samuelsen and Borgar Høgetveit Berg represent SAS in a torts case alleging unlawful use of business secrets which is being appealed to the Supreme Court. Carsten Riekeles is recommended for offshore sector disputes, and Anders Pind for construction matters.

Within EU and competition, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS has ‘the best team of competition lawyers in Norway’. Siri Teigum ‘always gives the correct legal advice’; Teigum is advising EDB Business Partner and Ergogroup through a phase two merger investigation by the Norwegian Competition Authority. Eivind Vesterkjær is recommended for merger and cartel cases and Frode Elgesem for EU, EEA and EFTA matters. Dagfinn Heradstveit heads the Bergen competition practice. Clients include Telenor, SAS and Høegh.

Within Electricity, nuclear and renewable, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS provides ‘good service, always with high-quality advice, but not always as fast as competitors’. Gunnar Martinsen’s ‘in-depth knowledge of the hydro power business is admirable’. Bendik Christoffersen combines ‘an impressive knowledge of both taxation and energy law’, while Jacob Bull provides ‘excellent service and has industry knowledge beyond comparison’. Jens Naas-Bibow is also recommended. Clients include Troms Kraft Produksjon and NorGer.

Within Employment, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a second tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS offers ‘very high levels of service in all respects’. Group leader Håvard Sandnes is ‘flexible, available always when needed and gives very good advice’, while Stein Bråthen-Otterbech has ‘strong theoretical and practical knowledge and works well in a team’. In employment litigation, Bergen-based Trond Hatland and Svein Aage Valen are recommended. Clients include TECO Maritime and Microsoft Norge.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is ‘in a different league’ for complex restructuring as well as receiving appointments as administrator and receiver from the courts. Practice head Jo Rodin is ‘a no-nonsense, effective, dynamic guy who takes robust decisions and drives the process forward’. Rodin led the work for Cyrus Capital Partners Europe in the restructuring and refinancing of real estate investor Aberdeen in 2010. Associate partner Reidar Myhre is recommended for property sector instructions.

Within Intellectual property and TMT, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS provides ‘superb overall service levels’, with deep strength in media and IP, and the pharma sector. Arne Ringnes, who heads the practice, is ‘highly intelligent, thorough and focuses on fully understanding the facts of cases’. Haakon Opperud and Jan Morten Evertsen are also recommended. Kristine Schei has established a new trademarks service group. Clients include Rubicon TV, Intervet Schering-Plough and Mundipharma.

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), Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS has ‘a very strong shipping team headed by Stephen Knudtzon, a leading shipping lawyer even in global terms’. Andreas Meidell is ‘a very able and intellectual lawyer’ heads the insurance and reinsurance practice. Clients include Norwegian Hull Club, Höegh Autoliners and Teekay Shipping.

Within Offshore construction and shipbuilding, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS has ‘outstanding competence in offshore construction and shipbuilding’. Pål Lieungh is ‘particularly good’, and ‘the teams set up for the different cases have been strong, accurate and appropriate’. Olav Vikøren is recommended for contentious matters. Newly promoted partner Jacob Bull assisted Det norske oljeselskap with numerous aspects of opening up the Frøy licence for production. Clients include Viken Shipping and Mowinckel Suezmax Tankers.

Within Oil and gas, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a third tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS has a following of major sector corporates including Centrica Energy, Bayerngas Norge, and ConocoPhilips. Rune Solberg is ‘very knowledgeable about upstream oil and gas law in Norway’; Solberg, who is also a member of the M&A and capital markets teams, is an excellent choice for licence bids and transactions. Stephen Knudtzon was legal adviser to Odfjell Invest in a recent court case regarding a drilling contract dispute of the oil rig Deepsea Atlantic.

Within Real estate and construction, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS offers ‘high-level advisers determined to achieve the right result’. Christian Müller, who heads the department, assisted Genesta Nordic Baltic Real Estate through a NOK540m commercial property acquisition. Christopher Borch is also recommended for the breadth of his practice and expertise. Anders Pind’s litigation practice is substantially in complex construction matters. Clients include Norgani Hotels and Sjælsø Norge.

Within Tax, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is a first tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS ‘will work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to deliver an exceptional product’. The ‘next generation’ partners are Finn Backer-Grøndahl who is ‘one of the best lawyers for shipping and offshore tax issues’, and Ståle Kristiansen ‘technically strong and good at making deadlines’. Morten Fjermeros is ‘an excellent lawyer in every respect, both businesswise and personally’, and Henning Naas is a ‘skilled tax litigator’. Sverre E Koch and Christian Bruusgaard are ‘probably still the two top tax lawyers in the firm but they have got more “laid back” during recent years’. Clients include Accenture and Dell.