The Legal 500

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

Wiersholm provides ‘very professional’ advice to banks and corporate borrowers across the spectrum of financings. Clients include Deutsche Bank, HSH Nordbank and DnB NOR Bank. Recent highlights include advising Altor Equity Partners on its NOK1.5bn acquisition financing of Veolia Miljø and Drillships Holdings on a $800m senior secured credit facility. Practice head Leif Moltke-Hansen has a ‘a very good commercial understanding of the legal risk’, and the 12-partner team also includes ‘highly practical’ regulatory expert Kjersti Trøbråten and the ‘excellent’ Erik Ramm.

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

‘Uniformly strong’, Wiersholm’s corporate team is ‘very responsive and knowledgeable about the local market and good at serving an international client who is not as knowledgeable about the local Norwegian legal system’. The firm has been particularly active on the private equity side, advising clients such as Altor Equity Partners, Herkules Capital and Nordic Capital. Managing partner Erik Thyness is recommended along with Jarle Kvam, who is ‘very strong during negotiations’; Nils Thommessen, who is ‘responsive and good at managing client relationships’; the ‘very bright and diligent’ Sverre Sandvik; and Harald Hellebust, who is ‘pragmatic, business and solutions-oriented’.

Within Dispute resolution, Wiersholm is a first tier firm,

Wiersholm’s ‘very professional’ group, which has 19 Supreme Court lawyers, is able to leverage the firm’s corporate client base but also receives many standalone instructions, often in cutting-edge litigation. Clients including Tine, Norwegian Hull Club and Hegnar Media. Olav Perland has ‘strong knowledge in investment products and related litigation’, and continues to defend several major banks against financial products liability claims, as do Anders Ryssdal and ‘excellent litigator’ Kyrre Eggen. Magnus Hellesylt and the ‘professional and effective’ Erik Blaker are also recommended.

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

Wiersholm’s ‘excellent’ team has handled a large number of cases before the Norwegian Competition Authority. Stephan Jervell is ‘especially good at understanding difficult economic themes’, and successfully acted for TINE in a recent judicial review of a record NOK45m fine imposed on the client for alleged abuse of its dominant position. The team also handles a significant flow of merger filings such as that of Subsea 7 and Acergy, a matter led by practice head Anders Ryssdal.

Within Electricity, nuclear and renewable, Wiersholm is a first tier firm,

Wiersholm handles a comprehensive range of instructions for power producers, transmission and distribution companies, wholesalers, traders and other clients. Electricity expert Odd-Harald Wasenden continues to advise Statnett SF on five projects for new subsea interconnecters. Tomas Svensen is an expert in oil and gas and enewables, and Knut Bergo has an ‘excellent reputation’ for derivatives trading.

Within Employment, Wiersholm is a first tier firm,

Wiersholm advises comprehensively on employment law, including pensions, privacy and non-compete issues, and is praised for its ‘swift service and availability’. The ‘excellent’ Jan Fougner is one of the country’s leading employment lawyers and is handling an external assessment for Adecco Norge relating to potential breaches of working environment legislation in the healthcare sector. Practice head Eli Aasheim is recommended.

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

Wiersholm’s eight-partner team provides ‘solutions-oriented’ advice to banks, corporates and bondholders. Ståle Gjengset and Leif Moltke Hansen, who has ‘a very good commercial understanding of the legal risk’, co-head the team and, along with Torkel Ernø, represented Tennenbaum Capital Partners as a bondholder in Trico Marine’s restructuring. Other clients include Marine Subsea, RBS and Sparebank.

Within Intellectual property and TMT, Wiersholm is a first tier firm,

Wiersholm provides ‘highly professional service’ across the full suite of IP and TMT matters. Practice head Hans Erik Johnsen provides ‘practical solutions’, particularly on copyright and media-related issues, where he is advising Hegnar Media in various cases of infringement via new media platforms. ‘Very wise and strategic’ senior associate Rune Opdahl has handled numerous significant copyright disputes, and Kyrre Eggen is expert in defamation and privacy litigation.

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 Maritime law (including insurance), Wiersholm is a second tier firm,

Wiersholm provides ‘measured, clear and well laid out advice’ to clients such as Frontline, Seadrill, Siem Offshore and Star Reefers. ‘One of the few experts in Norway in maritime law’, team head Erik Blaker is an eminent maritime litigator and recently represented BW Offshore in a $17m dispute.

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

Wiersholm’s Nicolas Brun-Lie has handled a number of offshore contracts for supply vessel companies. Team head Erik Blaker advises Havila Shipping on its newbuilds.

Within Oil and gas, Wiersholm is a first tier firm,

Wiersholm is ‘an excellent choice on complex matters and ones which involve a full-service approach’. ‘Commercially oriented’ team head Thomas Svensen is widely praised and arguably ‘the best in Norway’. Stephan Jervell regularly handles petroleum sales contract arbitrations for clients such as Statoil, and has ‘excellent business knowledge’ and litigation skills. Per Raustøl provides ‘detailed expertise’, and Arne Engesæth is ‘great fun to work with and in a league of his own’. Clients include ConocoPhillips, Svenska, ExxonMobil and Total.

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

Wiersholm’s Tom Rune Lian has ‘long and broad experience in the market’ and has been busy acting for Pareto. Nicolay Vold is also well regarded. The ‘very likeable’ Arne Engesæth has ‘in-depth knowledge of the construction industry’.

Within Tax, Wiersholm is a first tier firm,

Wiersholm’s 15-lawyer practice has all-round expertise, but is most active in relation to M&A tax structuring and reorganisations, often with an international component. Praised for his ‘great knowledge of the applicable law and how to use it’, Terje Hoffmann is advising the Torvald Klaveness Group on tax issues pertaining to its international restructuring. Nicolay Vold is a real estate tax expert and Arvid Aage Skaar is particularly accomplished at international tax issues.