The Legal 500

Norway

Banking and finance (including shipping finance)

Banking and finance (including shipping finance) - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Wiersholm’s ‘first-class practice’ is ‘absolutely top rate’ and is jointly led by Kaare Sverdrup and Leif Moltke-Hansen. Sverdrup advised Arcus on a term loan, revolving credit facility and guarantee facility from SEB, and Moltke-Hansen assisted Visma with a syndicated facilities agreement with DNB Bank. Clients also recommend recently promoted partner Kristine Hasle Øverby, who is ‘a true problem solver’.

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Capital markets

Capital markets - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Wiersholm’s ‘high-quality and experienced’ team is jointly led by Tone Østensen and Sverre Sandvik. Highlights included assisting Arcus with its Oslo Stock Exchange IPO and advising Borr Drilling on two private share placements totalling $955m. Kristine Hasle Øverby was promoted to the partnership in 2017.

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Commercial, corporate and M&A

Commercial, corporate and M&A - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Wiersholm ‘stands out above the competition’ for M&A work and ‘scores high across the board for knowledge, pragmatism and business acumen’. Harald Hellebust leads the department, which includes Erik Thyness and Kai Thøgersen; Thyness recently advised Hafslund on its purchase by the City of Oslo, and Thøgersen assisted KKR with the sale of its stake in Visma. Jarle Kvam, Nils Thommessen, Gunhild Dugstad and recently promoted partner Kristian Martin Lind are also key practitioners.

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Construction

Construction - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Wiersholm is ‘in possession of far-reaching knowledge and knows how to use it to see the whole picture’; in the ‘brilliant’ group, team leader Ronny Lund is ‘truly unique’ and Helge Morten Svarva is ‘unbelievably impressive’. The practice has a strong reputation for contractual work and construction projects. Skanska Norge, Veidekke and AF Gruppen are clients.

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Dispute resolution

Dispute resolution - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Wiersholm’s clients, which include AIG Europe, Danske Bank and Statoil, are ‘highly impressed with the level of service’ provided by its ‘responsive and hardworking team’. The ‘incredibly bright’ Olav Perland, who ‘has a veritable wealth of knowledge’, leads the practice. Other noteworthy practitioners include Ronny Lund, maritime expert Christian Hauge, Magnus Hellesylt and public procurement specialist Morten Goller. Energy lawyer Jon Rabben joined from Wikborg Rein. Anders Ryssdal joined Advokatfirmaet Glittertind AS.

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EU and competition

EU and competition - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

In Wiersholm’s ‘high quality’ department, the ‘hardworking’ Håkon Cosma Størdal leads the competition and antirust group, while the ‘outstanding’ Stephan Jervell and Morten Goller, who is ‘without doubt the best procurement lawyer in the country’, lead the public procurement team. Thomas Naalsund is also praised for his ‘remarkable ability to get to the core of any issue’. Anders Ryssdal joined Advokatfirmaet Glittertind AS.

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Electricity and renewable energy

Electricity and renewable energy - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

The ‘hardworking and solution-oriented’ Inge Ekker Bartnes heads Wiersholm’s practice, which was significantly bolstered by the recruitment of the ‘incredibly talented’ Jon Rabben from Wikborg Rein. Bartnes recently advised Istad on proposed renewable sector regulatory changes, and assisted Infranode with its acquisition of a stake in Akershus Energi. Statnett, Dalane Energi and Hafslund are also clients. Helge Morten Svarva is recommended for electricity work.

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Employment

Employment - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Litigator Jan Fougner leads the ‘exceptional’ department at Wiersholm, which includes Eli Aasheim, who ‘stands out as one of the best in the business’. Fougner is acting for CHC Helikopter Service in a discrimination issue, and is representing Ålesund Kommune in a lawsuit relating to the distinction between employees and self-employed individuals. Coop, ABB, ConocoPhillips and Schibsted are also clients. Christel Søreide made partner in 2018.

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Insolvency and corporate recovery

Insolvency and corporate recovery - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

The ‘commercially minded’ Ståle Gjengset and Leif Moltke-Hansen jointly lead Wiersholm’s ‘absolutely first-rate’ team, which is ‘a go-to provider’ for restructuring advice. The group acted for Archer on the restructuring of its credit facilities, and assisted Viking Supply Ships with its financial restructuring. Kaare Sverdrup also receives praise.

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Insurance

Insurance - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Hans Kenneth Viga-Gerhardsen leads Wiersholm’s ‘top-notch’ team, which ‘understands the market better than most’ across marine, non-marine and professional liability insurance. Recent highlights include Erik Blaker representing Suez Fortune Investments in a loss of hire dispute against Norwegian Hull Club.

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Intellectual property

Intellectual property - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Wiersholm’s team ‘combines a deep industry knowledge with exceptional intellect’ to provide ‘expansive, pragmatic and thorough advice’ across the full gamut of IP issues. Team head and ‘business-minded and analytical strategist’ Hans Erik Johnsen handles matters in the broadcasting, media and marketing sectors; his work includes representing Orkla in a claim against a competitor’s product relating to an alleged breach of the Marketing Control Act and advising Visma on its trade mark portfolio. Rune Opdahl is ‘a brilliant litigator with a service-minded and street-smart approach’.

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Maritime law

Maritime law - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Wiersholm’s ‘completely perfect’ department is led by Kristine Hasle Øverby, who ‘always does a tremendous job and is professional in all respects’ and specialises in ship finance matters. Erik Blaker is the key name for wet shipping mandates, while Erling Lind and Nicolas Brun-Lie are contract experts, and Christian Hauge handles litigation. Karl Even Rygh made partner in 2018.

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Offshore construction and shipbuilding

Offshore construction and shipbuilding - ranked: tier 2

Wiersholm

Litigator Helge Morten Svarva heads the group at Wiersholm, which ‘is brilliant for offshore construction issues’. Erling Lind is the key name for shipping matters. Clients include Borr Drilling and Hurtigruten.

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Oil and gas

Oil and gas - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Wiersholm is ‘able to combine excellent legal skills with a practical and business-oriented approach that helps solve the most complex problems in an efficient and cost-effective manner’. Practice head Sondre Dyrland and Thomas Naalsund are ‘two lawyers who are at the top of their game’; Dyrland represented Statoil in a dispute relating to the validity of production licences, and Naalsund defended it against a compensation claim brought by Sar. Other noteworthy names include recently promoted partner Kristian Martin Lind, Stephan Jervell and Erik Thyness. Energy expert Jon Rabben joined from Wikborg Rein.

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Real estate

Real estate - ranked: tier 2

Wiersholm

Ståle Meleng heads Wiersholm’s department, which also counts Tom Rune Lian as a key practitioner; Lian recently advised CBRE Global Investors on several property acquisitions and handled a property portfolio sale for NLI Eiendomsinvest. Pareto Securities, Coop and Steen & Strøm are also clients.

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TMT

TMT - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Hans Erik Johnsen leads Wiersholm’s department, which is ‘definitely tier one for all elements of the TMT fields’. In a recent highlight, the ‘genuinely brilliant’ Rune Opdahl advised Aller Media on a variety of e-privacy issues including General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) advice. Opdahl is highly regarded for his media and technology expertise, Kai Thøgersen is recommended for technology transactions and senior associate Theresa Schumacher Walberg handles IT contracts. Clients also include Telenor, Schibsted, IBM and Canal Digital.

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Tax

Tax - ranked: tier 1

Wiersholm

Bettina Banoun leads Wiersholm’s ‘outstanding’ group, which ‘has excellent business knowledge, enabling to-the-point and commercial advice’ across corporate tax issues and tax litigation. Clients include Statoil, Ikea, Saga Tankers and Songa Offshore. The ‘brilliant’ Andreas Bullen is recommended for transfer pricing issues, Morten Goller handles contentious matters and Nicolay Vold focuses on corporate tax.

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