The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance (including shipping finance), Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a second tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s Per Morten Christiansen is ‘a good adviser who always delivers on time’, and Ingar Solheim leads ‘the best team in Norway for LBO financing’. Erik Myhr Nilsen, in Bergen, includes ship finance within his broad practice. Clients include Kommunalbanken and DnB NOR.

Within Corporate and M&A, Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a second tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s lawyers are ‘very good at pressing forward and closing deals’. Ingar Solheim is ‘pragmatic, quick, efficient and experienced – one of the best private equity lawyers in Norway’, and Robert Sveen is ‘very efficient and dedicated on deals’. Suzanne Schneider represented Read on its NOK170m takeover by a syndicate including Energy Ventures. Odd Erik Johansen is also recommended. Clients include Icap Energy and private equity houses including TPG and EQT.

Within Dispute resolution, Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a second tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s Ian Kenworthy heads an ‘organised, professional and thorough’ team with a nationwide presence, which handles several hundred court cases a year, usually commercial and occasionally white-collar crime. Morten Steenstrup is ‘extremely thorough, professional and consistent’, and Erik Myrh Nilsen ‘consistently solves problems’. Bjorn Stordrange represented forestry owners Løvenskiold Vækrø in the Supreme Court in Environment Information Act litigation.

Within EU and competition, Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a third tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA recruited Aksel Joachim Hageler from Wikborg Rein to head the group in August 2010, and added to the team at senior associate level. Halfdan Mellbye, an expert in the fisheries sector, is ‘a good listener, who cares about his cases’. Trond Skogly is highly recommended. The firm acts for several household name corporates, and has a large public sector procurement practice.

Within Employment, Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a third tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA offers good nationwide coverage with a six-partner labour law group. Tromsø-based Espen Johannessen has ‘very good knowledge of the law in general and especially employment law’. Clients include Helse Finnmark and Carnegie.

Within Insolvency and corporate recovery, Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a second tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA administrates a large number of bankrupt estates awarded by courts across Norway. In Oslo Frode Finnøy and Odd Magne Gjerde are recommended. Dagfinn Strømstad acted in the insolvency of fish producer Lofotorsk and its subsidiaries.

Within Intellectual property and TMT, Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a third tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s Fredny Bade provides expert advice in IPR matters where there are complex technical aspects. Katrine Malmer-Høvik is ‘accessible, direct and gives high-quality advice’. Clients include Lucas Bols.

Within Legal market overview,

Firms offering comparable standards to the leaders in several practice areas include Arntzen de Besche, Simonsen Advokatfirma DA, Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS, and Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA. The latter merged Ålesund-based Tømmerdal & Co into the national network in February 2010.

Within Maritime law (including insurance), tier 4

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s Thor Ask Terkelsen and Morten B Tidemann handle traditional maritime work including contract advice and insurance.

Within Oil and gas, Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a third tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s Morten Tidemann, in Stavanger, and Erik Myhr Nilsen, in Bergen, provide good support to mid-tier operators and service providers in the sector. Clients include Petromarker and Fabricom.

Within Real estate and construction, Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a second tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s head of construction Alf Johan Knag is ‘very good with his clients, calm and polite – but sharp and quick during court proceedings’. Hege Birkeland Ersdal and Bjørn Stordrange ‘deliver what is asked for, and not general advice’ in real estate matters. The firm tends towards contentious matters and complex negotiations such as the representation of 150 property owners seeking compensation from Statnett in connection with power plant construction. Clients include Valter Jensen Eiendom and Viking Gruppen.

Within Tax, Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA is a third tier firm,

Advokatfirmaet Steenstrup Stordrange DA’s Ulf Sørdal handles a steady stream of complex instructions, both contentious and advisory. Eivind Bryne who ‘responds quickly and has excellent knowledge of industry and VAT’ is recommended.