Juris > Reykjavik, Iceland > Firm Profile

Juris Offices

Juris
BORGARTÚN 26
105 REYKJAVÍK
Iceland
Visit website 354 580 4400 354 580 4401

Juris > The Legal 500 Rankings

Iceland > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

Juris provides comprehensive corporate and commercial services to clients, utilising the firm’s full-service offering to offer support on tax and competition matters, among others. The group is active in a diverse range of sectors, including the hospitality, infrastructure, and property development spaces. Tax specialist Halldór Jónsson co-leads the department alongside Andri Árnason, who has key strength in competition law. Simon Knight, who is dual qualified in England and Iceland, is highly active in cross-border matters, with experience acting for both domestic and international clients.

Practice head(s):

Halldór Jónsson; Andri Árnason

Other key lawyers:

Simon Knight; Ingvar Ásmundsson

Testimonials

‘Professional, experienced, always available, trustworthy group.’

‘You have confidence that they understand the issues you are trying to address, and that they will turn out a practical response, not just a legal one.’

‘Polite, personal and above all professional.’

‘The Juris team has given us a strong backup as specialists in corporate law and have guided us through work with complicated shareholder registries and share capital increase and decrease procedures. The Juris team has not only have deep knowledge in the field of law but also a very good understanding of technology, which has made a difference for us.’

‘Halldór Jónsson has been our main adviser for some time and his deep knowledge of corporate and tax law and the dedication he has shown have been exactly what we have needed. His ability to give professional guidance has helped us understand and integrate important processes.’

‘Simon Knight is solid in finance and cross-border corporate matters. Simon is diligent, meticulous with great attention to detail, and swiftly responds to any inquiries. In addition, Simon speaks splendid Icelandic, which is quite unusual for a non-native.’

‘Andri Árnason has proven to be very knowledgeable about Icelandic corporate law.’

Key clients

Summa Rekstrarfélag hf.

Ísfélag hf.

Lýsi hf.

Kvika banki hf

Mjólkursamsalan ehf.

Novator ehf.

Fastus ehf.

Nýsköpunarsjóður atvinnulífsins

Five Degrees

Audax Private Equity

BlueCat Networks

HS Orka hf.

Sikmas ehf.

Work highlights

  • Advised on the merger of Ísfélag Vestmannaeyja hf. and Rammi hf to form Ísfélag hf.
  • Advised BlueCat Networks on its acquisition of Men & Mice.
  • Advising Mjólkursamsalan on Iceland’s draft new agricultural policy.

Iceland > Dispute resolution Tier 1

Juris‘ dispute resolution group offers litigation expertise across a variety of industries, including the real estate, banking and financial services, public and fishing sectors. The ‘highly skilled’ team is experienced in complex cross-border mandates, and includes multiple Supreme Court attorneys. Andri Árnason, whose area of particular focus is financial disputes, co-leads the department alongside Stefán A. Svensson, who covers financial, competition, and planning litigation. Edda Andradóttir is noted for her work representing governmental groups, while Andri Andrason is a key contact for banking clients.

Practice head(s):

Andri Árnason; Stefán A. Svensson

Other key lawyers:

Andri Andrason; Edda Andradóttir

Testimonials

‘Highly skilled team with good communication skills.’

Key clients

Icelandic Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

RÚV ohf.

Landsbankinn hf.

Míla hf.

Kvika banki hf.

University of Iceland

Drífa ehf.

Lyfja hf.

Árvakur hf.

Gamma Capital Management hf.

Municipality of Ísafjörður

Icelandic Society of Judges

Work highlights

  • Representing Landsbankinn hf. in cases regarding the legality of variable interest rates in consumer mortgages.
  • Representing Kvika in a case relating to the enforcement of collateral in derivative transactions.
  • Representing Huginn in a case regarding the legality of distribution of mackerel fishing quotas.

Iceland > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 2

Juris fields a team with core strength in transactions, regulatory issues, and project finance work. The group includes practitioners experienced working both domestically and overseas, and covers a diverse range of sectors including the fishing, energy, hospitality and infrastructure industries. Jointly leading the team are Halldór Jónsson, noted for his tax expertise; Sigurbjörn Magnússon, whose practice includes competition law and contentious matters; and Andri Árnason, who is a specialist in financial litigation. Simon Knight is a key name for project finance and syndicated lending work, while associate Hildur Þórarinsdóttir advises on financial regulatory matters, and previously worked as in-house counsel at Arion Bank.

Practice head(s):

Halldór Jónsson; Andri Árnason; Sigurbjörn Magnússon

Other key lawyers:

Simon Knight; Vífill Harðarson; Stefán A. Svensson; Ingvar Ásmundsson; Hildur Þórarinsdóttir

Testimonials

‘The team at JURIS has been active for many years providing legal advice to the fishing industry, and that is something the makes them extremely qualified.’

‘The individuals at JURIS provide practical legal advice. They have considerable experience and are therefore very pragmatic when providing legal advice.’

‘Highly recommended. Responsive, clever and punctual.’

‘Stefán A. Svensson and Simon Knight are both excellent.’

Key clients

Summa Rekstrarfélag hf.

Kvika banki

Landsbankinn hf.

GAMMA Capital Management hf.

Ísfélag hf.

Reginn hf.

BRP Bizzozero and Partners SA

Rarik ohf.

Work highlights

  • Representing Landsbankinn hf. in cases regarding the legality of variable interest rates in consumer mortgages.
  • Advised Kvika banki on the development of its payments business, Straumur Greiðslumiðlun.
  • Advised Rarik ohf. on its €20m loan from NIB to finance the replacement of overhead electricity lines.

Iceland > EEA and competition Tier 2

Juris advises clients across numerous highly regulated sectors, and is particularly active in relation to merger control work and business relationships. The group is also experienced in EEA issues such as state aid and GDPR considerations. The team is jointly led by competition expert Andri Árnason and Stefán A. Svensson, whose practice includes both competition and EEA matters. Finnur Magnússon and Hólmfríður Björk Sigurðardóttir are further key names within the team.

Practice head(s):

Andri Árnason; Stefán A. Svensson

Other key lawyers:

Hólmfríður Björk Sigurðardóttir; Finnur Magnússon

Testimonials

‘Highest level of knowledge and experience in this field of law.’

‘Stefán A. Svensson is extremely capable and has vast experience, making him one of the best practising lawyers in this field of law in Iceland.’

‘Great expertise in the field of competition.’

‘Excellent communication skills.’

Key clients

Fastus ehf.

Eimskipafélag Íslands hf.

Kvika banki hf.

Lyfja hf.

Five Degrees

Mjólkursamsalan

Landsbankinn hf.

Míla hf.

Work highlights

  • Advised on the merger of Ísfélag Vestmannaeyja hf. and Rammi hf to form Ísfélag hf.
  • Advising Mjólkursamsalan on Iceland’s draft new agricultural policy.
  • Representing Landsbankinn hf. in cases regarding the legality of variable interest rates in consumer mortgages.

Iceland > Maritime and transport Tier 2

Juris is a key name in the Icelandic fishing industry, with experience in all fishing quota and administrative law matters. In addition to coverage of traditional maritime mandates such as the financing, construction, and maintenance of ships, the group is also active in the developing aquaculture field, and in work arising from the transition to net-zero. Fishing sector expert Sigurbjörn Magnússon co-leads the department alongside Finnur Magnússon, who specialises in international trade work.

Practice head(s):

Sigurbjörn Magnússon; Finnur Magnússon

Other key lawyers:

Simon Knight

Testimonials

‘Good knowledge of this field of law.’

Key clients

Ísfélag hf.

Lýsi hf.

Eimskip Ísland hf.

Huginn ehf.

InstaVolt

Work highlights

  • Advised on the merger of Ísfélag Vestmannaeyja hf. and Rammi hf to form Ísfélag hf.
  • Representing Huginn in a case regarding the legality of distribution of mackerel fishing quotas.
  • Advised Ísfélag hf. on its NOK775m investment in Austur Holding, the primary shareholder of Ice Fish Farm.

Iceland > Real estate and construction Tier 2

Juris has strength across all areas of real estate, including project finance work, construction issues and commercial property matters, and is further distinguished by the team’s coverage of conservation projects and issues pertaining to rural real estate. Real estate expert Halldór Jónsson leads the team and is highly experienced in development projects, with supplementary knowledge of tax law. Edda Andradóttir is a key contact for matters relating to the ownership of land, while litigator Stefán A. Svensson has particular strength in planning disputes and construction defects.

Practice head(s):

Halldór Jónsson

Other key lawyers:

Edda Andradóttir; Stefán A. Svensson

Testimonials

‘They provide personal and good service with top legal knowledge, and show concern that their customers make the right choices and take the right steps.’

‘They have the ambition to follow through on their work, especially in negotiations and setting up the right steps to reach the goal or to move forward in the right direction. They keep in mind the best interest of the client at all times. I have worked closely with Halldór Jónsson, who has helped the business many times with his advice.’

Key clients

InstaVolt

Reginn hf.

Norðurturninn hf.

Ísloft blikk og stálsmiðja

Icelandic Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs

HS Orka hf.

Arkaia Iceland ehf.

SIKMAS

Municipality of Garðabær

Municipality of Ísafjörður

Míla hf.

Work highlights

  • Advising InstaVolt on the establishment of its EV rapid charging operations in Iceland.
  • Advising Olympus and Sikmas on their investments in the Skuggi 6 residential real estate development.
  • Representing the Icelandic state in the ‘óbyggðamál’ series of cases, demarcating public and private land.

Iceland > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 2

Full-service firm Juris has extensive experience in restructuring and insolvency issues, with a strong record in winding-up proceedings and complex asset recovery cases. Andri Árnason and the ‘dedicated, qualified and fair’ Halldór Jónsson jointly lead the team; Árnason is a commercial litigator and spearheads contentious matters within the department, while Jónsson is an expert in restructurings and company liquidations. Bjarni Aðalgeirsson is also a key name to note, leveraging his experience in both restructuring and insolvency related disputes.

Practice head(s):

Andri Árnason; Halldór Jónsson

Other key lawyers:

Bjarni Aðalgeirsson

Testimonials

‘Halldór Jónsson is dedicated, qualified and fair. He worked closely with our board and gave us a very good guidance.’

Key clients

Sunnuvellir slhf.

Summa Rekstrarfélag hf.

Bakkastakkur slhf.

Iceland > Tax Tier 3

Juris‘ tax department operates within the firm’s full-service offering, providing clients with comprehensive commercial guidance. The group is experienced in both contentious and non-contentious mandates, and has a track record in acting for prominent high-net-worth individuals. The team is led by Halldór Jónsson, who has a long history in the practice area. Associate Jenný Harðardóttir provides key support.

Practice head(s):

Halldór Jónsson

Other key lawyers:

Jenný Harðardóttir

Testimonials

‘Very qualified.’

‘Involve themselves deeply with the matter.’

Key clients

Ó. Johnson & Kaaber

Iceland > TMT and IP Tier 3

Juris provides IP and IT support as part of the firm’s full-service offering, facilitating coverage of transactional and contentious work. The group is increasingly active in the fintech space, and acts for a client base which includes both start-ups and market leaders. Media and telecoms specialist Andri Árnason co-leads the department with Stefán A. Svensson, who is experienced in the media and fintech sectors.

Practice head(s):

Andri Árnason; Stefán A. Svensson

Testimonials

‘The team at Juris has the best experience to work on cross-border transactions.’

Key clients

Fyrirtækjamiðstöð Íslands

Autoledger

Kvika banki hf.

RÚV ohf.

Five Degrees

Audax Private Equity

BlueCat Networks

InstaVolt

Ísfélag hf.

Árvakur hf.

Míla h.

Work highlights

  • Advised BlueCat Networks on its acquisition of Men & Mice.
  • Representing Icelandic State Broadcaster in cases regarding press freedom.

Juris > Firm Profile

The firm: Juris as it is known today was created as a result of three waves of mergers between 2006 and 2011 involving the practices of some of Iceland’s leading lawyers. The origins of the firm, however, date back to 1953, ranking Juris among Iceland’s more venerable law firms.

Many of Juris’ clients are long-standing, with relationships dating back decades, a testament to Juris’ uncompromising standards and its prompt, practical and commercially focused advice.

As Icelandic and global society has changed, Juris has been responsive and adapted to meet the changing needs of its clients. During the COVID-19 pandemic we were active in advising our clients on their rights and obligations associated with the pandemic as well as on their options to adapt their businesses and contracts. We are also active in assisting clients with matters related to climate change and energy transition.

Areas of practice: Juris concentrates on commercial and financial matters. We are the only Icelandic law firm with native Icelandic and English lawyers working together in Reykjavík,  with the result that our cross-border work is a major strength and we are able to provide seamless cross-border legal advice, benefiting clients in terms of expertise, accessibility and cost.

A number of the firm’s lawyers have previously worked in-house at major organisations with the result that we are familiar with the workings of business and understand its needs and priorities. Juris advises on a wide range of issues involving Icelandic and English law including new project finance developments which, among many other issues, require us to consider and advise on environmental law and tax, other corporate and financing transactions, M&A and investment work, including from overseas, as well as AML/ATF, data protection, general commercial and contract law work. The firm is also recognised as Iceland’s leading firm in dispute resolution, as well as competition issues, both contentious and non-contentious, and restructuring and insolvency.

Our clients operate in a variety of sectors, including banking and finance, resources (including fishing and energy), hospitality, infrastructure, telecommunications and technology, property development and construction.

Main Contacts

Department Name Email Telephone
Banking and Finance Simon Knight simon@juris.is
Banking and Finance Vífill Harðarson vifill@juris.is
Competition and Regulatory Hólmfríður B. Sigurðardóttir holmfridur@juris.is
Competition and Regulatory Stefán A. Svensson stefan@juris.is
Constitutional and Administrative Edda Andradóttir edda@juris.is
Constitutional and Administrative Finnur Magnússon finnur@juris.is
Construction Edda Andradóttir edda@juris.is
Construction Halldór Jónsson halldor@juris.is
Corporate and Commercial Lárus Blöndal larus@juris.is
Corporate and Commercial Simon Knight simon@juris.is
Dispute Resolution Stefán A. Svensson stefan@juris.is
Dispute Resolution Finnur Magnússon finnur@juris.is
Property Andri Andrason andriandra@juris.is
Property Vífill Harðarson vifill@juris.is
Restructuring and Insolvency Bjarni Aðalgeirsson bjarni@juris.is
Restructuring and Insolvency Halldór Jónsson halldor@juris.is

Meet The Team(s)

Solicitor Profiles

Photo Name Position Profile
Vífill Harðarson photo Mr Vífill Harðarson Partner. View Profile
Simon Knight photo Mr Simon Knight Partner. View Profile
Katherine Nichols photo Ms Katherine Nichols Consultant. View Profile

Staff Figures

Number of lawyers : 21

Languages

English
Icelandic
other Scandinavian languages

Other

Contacts : Simon Knight (simon@juris.is)
Contacts : Finnur Magnússon (finnur@juris.is)
Contacts : Stefán A Svensson (stefan@juris.is)
Contacts : Vífill Harðarson (vifill@juris.is)

Diversity/Community


At Juris we know that a diverse team increases collaboration and creative approaches to problem solving, enabling us to provide an exceptional service to all of our clients. Our commitment to inclusion extends to every race, gender, age, religion, identity and experience.