Bech-Bruun handles the full gamut of employment law issues. It advises both Danish and global companies on the employment aspects of high-profile mergers and transactions as well as regularly undertaking work on behalf of, and against, major trade unions. The team also advises on management restructurings, mass redundancies and collective bargaining agreements. The group is led by the ‘superb’ Lise Lauridsen , who has extensive litigation experience; Lauridsen and Morten Ulrich are experts in handling matters relating to the termination of senior civil servants' contracts. Sandro Ratkovic specialises in cross-border work, with a focus on business immigration matters.
Employment in Denmark
Bech-Bruun
Practice head(s):
Lise Lauridsen
Other key lawyers:
Morten Ulrich; Sandro Ratkovic
Testimonials
‘Bech-Bruun has a great – and broad – employment practice. Always on top of things and with a service level that goes beyond my other experiences.’
‘Very competent team with high professionalism.’
‘I am particularly impressed with partner Lise Lauridsen. She is always available and pleasant to work with, and her advice is practical.’
‘Morten Ulrich has enormous experience when it comes to employment relations and the collective bargaining system at the regional level. Furthermore, he has great knowledge about the functioning of the regions and Danish Regions as an employer/interest organisation which is beneficial in the solving of cases.’
‘I have worked in particular with Lise Lauridsen. She is a superb employment lawyer, covering all aspects from more HR-related questions to M&A-related matters. In addition to this, she always provides an efficient service with response times that make me wonder if we are her only client.’
Key clients
The Capital Region of Denmark
Lægernes Pension (Pension Fund for Doctors)
Tandlægeforeningen (the Danish Dental Association)
Workday Inc.
RSA Insurance Group
Region Zealand (Region Sjælland)
Mars Denmark A/S / Royal Canin Danmark A/S
Joe & The Juice A/S
Work highlights
- Representing the Capital Region of Denmark in an action brought before the Danish Labour Court by the trade union, the Danish Nurses Organisation, regarding the interpretation of the terms of the applicable collective bargaining agreement pertaining to rules on working time and rest periods.
- Advised a US client, Workday Inc., on the acquisition of Peakon ApS. The complex employment law aspects of the transaction included the settlement of various unclear equity incentive schemes.
- Representing Lægernes Pension in proceedings before the Danish Equal Treatment Board, which have been brought by female members of the pension fund in which they claim having been discriminated against by Lægernes Pension due to their gender and therefore, they will be awarded less monthly pension benefits than their male colleagues.
Horten
Horten‘s employment group has a broad client base that includes private companies, public institutions and large Danish municipalities. It continues to be instructed on executive liability matters, including the representation of CEOs in relation to termination procedures and summary dismissals. Practice head Jonas Enkegaard goes ‘above and beyond’ for clients and specialises in employee matters relating to corporate acquisitions. The group is also skilled at handling collective agreements, TUPE legislation and union issues and is also adept at handling equity cases.
Practice head(s):
Jonas Enkegaard
Other key lawyers:
Finn Schwarz; Erik Wendelboe Christiansen
Testimonials
‘The team we worked with, led by Erik Wendleboe Christiansen, were committed to our case and gave clear, strategic advice in an area of Danish law. I completely trusted their judgement and guidance throughout the pre trial prep and trial itself.’
‘Erik Wendelboe Christiansen is the most commercial employment lawyer I have met – he is fearless and exciting and confident. I trusted him completely.’
‘Legal advice is clear and good for an international audience. A go-to firm for international clients in Denmark.’
‘Jonas Enkegaard is a delight to work with. Prioritises needs of the client and excellent at helping in house counsel manage relationships with their internal stakeholders. Happy to go above and beyond and availability is excellent.’
‘One of the best Danish firms, strong team, great expertise and very nice people! We have a very smooth relationship and clients can feel it.’
Key clients
EON
Centrica PLC
Circle K
Danish Growth Fund
Discovery Networks
City of Copenhagen
Dansk Teater (Former TIO)
Euromaster A/S
The Danish Cancer Society
Energinet.dk
Bain & Company
Unity
Klarna Bank
Panasonic
Vink OY
Work highlights
- Assisted Centrica with a number of employees that left Centrica Energy Trading A/S to work for Norlys Energy Trading, taking away confidential business information.
- Advised the City of Copenhagen on all legal matters pertaining to employment law, and assisted the City with all court cases and all industrial arbitration proceedings regarding employment law.
- Assisted iCON Infrastructure with its acquisition of the wind energy company, Wind Estate and all legal matters in connection with the transaction, including risk assessment of the deal, preparation of transaction documents, preparation of service agreements etc.
Kromann Reumert
Kromann Reumert leverages its global network to handle cross-border employment issues and advise on international labour law. The group has seen a large uptick in investigations arising out of the #MeToo movement as well as organisational adjustments, restructurings and M&A-related work. The ‘very talented’ Marianne Granhøj leads the team and regularly advises boards of directors on the appointment and exit of executive management and the structure of remuneration policies. Claus Juel Hansen handles employment law issues arising out of complex commercial and contract law issues and represents clients before the civil courts and arbitration tribunals. Jens Lund Mosbek is also recommended and has recently been active in discrimination cases. Tina Brøgger Sørensen departed to Plesner in early 2022.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Jens Lund Mosbek; Maria Bekke Eiersted; Claus Juel Hansen
Testimonials
‘A leading law firm in Denmark in this field. They leave no stone unturned in order to find the best legal and commercial results for their clients.’
‘Jens Lund Mosbek is a second to none litigator within employment and labour law – able to be innovative in his strategic approach to the case. Has demonstrated his ability to think out of the box and push the legal boundaries.’
‘The handling of our legal cases is just exceptional. We have a lot of different directions in the cases and Kromann Reumert takes care of all of them in a very professional way I have never seen before. You are completely calm with their guidance and their lead on the process.’
‘Marianne Granhøj is just amazing. She is very talented and has enormous experience and insight into the commercial impact on disputes. This is not seen quite often and you cannot take this for granted, but you get it all with Marianne and the team behind her.’
‘As one of the top Danish law firms, merely the reputation of KR is an advantage in litigation. The size of the company allows for qualified help to be available when urgent, or pertinent.’
‘Very skilled and accessible. You get their frank opinion, pro and cons, based on many years of experience within their field of expertise, which provides comfort and a good basis for decision making. You feel well taken care of and in a good pair of hands.’
‘Known for strong knowledge about employment rules and legislation. It is one of the best in class. Easy to contact and to get an answer oral or written.’
Key clients
Ørsted
FLS
Bestseller
Danmarks Nationalbank (the Danish Central Bank)
TDC
Jensens Bøfhus A/S
Nordea
Alm. Brand A/S
Tryg
Videnskabernes Selskab (Royal Academy of Sciences)
LEO Pharma
Pandora
P+ Pension
Karnov Group
Implement Consulting Group P/S
Kosan Gas A/S / UGI Corporation
The Municipality of Aarhus
William Cook Europe ApS
Gensam Data A/S
Altor
Labora Legal
Employment boutique Labora Legal is a partner-only firm handling the full gamut of employment law issues, including employment terminations, incentive schemes and GDPR issues. The group also has a strong international network, with Tina Reissmann regularly collaborating with leading foreign and labour specialists, focusing on collective dismissals and collective agreements. The team also consists of privacy and data protection specialist Catrine Søndergaard Byrne, litigator Jeppe Høyer Jørgensen and M&A expert Signe Renée West.
Practice head(s):
Tina Reissmann; Catrine Søndergaard Byrne; Jeppe Høyer Jørgensen; Signe Renée West
Testimonials
‘Tina and Jeppe are a powerful team. With strong legal foundation and experience, they give excellent support and advice. They are very good at tailoring the advice in a manner that is easily useable for the client.’
‘Specialist in labour law. Highly competent and innovative in providing labour related solutions as well as in solving labour-related disputes.’
‘Highly competent, agile, solution-oriented and flexible. Always responds very quickly to requests for assistance.’
‘Highly skilled and accessible. Can handle strategic matters as well as hands-on matters always with excellent quality and timely.’
‘Signe Renée West is our contact person and is always there with a quick and useful answer. She knows our company and supports with good legal advice.’
‘Labora Legal is a small boutique law firm specialized in HR legal matters and has been our preferred legal counsel within this area for quite some time. The responsiveness and the quality of the advice is unique and includes a deep and valuable understanding of our operations and needs. If a client needs personal and operative HR legal advice at the highest quality and a very competitive fee structure, we would recommend Labora Legal anytime.’
‘Very knowledgeable related to Danish laws, union structures, tax structures, employee-related law, etc. Able to research new situations, ie the recent Covid pandemic which resulted in numerous cases within the legal system and presented new challenges to be addressed.’
‘Highly experienced lawyers specialising in Labour and employment law as well as personal data/GDPR law. The size of the team is small and specialised and your contact point would almost always be directly with the responsible partner/lawyer in question.’
Key clients
PA Consulting
Carlsberg Foundation
Euro Accident
Bonnier Publication
Wolt
Colgate
Baxter
Leapwork
Carl Zeiss
Jobindex
Kelsen Group
Adecco
FORCE Technology
INEOS
WS Audiology
Acne Studios
Specsavers
Copenhagen Medical
BMC Software
Adecco
Telia
Nordic Entertainment Group
SuperZonic Holding/Supersonic CPH
Work highlights
- Advising INEOS on its takeover of Hess, including all employees, collective bargaining agreements.
- Advising Richemont on HR legal in connection with its operations in Denmark, including advising on Covid-19 restrictions, lock-down and employee related issues in that regard and totally new legislation being introduced more or less from day to day.
Norrbom Vinding
Norrbom Vinding ‘belongs, without any doubt, to the first tier within employment law’. The boutique labour and employment law firm acts exclusively for management and provides a full-service offering, including in specialist sub-areas such as industrial relations, discrimination claims, data protection issues and social security matters. Highly experienced litigator Jorgen Vinding leads the team and regularly represents clients before the Supreme Court and the Labour Court. Other notable names include Christian K. Clasen, who specialises in collective bargaining and collective redundancy processes, and discrimination law expert Yvonne Frederiksen.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Yvonne Frederiksen; Christian K. Clasen; Søren Skjerbek; Torben Mølgaard Hededal; Rikke Falk Dambo
Testimonials
‘They understand our business and take it into consideration when they answer. Always professional and fast.’
‘Norrbom Vinding belongs without any doubt to the first tier within employment law. They were the first boutique firm within employment law and today they are in my opinion still the only actor among the boutique firms who, when it comes to handling the big complex matters, are able to compete with the top-tier full-service firms.’
‘Understands your organization fully and provides valid advice on the full plate coving not only employment law but also the regulatory framework and tax handling.’
‘Yvonne Frederiksen is an internationally acknowledged lawyer in the field of equality rights. Always up to date end even more. Always keen to help. Always in scope with her counselling.’
‘Christian Clasen is an outstanding lawyer, especially on collective bargaining. To the point and with a sharp eye on both the law and business matters. Extremely holistic in his counselling.’
‘Jørgen Vinding – one of the founders and renowned for his general knowledge and superb counselling.’
‘They always deliver solid employment law advice and always in a timely and swift manner. They have the whole employment law area covered, including specialists in the areas that so often brush against employment law – i.e. GDPR and tax law. They stand out in their willingness to organize free seminars and knowledge exchange groups among clients, which entails they know their clients well, and we benefit from other clients experiences.’
Key clients
SAS Group
Local Government Denmark (KL)
Danish Railways (DSB)
Nordea Group
Arla Foods Group
LEO Pharma A/S
TV 2 Danmark A/S
Nykredit A/S
Coop Danmark A/S
Ramboll Group
Work highlights
- Conducted an external legal investigation for the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) on possible offensive behaviour in the Danish National Girls’ Choir (DR Pigekoret).
- Advised the SAS Group in a group action involving a claim of more than DKK200m from 320 retired cabin attendants.
- Advised and represented the municipality of Billund in a landmark discrimination case, both in the European Court of Justice and Danish courts, known as ‘the obesity case’.
Accura Advokatpartnerselskab
Accura Advokatpartnerselskab advises both Danish and international clients on the full spectrum of employment law issues, with particular expertise in the implementation of incentive schemes for employees. The group has seen an uptick in internal investigations regarding sexism and other types of discrimination and has significant experience representing clients before the courts and arbitration tribunals. Morten Langer and Nicolai Hesgaard jointly head up the practice; Langer specialises in the private labour market, while Hesgaard assists with the HR aspects of GDPR issues as well as transactional matters including the applicability of TUPE.
Practice head(s):
Morten Langer; Nicolai Hesgaard
Testimonials
‘I think the team has a unique sense that applies a commercial and human touch to a legal issue, where that is adding, retaining or restructuring.’
‘High performing service-oriented business-focused. Great networks are offered.’
‘Morten Langer is a leader in his field and provides competent business-focused legal advice and is at the same time a pleasure to work with on the personal level.’
‘Nicolai Hesgaard: Accessible, straight to the point, good at providing advice that takes the context into consideration, business oriented.’
‘The team that we have worked with has an excellent balance of partners and associates. Collaboration is much more efficient with less need for lengthy meetings, assessments, memos, etc. As a result, the quality and speed of work is excellent.’
‘Always a solid result – on target each time.’
‘Particularly strong Employment law team.’
Key clients
Genmab
Biogen
Hapaq-Llyod
TripAdvisor
SSP Group
Fritz Schur Group
Prodata
Helly Hansen
ABB
Lundbeck
Ferring
Mercell
BGC Partners
Ældresagen
Calsbergbyen
Azolver
Vækstfonden
Akademikernes A-kasse
Bang & Olufsen
Vestjysk Bank
Work highlights
- Assisting Vestjysk Bank in connection with its merger with Den Jyske Sparekasse regarding a voluntary arrangement for employee board representation.
- Assisting EQT with the global carve-out (+ 25 countries) of Chr. Hansen Natural Colours division.
- Assisting a leading shipbroker with enforcing in Japan a key employee’s non-compete clause subject to Hong Kong law.
Bruun & Hjejle
Bruun & Hjejle handles a range of employment issues, with the team working as an integrated part on the firm’s IPO, M&A and real estate deals. The group has further bolstered its expertise in collective bargaining and outsourcing matters through the promotion of Flemming Strømme Martinussen to partner in January 2021. Litigator Elise Ross-Hansen co-heads the team with Martinussen and advises on restructurings, business transfers and incentive schemes.
Practice head(s):
Elise Ross-Hansen; Flemming Strømme Martinussen
Testimonials
‘The kindness, level of professionalism and adaption of the legal language to business language for management to understand was exceptional. The relationship with the legal adviser was built up in good trust and we were confident by being represented by B&H.’
‘The team I have been in contact with are very knowledgeable and always gives me the right level of attention even though they have other clients. They are always updating me on new legal requirements and inviting me to information meetings as well. Very professional approach to the counselling given.’
‘The team is competent and commercially minded, providing to the point and useful legal advice and support.’
‘Elise Ross-Hansen is skilled and has great business acumen understanding to translate complicated legal issues to useful advice.’
‘Bruun & Hjejle has an employment law department that is strong in all respects.’
Key clients
Danske Bank A/S
Goldman Sachs
Analog Devices
First Sentier Investors
Ring International Holding
Treville
Ingka Investments Ventures Europe B.V.
Kerry Group
Man Capital LLP (Mansour Group)
Peakon (now Workday)
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP)
Amgen
NREP
Nets Group
AIP management
Danske Shoppingcentre, owned by ATP and Danica Pension
A.P. Moller Holding
Salini Impregilo S.p.A./Copenhagen Metro Team (CMT)
Ganni (owned by L Catterton)
Waterland Private Equity
Copenhagen Offshore Partners (COP)
Better Collective
G.S.V. Materieludlejning
Dampskibsselskabet NORDEN A/S
Work highlights
- Advising on employment and labour aspects related to several investigations on behalf of Denmark’s largest bank, Danske Bank, including investigations related to Estonia/AML and investment products.
- Advised NREP in relation to the transfer of most employees from Dades to NREP (including mandates under direct instruction by NREP) in connection with the establishment of a partnership involving the development and management of Dades’ DKK25bn property portfolio.
- Advised Goldman Sachs (in collaboration with RUBIK Properties) on several workstreams in respect of key employees and compliance in relation to the acquisition of seven projects from Danish real estate developer Birch Ejendomme.
Gorrissen Federspiel
Gorrissen Federspiel‘s labour and employment team are particularly skilled at handling employee immigration matters, assisting several clients with the application of residence and work permits. Led by Jacob Sand, who has ‘outstanding’ knowledge of EU law, the group has a solid transportation, shipping and aviation sector focus, advising Danish and international companies on collective agreements, redundancies, industrial actions and litigation. Managing counsel Rasmus Høj Christensen joined the team in 2021 from Plesner.
Practice head(s):
Jacob Sand
Other key lawyers:
Ditte Grundtvig Larsen; Sabine Brandhøj Overgaard; Rasmus Høj Christensen
Testimonials
‘Always only a call away and good at answering all different questions. Good at giving comfort and security in a situation that is special for most people having to go to court.’
‘The employment team of Gorrissen Federspiel is great. They are super skilled, highly professional and find solutions instead of highlighting difficulties.’
‘I believe that the company has an international approach and the team has a very strong understanding of EU law which makes them marked leaders within EU law.’
‘Ditte Grundtvig Larsen is a very dedicated lawyer, and she is always 100% engaged. Her advice is always to the point and creates great value for clients as she also remembers to consider the bigger picture and not just the case at hand.’
‘The team is one of the best in DK and certainly a tier 1 firm. The team practice employment law at a really high level while still maintaining the highest ethical standards.’
‘Jacob Sand’s knowledge of EU law is outstanding. Furthermore, his ability to think outside the box and challenge the way you “normally do things” is really amazing.’
‘Rasmus Høj Christensen, the best employment lawyer in Denmark I have worked with. Practical, knowledgeable and fun to work with. He always responds quickly.’
‘Have used Gorrisen Federspiel for the last nine years. The collaboration has been extremely good. Two who stand out are Jacob Sand who gave and guided me through the period of Corona, kept me updated and was a good speaking partner. Ditte Grundvig Larsen is the lawyer I have worked with for a long time. Wise, skilled and extremely accessible – things that mean a lot.’
Key clients
Nationalbanken
Intact
Norlys
HusCompagniet
Nykredit
FOA
Aviator
Bupa
Chr. Hansen
Heimstaden Danmark
ISS
Polaris Private Equity
Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
All members of Team Astralis
Philip Morris
Danske Commodities / Equinor
Orphazyme
LEGO
Dansk Industri
Grundfos
Falck
Bang & Olufsen
Landfolk
UEFA
Züblin
United Airlines
Andel Holding A/S
GN Store Nord
Star Air A/S
Atlantic Airways
Sunclass Airlines (former Thomas Cook)
Fujifilm Corporation
Pandora
Novo Nordisk Fonden
Novo Nordisk
Equinor (former Statoil)
Salling Group
Vestas
Deloitte
The Danish Chamber of Commerce (Dansk Erhverv)
Associated Danish Ports
Silvan A/S
Nets
Telia
Work highlights
- Assisted listed biopharmaceuticals company Orphazyme with collective redundancy processes in Denmark involving approximately 100 out of 130 employees in Denmark.
- Assisting Intact Financial Corporation, Canada’s largest home, auto and business insurance company, with a cross-border transaction which includes the client and Tryg A/S’ joint acquisition of RSA Insurance Group.
- Assisted water solution company Aquaporin A/S and the selling shareholders in connection with Aquaporin A/S’ initial public offering and admission to trading and official listing on Nasdaq Copenhagen.
Poul Schmith
Poul Schmith is best known for its long-established role as key adviser to the Danish state on employment matters relating to the public sector. Amongst its clients are Denmark’s largest public bodies, including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defence and the Danish National Police. Under the joint leadership of Jonas Blegvad Jensen and Marianne Lage, the team also handles work for private sector clients, with Jensen specialising in the energy sector.
Practice head(s):
Jonas Blegvad Jensen; Marianne Lage
Testimonials
‘Extensive experience within employment practice.’
‘The ability and willingness to seek other/right solutions. Very competent and always get back with a proposed text. Very reliable! Worked with Marianne Lage for 3 years and she is so very skilful and her knowledge of the airline industry is impressive. Her negotiation skills towards unions are nothing less then superb! Highly recommended.’
‘Understanding – Listening – Realism – Collaboration – Professionalism.’
‘Highly qualified partners and staff. Very high availability. Deep insight in public employer regulation. Easy access to direct, fast, qualified and usable advice. Showing interest in the business and looking for business-oriented solutions.’
Key clients
Vestas Wind Systems A/S
SOS International Denmark A/S
Aviator Airport Services Denmark A/S
Norwegian Air Shuttle AS
The Agency for Employees and Competence
DSB A/S
BWSC (Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor)
APM Terminals A/S
University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
Akademikernes A-kasse
Work highlights
- Advised Vestas Wind Systems A/S on its change of employer organisation from one employer organisation to another (from the Confederation of Danish Industry to Dansk Erhverv, The Danish Chamber of Commerce).
- Assisted SOS International Denmark A/S with the complex challenges arising in the wake of the termination of a major contract with the Danish Regions regarding the provision of quick tests for Covid-19, including advice on a large-scale transfer of hundreds of employees and collective redundancies.
- Advised and represented The Agency for Employees and Competence and DSB in five cases regarding illegal collective strikes amongst hundreds of train drivers, including civil servants, which caused several hundreds of cancellations of trains and even more delays.
DLA Piper Denmark
DLA Piper Denmark advises employers on the employment aspects of M&A and transactional work, including outsourcing and union issues. It is also adept at handling contentious matters, representing clients in arbitration proceedings, the Labour Court and injunctions. Led by Nina Wedsted, the group is regularly instructed on cross-border mandates, leveraging its global network of offices to assist both Danish and international clients. Data protection specialist Daniel Markussen is also recommended.
Practice head(s):
Nina Wedsted
Other key lawyers:
Daniel Markussen
Testimonials
‘Daniel Markussen is very good in providing counsel so that I see the situation from more than my side which is very useful when the goal is to find a solution that works for both sides. He has helped me with several cases and solved them outside the court and I highly recommend him.’
‘Availability. Great persons to work with – experts in their field.’
‘The team is effective and timely and does not waste time with unnecessary meetings and touchpoints, but makes sure the client is well informed. All in all the team has been a pleasure to work with which is highly due to Daniel Markussen and his persona.’
‘Daniel Markussen has from the beginning been very concerned with getting an overview of what actually mattered to me as a client and which expectations were realistic and which we needed to address. Daniel is very straightforward, honest and is able to quickly pin down the facts and create outstanding solutions. Daniel has a broad and deep competence within employment practice, which comes to light in his legal advice.’
Key clients
Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland SE
Medicolink Consultancy ApS
NEC Corporation
Sapiens International Corporation
Xero Limited
Dansk Sygeplejeråd
Sensata Technologies
Storskogen Industrier AB
Work highlights
- Acted as adviser to Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland SE in employment law aspects of obtaining Danish work permits for the 200+ non-EU employees onboard the world’s largest crane vessel SSCV Sleipnir, supporting the three-year-long rebuilding of the TYRA Field in the North Sea, an oil and gas field owned by the Danish state.
- Acted as adviser for a subsidiary owned by Medicolink in a high-profile case against the trade union HK (the Union of Commercial and Clerical Employees) concerning the interpretation of the so-called 120-day rule in the Danish Salaried Employees Act.
- Assisted NEC Corporation, a Japanese multinational information technology and electronics company, headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, with the acquisition of KMD A/S (formerly Kommunedata), Denmark’s largest IT supplier to the public sector.
IUNO
The IUNO employment team is ‘knowledgeable, experienced and strong at finding pragmatic solutions.’ Its client base consists of high-profile multinationals, including British Airways, as well as leading Danish companies. It handles both contentious and non-contentious matters and acts within niche areas spanning work accidents, whistleblowing issues as well as several mandates for clients that involve employee inventions and patents. Anders Etgen Reitz and Søren Hessellund Klausen jointly head up the practice.
Practice head(s):
Anders Etgen Reitz; Søren Hessellund Klausen
Testimonials
‘Great performance. Dedicated and high competences about human rights and work environment laws. The task is taken care of immediately – and performed with great competence.’
‘Our contact is Søren Hessellund Klausen. Whenever he is not the person who solves the matter he is always following up on everything and if a meeting is necessary he is also participating in the meeting to follow the case.’
‘Anders Etgen Reitz – dynamic, friendly and client focused.’
‘The service has been reliable, fast and very friendly. IUNOs uniqueness is that they are fast, no nonsense and reliable.’
‘Iuno’s lawyers are business-minded, friendly – you never feel like you are part of a legal game but doing the right things and things right!’
‘Easy to cooperate with. Always quick responses and very good and solid advice.’
‘Knowledgeable, experienced and strong at finding pragmatic solutions.’
‘A forward thinking practice who meet their clients needs on a consistent basis. No matter what we’ve asked from the team, they have delivered. They sustain a deep level of partnership and engagement with the client at all levels, deliver on objectives and meet budget targets. The employment practice at this firm sets a high bar for Denmark.’
Key clients
KMD
McCann Copenhagen ApS
Boulebar Denmark ApS
British Airways
INVISIO
Konica Minolta
Hunkemöller
Turkish Airlines
Unisport Scandinavia ApS
Danish Football Association (DBU)
Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke (ActionAid Denmark)
European Energy A/S
Flügger Group
Work highlights
- Advising British Airways across the Nordics (Denmark and Sweden), providing structural and strategic assistance with cross-border commuting and employment issues in the Øresund region, and social security in the respective countries.
- Advising KMD, one of Denmark’s largest IT and software companies, providing an end-to-end, external whistleblower hotline for all employees, clients, vendors, and other stakeholders.
- Assisting McCann Copenhagen, part of McCann Worldwide, with the termination of the employment of a number of employees and collective salary reduction for the remaining employees and management as a result of Covid-19.
Lund Elmer Sandager
Lund Elmer Sandager acts for employers on a broad range of labour and employment matters, advising multinational clients as well as leading names in the Danish market. The team is well-equipped to handle employment law disputes and has particular strength in the aviation, medical, technology and IT, pension and financial services sectors. Practice head Michael Møller Nielsen has expertise in both collective and individual employment law, while Julie Flindt Rasmussen provides support on issues related to GDPR.
Practice head(s):
Michael Møller Nielsen
Other key lawyers:
Julie Flindt Rasmussen
Key clients
Ryanair Ltd
Malta Air
Espresso House
PPG Industries Scandinavia
Resurs Bank
The Danish Food and Agriculture Council
Globalization Partners
Fehmarn Belt Contractors I/S
ABS Europe
De Lage Landen Finans Danmark
Nordicals København
Metro Therm
Vueling Airlines
Teradata
B. Braun Medical A/S
Team Aktiv
Work highlights
- Advised Fehmarn Belt Contractors on collective bargaining agreements.
- Assisted a client in two principle court cases on force majeure in connection with Covid-19 and termination of employees.
- Assisting a former manager at NETS who was forced to exit a management investment bonus programme.
Plesner
Plesner‘s ‘stand-out’ employment team handles high-profile cross-border transactions and incentive programmes. The group is also actively expanding its insourcing and outsourcing services (with senior counsel Rasmus Høj Christensen playing a key role in this area) and remains strong in collective redundancy procedures, whistleblower schemes and the handling of personal data of employees. Lise Høy Falsner advises both listed and non-listed companies as well as public authorities on complex HR matters. In March 2021, former co-head Henriette Stakemann left the firm to an in-house role and later in 2021, Rasmus Høj Christensen departed to Gorrissen Federspiel, and in early 2022, Tina Brøgger Sørensen joined from Kromann Reumert to take over as team head.
Practice head(s):
Tina Brøgger Sørensen
Other key lawyers:
Lise Høy Falsner
Testimonials
‘Plesner has a great and knowledgeable employment team and they are number 1 in Denmark for me and my clients. They are practical, swift, knowledgeable and pleasant to work with. They stand out as a team and as individuals.’
‘We always receive highly qualified advice and problem solving – in minor everyday issues as well as in complex cases. In addition to the quality of the advice, we always experience a quick response and that tasks are solved by the agreed deadline or faster. On a personal level, the collaboration has also been exemplary.’
‘Very good attorneys and customer service. Very responsive.’
‘Plesner’s employment practice is commercially oriented, straight forward and reliable.’
‘They are professional, very skilled, extremely good in corporation, fast responders, very flexible’
‘Lise Høj Falsner – we have very good cooperation and she is very skilled, good listener, professional lawyer, straight forward at the same time she remembers that we are handling employees. Very flexible and fast responder.’
‘‘Tina Brøgger Sørensen has a practical approach and an instinct for how to approach a case to achieve a reasonable settlement. She was able to handle a multifaceted case while keeping us informed but not overwhelmed.’
Key clients
Danske Bank
Tryg A/S
Coca-Cola
Charles River
The Conservative People’s Party
APC Forsikringsmæglere
HESS Corporation
RISMA Systems A/S
LEO Pharma
Novozymes
Elis
Zealand Pharma A/S
Acacium Group
BMW Group
Sunweb Group
IIP Denmark P/S
Work highlights
- Acted as legal adviser on employment law for Tryg A/S in connection with its £7.2bn acquisition (together with Intact Financial Corporation) of RSA Insurance Group plc.
- Advised FSN Capital on employment matters in connection with the acquisition of a 45% stake in Obton Group (alternative investment provider and one of Europe’s largest solar energy managers) and entering into a partnership with the founders and management.
- Advised the LEO Foundation and LEO Pharma, global leader in medical dermatology with a robust R&D pipeline, in connection with Nordic Capital’s €450m investment in LEO Pharma.
SIRIUS advokater
SIRIUS advokater advises on both the employer and employee sides of employment law, and has acted in several high-profile commercial disputes, representing large and mid-size public and private businesses and organisations. Dually qualified in Denmark and Australia, Benjamin Lundström is an experienced litigator, arbitrator and mediator, handling the full gamut of employment issues. Lundström jointly leads the team with Pernille Backhausen who has specific knowledge of executive compensations and benefits.
Practice head(s):
Pernille Backhausen; Benjamin Lundström
Other key lawyers:
Peter Breum; Jacob Goldschmidt; Helle Nøhr Larsen
Key clients
HK Danmark
BLS Capital Group
The Ministry of Justice
Member of the executive management in Eik Bank
iBinder
Yngre Læger
Red Barnet Ungdom (Save the Children Youth Department)
CO 10 – The Danish Confederation of Public Employees of 2010
CONNECT Denmark
Novavi Foundation
KODA
Roskilde Festival and Roskilde Festival Charity Society
Bikuben Foundation
Medpro Group
The Danish School for Authors
SAS Institute A/S
Per Moesgaard
WorldTicket
Simple Revolution
PROSA labour union
Naturkraft Foundation
Betafence
Ageras
The Danish Institute of Arbitration
The Danish Mediation Institute
The Danish Court Administration
The Danish Arbitration Board
Various Ministries
IDA – The Danish Society of Engineers
DJØF
Danske Bioanalytikere
Lærernes Centralorganisation
BUPL
Danmarks Lærerforening
Dansk Magisterforening
Foreningen af Speciallæger
Ligebehandlingsnævnet
Præsteforeningen
Akademikerne
CO10
FOA A-Kasse
3F
Uddannelsesforbundet
Frie Skolers Lærerforening
Skolelederforeningen
Maskinmestrenes Forening
Forsikringsforbundet
Skau Reipurth
The employment team at Skau Reipurth specialises in international employment relations, including the handling of foreign workers in Denmark and expatriations, as well as disputes regarding the interpretation of collective agreements and terminations. Practice co-head Bo Enevold Uhrenfeldt focuses on the posting of workers, including fast track certifications and work permits, while fellow practice head Thomas Christian Thune handles M&A-related work.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Very pragmatic approach with useful and clear advice.’
‘Thomas Thune gives clear, valuable and useful advice.’
Key clients
Potter Clarkson LLP
United International Pictures ApS
Total Upstream Danmark A/S and Total Exploration and Production
Denmark A/S (earlier Mærsk Olie og Gas A/S)
Itinera S.p.A
The Association of Danish Physiotherapists
FJ Industries A/S
Maersk Tankers A/S
A.P. Møller Holding A/S
SeatGeek ApS
Avia Solutions Group / Bluebird efh.
Pack Tech A/S
Danish Dental Association
Mærsk Drilling A/S
Viggo Laursen Autogummi A/S
Niels Brock
Servicefirmaet Renell A/S
Barentz ApS
Work highlights
- Advised Maersk Drilling on downsizing the number of drilling rigs and implementing mass redundancies.
- Advised the Icelandic cargo airline company, Bluebird efh, in connection with a dispute regarding Bluebird’s right to use Copenhagen airport as a hub for its self-employed pilots.
- Assisted Mtek AB in a negotiation with the Danish Union of Electricians concerning minimum wage.
Clemens
Handling both contentious and non-contentious employment matters, Clemens advises leading multinationals based in Scandinavia and beyond. Practice co-head Tommy Angermair has experience in share-based remuneration issues and other incentive schemes as well as the employment aspects of M&A and outsourcing transactions. For contentious matters, co-head Mette Neve is the key practitioner.
Practice head(s):
Tommy Angermair; Mette Neve
Testimonials
‘Very strong collaboration and a very strong hands-on attitude. Follow up routines regarding deadlines never fails, and it is very reassuring to be working with professionals who always carry the ‘burden’ of responsibility. Fair invoices, always accompanied with a clear time track of activities.’
‘Tommy Angermair is a fantastic lawyer. He makes things so easy to understand and alleviates so much of the stress and pressure when dealing with difficult and complex HR issues.’
‘We simply would not have been able to support our employees in the right way had we not had the guidance from Clemens.’
‘The team are high quality subject matter employment lawyers. This subject matter quality is combined with a good understanding of their clients’ needs and the ability to give operational advice. We have only received positive feedback from our clients when we have referred them to Angermair.’
‘Understanding of our business in a complex larger international setup.’
‘Clemens Law Firm always provide excellent service, very professional and very dedicated and show compassion for their clients. They are dedicated to client service and detail-oriented and always provide well-considered options for resolution of these challenging cases. They demonstrate a high level of expertise in all aspects.’
‘Mette Neve is an excellent lawyer, very professional, dedicated and responsive, efficient and exercises good judgment. She’s a go-to person for our company.’
‘Availability 24/7/365 with fast and competent response. Specialist with huge insights in our company and the solutions they come up with always fits our DNA.’
Key clients
Qatar Airways
Georg Jensen
Pandora
Heidrick & Struggles
Flying Tiger Copenhagen
Emerson Corporation
Work & Co
Guess
PATRIZIA
Securitas
Lauritzen Bulkers
Bureau Veritas
BEUMER Group
Ball Group
Kramp Danmark
Interflora
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Vestas Offshore Wind
Spirax-Sarco Engineering
McAfee
Uponor
EVRY
Den Jydske Haandværkerskole (The Technical College of Jutland)
Shanghai Electric Windpower Group
Work highlights
- Advised a major multinational airline on the Danish employment law aspects of a group-wide restructuring exercise, including advising on the preparation and execution of the redundancies involved as well as supporting during successful union consultation and negotiations with the affected employees.
- Assisted Work & Co with preparing standard employment contracts, securing work permits for 3rd country nationals and localisation of several staff policies, including employee data protection as well as diversity and inclusion policies, following its recent establishment in Denmark.
- Advised a consortium of gig economy employers on the Scandinavia legal approach to ensuring minimum terms and conditions for gig workers which has been used for lobbying efforts against proposed gig worker reforms in various countries, among others in the State of New York.
Lundgrens
Lundgrens advises a broad range of clients, including listed companies, SMEs and public authorities on the full spectrum of employment law issues. Anne Marie Abrahamson leads the team and has significant experience in assisting international clients with setting up business in Denmark. The group also advises on HR compliance, whistleblower schemes, freelancers and temporary employees as well as employee disputes. Marie Louise Aagaard is recommended for her collective bargaining expertise.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Marie Louise Aagaard
Key clients
Amazon UK Services Limited
Miele A/S
Paul Smith Denmark ApS
SMIT Subsea Europe B.V.
Deloitte
Løgismose Meyer Group ApS
AON Denmark A/S
Stryker AB, Danish branch
Danish Multiple Sclerosis Society
APC Insurance Brokers A/S
GroupM Nordic
Work highlights
- Advised SMIT Subsea Europe B.V. on a case relating to whether 200 divers are independent contractors or employees.
- Advising Paul Smith Denmark ApS on all aspects of Danish employment law, including assisting the company with expanding the business in Denmark.
- Advising Eltel Network on all aspects of employment law, including in relation to any employment, terminations, handling of TUPE questions, training and restrictive covenants.
Magnusson Advokatfirma
Led by Tom Froberg, Magnusson Advokatfirma‘s employment team acts for local and foreign corporations, SMEs and large-cap listed companies. It advises on collective bargaining matters, restructurings, misconduct investigations and litigation proceedings, among others. Recent additions to the team include Martin Skovbjerg, who adds experience in C-level executive employment terms and general incentive schemes.
Practice head(s):
Tom Froberg
Other key lawyers:
Martin Skovbjerg; Sam Jalaei
Testimonials
‘I work mainly with Tom Froberg. I especially appreciate with Tom that he is very responsive, knowledgeable and also has a very pragmatic approach which is highly appreciated.’
‘Magnusson’s knowledge of and contacts within the Nordics market is second to none. When entering a new territory, such expertise is essential and Magnusson have made our experience across 3 different countries seamless.’
‘Sam Jalaei is one of the most responsive lawyers I have had the pleasure to work with. He grasps the key issues swiftly and advises in a clear and commercial way. I always know I will get a timely response and regular updates on how a matter is progressing. Sam has ensured that what could be a stressful time was in fact pain-free and I feel I can always email him to pick his brains and receive a warm welcome. He’s a fantastic lawyer!’
Key clients
SFS Group
Market Pay
Brambles CHEP
Algol Chemicals Oy
AREAS
Global PEO Services
IRD Fuel Services
Benetton
Alumichem Group
Cornerstone On Demand Ltd.
InProTher
Signify
GF Money
ViaBill
AMETEK
Sofigate
Fremad Amager Elite
The Binding Site Group Ltd.
Social Gaming Factory LLC
Mind Your Own Business
Unity
TripDoodler
Solvay SA
OneStream Software LLC
Work highlights
- Advising SFS Group in relation to its recent acquisition of Jevith, handling all employment-related issues in the transaction, including legal due diligence, executive employment and a retention package for key employees.
- Advising Benetton on all employment-related matters in connection with its close down.
- Advising Market Pay on its acquisition of Acoustic Marketing in Denmark and Lithuania, handling legal due diligence on employment matters, advice on TUPE transfer of employees in the two countries as well as GDPR advice.
Mazanti-Andersen
Mazanti-Andersen primarily assists mid-sized private companies as well as municipalities, handling the full range of employment law issues, including drafting policies for company handbooks. The team is co-led by Mette Gahrn-Jensen who mainly advises on the employer side but also has experience representing high-level employees. Susanne Ingemann Odense jointly leads the group and is an experienced employment litigator.
Practice head(s):
Susanne Ingemann Odense; Mette Gahrn-Jensen
Testimonials
‘Very supportive when needed and provided us, as a customer coming from abroad, many solutions to work from their office.’
‘Mette Gahrn-Jensen- Very committed, professional and responsive – provides the best practice solutions on our labour issues.’
Key clients
NORDUnet A/S
Syneron-Candela/ Ellipse A/S
Copenhagen Contemporary Fondren
Infare Solutions A/S
Maui Jim Nordic AB
Byggefakta A/S
Kaleido Technologies ApS
Simmons-Simmons, Luxembourg
NJORD Law Firm
NJORD Law Firm specialises in organisational restructurings that involve multiple Nordic jurisdictions, advising on mergers, the insourcing and outsourcing of work areas, acquisitions and sales of businesses, and union negotiations. Miriam Michaelsen leads the team that includes industrial and relations law specialist Anders Worsøe.
Practice head(s):
Miriam Michaelsen
Other key lawyers:
Anders Worsøe
Key clients
LSG Sky Chefs Group
Kramp Groep B.V.
Gerry Weber Denmark ApS & Gerry Weber Group, Germany
REMS GmbH & Co. KG and their Danish subsidiary REMS Scandinavia A/S
Star Inc. (former Cogniance, Inc.)
Sennheiser HQ and Sennheiser Nordic A/S
Advanced Energy Industries and Danish subsidiary LumaSense Technologies A/S
Teknos OY and Danish subsidiary Teknos A/S
The Danish Road Traffic Authority
Bird & Bird Advokatpartnerselskab
Bird & Bird Advokatpartnerselskab offers the full range of HR services, from day-to-day employment law advice to specific regulatory remuneration expertise. The group is particularly strong within the technology sector and handles complex cross-border mandates relating to post-M&A integrations and restructuring work. Experienced litigator Søren Narv Pedersen heads up the practice.
Practice head(s):
Søren Narv Pedersen
Other key lawyers:
Mia Boesen
Testimonials
‘Key senior partners are very experienced.’
‘Soren Pedersen, proactive and very responsive – fast, to the point and good value.’
‘Their billing practice, transparency and the way they use and bring forward the competencies across their domain teams are second to none.’
‘Søren Narv Pedersen, is very passionate in understanding the core problem and always provides alternative solutions and suggestion on the best way forward.’
Key clients
Agillic A/S
Constructel GmbH, Constructel ApS, Viatel S.A. (group of companies under Artifel – Grupo Visabeira)
Dansk Ornitologisk Forening
Dentsu Aegis Network
Hotri Storkøkken A/S
Mastercard
Milestone Systems
Mindcore
Monster Energy
Pfizer
Phoenix Contact A/S
PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
Qliktech
Salesforce
Tiger of Sweden
TooGoodToGo
Tradeshift Ltd
Trustpilot
Vivino Inc
Widex A/S
Workday
Elmann
Specialising in matters concerning the Danish Holiday Act, Elmann advises employers on how to register, report and pay out holiday allowance to Danish employees. Led by Henrik Græsdal, the group also advises senior executives on incentive schemes and severance agreements as well as assisting clients with GDPR issues.
Practice head(s):
Henrik Græsdal
Key clients
Regional authority for Southern Denmark
The municipality of Thisted
Nomad Digital Limited
The Municipality of Albertslund
EKKOfonden
Gulvkluden ApS
ID Film S.M.B.A
Memox ApS
Landsorganisationen for Sociale tilbud, LOS
Ocean Familiehus
Work highlights
- Representing the Region of Southern Denmark in two disputes about occupational injuries of general public importance.
- Conducted a legal investigation for The Municipality of Albertslund regarding the circumstances of a citizen’s death.
- Advised and represented EKKOfonden in litigation against a former employee regarding trade secrets and breaches of employment law/contractual obligations.
Moalem Weitemeyer
Moalem Weitemeyer‘s employment team has significant experience in large restructuring and redundancy programmes as well as investigations and litigation. The team has carved out a niche in the professional sports sector, advising professional athletes, clubs and managers on the full range of employment law issues. Pernille Nørkær and Poul Guo jointly lead the group.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘I am always confident that I will be connected to the expert in any given area. The feeling of being listened to by the deepest expertise in the office leaves us with a good impression.’
‘We know that Poul Guo is our man when it comes to employment and we always get a to-the-point answer from him. This is particularly valuable when we find ourselves to be headed in the wrong direction. We have learned and appreciated Poul’s input before we take action.’
Key clients
Envision Energy (Denmark) ApS
North-East Venture ApS
EasyTranslate A/S
Shade ApS
Chabs ApS
CO/PLUS A/S
Shape Robotics ApS
PennyWorthy IVS
TAKT A/S
Deepdivr.io ApS
Birger Christensen A/S
Espresso House A/S
Moodagent A/S
Tame ApS
Samlino.dk ApS
Permobil Danmark A/S
Lars Larsen Watches A/S
GN Store Nord A/S
FC Nordsjælland A/S
DSV A/S
Proactive A/S
Imerco A/S
DAY Birger Et Mikkelsen A/S
Chr. Olesen A/S
CNHI
Radware Ltd.
Littebits Electronic Inc.
Air Serbia
Group 888
Dell
Landis+Gyr
Zwilling J. A. Henckels Scandinavia A/S
Taipei Representative Office in Denmark
Reflexis Systems Inc.
Goodiebox ApS
Blue Cell Therapeutics ApS
President Institute A/S
Astralis Group A/S
Triple Ring Technologies, Inc.
Charlton Morris ApS
Amino Technologies plc.
TELUS International (Cda) Inc.
Son of a Tailor
River Stone Biotech LLC
CIPP MEP ApS
EGN Group A/S
Dexi ApS
NXP Semiconductors N.V.
Zero-Alpha Executive Services ApS
Aegir Insights ApS
Finematter ApS
Georg Jensen A/S
AM Consulting ApS
Karmameju ApS
Dana Incorporated
SS&C Technologies Inc
MUSIKUNDERVISNING.DK ApS
Ulobby ApS
Ivanti Software Ireland Group Limited
Work highlights
- Advised a private equity company on negotiating and implementing a management incentive scheme by issuing both shares and warrants, and with more than 70+ participants and over DKK25m in investment commitments from the participants.
- Advised a private equity company on negotiating and implementing a management incentive scheme in the form of warrants with different share classes and rights, and a complex exit mechanism.
- Advised a private equity company on negotiating and implementing a management incentive scheme by issuing shares.