Foreign firms in Greenland

Gorrissen Federspiel

Gorrissen Federspiel has a long-standing reputation for representing enterprises domiciled in or with activities in Greenland and has established in-depth knowledge of the special circumstances that apply to doing business in Greenland. The group's client roster spans Greenland’s main industries encompassing the energy, mining, infrastructure, shipping, transport and fishing sectors, and the team regularly assists Greenlandic clients with corporate and asset finance work, compliance issues, and real estate matters. Michael Meyer, who ‘has a unique overview of Danish and Greenlandic law, especially within competition law’, is head of the Greenland desk, which also leverages the expertise of banking and finance expert Thomas Maaberg Hansen, shipping specialist Peter Appel, and Morten Hans Jakobsen, who focuses on transport finance mandates. The team’s strategic cooperation with Nuuk-based law firm Arctic Law Greenland ApS combines the firm’s corporate expertise with regional capabilities.

Practice head(s):

Michael Meyer


Other key lawyers:

Thomas Maaberg Hansen; Peter Appel; Morten Hans Jakobsen


Testimonials

‘Gorrissen Federspiel has my highest recommendations. It’s a company consisting of extreme specialists within every legal aspect in Denmark. Their attorneys are capable of consuming large amount of complex material and making it understandable to their clients.’

‘Michael Meyer has a unique overview of Danish and Greenlandic law especially within competition law.’

Key clients

Air Greenland


GCAM LP


Lumina Sustainable Materials A/S


Polar Seafood Greenland


Royal Arctic Line


Royal Greenland


Tanbreez Mining Greenland


Permagreen Greenland A/S


Work highlights


  • Acted for Royal Arctic Line as respondent in a claim from a shipper, Usisaat ApS regarding damage on goods in a container in a Greenlandic port due to water ingress.
  • Advised Polar Seafood Greenland on successfully assisting a wreck removal order in respect of the sinking of Polar Aassik in western Greenland in 2021.
  • Advised flag carrier airline Air Greenland with its approx. $250m acquisition of one new Airbus A330-800NEO.

Bech-Bruun

Bech-Bruun utilises its energy and mining sector expertise to advise clients on obtaining mineral resource licenses, public law issues and matters arising from energy and infrastructure projects. The practice has a diverse client roster including the Government of Greenland and government-owned entities, private companies, foreign corporates and local municipalities. Johan Weihe, who is head of the firm’s Greenland energy department, has extensive knowledge of mineral resource law and public issues in Greenland; he works closely with Per Hemmer and the duo are noted for their energy sector and climate knowledge, which is focused on renewable energy projects and regulatory issues.

Practice head(s):

Johan Weihe


Other key lawyers:

Per Hemmer


Key clients

Government of Greenland


NunaGreen A/S


SIKUKI Nuuk Harbour A/S


Nukissiorfiit


KAIR International A/S


Kommune Kujalleq


AirGreenland A/S


Work highlights


  • Advised NunaGreen A/S on the corporate structure, tender process, financing and construction of an expansion of the hydropower plant in Nuuk and a new hydropower plant in Qasigiannguit and Aasiaat.
  • Advised SIKUKI Nuuk Harbour A/S on the expansion of the industrial harbour in Nuuk.
  • Advised Nukissiorfiit on the public tender of the technical adviser regarding the expansion of the Hydropower Plant in Nuuk, called Buksefjorden Vandkraftværk.

Bruun & Hjejle

Bruun & Hjejle‘s Greenland desk is a key contact for public authorities and governments, regularly advising on public and administrative law issues, regulatory work, contracts and foreign investments. The practice also notably handles real estate, construction, infrastructure and energy projects, leveraging its expertise in the mining, metals, and oil and gas sectors. Litigator Ole Spiermann leads the group and regularly acts in disputes involving Greenlandic clients.

Practice head(s):

Ole Spiermann


Work highlights


  • Acted for Greenland’s self-government, Naalakkersuisut, in a principal legal investigation into a Greenlandic trade school regarding whether the tendering of two bachelor’s degree programmes offered in the summer of 2019 in Greenland had been legal, and who bore the responsibility.