The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Norway > Capital markets

Viggo Bang-Hansen and Bjarne Rogdaberg jointly lead the practice at Advokatfirmaet Schjødt, which handles the full spectrum of ECM, DCM, high-yield bond, restructuring and regulatory work for a high-profile client roster. The group is particularly recognised for its expertise in the offshore and oil services sector; clients include Ocean Yield, Songa Offshore and DNO. The team also recently advised Euronext on its acquisition of Oslo Bors VPS Holding. The practice also fields the ‘extremely efficient, positive and solution-oriented’ Thomas Aanmoen, Audun Bondkall, who specialises in transactional work, M&A and securities law; the highly experienced Erling Christiansen, and Camilla Skøie Mørkve, who handles shipping, rig and offshore financings.

BAHR is singled out for handling some of the markets most complex equity capital markets work alongside experience in debt offerings and regulatory matters; in a recent highlight, the group advised an underwriting syndicate comprised of JP Morgan, Arctic Securities and SEB on the spin-off of Adevinta from Schibsted and the simultaneous IPO of Adevinta on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Lars Knem Christie led the matter and is praised by clients for being ‘extremely knowledgeable of the market’; other key individuals include practice head Richard Sjøqvist, who focuses on DCM work; Svein Gerhard Simonnæs, who primarily advises on private and public M&A; and Rolf Johan Ringdal, who is a key name for international work and has experience in the shipping, offshore, energy and transport sectors. Erik Langseth also leads the firm’s company law group and Bjørn Gabriel Reed is the main contact for securities work. Martin Nilssen and Magnus Tønseth were promoted to the partnership in 2019.

Fielding a ‘solid and very experienced team’, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS’ practice is jointly led by Christian Grüner Sagstad and Solveig Fagerheim Bugge and also fields M&A and ECM specialist Hans Cappelen Arnesen, ‘outstanding transaction lawyer’ Anders Arnkværn and financing expert Einar Grette. The group is notably strong in the IPO market and handles the full range of ECM, DCM and regulatory work; it recently advised Oslo Bors VPS Holding on its acquisition by Euronext and also assisted Kongsberg Gruppen with its NOK5bn acquisition of Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine. Other clients include Goldman Sachs International, DNB Markets and Arctic Securities.

Wiersholm is a key contact for investment banks and issuers at a national and international level and regularly handles IPOs, debt and equity offerings; the group is also experienced in derivatives, structured products and regulatory mandates. The team has recently been active in the IPO space; it was involved in the IPO of Ultimovacs and was issuer counsel for the listing of Adevinta on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Sverre Sandvik and Tone Østensen jointly lead the department, which also includes Simen Mejlænder, who ‘provides good and practical advice’, and managing associate Anne Lise E. Gryte.

At Wikborg Rein, Dag Erik Rasmussen heads up the team and Stian Tande Mortensen leads the debt capital markets offering. The group counts institutional investors, investment banks, funds and blue-chip companies as clients; key examples include DNB Bank, Norsk Hydro and Pareto Securities. The practice is also praised for its knowledge of the offshore and energy sectors and its public takeover expertise; it recently advised Transocean on its takeover of Ocean Rig UDW. Per Anders Sæhle is also recommended for ECM and public M&A work, Bergen office managing partner Jan Erik Clausen handles stock exchange and securities law issues, and Ole Andenæs, who joined from an in-house position at Carnegie, is head of the firm’s financial regulatory practice.

Marianne Sahl Sveen heads up the department at Arntzen de Besche, which has ‘strong industry insight’ and notable sector strength in the oil and gas, technology, seafood and real estate industries; clients include Shearwater Geoservices, Rasmussengruppen and Magseis. The practice also has substantial international experience acting on cross-border bond matters. Newly promoted partner Henrik Braavold Johansen and Trond Kildal are also recommended for ECM work, while Vidar Løhre, who recently joined from Wikborg Rein is the key name for DCM work. The practice also strengthened its regulatory offering with the recruitment of financial regulatory specialist Karl Rosén from Advokatfirmaet Grette AS in 2019; Per Kristian Ramsland also enhanced the Stavanger-based offering following his recruitment from Kluge Advokatfirma AS and Susanne Munch Thore, who joined from Wikborg Rein, is also active in capital markets transactions.

Advokatfirmaet CLP DA primarily focuses on ECM work and regularly acts for issuers, investors and managers on equity offerings; the team also assists with securities and stock exchange law issues and corporate governance work. Department head Edvard Cock handles M&A, restructurings, stock exchange listings and issuances; and Andreas Kildal advises on public and private M&A and trades in listed securities. Lars Gunnar Aas, Jakob Villum and senior associate Joakim Gjerde also contribute to the practice.

Under the leadership of Cornelius Sogn Ness, Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS handles the full range of capital markets transactions spanning IPOs, private placements, bond issuances and public takeovers. The group is particularly noted for its public M&A work and recently advised Tieto on its takeover of Evry through a public cross-border merger. The group also counts Telenor, Pareto Securities, Axactor and Okea as clients. Other noteworthy individuals include corporate and private equity expert Andreas Vik, transactional specialist Bård Sandstad, and Hans-Christian Donjem, who is the key contact for DCM work.

With expertise across equity and debt capital markets work, Advokatfirmaet Selmer AS is a key contact for Nordic financial institutions; its client roster includes Pareto Securities, Nordea and Arctic Securities. The group is also active in the high-yield bond arena. Bernt Olav Steinland and Robert Sveen jointly lead the practice; Steinland is recommended for regulatory work and Sveen advises on transactional matters. Other noteworthy practitioners include Andreas Jarbø, who handles ECM transactions for financial institutions, Christopher Jensen, who specialises in DCM work, and newly promoted partner Jon Fredrik Johansen, who assists with stock exchange and securities law.

At Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig, Christoffer Bjerknes leads the ECM expertise, while Halvor Klingenberg, who joined from Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS in 2018, is the main DCM contact. Clients also praise Amund Fougner Bugge, who is ‘very client centric’ and focuses on ECM transactions. The practice has experience across equity, debt and securitisation matters and counts corporates, financial institutions, funds and asset managers as clients; notable examples include Norwegian Air Shuttle, Norwegian Finans Holding and Songa Container.

Andreas Myrstad leads the capital markets and M&A group at Advokatfirmaet Grette AS, which is ’very responsive with great deal management skills’. The team handles a wide range of equity and debt mandates and has notable expertise in the technology, life sciences, financial services, renewable energy, infrastructure, real estate and construction sectors. Thomas J. Fjell is a key name for restructurings, equity issues and financial workouts; Thomas Borch-Nielsen, who joined from Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS, focuses on the renewable energy sector. Børge A Grøttjord joined DLA Piper.

Kluge Advokatfirma AS is singled out for its regulatory expertise and also has a notable client roster, which includes key public sector clients. The practice is also highly regarded for its securities law knowledge and utilises the firm’s wider energy sector experience. Atle Degré heads up the department and is a securities law expert. Per Kristian Ramsland joined Arntzen de Besche in late 2019.