Capital markets in Norway

Equity capital markets work forms a core pillar of BAHR‘s practice, with established strength in advising public and private companies on public takeovers, stock exchange listings and share offerings. Debt capital markets mandates are also prominent in the team’s workload, an area where Richard Sjøqvist is the key contact. Sjøqvist co-heads the department with Lars Knem Christie, who specialises in ECM matters. Arne Tjaum advises on restructurings, securities law and stock exchange regulatory issues, while Rolf Johan Ringdal is adept at handling equity and debt work for clients in the shipping, offshore, energy and transport sectors. Other key practitioners are finance specialist Audun Nedrelid and Robin Bakken, who returned to the practice in 2020. Bjørn Gabriel Reed left the firm in January 2021.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS‘ department has ‘very strong competence in capital markets‘. Led by Christian Grüner Sagstad, the ‘very experienced and service-minded‘ team provides ‘quality and practical advice‘ to prominent corporates and investment banks on a broad spectrum of equity and debt capital markets matters, including private placements, high-profile IPOs and stock exchange listings, and large bond issuances. The ‘service-minded‘ Einar Grette is highly regarded for his expertise in bond and debt transactions, and Hans Cappelen Arnesen is ‘very good at finding solutions and ensuring a smooth execution‘ when handling ECM mandates. Anders Arnkværn is singled out for M&A and refinancing work, Solveig Fagerheim Bugge focuses on securities law and regulatory work, and newly promoted partner Lars Martin Sveen acts for issuer and manager clients on private placement and listing matters.

Wiersholm‘s ‘broad‘ capital markets team has ‘outstanding knowledge‘ across the spectrum of capital markets matters. The ‘extremely knowledgeable and pragmatic‘ Sverre Sandvik advises on a wide range of debt and equity capital markets mandates, with notable expertise in private placements, convertible bond matters, IPOs and rights offerings; he jointly leads the department with Simen Mejlænder, who works with Norwegian and international issuers and managers on a wide range of equity capital markets transactions, and is noted for his securities law expertise. Tone Østensen has extensive experience in stock exchange law and M&A mandates, and Anne Lise E. Gryte made partner in January 2021.

Wikborg Rein‘s capital markets department is led by Dag Erik Rasmussen, who is highly regarded for his established expertise in handling equity capital markets mandates. The team is well known for representing blue-chip clients in complex, large-scale matters, and has recently been involved in high-profile listings, private placements and refinancings. Stian Tande Mortensen heads up the debt capital markets group. Ole Andenæs is the main name for the financial services department; Per Anders Sæhle acts on ECM and M&A transactions and IPOs; and senior associate Karoline Stock Evje advises shareholders, issuers and managers on securities law.

Arntzen de Besche is well known for acting for issuers, international corporates, investors and financial institutions on high-profile ECM mandates; recent instructions include IPOs and private placement issues. The team is also singled out for its strength in debt work, and regularly advises on matters involving cross-border elements. Vidar Løhre is very experienced in advising oil and gas companies on debt capital markets matters, while Henrik Braavold Johansen assists with IPOs and transactions relating to listed companies. Former practice head Marianne Lind Sahl moved to Advokatfirmaet Schjødt in January 2022.

At Advokatfirmaet CLP DA, recent instructions for the group include practice head Edvard Cock leading the advice to Atlantic Sapphire on its $121m private placement; the team had previously assisted the client with its listing process on the Oslo Stock Exchange’s main board. Stock exchange and securities law are other cornerstone areas of strength for the department. Andreas Kildal handles listed securities trading matters, and senior lawyer Joakim Gjerde acts for issuers, investors and managers on capital markets transactions.

Led by Cornelius Sogn Ness, the team at Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS advised Axactor on its NOK320m private placement and NOK213m subsequent offering, as well as the company’s subsequent listing on Oslo Børs; the group also assisted the client in connection with a NOK2bn mandatory takeover offer by Geveran Trading. Other key practitioners are the ‘experienced‘ Hans-Christian Donjem, who handles financing mandates; M&A expert Kjetil Hardeng, and senior lawyer Ragnar Gundersen Koffeld, who assists with IPOs, private placements and DCM mandates.

Thomas Aanmoen and Bjarne Rogdaberg jointly lead the practice at Advokatfirmaet Schjødt, which has been kept busy handling high-profile equity and debt capital markets transactions, restructurings, private placements and IPOs for clients in the financial, offshore and oil sectors. High-yield bond work is another area of expertise for the team. Viggo Bang-Hansen focuses on restructurings and public M&A work, and Audun Bondkall is a key contact for international and public transactions. Senior associate Vegard André Fiskerstrand advises on securities law and represents issuers and managers in transactional matters. Marianne Lind Sahl joined from Arntzen de Besche in January 2022.

The capital markets practice at Advokatfirmaet Selmer AS has an established track record in acting for Norwegian financial institutions, Nordic investment banks and high-profile issuers on a range of high-value transactions. Practice co-head Jon Fredrik Johansen is a key name for equity transactional work, IPOs and private placements, while co-head Andreas Jarbø specialises in securities law and also advises on public takeovers. Bernt Olav Steinland concentrates on regulatory work, and senior associate Milja Lønne Mørkhagen is ‘always very well prepared‘.

The capital markets practice at Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig operates out of the firm’s corporate, and banking and finance departments. Key pillars of strength for the team include high-profile IPOs and listings, private equity capital markets matters and high-value private placements. The practice is particularly strong in the real estate, finance, retail, technology and pharmaceuticals sectors. Christoffer Bjerknes and Halvor Klingenberg jointly head up the department, which includes ‘stellar lawyer and legal adviser‘ Amund Fougner Bugge, and ‘highly competent and client-focused‘ associate Ingvild Walle Skraastad.

At AGP Advokater, the ‘very pragmatic‘ team has been kept busy handling high-profile IPO listings and equity capital mandates, as well as high-value bond issuances. Telecoms and technology companies are prominent in the department’s client roster. Lars André Gjerdrum is very experienced in assisting investment banks with capital markets transactions and stock exchange matters; he co-leads the practice with securities law expert Hege Dahl. Gard A. Skogstrøm ‘delivers excellent results‘ on equity and debt transactional work, and senior associate Kjersti Løwehr acts on IPO matters.

The capital markets department at CMS Kluge works in tandem with the firm’s corporate and banking and finance practices to advise on IPOs, listings, private placements, securities, high-yield bond issuances, and share disposals and acquisitions. The practice is jointly led by Johan Svedberg, who is the key contact for equity work, and Dag Thomas Hansson, who handles debt financing mandates. Atle Degré has left the firm and is now a judge.

Andreas Myrstad heads up the group at Advokatfirmaet Grette AS, which has been kept busy advising clients from the infrastructure, financial services and real estate industries on high-yield bond issuances, EMTN programmes and restructurings. Erik Alsvik Skogsbakken specialises in debt financing work, and Thomas J. Fjell is a key contact for cross-border restructurings and transactions.