The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Norway > Electricity and renewable energy

BAHR’s energy practice handles the full spectrum of mandates for a high-profile client list including energy producers and operators, grid owners, investment companies and developers; key examples include Statkraft, Hafslund E-CO and Fortum Oslo Varme. The team regularly assists with complex transactions, financing work, contentious mandates and competition issues; it has also recently strengthened its regulatory offering and is a key name in the market for special tax regulations relating to renewable energy. Jon Christian Thaulow heads up the group, Rune Svoren is experienced in transactional electricity work and Helge Olav Bugge focuses on electricity tax and production matters. Other noteworthy individuals include managing partner Thomas Svensen and Rolf Busch.

Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS’ ‘well-knit team of true professionals’ acts for a range of Nordic power and grid companies across wind power production, hydropower production and electricity grid projects. The group ‘combines outstanding competence with longstanding experience’ to handle some of the regions high-profile mandates; it recently advised BlackRock on its acquisition of the Guleslettene wind farm. Aksel Tannum leads the department, which also fields energy specialist Johan Fredrik Remmen, renewables expert Jøran Sandvik, litigator Håkon Bleken and Jarle W Holstrøm, who handles infrastructure mandates and development projects. Clients also praise newly promoted partner Pål Martin Abell, who is ’a rising star of the firm’ and senior lawyer Mari Reitzel Bjerke.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS is notably active across the renewable space and regularly acts for utility clients in the renewable energy, hydroelectric, wind, heating, waste and bioenergy sectors. The practice also stands out for its regulatory expertise and is active in infrastructure and grid operations work alongside experience in project development work, litigation, licensing issues, environmental law and restructuring matters. Practice head Jens Naas-Bibow regularly handles energy licences and energy sector regulatory work; other key practitioners include power regulation expert Gunnar Martinsen, concession law, corporate and tax specialist Bendik Christoffersen and Jacob F Bull, who advises on energy construction projects. Thomas Borch-Nielsen departed to Advokatfirmaet Grette AS.

Wiersholm advises renewable energy operators on the full range of issues encompassing regulatory matters, transactional work, power purchase agreements, financing mandates, project developments and litigation. The practice’s client roster include domestic and international clients with notable examples including Statnett, Statkraft and TrønderEnergi. Inge Ekker Bartnes and Jon Rabben jointly lead the group and are recommended for regulatory, contractual and corporate work; Kristine Hasle Øverby also handles transactional work and renewable project finance issues. Odd-Harald Berg Wasenden joined Arntzen de Besche in 2020.

Tormod Ludvik Nilsen leads the full service energy and renewables practice at Wikborg Rein, which is singled out for its expertise in the wind and hydropower sectors and also handles grid-related transactions and contentious matters. The group’s wind power expertise encompasses financing, PPA and project development and the group recently advised Stadtwerke München on its acquisition of a majority share in Midgard Vind Holdings. Jan Erik Clausen is a key name in the Bergen office and focuses on energy and electricity matters; and Birgitte Karlsen  handles project development work.

Advokatfirmaet Schjødt’s department stands out in the market for its transactional expertise in the hydroelectric, wind and solar sectors; the group also handles regulatory work and dispute resolution. The team fields practitioners across the firm’s Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger offices; Bergen-based practice head Sindre Søndenå Andersen focuses on the wind, hydro and emerging technology sectors, Sverre Bjelland in Stavanger handles cross-border projects and regulatory issues, and Hallvard Gilje Aarseth acts in energy disputes from the Oslo office.

Advokatfirmaet Hjort leverages its contentious strength to act in energy disputes; the team is also active in transactional work, particularly grid operations, and contractual issues, public procurement matters, security mandates and public law. The practice also has niche expertise in the reindeer industry and the rights of the Sami people as they relate to the development of energy projects in Northern Norway, and also advises on the digitalisation of the energy sector and the expropriation of land for power projects. Kristin Bjella heads up the practice, which also includes transactional experts Rolf Chr. Trolle Andersen and Jørn Uggerud, and digitalisation specialist Kristin Veierød.

Kvale Advokatfirma DA advises on the full spectrum of transactional, regulatory and contentious mandates for clients at a regional, domestic and international level; notable examples include Hafslund, TrønderEnergi, aventron and Tafjord Kraft. Group leader Christian Poulsson has substantial expertise in regulatory matters, commodities and derivatives trading and real estate issues; the practice also counts Per Conradi Andersen, who handles transactions, restructurings and disputes, as a key practitioner. The practice also gained Sverre Tysland from SANDS in 2020.

Benefiting from its merger with Kyllingstad Kleveland Advokatfirma DA in early 2019, Advokatfirmaet Selmer AS has notable expertise in the hydropower industry with clients including Norsk Hydro, Statkraft and multiple municipalities. The group is also active in the wind and solar sectors; it recently advised Solvind Project on the sale of Storøy Wind Farm to Aventron. Håkon Sandbekk leads the department and handles all stages of renewables projects; other key individuals include Roy Slettvold, who acts for several regional utility companies. Senior associate Maria Mikkelsen joined from a position in the Department of Climate and Environment.

Peter Aall Simonsen leads the energy practice at Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig, which advises on the full range of renewable energy matters including power grid issues, the transmission of electricity, renewable energy projects, hydroelectric power, new technologies and project financings, regulatory matters and transactional work. The group is also singled out for its wind power expertise and has been increasingly active in international projects. The team also has a notable presence in Kristiansand, which includes Robin Aker Jakobsen, who is experienced in power grid regulations and electricity transmissions.

Arntzen de Besche’s climate, environment and renewables team is primarily based in the firm’s Trondheim office and has notable strength in handling transactional and regulatory matters for local grid and power companies. The practice also advises on hydropower and wind power projects, while the team in Oslo focuses on transactional, competition and contentious mandates. Practice head Steffen G Rogstad counts TrønderEnergi Group as a key client, Erlend Solberg focuses on wind energy projects, and Oslo-based Espen I Bakken handles wind power transactions and state aid issues. Renewable energy and climate rights specialist Odd-Harald Berg Wasenden joined the group in early 2020 from Wiersholm.

Advokatfirmaet CLP DA’s renewable energy, power and transmission department, which was formerly part of the corporate group, has notable strength in transactional mandates including acquisitions and divestments; the team’s expertise also encompasses power purchase agreements, project developments, cable and grid projects, energy software issues and clean-tech investments. The group’s client roster includes domestic and international purchasers, sellers, stakeholders and managers; key examples include Agder Energi, Hafslund Marked and eSmart Systems. Lars Gunnar Aas and newly promoted partner Amund Erdal jointly lead the practice.

DLA Piper has key expertise in onshore wind projects and utilises the firm’s wider network to assist with Nordic and global matters. The team is also praised for its construction experience, renewable energy project and transmission systems knowledge, and project financing expertise; clients include DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale and Deutsche Bank. Fredrik Lindblom, who is primarily based in London, leads the team, which also fields managing partner Kaare Oftedal and banking partner Erik Ramm. Dag Thomas Hansson joined Kluge Advokatfirma AS in late 2019.

SANDS’ cross-practice team advises on all elements of energy production including transactions, restructurings, regulatory work and advisory matters in the hydropower, wind and solar sectors. Alf Øystein Skudal handles hydropower and grid matters, Halvor Grov assists with renewable sector reorganisations and transactions, and Vidar Johnsen is a construction and contract law specialist. Former group head Sverre Tysland joined Kvale Advokatfirma DA in 2020.