At IP boutique ADVOKATFIRMAET GJESSINGREIMERS AS, the team has an excellent reputation for assisting prominent domestic and international companies with the full spectrum of non-contentious and contentious intellectual property matters. Multi-jurisdictional patent and trade mark litigation is a core pillar of strength for the department; Yngve Øyehaug Opsvik is well versed in handling the former. Practice head Felix Reimers is ‘an excellent practitioner‘ who stands out for his litigation expertise, and is equally adept at advising on patents, designs, trade marks, marketing work and trade secrets issues. Amund Brede Svendsen is a key name for contentious mandates pertaining to patent issues, with a core focus on the pharmaceuticals, oil and gas and biosimilar industries. Ida Gjessing is also highly regarded in the field.

Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS‘ practice is well known for handling large, cross-border IP litigation for clients in the aquaculture, pharmaceuticals, life sciences and media sectors. Marketing law, patents, copyright work, trade secret matters and unfair competition issues are also key pillars of strength for the team, which is led by IP specialist Vebjørn Krag Iversen. Other key practitioners are Andreas Bernt, who has expertise in advising on IP issues relating to telecoms, digitalisation and media matters; Håkon Bleken, who has extensive experience in patent litigation; ‘diligent‘ senior associate Håkon Austdal; and associate Emilie Holtermann, who advises on the IP aspects of contractual matters.

Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS garners praise for its ‘cutting-edge expertise in IP‘, and the ‘solution-oriented‘ team is ‘extremely service-minded and very pleasant to work with‘. Practice head Camilla Vislie is ‘simply outstanding in her field‘ and is very well known for her expertise in IP litigation; she recently represented Lilleborg in a trade mark and unfair competition dispute against Unilever, which was heard before the Supreme Court. Magnus Hauge Greaker ‘has vast knowledge of patent law and really goes the extra mile. His knowledge of law and technology is outstanding and he is a great communicator‘. Eirik W Raanes ‘is an outstanding litigator‘ and associate Andreas Stabell assists with copyright issues, trade secrets, patents, design matters and marketing law work. Charlotte Høgnes has left the firm for an in-house role.

Wiersholm has a solid track record in handling the full range of IP work for clients drawn from the aquaculture, IT, media, pharmaceuticals, retail, construction, offshore and renewable energy sectors. The practice is jointly led by Hans Erik Johnsen, who is highly regarded for his expertise in advising media and sports sector entities and regularly handles marketing and trade mark matters; the ‘very diligent and detail-oriented‘ Anne Marie Sejersted, who specialises in contentious patent work and acts for pharmaceuticals, offshore and energy sector entities; and Rune Opdahl, who has expertise in assisting technology, pharmaceuticals, media and retail companies with contentious and non-contentious trade mark, patent and copyright matters. Managing associates Dina Brask and Kristiane Aarvik are additional names to note.

Wikborg Rein is highly regarded for its ‘deep expertise in IP‘. The team is led by Hanna Beyer Olaussen, who has ‘enormous knowledge of intellectual property law‘ and regularly advises on trade mark, marketing, and copyright issues. Of counsel Gunnar Meyer is ‘one of Norway’s most experienced patent litigators‘; he recently represented three banks before the Supreme Court in a long-running unfair competition and trade mark dispute with Bank Norwegian, concerning the latter’s use of the clients’ trade marks in Google keyword advertising. The ‘very strong‘ Lars Erik Steinkjer handles trade secrets matters, licensing agreements and a broad range of intellectual property rights issues, and senior associate Nora Bratheim is ‘a rising star‘ - ‘her responsiveness in difficult matters is stellar‘.

Are Stenvik and managing associate Eirik Basmo Ellingsen jointly head up the intellectual property practice at BAHR, which is highly regarded for its established expertise in patent litigation. Life sciences and pharmaceuticals companies are prominent in the group’s client base, which also acts for retail, aquaculture and technology sector entities. Of counsel Gunnar Sørlie is regularly sought after by pharmaceuticals clients for his excellent track record in assisting with complex patent litigation, as is senior associate Anja Stensrud Elverum, while Lars Norheim is a key name for assisting media clients with the IP aspects of transactions.

The intellectual property team at Kvale Advokatfirma DA ‘possesses strong business and commercial insight‘. Led by the ‘very responsive and clear-minded‘ Marie Vaale-Hallberg, the group has an excellent reputation for its strength in advising technology, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage and retail clients on patent matters and trade mark litigation. Other key practitioners include patent litigation specialist Ingvild Hanssen-Bauer; Lars Trygve Jenssen, who is sought after for his experience in assisting with software licensing and unfair competition issues, to name a couple of core strengths; and senior associate Sunniva Viken, who regularly advises on marketing law.

Advokatfirmaet Schjødt‘s team of ‘highly experienced professionals‘ is sought after by global and Norwegian companies for its expertise in complex IP litigation; the group also handles the full spectrum of IP work. Department head Thomas Hagen, who made partner in 2022, is ‘a star in the making‘; he is well versed in marketing law, transactional matters and trade secrets issues. Halvor Manshaus is a key contact for contentious mandates, and Knut Sverre Skurdal Andresen is noted for his ‘in-depth knowledge‘ of patent, trade mark and copyright disputes. Senior associate Jenny Nondal assists life sciences and technology clients with contractual work. In December 2021, Øyvind Eidissen Ransedokken joined from Advokatfirmaet Føyen AS.

IP expert Rune Ljostad heads up the practice at Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig, which is highly regarded for its strength in advising clients in the media and entertainment industry on copyright issues. The department has seen an increase in instructions from life sciences companies, and continues to handle contentious trade mark work, unfair competition matters, and licensing and distribution agreements, to name a few areas. Senior associate Nicholas Foss Barbantonis is ‘very clear and precise‘, and acts in high-profile IP transactions, unfair business issues and trade mark matters, while senior associate Hedda Baumann Heier regularly acts as counsel to international companies within the music sector.

The ‘dedicated‘ team at Arntzen de Besche has ‘great knowledge and expertise‘ in handling large transactional mandates, as well as advising on licensing and development agreements, patents, trade marks, designs, copyright work and domain name issues. IP litigation is another key pillar of strength for the practice. Department head Tommy Dahlen is ‘very dedicated to assisting his clients in the best way possible‘, and specialises in assisting Norwegian and international companies with IP rights. Other key practitioners are Andreas Nordby, who is sought after for his expertise in IP litigation, and senior lawyer Christopher Hestnes, who ‘combines impressive knowledge of technology and intellectual property with an easy way of explaining complex matters‘.

At Bull & Co Advokatfirma AS, the team acts as counsel to Puma on the its intellectual property rights and counterfeit issues. The group is also regularly instructed by consumer goods and media sector companies on trade mark, copyright, domain name and design mandates. Lisa Digernes, who heads up the practice, focuses on international contractual matters, and Rune Nordengen is a key contact for IP litigation. Tom G Eilertsen specialises in assisting media clients, and Bente Holmvang has an excellent reputation for her expertise in marketing law. Jenny Sveen Hovda left the firm in 2022, moving in-house.

Advokatfirmaet CLP DA‘s ‘compact, knowledgeable and consistent‘ team provides ‘solid and competent advice‘ to technology and software companies, start-ups and media sector clients on licensing and distribution disputes, contentious trade mark and copyright issues and a broad range of transactional mandates. Practice co-head Stephan Brodschöll is a key name for handing contentious and non-contentious IP mandates, and fellow co-head Hanne Heltne ‘provides high quality and commercially oriented advice. She is very skilful with a focus on the client‘.

CMS Kluge advises clients from the oil and gas, technology, and entertainment sectors on copyright, trade mark, design and patents matters, and has notable strength in handling a range of high-profile IP litigation. Kyrre Tangen Andersen continues to lead the advice to Neodrill regarding ongoing patent litigation against oil service company Aker Solutions. Thomas Rieber-Mohn, who heads up the practice, is an expert in copyright law, and Marte Thorsby has expertise in IP rights matters. Senior associates Henrik Høines and Erlend Aarli are also noted.

Monica Syrdal leads the IP team at Advokatfirmaet Hjort, which is well known for its solid track record in handling contentious IP mandates and a wide spectrum of copyright matters. Syrdal has an excellent reputation for advising media clients on regulatory work, most recently on copyright legislation. Patent rights are a core area of strength for Rolf Trolle Andersen, who is equally adept at advising on trade mark, marketing and design law. Managing associate Øivind K. Foss assists with IP litigation and a range of contractual work.

The intellectual property practice at SANDS fields a ‘well-coordinated and highly efficient‘ team, which ‘exudes confidence and is realistic in its advice‘. Department head Katrine Malmer-Høvik is ‘skilled, efficient and very responsive‘ with ‘strong leadership skills and the needed authority‘; she is highly regarded for her expertise in patent, trade mark, marketing and trade secrets matters. Key names to note at associate level include Kristine Farstadvoll, the ‘confident‘ Henriette Wiker and Yonos Strøm Sønmez.

Brækhus Advokatfirma DA‘s practice handles a broad spectrum of contentious and non-contentious IP work, and has notable strength in advising on trade mark and design portfolios. The group regularly acts as counsel to a client base of companies from the retail, life sciences, telecoms, media and real estate sectors. Department head Julius Berg Kaasin is adept at advising on trade secrets law, while Alexander Mollan assists technology companies with transactional work, and Ida Braband specialises in media and copyright law. Associate Karna Fog regularly acts on IP mandates concerning IT contracts.

Led by Petter Bjerke, the team at DLA Piper is noted for its expertise in assisting clients with trade mark issues, marketing law, distribution and licensing agreements and commercial contracts, to name a few areas. Technology, entertainment, media and aquaculture entities are prominent in the group’s client base. Kjetil Haare Johansen handles unfair competition issues and intellectual property portfolios for clients drawn from the retail and manufacturing sectors. Associate Oscar Melaa is also a key name to note, and Ketil Sellæg Ramberg joined the team from SANDS.

Led by Knut Glad, the team at Advokatfirmaet Føyen AS regularly handles instructions from clients in the culture, arts and IT sectors, and has established strength in advising on trade mark and copyright issues. Jostein Ramse is a key contact for assisting technology clients with the copyright and trade mark aspects arising from licensing transactions. At senior associate level, Beatrice Ignacius and Kjetil Wick Sætre advise on copyright, design, and trade mark matters. In December 2021, Øyvind Eidissen Ransedokken moved to Advokatfirmaet Schjødt.

At Ræder Bing, recent instructions for the group include advising a technology company on global licensing agreements and patent matters. The entertainment, banking, e-commerce and retail industries are other key sector strengths for the team. Practice head Vebjørn Søndersrød has a solid track record in handling trade mark, copyright, marketing and advertising mandates, and Trygve Gravdahl has an excellent reputation for his expertise in unfair competition matters. Corporate expert Carl Garmann Clausen assists technology companies with contractual issues.