Arntzen de Besche > Oslo, Norway > Firm Profile
Arntzen de Besche Offices
PO BOX 2734
SOLLI
0204 OSLO
Norway
Arntzen de Besche > The Legal 500 Rankings
Norway > Banking and finance (including shipping finance) Tier 1
Arntzen de Besche‘s practice fields a ‘highly skilled team with in-depth knowledge of banking and banking products‘. Led by Trond Kildal, the group is well known for advising oil and gas clients on large-scale exploration and production financings, and also has notable expertise in assisting Norwegian and international financial institutions, property funds and investors with real estate financings. Karl Rosén is a key name for financial regulatory work, while Vidar Løhre assists with debt capital matters. Siril Visnes specialises in representing borrowers and lenders in syndicated and bilateral financings across a broad range of industries.Practice head(s):
Trond Kildal
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Siril Visnes has significant experience and knowledge on banking and banking products. She is a strong discussion partner that gives you comfort that your interests as a bank are well taken care of, both for standard transactions and in more complicated and complex cases. Would highly recommend her as a lawyer.’
‘They are all service-minded and deliver above expectations.’
‘Extremely professional and service-minded.’
Key clients
Pareto Securities AS
Bank of America Europe
Nordea Bank Abp
Shearwater Geoservices Holding AS
DNB Markets
Sparebank 1 Markets
Danske Bank A/S
KMC Properties ASA
Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) in Norway, Denmark and Sweden
Citibank N.A., London Branch
DigiPlex
Kreos Capital VI (UK) Limited
Frende Holding AS
Carneo AB
Work highlights
- Acted as Norwegian counsel to Citibank N.A., Bank of America Europe, and Wilmington Trust on a cross-border financing, spanning 16 jurisdictions and with an approximate total of €5.2bn.
- Advised KMC Properties on a Norwegian issuance of NOK1.8bn senior secured bonds.
- Advised SAS AB on the completion of a SEK14.25bn recapitalisation plan.
Norway > Employment Tier 1
Led by Frode Martin Toftevåg, who is ‘a competent employment lawyer, always hands on, and provides clear, timely and very sound advice‘, the employment practice at Arntzen de Besche is praised by clients for its ‘strong knowledge and competence within Norwegian labour law‘. The group has a strong presence in the aviation industry, and experience advising on collective labour law issues. The team is also well-versed in assisting clients from the media sector. Sven Iver Steen specialises in pensions issues, and firm managing partner Håvard Sandnes has expertise in handling business transfer matters. Christian Backe assists with transfers of undertakings, downsizings, reorganisations and whistleblowing issues. The ‘exceptional‘ Knut-Marius Sture is also active in the group.Practice head(s):
Frode Martin Toftevåg
Other key lawyers:
Christan Backe; Sven Iver Steen; Håvard Sandnes; Knut-Marius Sture
Testimonials
‘Arntzen de Besche is our go to firm for Norwegian employment law advice. Carefully thought out and crafted advice.’
‘Knut-Marius Sture is exceptional – always responsive/available and really understands the needs and pressures of multi-national clients. He is also not afraid to give robust and forward thinking advice.’
‘Frode Martin Toftevåg is outstanding. He understands the client’s needs, often better than the client himself, and goes beyond what anyone can expect to accommodate those needs in a timely fashion. His legal understanding and knowledge is unmatched, with an extraordinary ability to solve issues previously thought unsolvable in the most complex legal areas. He delivers truly exceptional quality, always on schedule, and is quick to respond.’
‘Håvard Sandnes is very professional, very solution oriented, very calm, treating all individuals with respect. Highly skilled.’
‘The team’s strengths are speed of response, quality of the advice and the practicality of it. They never ‘sit on the fence’, and provide clear, concise direction.’
‘All of the individuals in the team are of the highest calibre. It doesn’t matter who you deal with, they are extremely knowledgeable, professional and able to explain the most complex legal issues in the most straightforward way. Moreover, they are exceptionally personable and a real pleasure to work with.’
‘Very good knowledge about employment law and practice.’
‘A competent and professional team with quick response to any questions we may have.’
Key clients
Equinor ASA
Seadrill
SAS Group
Nordic Entertainment Group
The Central Bank of Norway
Widerøe Flyveselskap AS
Vard Group AS
Orkla
DNB Bank
TrønderEnergi AS
Dommerforeningen
Avinor AS
Novartis Norge AS
The Ministry of Finance
Sparebanken Vest
Nettpartner AS
Aviator Airport Alliance AS
Spencer Stuart
Work highlights
- Advising airline carrier SAS on a range of employment law and pension matters, most recently on workforce reductions arising from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Advised the Norwegian Ministry of Finance on an employment matter concerning the appointment of a CEO.
- Advised the Norwegian judges’ organisation on the employment aspects of the reorganisation of the judiciary in Norway.
Norway > EU and competition Tier 1
Arntzen de Besche‘s EU and competition practice is home to a ‘strong team with unique industry knowledge‘. The department covers the full range of matters, spanning merger control work, competition litigation, investigations and cartel cases, and state aid mandates. The client roster includes names in the food, construction, transport, oil and gas and pharmaceuticals industries. Svein Terje Tveit is ‘a very skilled competition lawyer‘, with expertise in EU and EEA regulatory work and complex disputes; he shares leadership of the practice with Espen I Bakken, who focuses on state aid and public procurement work, and merger control expert Stein Ove Solberg. Senior lawyer Frida May Behrens regularly handles antitrust and public procurement matters.Practice head(s):
Stein Ove Solberg; Espen I. Bakken; Svein Terje Tveit
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Stein Ove Solberg is a great lawyer and very pleasant.’
‘Espen I. Bakken demonstrates good business understanding in combination with practical and to the point legal advice.’
‘Senior associate Frida May Behrens is talented.’
‘Very dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable partners.’
‘Svein Terje Tveit provides first class advice. He is a pleasant person to work with. When retaining Svein, you know you get no-nonsense sound legal advice in a highly efficient and service-minded way, which is highly appreciated as competition law entails high risk for our business.’
Key clients
Shearwater GeoServices Holding AS
Bonnier Books
Orkla ASA
The Norwegian Competition Authority
Glommen Mjøsen Skog SA
Hoff SA
Nortura SA
Toyota Norge AS
Maersk A/S
NTS ASA
Betsson Group
TINE SA
Carneo
Abelia
Work highlights
- Assisted Bonnier Books with its acquisition of a 70% stake in Norwegian book publisher Strawberry Publishing.
- Assisting Shearwater with two transactions in order to take over marine seismic acquisition assets previously owned by Polarcus, from Tiger Moth AS.
- Representing dairy producer TINE in antitrust litigation against truck manufacturers arising from the European Commission’s ‘Trucks’ case.
Norway > Capital markets Tier 2
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.Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Their availability and quick response times are very good for us when we have processes that need to be handled on a professional level in a short window of time.’
Key clients
NTS ASA
Torghatten ASA
ICE Fish Farm
Shearwater Geoservices Holding AS
KMC Properties ASA
Nutreco B.V.
Huddlestock Fintech
SAS AB
Carnegie AS
Ecofisk
Frøy ASA
Pareto Securities AS
Carnegie AS
Sparebank 1 Markets AS
Nordea Bank Abp
Kreos Capital VI (UK) Limited
Lime Petroleum AS
Work highlights
- Assisted KMC Properties ASA with its NOK1.85bn senior secured bond issuance.
- Assisted FRØY ASA with its NOK5.2bn IPO and listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange.
- Advised Torghatten on EQT Infrastructure V’s bid on all outstanding shares in the client, via HATI BidCo AS as bid entity.
Norway > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2
Arntzen de Besche‘s team of ‘highly experienced commercial transaction lawyers‘ is well known for its expertise in the energy sector, and regularly handles transactional work for oil and gas and renewables clients. M&A specialist Per A Dagslet stands out for his expertise in large-scale, cross-border transactions, and Jon Martin Atkinson focuses on corporate law and M&A work. Per Kristian Ramsland specialises in oil and gas mandates, and also assists venture capital and private equity companies. Lars Horgen Hinze counts asset management work as a core strength. Former practice head Marianne Lind Sahl moved to Advokatfirmaet Schjødt in January 2022.Other key lawyers:
Per Dagslet; Per Kristian Ramsland; Lars Horgen Hinze; Jon Martin Atkinson
Testimonials
‘Good at analysing the opponent’s stance in a negotiation.’
‘Commitment to deliver as requested and on time is absolute!’
‘Always quickly responsive.’
‘Per Dagslet is “on the ball” 24/7 if needed. Delivers the right product at the right time. Organises our account with his firm in a confident way.’
‘Highly experienced commercial transaction lawyers, able to address and solve the key issues of the transactions.’
Key clients
Edison S.p.A.
Torghatten ASA
NTS ASA
Shearwater Geoservices
KMC Properties ASA
Karnov AB
TrønderEnergi
Castik Capital
Sweco AB
Investcorp
Carneo AB
Bonnier Books
A.P. Moller – Maersk
Roxel
Brightstar Capital Partners
EG A/S
Nutreco B.V.
Tellu IOT AS
Abax
Work highlights
- Advised Torghatten ASA following a bid on all outstanding shares in the company from EQT Infrastructure V, through Hati Bidco AS as bid entity.
- Advised Edison International S.p.A. on all corporate matters relating to the sale of Edison Norge AS.
- Advising shipping services company A.P. Moller – Maersk on the Norwegian aspects of its SEK2.6bn acquisition of KGH Customs Services.
Norway > Construction Tier 2
The team at Arntzen de Besche is ‘highly skilled and holds great knowledge of the construction industry‘. Offshore and onshore project construction mandates are a recognised pillar of strength for the department, which also fields expertise in integrated project deliveries, contractual matters, construction disputes and procurement issues. Healthcare and infrastructure companies, hospitals, contractors, developers and public sector entities feature on the group’s client roster. Trondheim-based Ole Skeidsvoll Moe is ‘a first-class lawyer‘, and heads up the practice with litigator Wenche Maartmann-Moe in Oslo. Jon Gresseth specialises in public procurement matters and regularly advises on hospital, road and healthcare construction projects. Other noted practitioners are highly regarded litigation expert Knud Jacob Knudsen, the ‘exceptional‘ Tor Kristian Lånke, and Stian Heimdal, who has ‘extensive knowledge of contractor operations‘.
Practice head(s):
Ole Skeidsvoll Moe; Wenche Maartmann-Moe
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Stian Heimdal has excellent legal knowledge and a commercial approach.’
‘Always available, positive and reliable.’
‘Ole Skeidsvoll Moe has long and valuable industrial experience, providing first class legal and project advice across our project portfolio.’
‘Extremely accessible team. Detailed and punctual in their work.’
‘Tor Kristian Lånke is a true pleasure to work with.’
‘The team always understands the needs of the client. The right level expertise to the case in question is always provided.’
‘Stian Heimdal is efficient and his advice is always excellent and well-founded. His great legal skills and his extraordinary understanding of construction projects together with his warm personality, makes him a preferred lawyer within construction law.’
Key clients
Sykehusbygg HF
Nye Veier AS
Veidekke Entreprenør AS
Borg Havn Eiendom AS
Spordrift AS
Nordr Eiendom AS
Biokraft AS
Stor-Oslo Eiendom AS
Seby AS
Leif Grimsrud AS
AART Architects NO AS
Skorve Entreprenør AS
AGTunnel AS
St Olavs Hospital
Vefsn municipality
Work highlights
- Represented Vefsn municipality in a dispute with a construction company and designer, concerning claims for damages arising from the construction and refurbishment of a swimming pool.
- Providing ongoing assistance to state-owned company Nye Veier AS on the construction of several four-lane roads in several projects in Norway.
- Providing ongoing assistance to state-owned health care organisation Sykehusbygg HF regarding several new hospital construction projects in Norway.
Norway > Dispute resolution Tier 2
The team at Arntzen de Besche reports a significant uptick in contentious insurance mandates and corporate litigation, and continues to act in high-profile oil and gas disputes, professional liability claims and contentious construction matters. Andreas Nordby is ‘a brilliant lawyer‘ and regularly represents clients in the media, TMT, food, pharmaceuticals and commodity trade sectors. Terje Granvang is active in arbitration, and is well known for his expertise in director’s and professional liability work. Reidar Smedsvig is a key name in the Stavanger office. In 2021, Eivind Landmark Tandrevold re-joined the practice from an in-house role and now leads the practice, while Vidar Riksfjord joined from Advokatfirmaet CLP DA.
Practice head(s):
Eivind Landmark Tandrevold
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Arntzen de Besche has excellent litigators in the team.’
‘Excellent knowledge.’
‘Eivind Landmark Tandrevold clearly is an up-and-coming superstar. If dispute resolution in Norway was a classic symphony, he would be Mozart. It is always an extreme pleasure to work with him.’
‘Terje Granvang is an excellent litigator specialising in professional negligence who works both on defence and claims work.’
‘A well put together team that provided efficient and tactical advice on a complex insurance litigation matter.’
‘Eivind Landmark Tandrevold is a star partner. Provided strategic and practical advice, and I felt extremely confident in his ability to handle the matter.’
‘Eivind Landmark Tandrevold is very easy to work with, with great focus on the task at hand and he makes you feel prioritized.’
‘Eivind Landmark Tandrevold is a person of very high integrity, an exceptionally talented lawyer and a genuinely pleasant person to work with. He is a just extraordinary lawyer.’
Key clients
DNO Norge AS
Vroon Containers B.V.
Lloyds Insurance Company (Lloyds of London) / C.J. Coleman
The bankruptcy estate of Reinertsen AS
Overføringsavtalens Sikringsordning
Veidekke Entreprenør AS
KPMG AS
BKK AS
TINE SA
Diplom-IS AS
Gjensidige Forsikring ASA
Chubb Insurance
Work highlights
- Acting for TINE and Diplom-IS in a damages claim arising from the long-running truck cartel case.
- Acting for the bankruptcy estate of Reinertsen AS in a case concerning restitution of allegedly illegal loans.
- Acting for the former CEO of Bergen Group ASA in claims brought by creditors following the bankruptcy of one of the group’s companies.
Norway > Insurance Tier 2
Sven Iver Steen heads up the department at Arntzen de Besche, which is well known for its full-service insurance offering. The team has a solid track record in assisting prominent insurance companies with high-profile claims, and is noted for its strong capabilities in professional liability work, D&O insurance, and pension sector issues. Oil and gas, aviation, offshore and shipping are other sector strengths for the group. Karl Rosén is noted for his expertise in financial services regulatory matters. Associate Tobias Behncke is also singled out. Linn Kvade Rannekleiv has left the firm for an in-house role and, in early 2023, Alexander Plows joined the practice from Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA.Practice head(s):
Sven Iver Steen
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very deep knowledge about the Norwegian pension system.’
‘Sven Iver Steen is very service minded, gives quick responses and has long experience in the pension and insurance area.’
‘Alexander Plows stands out as a true expert on insurance. He is business-minded and extremely responsive. He is our go to partner on insurance.’
‘Being dual qualified and with excellent language skills, Alex is uniquely placed to act for London-based clients on Nordic matters. He is my go-to lawyer in the region for insurance disputes.’
Key clients
If Skadeforsikring
Frende Forsikring
Gjensidige Forsikring
KLP Skadeforsikring AS
Storebrand
Lloyd’s Insurance Company
Aegis
Reinertsen AS’ bankruptcy estate
Gabler
PricewaterhouseCoopers AS
Eikos
Lillevold and Partners
Work highlights
- Providing ongoing advice to the bankruptcy estate of Reinertsen AS in a case against five members of the board of directors (and the directors’ insurance company) for negligence.
- Successfully assisted with negotiations between insured power station company KLP Forsikring and the Nordland fylkeskommune concerning a large earth fall which cut off the only road to the city of Brønnøysund.
- Represented insurance company Frende Holding and its owners (15 Norwegian savings banks) in a reorganisation of the cooperation group connected to the client.
Norway > Offshore construction and shipbuilding Tier 2
The offshore construction team at Arntzen de Besche stands out for its ‘great legal knowledge‘. Led by Karl Erik Navestad, the group is well known for advising clients from the aquaculture and fisheries and oil and gas sectors on a range of non-contentious and contentious matters. Shipping work is also prominent in the department’s workload. Ole Skeidsvoll Moe advises on offshore oil and gas projects, and Anders Rødland is praised for his ‘excellent commercial understanding‘.
Practice head(s):
Karl Erik Navestad
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Always available and positive.’
‘Combination of exceptional good understanding of the legal framework with a commercial mindset and negotiation skills.’
‘Anders Rødland provided good support during negotiations when things got complex. He understands the game and is excellent in handling difficult people.’
Key clients
Altera Infrastructure Production AS
Nordlaks
Work highlights
- Providing ongoing advice to Nordlaks concerning its projects for the development and construction of large offshore aquaculture farms.
- Advising Norsk Fisketransport AS on a newbuild program for three service vessels for the aquaculture business.
Norway > Oil and gas Tier 2
Led by Karl Erik Navestad from the Oslo office, Arntzen de Besche‘s team garners praise for its ‘dedication and knowledge‘ and undertakes the whole range of oil and gas matters, with particular expertise in advising construction and contractor-side clients on offshore-related mandates. Rune Omdahl is active in M&A, licensing, financing and production sharing agreements (PSA), with a key focus on upstream matters. The ‘reliable‘ Anders Rødland is a key name in Stavanger for high-value disputes in the oil and gas sector.
Practice head(s):
Karl Erik Navestad
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Anders Rødland is an exceptional partner.’
‘Solid and reliable work.’
‘Combination of exceptional good understanding of the legal framework with a commercial mindset and negotiation skills.’
‘Anders Rødland has an excellent commercial understanding, and provided good support during negotiations when things got complex and tough. He understands the game and is excellent in handling difficult people.’
‘Hard working and delivering quality on time.’
Key clients
DNO ASA
Vår Energi AS
Petoro AS
Altera Infrastructure
INPEX Norge
Edge Petroleum
Pandion Energy
Edison S.p.A.
Lime Petroleum
MOL Norge
Work highlights
- Acted for Petoro as lead negotiator concerning parts of the Johan Sverdrup oil field development project on the Norwegian continental shelf.
- Advised Edison International on all aspects of its $300m sale of Edison Norge.
- Assisted Lime Petroleum with an agreement to acquire Repsol Norge’s interests – a 33.84% stake worth NOK356m – in the Brage oil field on the Norwegian continental shelf.
Norway > Public procurement Tier 2
Arntzen de Besche’s ‘well-balanced‘ public procurement team is ‘always accessible‘, ‘reliable‘ and ‘easy to work with‘. The group has notable strength in the construction and life sciences sectors, and represents developers, contractors and suppliers in contractual issues, project implementations and litigation, to name a few areas. Espen I Bakken ‘provides high-quality legal advice‘, and heads up the practice alongside litigation expert Svein Terje Tveit and Stein Ove Solberg, who has established strength in competition law. Tor Kristian Lånke is a key name for construction mandates. Public procurement specialist Gro Amdal joined the team from CMS Kluge in 2022.Practice head(s):
Espen I Bakken; Svein Terje Tveit; Stein Ove Solberg
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Tor Kristian Lånke has been exceptional both in his research and in court.’
‘Espen Bakken is an expert within his field. Available at any time, direct and analytical.’
‘Arntzen de Besche’s team is well updated on legal developments, and is always available for advice and discussion regarding public procurement.’
‘Espen I Bakken provides good business understanding in combination with good, practical and to the point legal advice.’
‘Tor Kristian Lånke is a true pleasure to work with.’
‘Reliable and easy to work with.’
‘Svein Terje Tveit is an outstanding lawyer and adviser. No task is too small or too big, which is fantastic to have in a partner.’
‘Very dedicated, experienced and knowledgeable partners.’
Key clients
Abbott Norge AS
Buypass AS
Norwegian Bank Investment Management
Nye Veier AS
Sykehusbygg HF
Baxter Norge AS
Statsbygg AS
Nettparter AS
CSL Behring
Spordrift AS
GE Healthcare AS
Nerliens Mezansky AS
AOP Pharmaceutical AB
ASTM /Itinera SpA
Work highlights
- Advising a consortium comprising ASTM S.p.A, IHI Corporation and Itinera S.p.A on a bid for the PPP contract for the ‘Rv. 555 Sotra Connection’ project.
- Acting as Nordic procurement counsel to Abbott.
- Acted for Buypass AS in the NOK2.6bn public procurement procedure carried out by Norsk Tipping AS for the procurement identification and payment services to all of Norsk Tipping’s operations.
Norway > Real estate Tier 2
Arntzen de Besche advises on the full range of real estate matters, including lease agreements, residential and commercial project development work, regulatory matters and tax and VAT issues. The team reports an uptick in joint venture mandates within the real estate sector, and has also been kept busy handling large transactions involving substantial portfolios; private equity work is another core area of strength for the practice. Hans Henrik Kværne
is a highly regarded practitioner, and department head Thomas Øslebø specialises in handling large-scale residential and urban development projects. The ‘pragmatic‘ Eilif S Koch is an ‘excellent negotiator‘. Other key names to note are Trondheim-based Erlend Solberg and senior associate Erlend Husebye Haug.Practice head(s):
Thomas Øslebø
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Erlend Solberg: good availability, high work capacity.Good at sorting out what is important.’
‘Competent, efficient, experienced with focus on the important issues. Good people with good values.’
‘Strong team.’
‘The team has a deep understanding of the commercial realities within real estate, and acts quickly and efficiently when presented with a legal challenge. Their pragmatic approach – without any fuss – quickly identifies the real issue and presents excellent solutions out of court.’
‘Eilif Koch: very knowledgeable, excellent in finding legally sound but commercial solutions, quick to respond.’
‘Excellent mix of legal and commercial competence.’
‘The team at Arntzen de Besche has a true partnership approach to us and our team, always focusing on sharing market intelligence and sharing knowledge.’
‘Thomas Øslebø stands out as a true business lawyer, not only an expert on real estate.’
Key clients
Ness, Risan & Partners AS (NRP)
Stor-Oslo Eiendom AS
Aberdeen Asset Management Norway AS
Møller Eiendom Norge AS
Arctic Real Estate Development AS
Lerka Eiendom AS
Fagerstad Utvikling AS
Vika Project Finance AS
Malling & Co Project Finance AS
Fearnley Project Finance AS
Realkapital Investor AS
Oslo Finans AS
KMC Properties ASA
Nortura SA
Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS)
Norwegian Property ASA
Work highlights
- Assisted NRP and a group of investors, led by Klaveness Maritime, with the sale of investment company Middelthuns Gate 29 AS to an SPV set up by DNB Markets.
- Assisted real estate developer Møller Eiendom Norge AS with the acquisition of the Deichman main library in Oslo.
Norway > Tax Tier 2
The group at Arntzen de Besche often works in tandem with the firm’s M&A practice to lend advice on the tax aspects of transactional mandates. Key sector strengths for the team include the insurance, banking and financing, aviation, shipping, oil and gas and petroleum industries, with tax litigation forming another core pillar of expertise. Eyvind Sandvik regularly handles international tax work, restructurings and tax treaties; he jointly heads up the department with Rune Tjomsås Andersen, who focuses on tax and company law matters and is very experienced in advising oil and gas sector clients on tax issues.
Practice head(s):
Eyvind Sandvik; Rune Tjomsås Andersen
Key clients
Stiftelsen Norsk Rikstoto
Torghatten ASA
Lukoil Overseas North Shelf AS
Abbott
TrønderEnergi
Gassco AS
Michael Baker Global Services, LLC (a division of Sallyport Global)
Den Norske Kirke (the Norwegian Church)
INPEX Norge AS
SAS/SAS Eiendom AS
KMC Properties ASA
Edison International S.p.A
GoFundMe, Inc.
NTS ASA
Foundry Digital
Work highlights
- Advised KMC Properties ASA on the tax aspects of its NOK1bn acquisition by Storm Real Estate ASA.
- Representing Michael Baker Global Services LLC in a double taxation dispute arising from the client’s construction of the new US embassy in Oslo.
- Advised TrønderEnergi on the sale of its 49% stake in NEAS AS, where one third of the shares were sold to Norwegian pension fund KLP and the remaining shares were repurchased by NEAS AS, at the same time as NEAS AS’ 10% stake in TrønderEnergi was redeemed.
Norway > Electricity and renewable energy Tier 3
Arntzen de Besche‘s department fields expertise across the spectrum of electricity matters, with particular strength in electricity financing work, and is also widely recognised for its solid track record in advising on hydro power and wind power projects. The team stands out as ‘excellent in EU law‘, with practice co-head Espen Bakken focusing on M&A and competition law. Practice co-head Odd-Harald Berg Wasenden is praised for his ‘outstanding understanding of energy market regulation‘.Practice head(s):
Espen Bakken; Odd-Harald Berg Wasenden
Testimonials
‘Odd-Harald Wasenden: very knowledgeable of both law and our business processes, which adds significant value and possibility to directly apply his advice. He has knowledge of both electricity and financial law which is unique and very valuable for us.’
‘Odd-Harald Wasenden is top-notch in EU law. He gives excellent advice. When we are negotiating deals, he is very good for commercial issues. And every time he has been involved the result has been very good.’
‘Odd-Harald Wasenden has high competence within energy regulation on a EU level. This is very sophisticated and specialized work.’
Key clients
TrønderEnergi AS
Statnett SF
Gassco AS
BKK
DigiPlex
Norske Skog Saugbrugs AS
Geothermal Energy AS
Agdereierne
Nasdaq Spot AB
Nasdaq Oslo ASA
Nasdaq Clearing AB
Elkem ASA /Elkem Iceland ehf.
EcoPro
Sarepta Energi AS
Biokraft AS
Work highlights
- Advised Statnett on procurement matters pertaining to grid losses.
- Advising Agdereierne, a consortium of over 20 municipalities holding a majority ownership in Agder Energi, on the merger of Agder Energi with Glitre Energi.
Norway > Fishing and aquaculture Tier 3
Arntzen de Besche leverages the strength of the firm’s capital markets, transactional and dispute resolution practices to assist with a broad range of fishing and aquaculture matters. The team’s recent workload includes capital markets transactions, large-scale construction projects and M&A matters. Real estate expert Anders Dyrseth heads up the department, and brings experience in corporate matters and contentious issues to the group. Jon Martin Atkinson is a key contact for M&A mandates, and has particular experience advising producer and supplier-side clients in the aquaculture industry. Ole Skeidsvoll Moe has expertise in litigation, construction and licensing matters. All named individuals are based in Trondheim.Practice head(s):
Anders Dyrseth
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Norway Royal Salmon ASA
NTS ASA
Cargill
Frøy ASA
Nordlaks AS
SINTEF OceanAS
Wilsgård Fiskeoppdrett AS
Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industries and Fisheries
Midt-Norsk Havbruk AS
Norwegian Fishfarming Technologies AS
Nutreco B.V
Ecofisk
Bluegrove AS
Work highlights
- Assisted FRØY ASA in connection with its NOK5.2bn IPO and listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange.
- Providing ongoing assistance to Norway Royal Salmon regarding the process of building a new hatchery.
- Advising Norwegian Fishfarming Technologies AS on multiple projects for the development of RAS (recirculating aquaculture system) facilities.
Norway > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 3
Arntzen de Besche‘s practice stands out for its ‘lengthy experience in working with insolvency and corporate recovery‘. Joar Grimsbu and Trond Kildal jointly lead the team, which has a solid track record in assisting clients in the construction, transport, real estate, media and entertainment, and banking and finance sectors with asset recovery litigation, bankruptcy proceedings and debt settlement work, to name a few areas of expertise. Other key practitioners include Siril Visnes, who handles restructuring matters for creditors, and Stein Knut Tonning, who regularly advises on the administration of complex bankruptcy estates.Practice head(s):
Joar Grimsbu; Trond Kildal
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Professional breadth and large capacity.’
Key clients
The bankruptcy estate of Reinertsen AS
Swedbank
Sparebank1 SMN
The bankruptcy estate of Wie Montasje AS
The bankruptcy estate of Albert E Olsen AS
Hugaas Entreprenør AS
Bygg Design AS
EY
Norfund
Citibank
Scandinavian Airlines System
Work highlights
- Acted as Norwegian counsel to SAS AB, an airline holding company, regarding a recapitalisation plan valued at SEK14.2bn.
- Assisting with the administration of the bankrupt estate of Norwegian trade company Albert E Olsen AS, with claims exceeding NOK185m.
- Assisting with the ongoing, high-profile $200m debt restructuring process of oil service and offshore construction contractor Reinertsen AS.
Norway > Intellectual property Tier 3
Litigation expert Andreas Nordby heads up the practice at Arntzen de Besche, which is well known for advising clients in the technology, telecoms and energy sectors on the IP aspects of transactions, as well as contentious IP issues. The client roster also fields names from the e-commerce, life sciences, media, automotive and retail industries. Trade mark, design and patent infringement cases have been prominent in the group’s recent workload, as well as unfair competition work. Tommy Dahlen is a key contact for intellectual property rights matters, and senior lawyer Christopher Hestnes is also noted.
Practice head(s):
Andreas Nordby
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Tommy Dahlen has a passion for technology and IP protection. He stays committed and updated within his area, and is not afraid of new approaches.’
‘Tommy Dahlen has strong competence within IP, in addition to a solid business understanding and a wise approach based on getting to sound agreements. He is highly customer oriented in his approach.’
‘We have worked with partner Tommy Dahlen for 5 years. He has been an invaluable asset to our company. He provides exceptional advice that transcends the scope of legal work, as the legal advice is always seen with a big picture of where we are as a company. We are above and beyond happy with Tommy Dahlen and his contribution to the success of our company.’
Key clients
Nortura SA
Tellu IOT AS
Petroleum Geo-Services ASA
Shell
Consolis SAS
DCC Plc
Benchmark Holdings
Helse Midt-Norge RHF
Bilfinger Industrier AS
Merck
Alva Industries AS
SINTEF AS
Work highlights
- Acted for two individuals in a case involving a motion for seizure of evidence brought by Cisco Systems Norway AS and Cisco Systems, Inc. against the company Neatframe AS; the individuals had formerly worked at Cisco before joining Neatframe.
- Acting for Toolpack AS in litigation proceedings involving allegations of design infringement brought against the client by a competitor.
Norway > TMT Tier 3
At Arntzen de Besche, department head Andreas Nordby has expertise in dispute resolution, and provides advice to a roster of media, IT, telecoms and technology clients on contentious matters; marketing law is another core focus of Nordby’s practice. Per Kristian Ramsland and Knut Martinsen specialise in M&A and capital markets work, and Tommy Dahlen regularly assists with transactional mandates.
Practice head(s):
Andreas Nordby
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Baxter International, Inc
Investcorp / Abax
Globus Ai AS
Huddlestock Fintech
Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT)
Merck
DCC Plc
Benchmark Holdings
Helse Midt-Norge RHF
Bilfinger Industrier AS
The SINTEF Foundation (including all divisions and subsidiaries)
Work highlights
- Assisted Investcorp-backed ABAX with its add-on acquisition of Automile, a Nordic SaaS telematics and IoT company.
- Assisted AI company Globus with a venture capital round.
- Represented the NENT Group in negotiations with the Norwegian Journalism Association about the scope of the Journalist Agreement.
Arntzen de Besche > Firm Profile
Arntzen de Besche delivers solution-oriented legal services to Norwegian and international businesses, organisations and public authorities. Arntzen de Besche has years of experience in international transactions on behalf of Norwegian companies abroad and foreign companies in Norway. Through the firm’s collaboration with some of the world’s leading law firms, Arntzen de Besche offers clients a well-organised global network of legal experts.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banking and finance | Trond Kildal | tki@adeb.no | +47 982 94 632 |
| Banking and finance | Vidar Løhre | vlo@adeb.no | +47 988 10 677 |
| Commercial property | Thomas Øslebø | tos@adeb.no | +47 982 94 547 |
| Commercial property | Hans Henrik Kværne | hhk@adeb.no | +47 982 94 548 |
| Construction | Wenche Maartmann-Moe | wmm@adeb.no | +47 930 53 801 |
| Construction | Ole Skeidsvoll Moe | osm@adeb.no | +47 909 51 191 |
| Contracts | Andreas Nordby | abn@adeb.no | +47 408 63 813 |
| Contracts | Ole Skeidsvoll Moe | osm@adeb.no | +47 909 51 191 |
| Corporate and M&A | Knut Martinsen | kma@adeb.no | +47 977 12 237 |
| Corporate and M&A | Per A. Dagslet | pad@adeb.no | +47 982 94 582 |
| Employment | Frode Martin Toftevåg | fmt@adeb.no | +47 920 45 476 |
| Employment | Håvard Sandnes | hsa@adeb.no | +47 982 94 659 |
| EU/EEA law and competition | Stein Ove Solberg | sos@adeb.no | +47 982 94 589 |
| EU/EEA law and competition | Svein Terje Tveit | stt@adeb.no | +47 950 62 685 |
| Fisheries and aquaculture | Anders Dyrseth | and@adeb.no | +47 918 33 155 |
| Fisheries and aquaculture | Ole Skeidsvoll Moe | osm@adeb.no | +47 909 51 191 |
| Litigation and arbitration | Eivind Landmark Tandrevold | elt@adeb.no | +47 982 94 643 |
| Litigation and arbitration | Andreas Nordby | ano@adeb.no | +47 408 63 813 |
| Oil, gas and energy | Karl Erik Navestad | ken@adeb.no | +47 982 94 566 |
| Oil, gas and energy | Rune Omdahl | rom@adeb.no | +47 982 94 655 |
| Regulatory | Sven Iver Steen | sis@adeb.no | +47 982 94 593 |
| Regulatory | Karl Rosén | kro@adeb.no | +47 916 97 790 |
| Renewable energy and climate | Odd-Harald B. Wasenden | ohw@adeb.no | +47 900 76 908 |
| Renewable energy and climate | Erlend L. Solberg | els@adeb.no | +47 907 29 949 |
| Restructuring and insolvency | Trond Kildal | tki@adeb.no | +47 982 94 632 |
| Restructuring and insolvency | Stein Tonning | skt@adeb.no | +47 416 69 411 |
| Shipping and offshore | Karl Erik Navestad | ken@adeb.no | +47 982 94 566 |
| Shipping and offshore | Erlend L. Solberg | els@adeb.no | +47 907 29 949 |
| Tax and VAT | Rune Tjomsås Andersen | rta@adeb.no | +47 982 94 587 |
| Tax and VAT | Eyvind Sandvik | eys@adeb.no | +47 982 94 518 |
| Technology and innovation | Tommy Dahlen | tod@adeb.no | +47 994 57 460 |
| Technology and innovation | Knut Martinsen | kma@adeb.no | +47 977 12 237 |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Mr Rune Tjomsås Andersen | Partner. Andersen specialises in tax law and company law and has broad experience… | View Profile |
 | Mr Håvard Bergli | Partner. Bergli has extensive experience as an advisor and legal representative in connection… | View Profile |
 | Mrs Marianne Raa Bjaaland | Partner. For the past decade, Bjaaland has assisted major residential property developers to… | View Profile |
 | Mrs Ingeborg Moen Borgerud | Partner. Mrs Borgerud is admitted to the Supreme Court in Norway. Borgerud… | View Profile |
 | Mr Per A. Dagslet | With over 25 years of experience of the acquisition and divestment of… | View Profile |
 | Mr Tommy Dahlen | Partner. Dahlen has over 20 years’ experience of transactions and advising technology… | View Profile |
 | Mr Anders Dyrseth | Partner. Dyrseth specialises in private and public law matters relating to real… | View Profile |
 | Mr Kurt A. Elvevoll | Partner. Elvevoll has extensive experience from building and construction law and adjacent… | View Profile |
 | Mr Terje Granvang | Partner. Granvang works mainly with litigation, arbitration and other forms of dispute… | View Profile |
 | Mr Jon Reidar Gresseth | Partner. Gresseth has extensive experience of complex procurement processes and major commercial fabrication… | View Profile |
 | Mr Joar Grimsbu | Partner. He primarily provides legal assistance within the fields of corporate restructuring,… | View Profile |
 | Mr Rune Haglund | Partner. Haglund primarily provides legal counseling regarding financial institutions, investment banks and… | View Profile |
 | Mr Stian Heimdal | Partner. Heimdal specialises in construction law and has extensive experience of contract… | View Profile |
 | Mr Lars Horgen Hinze | Partner. Hinze works primarily with M&A, offerings and other equity transactions and… | View Profile |
 | Mr Rune Njøs Jacobsen | Partner. Njøs Jacobsen has extensive experience of the law of torts and… | View Profile |
 | Mr Henrik Braavold Johansen | Partner. Braavold Johansen is a partner in Arntzen de Besche’s M&A department… | View Profile |
 | Mr Trond Kildal | Partner. Kildal helps Norwegian and international banks, financial institutions and brokerage firms… | View Profile |
 | Mr Eilif S. Koch | Partner. Koch provides assistance in the areas of property law, company law… | View Profile |
 | Mr Hans Henrik Kværne | Partner. Kværne primarily assists clients on matters relating to real property rights,… | View Profile |
 | Mr Tor Kristian Lånke | Partner. Since 2006, Lånke has built up considerable expertise relating to construction contracts,… | View Profile |
 | Mr Vidar Løhre | Partner. Løhre works primarily in the banking and loan market. He has… | View Profile |
 | Mrs Wenche Maartmann-Moe | Partner. Maartman-Moe specialises in dispute resolution and contract law. She has particular experience… | View Profile |
 | Mr Knut Martinsen | Partner. Martinsen focuses particularly on technology companies and companies with technology as their… | View Profile |
 | Mr Jens Baumann Melberg | Partner. Melberg assists his clients with transactions, financing, establishment of joint ventures,… | View Profile |
 | Mr Ole Skeidsvoll Moe | Partner. Skeidsvoll Moe has significant experience as an advisor to the building… | View Profile |
 | Mr Karl Erik Navestad | Partner and Head of the firm’s Energy department. Navestad assists clients primarily… | View Profile |
 | Mr Vidar Riksfjord | Partner. Riksfjord acts as legal advisor and counsel for clients in disputes involving… | View Profile |
 | Mr Karl Rosén | Partner. Rosén assists clients in the financial sector on matters relating to… | View Profile |
 | Mr Anders Rødland | Parnter. Rødland is the Head of our office in Stavanger. He has… | View Profile |
 | Mr Håvard Sandnes | Managing Partner. Sandnes specialises in employment law and his clients are primarily… | View Profile |
 | Mr Eyvind Sandvik | Partner. Sandvik assists clients primarily with matters relating to tax law, including… | View Profile |
 | Mr Reidar Smedsvig | Partner. Reidar has extensive experience of most aspects of commercial law. His… | View Profile |
 | Mr Stein Ove Solberg | Partner. Solberg is recognised as one of Norway’s leading experts on competition law.… | View Profile |
 | Mr Erlend L. Solberg | Partner. Solberg works in the fields of real property, shipping and the power… | View Profile |
 | Mrs Berit Svensli Solseth | Partner. Solseth has broad experience as a strategic advisor and litigator in… | View Profile |
 | Mr Eivind Landmark Tandrevold | Partner. Landmark Tandrevold helps clients to manage risk and resolve disputes, mainly… | View Profile |
 | Mrs Maria B. Tanemsmo | Partner. Tanemsmo specialises in company law and transactions. She assists Norwegian and… | View Profile |
 | Mr Frode Martin Toftevåg | Partner. Toftevåg is head of Arntzen de Besche´s Employment and Pensions practice… | View Profile |
 | Mr Stein Knut Tonning | Partner. Tonning specialises in restructuring processes, debt settlement and insolvency proceedings. He… | View Profile |
 | Mrs Mira Tengesdal Torstenbø | Partner. Torstenbø specialises in employment law and has over a dozen years’… | View Profile |
 | Mr Svein Terje Tveit | Partner. Tveit is ranked as one of the leading lawyers in Norway… | View Profile |
 | Mrs Siril Visnes | Siril Visnes has comprehensive experience with international financings involving major bank syndicates… | View Profile |
 | Mr Odd-Harald B. Wasenden | Partner. Wasenden is acknowledged as one of Norway’s foremost legal experts in… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : approx 140Languages
English French German Spanish the Scandinavian languagesOther
Other offices : Stavanger Other offices : TrondheimAdditional Tab
Diversity
Diversity and inclusion are focus areas in our firm as it benefits our employees as well as our clients. Diverse teams increase innovation and resolve problems in the best way. The recruitment of people with different backgrounds makes us more adaptable to new legal challenges and opportunities as everyone’s unique experience and competence drives value.
Our values are Teamwork, Integrity, Quality and Dedication, and lay the foundation of our work and our working environment. This is reflected in who we are, how we perform our work, who we recruit, our reputation and how we treat each other. We have a long-term perspective on our working environment and it has high priority in our management. We believe motivated and ambitious employees with a good work life balance achieve excellence and creates added value for the client and the company.
Some examples of the programmes we do are:
- Established a diversity task force – focused on identifying and mitigating risk against equality
- Established a new working methodology for the diversity task force
- Public reporting on gender equality, including gender balance (headcount) and equality (salary)
- Public reporting on methodology and work done to identify risk factors and mitigating these
- Regular and anonymous reporting on discrimination and harassment in the workforce
- New recruitment processes to reduce the likelihood of unconscious bias in the screening, interview and selection phase
- Adjustment of recruitment texts to encourage diversity
Statistics:
- Achieved gender parity in the associate, lawyer and senior lawyer employee pool
- Seven of fifteen new partners since 1st January 2020 are female
Sustainability
Through our advocacy we seek balanced solutions that benefit people, the environment and society. We are engaged in a variety of activities that help protect and develop the world we live in. Our strategy and business are based on our four values: teamwork, quality, integrity and commitment. Through our values we support and contribute to social development through various activities.
We want to be a driving force in the green shift and have implemented a number of measures to reduce our carbon footprint.
Climate neutral
In the period 2018 to 2021, we reduced our greenhouse gas emissions by 54% and we work continuously to improve this. We want to do more and have therefore purchased climate quotas from the EU’s climate quota system (EU ETS) which fully compensates for our emissions in 2019, 2020 and 2021 – this means we are climate neutral. The EU climate quota system is considered to be the most well-functioning and efficient quota system in the world.
Skift – Climate Business Leaders
Arntzen de Besche is member of the coalition Skift – Climate Business Leaders. Skift is a business-led climate initiative and the mission is to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and to support the Norwegian government in delivering on its national climate commitments by 2030. We are part of and have led several working committees.
UN Global Compact
Arntzen de Besche is one of few Norwegian law firms approved by the UN Global Compact initiative, which means we support the initiative’s ten principles. The initiative encourages businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation. More than 8,000 businesses from 145 countries support the initiative.
Other initiatives
In 2013, Arntzen de Besche became an Eco-Lighthouse business. We have implemented an environmental policy, which involves systematic measures for our day-to-day business activities.
As part of our CSR efforts, we work pro bono in situations / cases where it is believed that people or organizations have been the victims of injustice.
We regularly arrange exam preparation lectures for law students at the University of Oslo, Bergen and Tromsø.
For many years, our lawyers have held honorary posts and participated actively in non-profits, foundations and law committees.
In 2022, we moved into new office premises in Oslo that are BREEAM-NOR Excellent certified – one of the highest climate certifications.