BAHR > The Legal 500 Rankings

Norway > Banking and finance (including shipping finance) Tier 1

With an excellent track record in banking transactional work, BAHR is a top choice for international mandates and innovative deals: the group handled Norway's first reservoir-based lending transactions. The practice is a leading player for covered bonds and advised on the country's first issuance of green bonds. The group also has a notably strong regulatory offering, and is at the forefront of shadow banking initiatives and operations in which non-banking financial intermediaries seek to carry out traditional banking functions outside the traditional system. Practice head Richard Sjøqvist is a key name for high-value international restructuring matters, and Rolf Johan Ringdal is the primary contact for the department's shipping and offshore finance team.

Norway > Capital markets Tier 1

The capital markets practice at BAHR stands out for its record in handling complex equity capital markets mandates; areas of expertise include share offerings by both private and public companies, stock exchange listings, IPOs and public takeovers, large secondary issuances and private share placements. Lars Knem Christie is the key contact for ECM work; he jointly heads up the practice with Richard Sjøqvist, who concentrates on DCM mandates. The group is highly active in advising on securitisations and high-yield bond issuances, and also handles complex capital markets regulatory issues and is experienced in less-common financial instruments. Svein Gerhard Simonnæs focuses on public and private M&A, Rolf Johan Ringdal specialises in the shipping and energy sectors, and Bjørn Gabriel Reed handles securitisation mandates.

Norway > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

BAHR is a leader in the market for large transactions, with considerable strength in the oil and energy sector, and an impressive track record in infrastructure deals and real estate M&A. 'With a wide range of knowledge and capabilities', the group has an impressive roster of clients, ranging from engineering companies to international investors. Other core segments of the practice include work in the private equity space, with an excellent fund formation, investment fund and asset management practice. Private equity specialist Øystein Guvåg leads the department alongside deputy head Lars Kristian Sande, who focuses on the telecoms industry and technology companies. Svein Gerhard Simonnæs is also noted for his public and private M&A expertise, and Robin Bakken re-joined the firm in mid-2020. Bjørn Gabriel Reed, shipping expert Rolf Johan Ringdal and corporate governance specialist Lars Knem Christie are also noteworthy individuals.

Norway > Construction Tier 1

BAHR‘s construction practice stands out for handling non-contentious work, in particular infrastructure and development projects, with a notable emphasis on Government building issues. Onshore construction and real estate work is handled by Sam Harris, while the offshore construction and shipbuilding sector are also key areas of expertise for the practice. The team also includes Jan Einar Barbo, who is recognised for his work in the energy sector. Former group head Øystein Myre Bremset  joined Advokatfirmaet Grette AS in late 2021.

Norway > Dispute resolution Tier 1

BAHR has broad litigation and arbitration experience, covering the oil, pharmaceuticals, insurance and insolvency sectors. Thomas Svensen concentrates on the energy sector and has significant energy-related dispute resolution experience before the domestic courts and arbitration tribunals; Gunnar Sørlie has a strong reputation in IP and offshore and onshore construction cases; and Jan Jansen has expertise spanning the energy and offshore sectors, tax cases, and general commercial disputes. Experienced all-round litigator Atle Skaldebø-Rød heads up the group, and primarily acts in insolvency disputes, direct actions and general liability and contractual disputes.

Norway > Electricity and renewable energy Tier 1

BAHR’s ‘forceful team’ is highly regarded in the market for its expertise in complex energy transactions; the group recently advised Hafslund E-CO on the combination of Hafslund’s and Eidsiva Energy’s grids to create Norway’s largest grid company, and is also assisting Fortum Oslo Varme with the Norway’s first full-scale carbon capture and storage project initiated by the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. The practice is also recognised for its regulatory work. Jon Christian Thaulow leads the energy, natural resources and shipping department, which includes transactional specialist Rune Svoren, managing partner Thomas Svensen, who focuses on the hydropower sector; and tax expert Helge Olav Bugge.

Norway > Employment Tier 1

BAHR’s employment law practice is headed up by ‘one of the top labour lawyers in Norway’, Tarjei Thorkildsen, who specialises in cross-border employment and pensions matters, acting for large international corporations. The team also acts for employer’s associations with additional expertise in the financial services sector, providing employment advice on the full range of matters, including collective bargaining agreements, employee data protection issues and the employment aspects of M&A transactions and corporate restructurings. Peter Hammerich, Børre Sofus Arnet and Geir Mikalsen focus on pensions issues, executive compensation work and transactions, respectively.

Norway > EU and competition Tier 1

BAHR has a leading EU and competition practice, which is especially recognised for its merger control expertise; the team regularly acts in complex merger investigations, cross-border transactions and international merger filings. The group also handles audit and compliance issues, state aid matters and competition damages claims. Helge Stemshaug spearheads the department and is singled out for her strong knowledge of economics; the team also recently recruited an economist. Beret Sundet stands out for her M&A and competition work in the pharmaceuticals and biotech sectors.

CMS Kluge‘s practice covers the full range of matters from competition work to merger control issues, and has stand-out expertise in state aid work. Arne Torsten Andersen leads the team and is a widely recognised practitioner along with Bjørnar Alterskjær, who regularly acts on state aid mandates for corporations, public authorities and the Norwegian Government. Henrik Nordling is an expert in multi-jurisdictional merger filings and cartel investigations.

Norway > Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 1

BAHR's restructuring team is praised by clients as 'the single best restructuring team, not just in Norway, but in all of Northern Europe'. The group focuses on advising bondholders and is notably acting for Nordic Trustee AS; it also counts a variety of banks on its client roster. The team is led by Richard Sjøqvist, who is well regarded for his restructuring expertise, and includes restructuring litigator Karstein Espelid and capital markets expert Arne Tjaum; both are also key figures in the team for traditional insolvency matters and insolvency litigation. Magnus Tønseth, who handles restructuring and financing transactions, is also noted.

Norway > Insurance Tier 1

With a strong national and international client base, BAHR handles high-profile cases for a variety of businesses; in recent highlights, the group represented Strawberry Hospitality Group in a Covid-19-related insurance dispute and acted for Skuld in the Norwegian Supreme Court. Jan Jansen leads the practice, with a specialisation in acting for insurers in contentious mandates. Atle Skaldebø-Rød and Tarjei Thorkildsen are also noteworthy due to their experience in marine insurance litigation, acting in damage cases, business interruption claims and reinsurance matters.

Norway > Intellectual property Tier 1

BAHR handles full array of intellectual property mandates, advising on contentious and non-contentious patent, trade mark and copyright issues as well as national advertising campaigns. The team is ‘one of the best for patent litigation’, representing various multinational corporations in cross-border disputes, particularly in the life sciences and pharmaceuticals sector; it also acts for various domestic retail, oil and gas and media and entertainment clients. The ‘meticulous’ Are Stenvik has particular expertise in patent matters and jointly leads the team with deputy head Eirik Basmo Ellingsen. Gunnar Sørlie specialises in pharmaceuticals patent disputes, and Lars Norheim and Beret Sundet focus on the retail and TMT sectors respectively.

Norway > Maritime law Tier 1

BAHR has a strong shipping department with a local and global reputation, with clients including leading Norwegian and international shipping companies, owners and operators, banks and marine insurers. The team is led by the highly regarded Geir Gustavsson, who focuses on shipbuilding and project finance mandates, and draws expertise from several departments to provide multidisciplinary advice covering corporate, equity and capital markets transactions, ship finance work, tax issues and disputes as well as insurance matters, construction contracts and M&A. Anne Dahl Frisak is highly regarded for her experience in transactions, commercial shipping issues and traditional dry shipping work.

Norway > Offshore construction and shipbuilding Tier 1

BAHR's offshore construction and shipbuilding department has been notably active in contract renegotiations and cancellations, and also saw an increase in instructions relating to new building projects. The team has strong relationships with notable players in the market, which is advises on tendering and contractual issues. Geir Gustavsson, who heads up the shipping and offshore practice, is particularly active, alongside Morten P Smørdal, who leads the offshore construction team and handles contracts for the construction of rigs and ships as well as floating, production, storage and offloading contracts.

Norway > Oil and gas Tier 1

With a team composed of 'outstanding individuals that manage to combine legal expertise with a good understanding of the industry', BAHR is engaged on a broad range of matters including transactions, development projects, disputes and petroleum tax issues. Instructed by several leading companies including Total, Shell and ExxonMobil, the department is particularly active advising on issues related to E&P mandates. Managing partner Thomas Svensen is focused on oil and energy work, with significant litigation experience before domestic courts and arbitration bodies. Jon Christian Thaulow jointly leads the practice alongside Svensen, with expertise in tax matters, litigation and transactions. Jan Jansen leads the firm's wider oil and energy department.

Norway > Real estate Tier 1

BAHR's practice regularly handles complex and high-value real estate transactions and structuring mandates, with a strong roster of foreign investor clients. Key areas of expertise include advising on complex and multi-use developments, and urbanisation and major property development projects, with a niche in environmentally friendly development solutions; and PPP projects in the healthcare, education and transport sectors. Clients include large institutional investors, life insurance companies, private equity funds and asset managers. Group lead Anne Sofie Bjørkholt focuses on complex real estate transactions, development work and the structuring of real estate portfolios; up-and-coming partner Ole Andreas Dimmen is noted for his expertise in tax issues and partnership agreements.

Norway > Tax Tier 1

BAHR’s ‘absolutely top-of-the-line’ practice provides ‘down-to-earth and honest advice’ combined with ‘excellent business understanding and technical skills’. The full-service department works closely with the corporate and M&A team on tax transactions and is also singled out in the market for its tax litigation experience and transfer pricing expertise. Joachim Bjerke heads up the group and is a leading name in transfer pricing work, while Jan Jansen focuses on petroleum tax work; other key sectors for the team include the shipping, renewable and real estate industries. Peter Hammerich leads the firm’s asset management and private equity team, Anne Sofie Bjørkholt primarily focuses on the real estate sector, and Camilla Jøtun and Ole Andreas Dimmen were promoted to the partnership in 2020.

Norway > Fishing and aquaculture Tier 2

BAHR particularly stands out for expertise in transactional mandates; the practice also fields a strong regulatory team, which recently advised on the government's 'traffic light system' and development licensing issues. Other key areas of work include aquaculture construction projects and equity growth investments; it has also seen increased work in the services sector, in particular relating to the maintenance and mechanical treatment of stock to reduce or eliminate sea lice. Lisa Marie Opdahl, who handles financing and M&A transactions, heads up the team, which includes Stig Klausen Engelhart, who is noted for his regulatory expertise.

Norway > TMT Tier 2

BAHR provides specialist advice across advertising and marketing law, transactional work, regulatory issues, TMT disputes and technology agreements. It attracts a diverse client base of domestic and international companies which includes media groups, telecoms companies, technology suppliers and private equity funds. The department is jointly led by IP specialist Are Stenvik and Lars Kristian Sande, who combines expertise in M&A transactions and the telecoms sector. Other notable names include Lars G. Norheim, whose specialisms include licensing and franchising work, and transactional expert Svein Gerhard Simonnæs.