Mr Johannes Grove Nielsen > Bech-Bruun > Copenhagen, Denmark > Lawyer Profile

Bech-Bruun
Gdanskgade 18
2150 Nordhavn
Denmark

Work Department

Dispute Resolution - Transport & Insurance

Position

Partner

Career

Johannes is one of Denmark’s most prominent lawyers and heads Bech-Bruun’s Dispute Resolution as well as Maritime and Transport departments. He has an impressive roster of international clients, and a substantial part of his work involves dispute resolution and international arbitration, including a considerable number of commercial and post M&A disputes. He also acts in D&O cases, professional liability cases and cases relating to attachments and injunctions.

Being a veteran litigator with a huge international presence, Johannes is also recognised for his profound expertise in maritime law. Considered one of Demark’s foremost shipping lawyers, he was the first practising maritime lawyer to complete the prestigious MBA in Shipping & Logistics from CBS.

Johannes serves as chairman of Bech-Bruun’s International Business Committee. Bringing a strong international focus to his role, Johannes is actively involved in multiple international organisations and has garnered significant international recognition for his contributions. He is a member of both the Litigation and Arbitration committees of the International Bar Association (IBA) where he is also the Immediate Past Chair of the Maritime & Transport Law Committee. Additionally, he is Denmark’s only executive member of Comité Maritime International (CMI).

In the area of international arbitration, Johannes has played a pivotal role in some of the most significant matters in recent years including cases related to European defence and armoury, energy giants, oil majors and general commercial and post M&A disputes, and on the maritime side, Johannes has been involved in virtually every major shipping case of significance. Johannes was for example involved in the aftermath of the collapse of OW Bunker, the grounding of EVERGIVEN in the Suez Canal and the largest Danish maritime bankruptcies, including The Containership Company, Copenship and Thorco Shipping.

Praised by clients and colleagues alike, Johannes is known for his solution-oriented approach and his profound understanding of the client’s needs. His advisory services stand out due to his remarkable talent for simplifying complex issues and his ability to communicate top-tier legal advice in a clear and concise manner. This makes him an invaluable and much sought-after adviser on complex and high-value maritime and dispute resolution cases.

Languages

English, Danish and Swedish

Memberships

External examiner, Bar Exams, The Danish Bar and Law Society

Board member, Comité Maritime International, Danish Chapter

Co-Chair, The Maritime & Transport Committee, International Bar Association

Education

Right of audience, The Danish Supreme Court (2019)

Right of audience, The Danish High Court (2012)

MBA (2011)

Associate (2008)

Master of Laws (2004)

Lawyer Rankings

Denmark > Dispute resolution

Bech-Bruun is active in significant litigation and Supreme Court cases in Denmark, with a growing presence in international arbitration. The firm frequently handles high-value civil litigation, D&O liability cases related to financial institutions, and public law disputes. The team is led by Johannes Grove Nielsen, who advises prominent national and international clients on cross-border disputes and arbitration. Anne Buhl Bjelke brings deep expertise in financial sector regulation, insurance, and reinsurance matters. Jacob Schall Holberg is noted for his work in public law dispute resolution, while Rasmus Schmidt and Daniel Myhre Engell focus on post-M&A disputes and general litigation, strengthening the firm’s capacity in complex commercial disputes.

Denmark > Shipping and transport

(Leading partners)

Johannes Grove NielsenBech-Bruun

Renowned as a ‘market leader in Denmark,’ Bech-Bruun advises domestic and international clients in the shipping and transport sectors on both wet and dry shipping matters. The firm has also developed a specialised cross-border insolvency shipping team to work on complex industry insolvencies. Team head Johannes Grove Nielsen, praised as ‘a leader in the industry,’ brings extensive expertise in maritime law and international arbitration. The ‘responsive’ Camilla Søgaard Hudson focuses on cargo transportation, charter party agreements, and offshore matters. Regarded as a ‘top maritime lawyer,’ Lars Rosenberg Overby has significant experience drafting wind industry contracts and representing clients in litigation before Danish courts as well as in international arbitration proceedings.