Firm Profile > Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig > Oslo, Norway
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig Offices
FILIPSTAD BRYGGE 1
PO BOX 2043 VIKA
0125 OSLO
Norway
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig > The Legal 500 Rankings
EU and competition Tier 1
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig’s ‘very impressive’ department ‘always delivers more than expected’ and ‘sees what others don’t’ thanks to its ‘pragmatic and reliable’ approach. The team excels in a diverse range of competition mandates; practice head Jan Magne Langseth focuses on abuse of dominance issues and cartel investigations, managing partner Mona Søyland provides regulatory advice, Anders Thue assists with merger clearances and Karin Fløistad handles competition litigation. The group’s client roster includes Norwegian Air Shuttle and ST1 Group; Langseth advised the latter on the competition elements of its acquisition of Statoil Fuel and Retail.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team always delivers more than expected and sees what others don’t see and, by this, creates business value.‘
‘What makes this practice unique is their ability to narrow down the scope of the task to the issues at stake. They do not spend their billing hours on legal issues out of the scope, but focus solely on the material legal risks which actually face the client.‘
‘The team knows the area very well and is able to help us with a broad range of topics. They are very pragmatic and reliable. I am always happy to work with them and they are very quick as well.‘
‘The team knows our industry and relevant case law very well, and are able to respond on point very quickly – very impressive!‘
‘Jan Magne Langseth is a lawyer who really knows how to add value to his clients. He always has an answer that can be used by the client. We are always very pleased with his work.’
‘Jan Magne Langseth is a state-of-the-art lawyer. Always pragmatic, giving high-stake advice and adding business value.‘
‘Anders Thue is an outstanding lawyer with in-depth knowledge of European and Norwegian competition law. He is known for quick, thorough, and precise answers.’
‘Jan Magne is our trusted adviser in almost everything we do. He is always ready to help, even on short notice, and he knows the industry very well. Highly recommended and valued adviser!‘
Key clients
Yara International ASA
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA
Telia
Synnøve Finden
Go-ahead Group
TV 2
Nextgentel
Snusbolaget
British American Tobacco
St1 (petrol stations – formerly Shell in Norway)
RiksTV
The Ministry of Trade, Industries and Fisheries
The Ministry of Transport and Communication
The Ministry of children and Equality
Get
Coop
Stena Recycling
Fishing and aquaculture Tier 1
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig’s team of ‘hardworking lawyers who give accurate and thorough legal advice’ handles corporate, regulatory, contentious and employment work for clients in the marine and shore-based sectors, including fisheries and salmon producers, processing plants, vessel owners, suppliers and public bodies. Kenneth Mikkelsen and Arthur Duus jointly lead the practice from Tromsø and Bergen respectively; Mikkelsen leads the fisheries team while Duus heads up the aquaculture department. Ole Rieck, who is also based in Bergen, is a key name for fishery clients and handles commercial issues and disputes, while Trondheim-based Arild Paulsen assists aquaculture companies with contractual matters and regulatory work.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Hardworking lawyers that give accurate and thorough legal advice and assessments.‘
‘The firm’s size means that they can help with not only aquaculture law, but also property law, employment law, contract law etc.‘
‘Ole Rieck’s work has been outstanding and we are very pleased with his and his colleagues’ performance.‘
Key clients
Alliance Seafoods Inc
Alsaker Fjordbruk AS
Viking Fjord AS
Norges Sildesalgslag SA
Lerøy Seafood Norway –AS
Grimsholm Fiskedrift AS
Polar Seafood Norway AS
Hermann Export AS
K. Strømmen Fiskeoppdrett AS
Optimar AS
Mikal Solhaug AS
Hermann Mehamn AS
Skjervøy Fiskeriselskap AS
Kvitbjørn AS
Fjon Bruk AS
Alsaker LFC Holding AS
Salar Bruk AS
Lyder Fisk AS
Arnøytind AS
Maritime law Tier 1
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig benefits from its wider domestic network, fielding groups in Oslo, Bergen, Tromsø and Stavanger led by Erlend Lous, Jan Vablum, Kenneth Mikkelsen and Gunnar Espeland respectively, while also leveraging the firm’s presence in Singapore for international shipping mandates. The group’s work encompasses cross-border shipping transactions and shipping finance work, and the practice also includes a distinct shipping casualties and litigation team. Christine Rødsæther is singled out for her transactional expertise, Frithjof Herlofsen focuses on maritime litigation, and Yannis Litinas specialises in contractual negotiations.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team’s way of communicating and understanding the customer’s needs stands out.‘
‘SVW’s ability to be hands on, understanding the urgency and needs of the customer and to deliver on it is highly appreciated.‘
‘Competent team led by Erlend Lous. Easy to deal with and to place 100% trust in. Quite cheap on fees compared to peers.‘
‘We value the attention we get as a customer, delivery of qualified services and commercial understanding.‘
‘Erlend Lous is one of the best shipping lawyers there is. Handles both legal and also commercial matters with care.‘
Key clients
Maritime Asset Partners
Lynx Partners
RF Ocean
Leth Suez Transit Ltd
Tide Capital Management
If Skadeförsäkring, Sweden
Nautical Bulk Holding, Bermuda
Silkroad Maritime of Malta
Pausco Agencies, London
DVB Bank SE
Clarksons Platou Finance
Songa/Blystad Group
Pareto Securities
Fearnleys Project Finance
WLR/TRF
Olympic Ship and Olympic Subsea
Ulstein Group
ABN AMRO
Sparebanken More
Bergen Bunkers AS – bankruptcy estate
DNB Bank ASA
NIBC Bank N.V.
Skandinaviska Enskilda BankenAB (publ) (SEB)
Skuld
Njord Shipping
Offshore Merchant Partners
Nordea Bank
Ness Risan & Partners
International Registries Inc.
NorthCape Capital
Yara Marine Technologies AS
Swedbank
Golden Ocean Group Limited (Fredriksen)
Seatankers Management Company Limited (Fredriksen)
Yinson Production
Fjord 1 AS
Volstad Maritime AS
Fosen Yard AS
Oma Baatbyggeri AS
Marinacc AS.
Bergen Group ASA and its subsidiaries
Drydocks World Dubai
Offshore construction and shipbuilding Tier 1
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig leverages the firm’s national footprint with teams in Oslo, Bergen, Tromsø and Stavanger led by Erlend Lous, Jan Vablum, Kenneth Mikkelsen and Gunnar Espeland respectively; the Oslo and Bergen teams focus on yard and financing work, the Stavanger group handles offshore construction and the Tromsø practice advises on shipbuilding and ship repair work. Other key practitioners include Oslo-based Christine Rødsæther, who focuses on shipping transactions, and maritime specialists Christian Bjørtuft Ellingsen and Lars Inge Ørstavik. The practice counts shipyards, shipowners, banks, managers, oil companies and financiers as clients; examples include Fjord 1, Nordea Bank, Drydocks World Dubai and Seatankers Management Company.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘We have worked With Christine Rødsæther for more than 10 years and she is highly skilled and service orientated, always available and provides prompt responses to our requests.‘
Key clients
Seatankers Management Company Limited
Offshore Merchant Partners
DVB Bank SE
Endur ASA and its subsidiaries
Westcon Yards AS
ABN AMRO Bank N.V., DNB Bank ASA, NIBC Bank N.V.
Nordea Bank AB filial I Norge
Yinson Production
Fjord 1 AS
Volstad Maritime AS
Fosen Yard AS
Oma Baatbyggeri AS
Marinacc AS.
Songa/Blystad group
WLR/TRF
Drydocks World Dubai
Oil and gas Tier 1
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig is singled out for its longstanding expertise in regulatory issues, transactional work including petroleum law mandates and field developments, and exploration phase operational activities; the team has also recently strengthened its knowledge of oil field facilities, oil and gas litigation, decommissioning work, procurement issues and financing matters. Bjørn-Erik Leerberg and Gunnar Espeland jointly lead the team from Oslo and Stavanger respectively; other noteworthy practitioners include petroleum specialist Frode Berntsen, Trym Landa, who ‘asks the right questions and identifies brilliant solutions’; and senior lawyer Nikolai Brøvig, who is experienced in regulatory work.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team has competence in all areas of the oil and gas industry, from regulatory frameworks to transactions, contracts and procurement issues. They have a unique understanding of the oil and gas business.‘
‘Strong local presence. Acts quickly in response to requests for urgent meetings. Adapts internal teams to legal complexity and the disputed matter in a very good way.‘
‘They have a very strong team with a huge capacity for giving quick answers and concrete solutions to the problems presented, even for new subjects. They are always available for what we need and bring the best solutions to the issues. They are always ready to work tirelessly.‘
‘Gunnar Espeland listens carefully when issues are presented, and is more eager to understand the clients’ expressed needs for legal advice and support. Pragmatic and focused on practical solutions.‘
‘Trym Landa has solid knowledge of petroleum offshore and onshore contracts, is able to provide reliable guidance on contracts quickly, asks the right questions, and identifies brilliant solutions the client had not yet seen. Easy to work with, and a team player.‘
‘Trym Landa is well known within the E&P community in Stavanger as an E&P lawyer with previous experience as in-house counsel. He has great background knowledge of the E&P industry, which is very useful.‘
‘Bjørn-Erik Leerberg is unique, not only in that he provides you with the best solution but also teaches you how to achieve the better solutions to the problems that have been presented. Always in a good mood and always available to help. His capacity for learning in new cases is amazing. The best professional I have worked with.’
Key clients
VNG Norge AS (now merged into Neptune Energy Norge AS)
Neptune Energy Norge AS
Eni S.p.A / Eni International B.V
Vår Energi AS (previously Eni Norge AS)
Aramco Overseas Company B.V./ Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures LLC
Gassco AS
Gassnova SF
Capricorn Norge AS
ONE-Dyas Norge AS
OMV (Norge) AS
Chrysaor Energy Holdings/ Chrysaor Norge AS
Tullow Oil plc/Tullow Oil Norge AS
Faroe Petroleum Norge AS
Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority
Instituto Nacional de Petroleo, Mozambique
Uganda: Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, Petroleum Exploration and Production Department, Petroleum Authority
Lebanese Petroleum Administration
TMT Tier 1
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig has ‘in-depth knowledge of the telecoms industry’ and excels in the technology and digitalisation arena acting for a client roster which includes Telia, Hewlett Packard and RiksTV. The practice is also active in the fintech space, media transactions and data protection work. Tor Stokke heads up the group and regularly handles technology transactions and media work. Other key practitioners include technology and telecoms leader Espen Tøndel, contractual expert Nicolai Halbo, IT procurement specialist Trine Vabog and Torstein Losnedahl, who focuses on regulatory issues.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team can quickly adapt to new challenges and situations and bring value to our company.’
‘Tor Stokke understands our company and business very well. He knows what we are looking for, can counsel us both formally and informally and is a great discussion partner and adviser.‘
‘Espen Tøndel and Torstein Losnedahl are both extremely valuable.‘
Key clients
Telia Norge AS/Telia Company AB (mobile services)
Statoil ASA
Kongsberg-gruppen ASA
Akers Solutions ASA
Reitan Convenience Norway AS
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA
Hewlett Packard
RiksTV AS
Tomra Systems ASA
BDO AS
BI Norwegian Business School
The Norwegian Athletes Association
Helseplattformen AS
Banking and finance (including shipping finance) Tier 2
With substantial expertise in shipping, offshore and project finance mandates, Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig acts for a broad range of lenders and borrower clients encompassing Norwegian banks, private companies, arrangers and trustees. The practice is also active in general financing work including syndicated lending matters, leveraged lending issues and refinancings; export financing work, aviation financings and financial services regulation. Vessel and rig financing expert Peter Aall Simonsen heads up the Oslo team, while Eivind Eliassen leads the Bergen-based group. Christine Rødsæther and Erlend Lous are also recommended for shipping and offshore transactions, and Halvor Klingenberg joined from Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS in 2019.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘We have used Simonsen Vogt Wiig for many years on various financings. They have strong and experienced banking and financing teams, both in Oslo and in Bergen.‘
‘The group is always available and proactive, and a good commercial mindset is something that you can always expect from the SVW team.‘
‘SVW have many experienced lawyers but we would like to highlight partner Halvor Klingenberg from their Oslo office. Halvor is truly an up and coming lawyer and we were very pleased when he returned to SVW. He is extremely committed, trustworthy and efficient.‘
‘Halvor Klingenberg is a very pleasant personality and strong discussion partner. Strong commercial understanding which combined with a strong understanding of the renewable industry means that Halvor can provide excellent legal advice. Ability to explain legal considerations in a way which gives us a good foundation to take decisions.‘
Key clients
DNB Bank ASA
Nordea Bank Abp
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken
Swedbank
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA
ING Bank N.V.
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation London Branch
The Norwegian State Export Credit Agency
Katapult
Prime Capital AG
Capital markets Tier 2
At Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig, Christoffer Bjerknes leads the ECM expertise, while Halvor Klingenberg, who joined from Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS in 2018, is the main DCM contact. Clients also praise Amund Fougner Bugge, who is ‘very client centric’ and focuses on ECM transactions. The practice has experience across equity, debt and securitisation matters and counts corporates, financial institutions, funds and asset managers as clients; notable examples include Norwegian Air Shuttle, Norwegian Finans Holding and Songa Container.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Very rapid turnaround, covering both sensitive shareholder issues, international debt markets and competition issues while preparing transaction documents.‘
‘Amund Fougner Bugge has extremely flexible working hours and rapid turn-around, ensuring access to the whole array of the company’s services in those few transaction cases where he needs additional support. Very client-centric.‘
Key clients
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA
Jinhui Shipping and Transportation Limited (Bermuda / Hong Kong)
Norwegian Finans Holding ASA (Bank Norwegian AS)
Norsteam AS
Katapult Accelerator AS
Idekapital Fund 1 AS
Zwipe AS
responsAbility Management SA
Songa Container AS
Curida Holding AS
Piano Software, Inc.
Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig fields ‘a solid team of young and energetic lawyers’, which is led by Christoffer Bjerknes, who specialises in private equity mandates - a growing area of focus for the firm. Other noteworthy individuals include private equity group head Mathias Teir and senior lawyer Kristoffer Birkeland, who joined from Kluge Advokatfirma AS in early 2019. Alongside the group’s private equity expertise, the team also has notable strength in the TMT, shipping, oil and gas, and financial services sectors, and counts FSN Capital, Telia and MVI Advisors as clients.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Extremely professional in all matters. Excellent in negotiations, flexible, goal-oriented, always “on line” with quick feedback – e-mails, phone and drafts. Positive and easy going individuals.‘
‘Solid team of young energetic lawyers and partners.‘
Key clients
FSN Capital
Optimar AS
MVI Advisors
DNB Markets
Credo Partners AS
Getaround, Inc.
Valedo Partners Fund
Prime Capital
Active Brands AS
Franz Haniel & Cie GmbH
Telia Company AB / Telia Norge AS
General Electric Company/Baker Hughes
Yara
Bank Norwegian AS / Norwegian Finans Holding ASA
Dispute resolution Tier 2
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig’s sector-focused approach spans the shipping, technology, aviation, IP, construction, banking and energy sectors and also leverages further expertise in competition law, corporate disputes and administrative and human rights issues. Group head Christian Reusch ‘stands out when it comes to quality’, associate partner Tage Brigt A. Skoghøy handles contractual and damages actions, and associate partner Ørjan Salvesen Haukaas has notable expertise in technology contract and cross-border disputes. Frithjof Herlofsen and Peter Simonsen also contribute to the practice.
Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Simonsen Vogt Wiig is a law firm with a wide range of business expertise. Their lawyers provide advice that is both corporate and legally rooted. In this way, the communication and assistance provided by Simonsen Vogt Wiig is holistic, and not solely judged from a legal perspective. They are able to put together teams that reflect the client’s overall needs.‘
‘Christian Reusch stands out when it comes to quality in SVW.’
‘Nicolai Halbo is a truly capable strategist, and especially skilled with “contract-hygiene” conditions. One quickly realises that he has a great legal weight.‘
‘Ørjan Salvesen Haukaas is a very proficient legal mediator. He anticipated our counterpart’s strategy, and thereby prepared good strategies for the process.’
‘Christian Reusch is an excellent public law lawyer, and a terrific litigator. Very likeable and smart. Tage Skoghøy is also one to watch.‘
Key clients
Kruse Smith Entreprenør AS
Yara
Rolls Royce Marine
ABN Amro Bank N.V.
TV 2 AS
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA
Gjensidige Forsikring
Coop Sørvest SA
Allianz
American President Lines Ltd
Electricity and renewable energy Tier 2
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.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Excellent knowledge of all the “do’s and dont’s” for (electric) grid-companies in Norway.‘
‘They know a lot about the electricity market in Norway and what the challenges are.‘
‘The group stands out for its level of attention. Work delivery is simply impressive in both speed and quality.‘
‘I like the way they communicate, especially Robin Aker Jakobsen who is an easy going person.‘
Key clients
Prime Capital AG
Agder Energi AS
Ren AS
Gassnova SF
SFE Produksjon AS
GIEK – the Norwegian State Export Credit Agency
Skagerak Nett AS
Gudbrandsdal Energi AS
Lofotkraft
NEAS
Odda Energi
BKK Nett
Troms Kraft Nett
Sunndal Energi
Sunnfjord Energi
Nord-Salten kraftlag
Eidefoss
Helgeland Kraft
Haugaland Kraft
Glitre Energi
Mørenett
NTE Nett
Vestas Wind Turbines A/S
DNB Bank ASA
Finnmark Kraft AS
Employment Tier 2
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig is a key name in the market for restructurings, workforce reductions, transfer of undertakings and individual personnel matters with notable expertise in the telecoms, technology, oil and gas, and shipping sectors. Clients include Telia, Hewlett-Packard and PepsiCo. Lill Egeland heads up the practice, and acts for a range of international companies; other key individuals include Per Christian Eriksen who leads the Bergen team, which also includes Trine Lise Fromreide, and Marianne Kartum, who leads the Trondheim group.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team is highly skilled in solving disputes and other matters with a practical approach.‘
‘Well-rounded and competent.‘
‘Lill Egeland is excellent in giving advice in a very usable manner.‘
‘Lill Egeland is very strong in all parts of employment law and also has an excellent strategic way of thinking. Pure and simple advice in complex situations makes her a very valuable legal adviser to our group of companies.‘
Key clients
Hewlett-Packard
Telia
Cowi
Mars Norge
PepsiCo
Elkjøp
Orona
Oslo Metropolitan University
The municipality of Bærum
Go-Ahead
Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 2
At Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig, Peter Aall Simonsen, who primarily acts for banks, bondholders and other creditors, heads up the group in Oslo; Bjørn Åge Hamre leads the Bergen team and handles restructuring proceedings, and Nils Håkon Risberg is the leader in Trondheim. Other key practitioners include Bergen-based Egil Horstad, who is a bankruptcy expert, Oslo-based shipping specialist Erlend Lous and Per Christian Eriksen in Bergen, who is regularly appointed as estate trustee and administrator. The practice is a key name in the shipping, oil and offshore industries and handles the full range of restructuring and bankruptcy issues.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Excellent skilled team, relevant expertise and complimentary resources. Very good availability.‘
‘The Simonsen Vogt Wiig team is an established team with longstanding relationships with all the banks lending out of Norway, and with significant experience and expertise in the shipping and offshore industries beyond its asset finance expertise and focus, meaning that it can add significant value in any shipping and/or offshore enforcement or restructuring situation.’
‘Peter Aall Simonsen is very knowledgeable, with a succinct and commercial-solutions-led practical approach, close to and respected by key players in the Norwegian market.‘
Key clients
GIEK
BNP Paribas
Nordea Bank
Danske Bank
ING Bank
Bergen tingrett
Nordhordland tingrett
Sør-Trøndelag tingrett
Kristiansand tingrett
Export Credit Norway
DVB Bank
ABN AMRO Bank
Sparebanken Møre
Olympic Ship
Insurance Tier 2
At Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig, Frithjof Herlofsen and Lars Inge Ørstavik jointly lead the insurance practice from Oslo and Bergen respectively. The group is a key name for marine insurance work and acts for all major marine insurers in the domestic market; recent mandates include protection and indemnity insurance work, hull and machinery claims, cargo issues and loss of hire disputes. The practice also handles non-contentious work for international life and non-life insurers, and also operates standalone aviation insurance and personal injury insurance teams, led by Ingar Fuglevåg and Øyvind Vidhammer respectively. Christian Bjørtuft Ellingsen and Jan Vablum are also noteworthy contacts.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
Gjensidige
Skuld P & I
Zurich Insurance
Allianz Insurance
North of England P & I
Hydor AS
Norsk Hydro/Industriforsikring
Yara Insurance
Codan Insurance
Britannia P & I
Intellectual property Tier 2
As a leading firm for online content protection work, Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig handles enforcement issues for content owners, advises on legislative changes and assists with content protection matters in the music and publishing industries; the group also recently advised the Motion Picture Association on anti-piracy issues. Rune Ljostad and associate partner Cecilia Orheim jointly lead the group, which has also been increasingly active in patent infringement cases, licensing and IP transfer agreements, and IP litigation. Senior associates Nicholas Foss Barbantonis and Hedda Baumann Heier also receive praise.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Dedicated to IPR and enforcement and able to communicate a message in a very nice way.‘
‘Simonsen Vogt Wiig’s intellectual property team is unique in that they have a highly collaborative approach both towards their clients as well as towards their partner law firms abroad. They show a high level of dedication, and an ability to quickly grasp the technical and commercial aspects of the case at hand.‘
‘A strong team, who are practical and thorough in their approach; readily takes on board your requirements and goals.‘
‘Rune Ljostad and Hedda Bauman Heier work great as a team, and are able to research complicated matters. They are not afraid to challenge established “truths”, and effectively build up a clear case with solid arguments.‘
‘Hedda Baumann Heier is dedicated and impressively thorough in her approach; not afraid to give an honest opinion of the merits of a case.‘
‘Rune Ljostad is very knowledgeable and great at developing an ideal strategy to see a matter through to the end and achieve the goal.‘
Key clients
Motion Pictures Association
Walt Disney
SBS Discovery
TV 2
RiksTV
Norwegian Air Shuttle AS
PepsiCo
Magnus Carlsen, World no 1 chess player/MagnusChess AS/Play Magnus AS
Helly Hansen
Louis Poulsen A/S
Zwipe AS
Sørlandschips
Snappit AS
Berit Nordstrand Smarte Nytelser
Bank Norwegian
Fotolotto.no
Real estate Tier 2
Leveraging its national network of six offices, Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig focuses on transactional and development work at a domestic level and also handles foreign real estate investment into Norway. The group counts financial managers, institutional and industrial investors, real estate companies and developers as clients; noteworthy examples include Njord Securities, Miris and Skanska. Under the leadership of Jørgen Lindboe, the team also includes Pål Brudvik, development specialist Bjørn H. Kise, Arne Oftedal in Stavanger, Gøran Mjelde Aarvik, who joined from Wikborg Rein in 2019, and senior lawyer Caroline Waller, who is the key name for planning and building law.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Simonsen Vogt Wiig’s real estate team has assisted us in real estate matters for several years. The team are very experienced, dependable, get the work done in an efficient manner and deliver a product of high quality. They also have good standing in the market.’
‘Jørgen Lindboe is the reason why we chose Simonsen Vogt Wiig in the first place. He is a skilled lawyer who provides clear advice, he is thorough, but also business minded, and always tries to avoid making things unnecessarily complicated – in short he gets the work done.’
‘Jørgen Lindboe is a very intelligent, commercial lawyer who solves challenges rather than creating problems. His character, personality and ability to find solutions must be highlighted.’
‘I would like to mention Simonsen Vogt Wiig’s Bergen office. They did an outstanding report for us. The quality and efficiency is the best in Norway today.’
Key clients
Njord Securities AS (previous Castelar Corporate Finance AS)
Colliers International Corporate AS
Malling & Co, Project Finance AS
Rimfeldt Eiendom AS
Bjørvika Infrastruktur AS
SPG Private Equity AS
Fazenda Utvikling AS
Tinden Eiendom AS
Bertel O. Steen Eiendom AS
GLS Real Estate AS
Birger N. Haug Holding AS
DNB Bank ASA – DNB Markets Investment Banking Division
RAC NORWAY AS (part of the AVIS group)
Buffin Real Estate Norway AS
Ineo Eiendom AS
Gaustadbekken AS
Forus Næringspark AS
Invento Kapitalforvaltning AS/ Tress Asset Management AS)
Omtanke AS
Miris AS
Coop Eiendom Norge AS
Construction Tier 3
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig has a strong regional presence with its construction team including Trondheim-based practice head Kjell Sagen Berg and Jon Oppedal Vale, Atle Berentsen in Kristiansand and litigator Olav Johansen in the Tromsø office. The group’s client roster spans contractors, developers and construction companies; examples include Skanska Norge, Heimdal Gruppen and EC Dahls Eiendom. The practice also leverages its regional strength to handle projects in the oil and gas sector, and also counts multiple regional municipalities as clients.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘They are dedicated, service-minded and understand the client’s commercial point of view, offering high-quality construction expertise along the way with litigation expertise when it is not possible to solve the dispute amicably. The litigators work closely together with colleagues in other departments during the process leading up to the court hearing, including experts Kjell Sagen Berg and Jon Oppedal Vale, ensuring the best quality in important decisions.’
Key clients
Skanska Norge AS
Heimdal Gruppen AS
EC Dahls Eiendom AS/Britannia Eiendom AS
Veidekke Entreprenør AS
including their subsidiary Grande Entreprenør AS
Municipality of Bergen
Municipality of Trondheim
Troms County
Ruta Entreprenør AS
Norgeshus AS
Tverås Maskin & Transport AS
Public procurement Tier 3
At Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig, key contacts for public procurement work include Tor Stokke, who handles technology and material procurements; Anders Thue, who regularly acts for public sector clients; Christian Bjørtuft Ellingsen, who focuses on the shipping and offshore sectors; litigator Karin Fløistad; Trine Lise Fromreide, who specialises in conflict cases; and associate partner Anne Buan, who is an IT and technology procurement expert. The group has notable experience in procurement litigation alongside advisory expertise, and also leverages the firm’s state aid knowledge.
Tax Tier 3
The team at Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig is experienced in transactional tax work alongside expertise in petroleum taxation, VAT work and international tax law. The group is spread across the firm’s national network; senior lawyer Christian Svensen is the main contact in Oslo and handles corporate tax matters, Eldar Nesset is in Trondheim, Stavanger-based senior lawyer Tor Olaf Espeland handles VAT issues, and the Bergen team includes litigator Egil Horstad and restructuring expert Vidar Kleppe.
Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig > Firm Profile
The firm: Simonsen Vogt Wiig (SVW) is one of the largest law firms in Norway with its 180 lawyers. The firm has a strong international focus on advising leading national and global companies for decades from its offices in Norway and Singapore.
Areas of practice:
Maritime: SVW is recognised as one of the leading law firms within shipping and offshore. Several lawyers are internationally ranked as leaders within maritime law, shipping transactions and ship building/offshore construction.
Dispute resolution: SVW is one of few Norwegian firms with a standalone dispute resolution team that dedicates 100% of its time to contentious matters. It has extensive experience and expertise in handling complex matters before both the Norwegian and European courts, arbitration tribunals and a variety of boards, councils and committees.
Oil and gas: SVW has one of Norway’s broadest and most internationally-oriented oil and gas groups and the largest asset transaction volume by number of transactions in Norway for the last five years.
Banking and finance: SVW operates a full-service banking and finance practice. The firm represents agents in major syndicated facilities and clients include some of the most active foreign banks in Norway. SVW is also a market-leading firm within the energy sector and aviation finance.
Commercial, corporate and M&A: SVW operates an expanded standalone transactional department, with partners solely handling public and private M&A work. The team has reported an increasing order volume and presence in the Norwegian transaction market in recent years.
Intellectual property and TMT: SVW is widely acknowledged by clients and peers for its leading TMT practice. It is the only firm in Norway that has a broad coverage in all TMT areas: IT, media, telecoms and data protection.
Insolvency and corporate recovery: SVW has a well-respected restructuring and insolvency team. They assist with credit security, restructuring of business enterprises, and the handling of the clients’ creditor and debtor interests, and as trustee in major bankruptcy estates.
Offshore construction and shipbuilding: SVW is recognised as one of the leading law firms within shipping and offshore and is one of the few to offer strength across the board in shipping and maritime law. Several lawyers are internationally ranked as leaders within maritime law, shipping transactions and ship building/offshore construction.
Capital markets: SVW offers a very strong capital markets team and has key expertise in the areas of public M&A. The firm assisted recently on the largest private stock exchange listing in Norway since 2010.
Construction: SVW’s clients include several national and regional contractors, including three of the top ten contractors on the recently published list of the 100 largest construction companies in Norway.
EU and competition: SVW’s team has extensive experience with EU and EEA regulatory matters and competition law, and the firm assists with all aspects of competition law.
Tax: SVW fields a standalone tax team, with resources across six offices that advise clients on a wide variety of tax-related matters involving corporations, partnerships and their owners and investors. The team has extensive experience in handling audit and controversy matters.
Real estate: the firm fields a standalone real estate team of 40 lawyers across its network of six offices and assists parties in the property sector throughout the whole value chain with a special focus on transactions, raising capital, development projects and regulatory matters.
Employment: SVW assists clients in both the private and public sector. Human resources departments, legal departments and management of major Norwegian and international companies regularly seek assistance from the firm with restructuring, workforce reductions, transfers of undertakings and individual personnel matters.
Electricity and renewables: the firm is one of Norway’s premier law firms in the area of renewable energy and assists major players in both regulatory and finance matters. Its lawyers within this sector have extensive industry knowledge and expertise about energy and watercourse law due to long experience from the power industry regulatory authorities and private practice.
Insurance: SVW’s insurance practice handles both contentious and non-contentious work on behalf of conventional and marine insurers. The firm is a recognised leader in marine insurance, and acts for all major marine insurers in Norway.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
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Administrative (Managing Partner) | Mona Søyland | mos@svw.no | +47 922 93 651 |
Banking and Finance | Halvor Klingenberg | hkl@svw.no | +47 922 42 116 |
Corporate and M&A | Christoffer Bjerknes | cbj@svw.no | +47 924 04 720 |
Capital Markets | Amund Fougner Bugge | afb@svw.no | +47 911 45 982 |
Dispute Resolution | Christian Reusch | chr@svw.no | +47 975 02 247 |
EU and Competition | Jan Magne Langseth | jml@svw.no | +47 966 44 440 |
Electricity and Renewable Energy | Peter Aall Simonsen | pes@svw.no | +47 920 23 789 |
Employment | Lill Egeland | leg@svw.no | +47 934 90 834 |
Insolvency and Corporate Recovery | Bjørn Åge Hamre | bah@svw.no | +47 402 49 104 |
Insolvency and Corporate Recovery | Peter Aall Simonsen | pes@svw.no | +47 920 23 789 |
Intellectual Property | Cecilia Orheim | cor@svw.no | +47 920 31 229 |
TMT | Tor Stokke | tst@svw.no | +47 932 11 581 |
Maritime Law | Christine Rødsæther | cro@svw.no | +47 950 74 898 |
Shipping | Erlend Lous | elo@svw.no | +47 992 16 772 |
Oil and Gas | Bjørn-Erik Leerberg | bel@svw.no | +47 934 90 683 |
Real Estate | Jørgen Lindboe | jli@svw.no | +47 918 03 814 |
Construction | Kjell Sagen Berg | ksb@svw.no | +47 995 22 110 |
Tax | Vidar Kleppe | vkl@svw.no | +47 940 12 512 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Henning Øvrebø | Partner | View Profile |
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Kjell Sagen Berg | Partner and Head of Construction | View Profile |
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Christoffer Bjerknes | Partner and Head of Corporate and M&A | View Profile |
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Mr Pål Brudvik | Partner and Head of Transactions | View Profile |
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Amund Fougner Bugge | Partner and Head of Capital Markets | View Profile |
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Mrs Lill Egeland | Partner and Head of Employment | View Profile |
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Mr Christian Bjørtuft Ellingsen | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr Ingar Fuglevåg | Partner and Head of Aviation | View Profile |
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Mr Frithjof Herlofsen | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr Halvor Klingenberg | Partner and Head of Banking and Finance | View Profile |
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Mr Jan Magne Langseth | Partner and Head of EU and Competition | View Profile |
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Mr Bjørn-Erik Leerberg | Partner and Head of Oil and Gas | View Profile |
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Jørgen Lindboe | Partner and Head of Real Estate | View Profile |
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Mr Rune Ljostad | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr Erlend Lous | Partner | View Profile |
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Cecilia Orheim | Partner and Head of Intellectual Property | View Profile |
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Mr Christian Reusch | Partner and Dispute Resolution | View Profile |
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Ms Christine Rødsæther | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr Peter Aall Simonsen | Partner and Head of Renewable Energy | View Profile |
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Tor Stokke | Partner and Head of Technology and Media | View Profile |
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Mrs Mona Søyland | Managing Partner | View Profile |
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Mathias Teir | Partner, Head of Private Equity and Board Member | View Profile |
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Mr Anders Thue | Partner | View Profile |
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Mr Espen Tøndel | Partner | View Profile |
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Morten Wilhelm Winther | Partner and Head of Financial Regulatory | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 180Languages
Scandinavian languages English French German Greek Icelandic Mandarin PortugueseMemberships
World Services Group (WSG)Other
Contacts : Mona Søyland (Managing Partner) Contacts : Jan Vablum (Bergen) Contacts : Gunnar Espeland (Stavanger) Contacts : Nils Håkon Risberg (Trondheim) Contacts : Asbjørn Breistein (Kristiansand) Contacts : Ørjan Nilsen (Tromsø) Contacts : Torgeir Willumsen (Singapore)Comparative Guides
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Norway: Merger Control
Published: September 2020
Authors: Jan Magne Langseth Erik Martinius Klevmo
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview to Merger Control laws and regulations that may occur in Norway.
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Norway: Energy: Oil & Gas
Published: November 2020
Authors: Bjørn-Erik Leerberg Gunnar Espeland Nikolai Brøvig
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview to Energy laws and regulations that may occur in Norway.
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Norway: International Arbitration
Published: November 2020
Authors: Christian Reusch Ørjan Salvesen Haukaas
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview to International Arbitration laws and regulations that may occur in Norway.
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- EU and competition
- Fishing and aquaculture
- Maritime law
- Offshore construction and shipbuilding
- Oil and gas
- TMT