Gjelsten Herlofsen Advokatfirma AS

Lawyer & team qualitySector knowledge

Børge Alsvik

Børge has held key positions in private practice as well as public service. He has extensive experience as a lawyer specializing in transport and shipping law (including insurance, cover disputes, P&I, LOH, H&M, bills of lading, cargo claims, marine incidents, ship arrests, charter party and contract disputes etc.). Børge has successfully represented clients in a number of reported cases. His practice does in addition to maritime law also include cases arising in relation to Road, Air and Multimodal Transport. Børge has served as acting Judge in the Court of Appeal. He has been senior legal advisor at the County Governor and legal advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Section for Treaty Law, Environmental Law and the Law of the Seas. During his studies, Børge was research assistant at the Department of Public and International law, University of Oslo.

Christian Bjørtuft Ellingsen

Christian Bjørtuft Ellingsen has over two decades of specialization in maritime and transport law, including marine insurance (H&M, P&I, LOH, Builder's risk etc.), charter party disputes, cargo claims, shipbuilding and repair contracts, marine supply contracts and ship arrests. His expertise notably extends to both contentious and non-contentious aspects of shipbuilding contracts, offshore construction and equipment- and machinery supply contracts, including innovative and autonomous ship projects. Ellingsen regularly argues cases in arbitration and before the Norwegian courts, covering both maritime law, insurance and other tort and contract disputes in the transport and energy sector.

Gaute Gjelsten

Gaute Gjelsten has more than 25 years of experience specialising in international shipping, offshore, marine, energy, and insurance law.He has handled numerous significant claims arising from marine and offshore casualties, including matters involving jurisdiction, choice of law, limitation of liability, and limitation fund proceedings. He also represents private-sector clients in major marine recourse actions against the Norwegian State. In addition, he advises and acts for Nordic and international insurers on a broad range of insurance matters, including hull and machinery (H&M), war risks, loss of hire (LOH), cargo, charterers' liability, general liability, and P&I insurance.Gaute has extensive experience with complex offshore and onshore claims involving construction all risks (CAR) and operational policies, reinsurance matters, and coverage disputes within the energy sector.He has substantial litigation experience before the Norwegian courts and in arbitration proceedings and is admitted to appear before the Norwegian Supreme Court.In June 2025, Gaute was appointed by the Norwegian Government to chair a Law Committee tasked with reviewing existing maritime legislation and proposing amendments to reflect developments in the industry, including digitalisation, the green transition, and evolving safety standards.Gaute is widely recognised as one of Norway's leading offshore and shipping lawyers. He is ranked in Band 1 by Chambers and Partners and recognised as a "Recommended Individual" by The Legal 500.

Frithjof Herlofsen

Frithjof Herlofsen is a leading specialist in arbitration and litigation, focusing on shipping, offshore and marine insurance disputes. Frithjof has more than 25 years of experience specialising in all aspects of shipping and transport law, including salvage, GA settlements, cargo claims, charter party disputes, bills of lading, MOAs, shipbuilding and repair contracts, marine insurance (cover disputes, P&I, FDD, H&M, cargo insurance etc), marine incidents, arrest, forced use and sales as well as tort and contract disputes. Frithjof is admitted to the Norwegian Supreme Court and heads the Norwegian Bar Association's Committee on Insurance Law. Herlofsen has argued more than 100 cases in arbitrations and before the Norwegian courts, including seven cases before the Norwegian Supreme Court. Herlofsen is also frequently appointed as arbitrator, both in ad hoc arbitrations as well as under the NOMA Procedural Rules.