SANDS advises clients on national and global trademark protection at all stages of a trademark’s lifecycle and handles contentious IP matters. The practice is led by Katrine Malmer-Høvik, who brings extensive experience in intellectual property law, including industrial property rights, copyright, marketing law, and the protection of trade secrets, company names, and domain names. IP and IT specialist Petter Bjerke is also a key contact.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘The team is considerate, proactive, friendly, and professional.’
- ‘Katrine Malmer-Høvik is a delight to work with. She's extremely responsive, effective, and strategic in her approach.’
- ‘Katrine Malmer Hövik is highly knowledgeable within the field of IPR, and she has helped us tremendously in a specific IPR-related case. She is forward-leaning, proactive, very helpful, and fast to answer questions. She is highly professional, smart, and easy to communicate with. We are a Swedish company with limited (to none) knowledge about Norwegian IPR regulations, and in those circumstances, it is key to have a legal advisor in place that takes the driver's seat and guides her clients as smoothly and firmly as Katrine.’
- ‘The team always pushes us towards excellence and finishing in the best position with contracts. They also understand negotiation and are able to balance the perfect position to the desired timeline. Thorough, reliable, experts in their field. They take the time to understand the assignment and our goals.’
- ‘They are professional, driven, challenge us and our counterparts, diligent, and competent.’
- ‘What truly makes SANDS unique is its rare ability to combine top-tier legal expertise with a human, business-aware approach. Rather than simply offering legal services, they act as strategic partners—especially valuable for fast-moving and entrepreneurial companies like ours. From the outset, the team invested time in understanding our industry, operations, and growth challenges. That insight has translated into advice that is not only legally sound, but commercially smart and immediately actionable.’
Key clients
- Kreftforeningen
- Hurtigruten Coastal AS
- Innovation Norway
- Trainor Elsikkerhet AS
- HX Group Ltd
- Nofima AS
- Gyldendal Norsk Forlag AS
- TidyPay AS
- ENRX Group AS
- Genexis Group AB
- Norsk Musikkforleggerforening
Work highlights
Advisor and pro bono partner of Kreftforeningen. SANDS’ IP department has taken over the whole brand portfolio of Kreftforeningen, one of Norway’s strongest brands within the non-profit sector.
Managing the brand portfolio of Hurtigruten, one of Norway’s most valuable tourism brands.
Represented Trainor Elsikkerhet AS in a case before the Oslo District Court, concerning a claim for damages for illegal imitation of our client's e-learning course in electrical safety and safety when working in potentially explosive areas.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Katrine Malmer-Høvik
Other key lawyers
Petter Bjerke