DLA Piper strengthens team with new partner in competition law

DLA Piper is pleased to announce that Aksel Joachim Hageler is joining the firm as a new partner. Specialising in EU/EEA law, including competition law and state aid law, and with experience in processes for, among others, the EFTA Court, Hageler brings extensive experience and expertise to DLA Piper Norway.

Hageler has a solid background as a lawyer in the field of EU/EEA and competition law, with 13 years of experience as a partner in SANDS and before that 9 years as a lawyer at Wikborg Rein. He is recognised as a leader in his field by both national and international lawyer rankings.

"DLA Piper has seen strong growth in Norway and the Nordics recently, and the firm has developed significantly in the last few years. I look forward to joining an already strong professional environment and complementing DLA Piper with my skills and experience," says Aksel Joachim Hageler.

And continues: "DLA Piper's international profile and their unique position in the Nordics, with offices in all the Nordic countries, along with the opportunity to be part of the firm's international competition law team, are factors that strongly appeal to me. I see this as a great advantage for both existing and future clients."

Country Managing Partner in DLA Piper Norway, Kjetil Haare Johansen, adds: "Aksel will contribute to us being even better equipped to meet the market's and clients' demand for legal advice within EU/EEA law. We look forward to benefiting from his considerable experience."

Johansen further notes: "With a total of 12 new partners in Norway in the last year, we have, in line with our strategy, strengthened DLA Piper's attractiveness and competitiveness in the Norwegian legal market. At the same time, during this period, we have also built an even stronger EU/EEA and competition law team in the Nordics. No other law firm in Norway can match our Nordic and international size and reach. At DLA Piper, we are more than 6000 lawyers across five continents, and we can very quickly put together cross-border teams for our clients, tailored to the case, client, and complexity of the assignment."

In the last two years, DLA Piper Norway has grown considerably in both number of people and in turnover, and now has over 100 lawyers. Internationally, the firm has 135 competition law partners. This gives us unique expertise and experience and enables us to put together specialised teams based on what the case requires, the issues that arise, and what best serves our clients' interests.

"For many years, we have focused on building a solid EU/EEA and competition law team here in Oslo as an important part of DLA Piper's Nordic and international teams. We look forward to welcoming Aksel, and with his background and experience, we further strengthen and complement our team," says the head of the regulatory department and the EU/EEA and competition law team, Line Voldstad.

Aksel Joachim Hageler will formally join as a partner in DLA Piper Norway on December 21, 2023.