Hugo-A. B. Munthe-Kaas

Partner
Head of Compliance
Hugo-A. B. Munthe-Kaas
Location
Oslo
Language
English, Norwegian, Russian
Sectors

Hugo heads DLA Piper Norway’s compliance and risk management group and has broad legal experience within matters concerning corporate compliance, ESG and litigation. Hugo has previously worked as a research assistant at the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law and has experience as an in house lawyer for the companies Höegh Autoliners and Höegh LNG.

He also has a background from the Norwegian Armed Forces School of Intelligence and Security Service (FSES), where he studied Russian while going through officer training. Hugo has extensive experience assisting the shipping, offshore and insurance sectors, and lectures annually at the University of Oslo in topics such as maritime law, insurance and tort law.

Hugo advises both Norwegian and multi-national companies in issues related to international trade, ESG, economic sanctions, anti-corruption, AML, FDI and export control. Among other, he assists clients with government relations, risk assessments, international contracting, compliance programs, integrity due diligence, training and internal investigations. Hugo also has broad experience advising in situations where there is suspicion or accusations  of compliance breaches and where companies are put under public investigation. Hugo is ranked within compliance and insurance by both Norwegian and international rating agencies.

Credentials
Education
Exam in Essential Project Management (5 ECTS), Skema Business School
2015
Master of Law, University of Oslo
2008
Management, NKI
2003
Economics, University of Toulouse
2002
Russian, University of Bergen
2002
Officer training and Russian, Norwegian Defence Intelligence and Security School (FSES)
2000 - 2002
Memberships

Member of The Norwegian Bar Association

The Norwegian Maritime Law Association.

Experience
Prior experience
Partner, DLA Piper Norway
2020 -
Specialist Counsel, Head of Compliance and investigation group, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen
2019 - 2020
Managing Associate, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen
2015 - 2019
Senior Associate, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen
2013 - 2014
Legal Counsel, Höegh Autoliners/Höegh LNG
2011 - 2012
Lecturer - Maritime law, marine insurance and tort law, University of Oslo
2010 -
Associate, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen
2009 - 2013
Maritime Trainee, Norwegian Shipowners' Association, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen
2009 - 2010
Research Assistant, Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law, University of Oslo
2008 - 2009
Rankings
Chambers & Partners Europe, 2024

Ranked "Band 2", Compliance & Investigations. One client says:

"Hugo Munthe-Kaas is an exceptional lawyer with a deep understanding of compliance issues."

Norwegian Financial Daily’s annual lawyers survey

Top 10, Insurance 2024, 2022 and 2023.

Top 10, Investigations and Compliance 2024.

1st place "Up and Coming", Investigations and Compliance 2022 and 2023.

Who's Who Legal, 2023

Recommended for Trade & Customs - International Sanctions. 

The Legal 500, 2023

Hugo is recommended for Insurance by The Legal 500.

Chambers & Partners Europe, 2023

Ranked "Band 2", Compliance & Investigations. One client says:

"Hugo Munthe-Kaas is always responsive and provides concrete and targeted advice."

The Legal 500, 2022

Hugo is recommended for Insurance by The Legal 500.

Chambers and Partners, 2022

Hugo Munthe-Kaas of DLA Piper LLP advises clients on sanctions and export control matters. He is also active in relation to anti-money laundering and fraud investigations.

Recognized by Chambers & Partners within 'Corporate Compliance & Investigations'.

Chambers & Partners Europe, 2021

Hugo Munthe-Kaas receives acclaim for his expertise in sanctions and export control. One client enthuses that "he is very knowledgeable on this topic," adding: "The cases have been very complex and he has been very good at coming back with practical solutions and looking at things from both a commercial and a legal perspective."

The Legal 500, 2021

Hugo is recommended for Insurance by The Legal 500.

Who's Who Legal 2020

Hugo-AB Munthe-Kaas earns applause as “the go-to practitioner – he excels in sanctions and defence issues and has worked on many stand-out cases”.

Recommended for Trade & Customs - International Sanctions. 

The Legal 500, 2020

Hugo is recommended for Insurance by The Legal 500.

Chambers & Partners Europe, 2020

The "very skilled and talented" Hugo Munthe-Kaas progresses in the rankings after gaining strong market support. He handles a range of anti-corruption mandates and investigations, and has particular expertise in sanctions and trade compliance. One client praises his "in-depth knowledge in many areas," adding that he is "really thorough."

Norwegian Financial Daily’s annual lawyers survey, 2020

1st place Up and Coming, Investigations and Compliance.

Top 5 Up and Coming, Insurance.

Chambers & Partners Europe, 2019

Associate to watch within Compliance.

"He always delivers."

The Legal 500, 2019

Next generation lawyer within Insurance. 

Who's Who Legal, 2019

Recommended for Trade & Customs - International Sanctions