Topprangert i Legal 500

Legal 500 har offentliggjort resultatene fra sin årlige advokatrangering for 2022. Nok en gang befester DLA Piper Norway posisjonen som ledende i det norske markedet innenfor fagområdene entreprise og forsikring med Tier 1-rangering, henholdsvis for syvende og femte året på rad. Videre er vårt eiendomsmiljø rangert som et av de fremste i landet. Til sammen er vi rangert innen 12 fagområder og 31 av våre advokater er anerkjent innenfor sine respektive felt.

Vi er også glade for at Alexander Plows (forsikring) og Line Ravlo-Losvik (fast eiendom) anerkjennes som "leading individuals" i det norske markedet, mens Arne Engesæth (entreprise) og Erik Ramm (bank og finans) er en del av Legal 500s Hall of Fame.

Legal 500 er en av de ledende og mest prestisjetunge rangeringsbyårene av juridiske tjenester i verden. Til grunn for rangeringene ligger blant annet intervjuer med klienter og tilbakemeldinger fra konkurrenter.

Vi takker våre klienter for flotte omtaler, disse kan du lese her. En kortere oppsummering er gjengitt under.

Construction (tier 1)
Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA‘s ‘extremely client-focused‘ construction department is headed up by Helge Neraal, ‘an expert in interpreting the numerous construction contracts used in Norway; his advice is invaluable when negotiating complex international construction project agreements‘, according to clients. Arne Engesæth, a highly regarded mediator in the construction space, ‘combines a strong legal knowledge and skill with commercial experience and insight and very good communicative abilities‘. Litigator Hans Christian Brodtkorb stands out for his expertise in representing large construction companies in high-profile disputes. Are Hunskaar and Fredrik Verling are also key names to note.

Hall of Fame: Arne Engesæth

Insurance (tier 1)
Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA is well known for its expertise in professional liability and reinsurance matters, and also provides advice to global insurers on financial services, product liability, marine and professional indemnity claims. Practice head Alexander Plows, who is dual-qualified in Norway and the UK, ‘stands out as a true expert in insurance‘. Regulatory expert Camilla Wollan handles cross-border financial services mandates, and Hugo Munthe-Kaas, who leads the firm’s compliance group, is the key name for shipping and offshore work. Associate Lars Albert Jøstensen handles dispute resolution.

Leading individuals: Alexander Plows

Real Estate (tier 2)
Highly regarded for its ‘excellent real estate expertise‘, Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA‘s department has an excellent track record in advising private equity entities, corporations and developers on high-value transactions and development projects, frequently with cross-border elements. Thomas Rindahl Håkonsen leads the ‘service-minded‘ team, which includes the ‘practical‘ Line Ravlo-Losvik, who is highly regarded for her expertise in commercial real estate transactions; Anders Bergene, who is very experienced in handling investments and lease matters; and Magnus Lutnæs, who focuses on sale and lease back mandates and cross-border transactional work.

Leading individuals: Line Ravlo-Losvik

Banking and finance (including shipping finance)
Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA counts banking transactional work as a core strength, with expertise spanning project and export finance matters, real estate finance, syndicated and bilateral bank lending work and asset-based lending issues. Practice head Børge A Grøttjord is well known for handling property acquisition and public infrastructure finance work, often with cross-border elements. Erik Ramm is a highly regarded practitioner in the space, and Camilla Wollan ‘has great knowledge and insight into the regulatory framework and a practical understanding of the financial sector‘.

Hall of Fame: Erik Ramm

Commercial, corporate and M&A 
The corporate and M&A team at Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA particularly stands out for its track record in cross-border mandates, drawing on its established footprint in the Nordic region. Technology and renewable energy transactions have been especially prominent in the group’s recent workload; Kaare Oftedal, who leads the firm’s renewable energy practice, is a name to note. The ‘thorough‘ Sveinung Mjaugedal focuses on assisting major industrial companies and private equity leaders and Fredrik Lykke specialises in corporate finance work. Practice head Christian Fenner is ‘truly committed to his clients and walks the extra mile‘, while Magnus Brox has significant experience assisting financial clients.

Dispute resolution 
Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA‘s ‘solid‘ team has ‘very good legal knowledge‘ and ‘a very innovative approach to litigation cases‘. Cross-border disputes form a core pillar of the practice, and the department has been particularly busy handling large-scale disputes for clients in the construction and insurance sectors. Practice head Helge Neraal is ‘highly knowledgeable‘ on construction litigation, an area in which Are Hunskaar also has expertise. Lars Albert Jøstensen handles insurance and reinsurance disputes, and Alexander Plows assists financial institutions, insurers and reinsurers with multi-jurisdictional contentious mandates. Hans Christian Brodtkorb ‘is an exceptional lawyer and an outstanding litigator‘. 

Employment 
At Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA, the team provides ongoing employment advice to car company Møller Mobility Group, and recently assisted the client with a reorganisation and downsizing process, which affected over 100 employees in Norway. The group reported an increase in restructuring and reorganisation mandates, and continues to assist with the employment aspects of transactions. Department head Per Benonisen stands out as ‘a true expert‘ in the area, with expertise spanning whistleblowing issues, contractual matters and transfers of undertakings. Kaja Kaarby is very experienced in advising on individual and collective employment issues. Associate Anniken Sjøvold handles employment agreements. 

EU and competition 
Operating primarily out of the firm’s regulatory practice, Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA‘s ‘always dedicated‘ competition group provides advice to Sweco Norge on a range of competition issues; the firm’s country managing partner Kjetil Haare Johansen leads on this work. The team also draws on the firm’s global and Nordic network to regularly assist clients in the construction, retail, food, energy, healthcare and automotive industries. Practice head Line Voldstad has expertise in public procurement and EU and EEA regulatory law.

Insolvency and corporate recolvery
Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA‘s ‘highly skilled and very pleasant to work with’ team is recognised for its strength in handling large-scale restructuring mandates, and draws upon the firm’s global network to assist with multi-jurisdictional proceedings. Practice head Frode Finnøy is well known for his established track record in acting as a court-appointed administrator. Egil Hatling acts on domestic and cross-border restructuring work, and fields expertise in debt negotiations, schemes of arrangement and bankruptcy proceedings. Johan Ratvik is a key name for litigation.

Intellectual Property
Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA advises clients from the aquaculture and fisheries, technology, and manufacturing sectors, and the media, entertainment and life sciences industries, on licensing and distribution matters, marketing law, trade mark work and consumer protection issues. Practice head Petter Bjerke handles commercial agreements for fintech, healthtech and proptech sector clients, and Kjetil Haare Johansen is a key contact for assisting manufacturing and retail entities with large intellectual property portfolios and unfair competition matters.

Tax
Led by Jonas Aartun, Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA‘s tax department leverages the expertise of its Nordic office network to assist a client roster of real estate, insurance, renewable energy and technology companies with the tax aspects of high-value investments, transactions and capital markets matters, as well as VAT work. Preben Aas is a key name for tax audits, and associate Astrid Jogerud is also noted.

TMT
Petter Bjerke leads the ‘dedicated‘ team at Advokatfirma DLA Piper Norway DA, which is well known for advising a roster of telecoms, advertising and media sector clients on GDPR, data protection and cybersecurity matters. Cross-border mandates are prominent in the group’s workload.