Mergers & Acquisitions

Chambers Europe Rating 2013
-  Corporate/M&A

Chambers Global Rating 2013
-  Corporate/M&A

Sources regard the “efficient and skilled” Jacob Hjortshøj as "one of the top lawyers in Denmark.” He led the team assisting NKT Holding with its USD670 million sale of NKT Flexibles to National Oilwell Varco. Søren Meisling is vastly experienced in the field of business transfers and transactional matters. His work has “star quality,” sources say. Monica Reib often advises clients from the insurance sector and is praised for her attention to detail and ability to get the deal done. "I'd recommend her any day to anyone who needs an M&A lawyer," says a source. With over 20 years of cross-border experience, Ole Nørgaard has a proven track record of advising Danish clients on German-related transactions.

The firm has a China desk, headed by Søren Meisling, assisting Danish and Chinese clients with inbound and outbound work. The group is well placed to assist with transactions in China thanks to its Chinese-speaking team members and representative office in Shanghai. This experienced Danish team liaises closely with its representative office in Shanghai, offering a full suite of corporate and M&A advice on both inbound and outbound matters. It has a strong focus on the energy sectors and serves a range of corporates from both the private and public sectors. The key contact for the firm's China practice is Rachel Cao, who is a Chinese-qualified lawyer based in the firm's Copenhagen office.

Chambers and Partners Global, Corporate/M&A

IFLR1000 Rating 2013
-  Mergers and acquistitions

Peers are highly complimentary of Bech-Bruun's M&A team with many suggesting that the firm should move up a tier. "It is the top of its tier, a good firm of lawyers," says one peer.

The firm is certainly looking to push home its advantage and a recent merger with law firm Philip yielded five new partners in the forms of Jesper Rothe, Richard Sand, Steen Rode, Sebastian Poulsen and Jakob Kristensen.

It's not all been plain sailing though and the firm reported the loss of Jørgen Reimer Jensen in June 2011, who left to join Nordia Law.

Ole Nørgaard leads a team that has been active for a number of private equity entities in the last year.

Leading lawyer Jacob Hjortshøj and Thomas Kristiansen were involved in one of the largest M&A transactions in Denmark in 2012, advising NKT Holding and Subsea 7 in the DKr3.8 billion (€510.55) sale of NKT Flexibles to US based National Oilwell Varco.

The same duo also advised private equity fund AAC Capital Partners on the sale of Danish metal packaging producer Glud & Marstrand to Envases Universales. This was a rare example of a Mexican purchaser entering the Scandinavian market.

In the renewable energy sector the firm advised on the sale of Bladt Industries Holding to private equity house Nordic Capital. Still waiting to close, this deal involved complex negotiations as a result of irregular cash flow projections.

On the buy side the firm acted alongside Allen & Overy assisting Macquarie Capital Group and Barclays Integrated Infrastructure Fund on a £105 million cross-border wind farm purchase.

IFLR1000, Mergers and acquisitions 

Legal500 Rating 2013
-  Mergers and acquisitions

Bech-Bruun’s ‘top-notch, highly professional’ team ‘exceeds expectations’. Steen Rode and Jakob Kristensen advised CVC Capital Partners on its DKK13.4bn acquisition of Alhsell. Jacob Hjortshøj, who wins praise for his ‘skilled leadership and business acumen’, advised NKT Holding and Subsea 7 on the DKK3.8bn sale of NKT Flexibles. Niels Kornerup advised Triton Partners on the €669m sale of Bravida to Bain Capital. Monica Reib is ‘competent and pleasant to work with’. Recent panel appointments for the practice include Lantmännen.

Legal 500, Mergers and acquisitions