Legal 500
The Legal 500 is the most prominent guide to the legal market in Europe.
We rank among the highest rated law firms in Denmark.
View our ratings here:
Legal500 Rating 2013
Banking and finance
Bech-Bruun advises various Danish and international clients on lending and acquisition finance, syndicated loans, project and asset finance, derivatives and structured products. Practice head Morten Krogsgaard assisted Altor Equity Partners with the financing of its acquisition of Ferrosan Medical Devices, and advised DnB Nor Bank on Promens’ refinancing. Other clients of the practice include Nordea Finance Sweden. Steen Jensen handles regulatory matters and Thomas Thordal Sevelsted advises on aviation finance and debt restructuring. Erik Malberg and Henning Hansen are also recommended, Eric Korre Horten and Eivind Einersen joined from Philip Law Firm.
Legal 500, Banking and Finance
Legal500 Rating 2013
Dispute Resolution
Mogens Gaarden, who wins praise for his ‘empathy and professionalism’, and Jacob Jørgensen joined Bech-Bruun when it merged with Philip Law Firm. Clients of the combined practice include insurers and reinsurers Zurich, AXA, and Codan, as well as large corporates such as A.P. Møller – Mærsk, Energinet.dk and Vestas. Gaarden is also representing two former board members of Roskilde Bank in litigation, and Lars Svenning Andersen is representing 1,100 plaintiffs in a DKK4bn class action against DONG Energy. The ‘thorough, detailed’ Anne Buhl Bjelke successfully represented Nykredit Bank. Jes Anker Mikkelsen heads the practice, which also includes former High Court judge Lars Lindencrone Petersen and construction litigator Carsten Pedersen, who is ‘methodical, meticulous’.
Legal 500, Dispute resolution
Legal500 Rating 2013
Employment
The ‘professional, dedicated’ Mette Klingsten leads Bech-Bruun’s four-partner practice, which is recommended for its ‘swift response times and valuable advice’. The ‘committed, supportive’ Bjarke Vejby successfully represented Scan Energy in an arbitration recently, and the ‘experienced, knowledgeable’ Morten Ulrich acted for the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) in the High Court. Mads Krarup specialises in anti-discrimination and professional liability.
Legal 500, Employment
Legal500 Rating 2013
Energy
Bech-Bruun’s energy and climate group wins praise for its ‘strong industry knowledge and high-quality advice’, and recently advised Energinet.dk on its DKK5.7bn acquisition of ten electricity companies. Per Hemmer heads the practice, which includes former Philip Law Firm partners Jesper Rothe, Jakob Kristensen and Thomas Frøbert. Johan Weihe is advising Amagerforbrænding on a DKK4bn waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen. Clients include many major energy companies, among them E.ON Vind Sverige, E.ON Danmark and Vattenfall.
Legal 500, Energy
Legal500 Rating 2013
Environment
Clients appreciate Bech-Bruun’s ‘deeply enthusiastic counselling’. Håkun Djurhuus, who is ‘committed, dedicated, quick, and a great speaker’, is advising Landbrug & Fødevarer (the Danish Agriculture and Food Council) on the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive, including a related lawsuit against the Danish government. Practice head Jens Auken, Anne Sophie Vilsbøll and Hanne Mølbeck, who is ‘industrious, precise and highly specialised’, are advising Copenhagen Metro on the 2007-2018 Cityringen extension programme, and acting for CPH City & Port Development on the Copenhagen port redevelopment. Vilsbøll advised on Energinet.dk’s DKK5.7bn acquisition of ten regional transmission companies.
Legal 500, Environment
Legal500 Rating 2013
EU and Competition
Bech-Bruun is praised for ‘great response times, availability and direct, no-nonsense advice’ on anti-competitive practices, merger controls and public procurement. Group head Simon Evers Kalsmose-Hjelmborg and Michael Honoré act for DSB in complex state aid cases. Peter Stig Jakobsen successfully represented Montaneisen in the Supreme Court, winning significant damages from The Danish Coastal Authority. The ‘experienced, knowledgeable’ Jesper Kaltoft is advising Udviklingsselskabet By & Havn, part of the consortium which supports UN activities in Denmark, on public procurement matters.
Legal 500, EU and competition
Legal500 Rating 2013
Information technology
Bech-Bruun’s ten-lawyer team advises on complex IT contracts, outsourcing and licensing agreements, systems integration, compliance, e-commerce, and data protection. Practice co-heads Niels Andersen and Arly Carlquist assisted Accenture with a seven-year outsourcing agreement and a work agreement between Accenture and Carlsberg. Other clients include Microsoft, Aller Group and Conscia.
Legal 500, Information technology
Legal500 Rating 2013
Insurance
Jes Anker Mikkelsen and Henrik Valdorf-Hansen jointly lead Bech-Bruun’s practice, for which recent work includes regulatory matters, insurance portfolio transfers, and high-value domestic and international disputes. Mikkelsen, who shows ‘good judgement and deep understanding of Danish insurance law’, is Danish counsel to Lloyd’s of London, and Valdorf-Hansen is advising If in a case concerning damage to the foundations of 2,000 wind turbines in Germany and Austria. Together with Anne Buhl Bjelke, Valdorf-Hansen is representing Noreco in a dispute regarding insurance cover for damages to an offshore installation. Mogens Gaarden and Jacob Jørgensen strengthened the team when they joined as part of the Philip Law Firm merger.
Legal 500, Insurance
Legal500 Rating 2013
Intellectual property
Bech-Bruun’s 21-lawyer team handles trade mark, design, patent, and copyright cases before the Maritime and Commercial Court and the European Union General Court. Claus Barrett Christiansen successfully assisted Tommy Hilfiger with obtaining an injunction to prevent sales of counterfeit T-shirts, and practice head Klaus Ewald Madsen, who adopts ‘a balanced approach to problems’, successfully represented Ratiopharm (a subsidiary of Teva) in an appeal before the High Court. Madsen also recently acted for Hospira in relation to a preliminary injunction. Other clients include Philips, GlaxoSmithKline, Microsoft, and Procter & Gamble. Lisbet Andersen heads the trade marks group.
Legal 500, Intellectual property
Legal500 Rating 2013
Media and entertainment
Bech-Bruun’s clients include Apple Inc, Disney and Warner Bros. Arly Carlquist advises the Danish Game Producers’ Association, and Niels Andersen recently assisted The Music Group with the sale of the MBO Group to Universal Music. Ole Borch focuses on sports law and sponsorship, and Bjarke Vejby represents high-profile individuals in libel and other cases against national magazines. Practice head Peer Petersen joined as part of the Philip Law Firm merger.
Legal 500, Media and entertainment
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
Legal500 Rating 2013
Shipping and transport
Bech-Bruun’s ‘well-qualified, service-minded’ practice advises P&I clubs, shipowners, operators and carriers in the Maritime and Commercial Court and the Supreme Court. Clients include A.P. Møller – Mærsk, Stena Line and Thomas Cook, and insurers such as TrygVesta and If P&C Insurance. Instructions include vessel arrests and terminations of charter party arrangements. Jørgen Hauschildt, who is trustee of The Container Company, and Johannes Grove Nielsen handle cross-border insolvency issues. Clients appreciate group head Jes Anker Mikkelsen’s ‘vast knowledge of shipping, transport and insurance law’. Henrik Valdorf-Hansen acted for If Insurance against DHL Global Forwarding (Denmark) in a case regarding the loss of wind farm equipment during transit from Denmark to Canada.
Legal 500, Shipping and transport
Legal500 Rating 2013
Tax
Bech-Bruun ‘balances commercial understanding and solid technical analysis’. The six-partner team is led by the ‘sharp, responsive and reliable’ Anders Oreby Hansen, who specialises in M&A-related tax planning, restructuring and transfer pricing, and advised Niam on a DKK1.3bn real estate investment. Arne Riis and Carsten Pals are ‘consistently reliable’, and Michael Serup specialises in changes in business ownership and company structure. Thomas Frøbert, who focuses on ‘corporate and tax issues’, advises Carnegie Bank. Kaspar Bastian heads the tax litigation practice.
Legal 500, Tax
Legal500 Rating 2013
Telecoms
Bech-Bruun’s team, which is headed by Arly Carlquist and Niels Andersen, advised Intel Mobile Communications on its agreement with Telenor Mobile; Hewlett-Packard on regulatory issues; and Global Connect in negotiations with Skyline’s bankruptcy estate. Peer Petersen joined as part of the merger with Philip Law Firm.
Legal 500, Telecoms