What the team is known for
Outstanding energy practice with noted capabilities in cross-border matters, assisting clients with high-profile M&A, financing and corporate mandates relating to projects. Broad expertise covers both offshore and onshore oil and gas activities as well as renewables, ranging from wind to biomass and waste-to-energy. Multidisciplinary team also advises on the regulatory and EU law aspects of energy matters and acts on environmental and planning issues associated with energy projects.

Strengths
Clients enthuse that the team has "good technical understanding, and is very proactive and good at coming up with solutions."

Notable practitioners
Jakob Østervang has "extensive experience within M&A and renewable energy," according to clients, who also describe him as "very experienced and easy to work with." He is often mandated on project-related transactions.

Per Hemmer is recognised for his expertise in the energy sector, working with both domestic and international clients on wind, oil and gas mandates. Market commentators note his abilities, describing him as "knowledgeable about this area" and "very dedicated to what he does."

Chambers and Partners Europe, Energy

Bech-Bruun continues to develop its position as one of the leading names in the Danish energy and infrastructure market. This year it successfully expanded its team to bring in new expertise to supplement the already strong lawyers on its roster. It has also continued to impress on the energy side in particular, where it has again secured some of the most significant mandates in the Danish markets.

“Bech-Bruun’s energy team is providing a full-scope service for high-profile and complex renewable projects, including procurement, regulatory, competition, corporate and financing,” says one in-house counsel at a major European energy provider. “They have outstanding knowledge of Danish energy law and the Nordic energy market and all the relevant stakeholders. They are also very friendly, pragmatic and have a good responsiveness.”

Generally, clients praise the accuracy of the firm’s work as above average, with the work ethic of some of the senior lawyers praised in particular.

“Why we are using Peter [Østergaard Nielsen] is that he has a very good commercial touch and knows the supplier market on wind, he knows the industrial players and is strong on the supply agreements,” says one in-house counsel at a Danish investment group. “He is very well known on the supplier market for wind. When he moved to Bech-Bruun we followed him, because we are attached to Peter, not the firm he works for.”

Nielsen joined the team in February 2016 from Moalem Weitemeyer Bendtsen and brings a strong reputation in the wind and renewables market with him. The firm also brought on board another new partner in January 2015 in the shape of Claus Berg from Viltoft to help boost its construction and public procurement capabilities.

While the firm is known for its strength in the energy market, it has also had a productive year on the infrastructure side as well. This includes the continuing advice being provided to the Region of Southern Denmark on the development of a new hospital and working with Aarhus Kommune on the public-private partnership (PPP) construction of a new office building.

IFLR 1000, Energy and infrastructure

Ranked: tier 1

Bech-Bruun is noted for its 'excellent communication, industry knowledge, accessibility and quick turn-around times' with expertise in contracts, disputes and regulatory issues. Practice head Per Hemmer is 'a trusted adviser' and is an expert in transactional issues; he recently worked on Nord Stream 2, a gas pipeline between Russia and Germany running through the Baltic Sea. Another recent highlight was renewable energy specialist Jakob Østervang assisting Global Green Energy with the sale of a wind park in Italy. Simon Milthers  is considered an 'excellent transactional adviser' and the department also fields wind energy specialist Peter Østergaard Nielsen; Johan Weihe, who is an expert in oil and gas regulations; and senior associate Anders Hørlyck Jensen, who focuses on wind projects.

Legal 500, Energy