Bull & Co Advokatfirma AS

Anders Evjenth has a wide practice in the field of real estate, with a focus on legislation related to real estate development. He has extensive experience with issues related to the Planning and building Act, including land development agreements and recapture of expenses, expropriation, and appraisement. Anders has broad litigation experience, both from the courts of general jurisdiction and separate courts, handling disputes related to the establishment of rights, expropriation, and related issues. His clients are both public and private entities. In addition, he has previous experience both at the Ministry and county governor levels. This includes being project manager for drafting parts of the current Planning and building Act and being head of the legal department at the county governor of Oslo and Akershus. The latter provided Anders with extensive knowledge of the rules related to public administration. Anders is also a sought-after lecturer at seminars, as well as teaching advanced courses within his field of practice. He has written papers on real estate law topics for Ministries and municipalities, alone or in co-operation with other industry experts.

Anette Mellbye has broad legal experience, especially within employment law, intellectual property law, and company law. Within employment law, Anette assists clients with all processes related to employment, from agreement negotiations through termination. She assists companies with employment law issues in day-to-day operations, in connection with transactions, and during downsizing processes. Within intellectual property law, Anette specializes in the structuring, handling, and assessment of patent portfolios, as well as with license and cooperation agreements. Within company law, Anette has broad experience with follow-up of the board of directors' and general manager's duties, as well as transaction work and shareholder and cooperation agreements. She also works on succession assignments.

Bjarte Bogstad primarily works with transactions (M&A), company law, and contracts. He has significant expertise within incorporation of companies, shareholders’ and investment agreements, cross-border transactions, due diligence, mergers and demergers, joint venture and co-operation agreements, and other related corporate matters. He advises Norwegian and international companies throughout the entire transaction process. In addition to the above, Bjarte has extensive sector experience especially within technology/IP and within industry, commerce and service, finance and insurance, where he assists Norwegian and international clients with their legal matters, including regulatory matters and dispute resolution. Recent seminars held for clients include company law and contract issues such as: Liability of the Board of Directors, shareholder conflicts, investment and shareholders’ agreements, incentive schemes (including earn-out), and exit planning. Bjarte is also an active member of the International Bar Association (IBA).

Bjørn Erik Mørkved works with construction law with a main focus on residential and commercial projects. Bjørn Erik assists throughout the work process, starting when the parties are negotiating and entering into agreements, continuing while the project is carried out, and ending with final settlement and any dispute resolution that may become necessary. Bjørn Erik also has experience as the contract manager of a construction project from a major international company. He is also a popular lecturer for contractors’ and advisors’ internal courses, as well as for larger forums in Norway and abroad.

Einar Heiberg has extensive experience within the practice areas of tax law and company law, including planning and implementation of transactions, restructurings, mergers and demergers, shareholder agreements, and incentive schemes. He also has broad experience within property law and general contract law. Einar works on complicated cases and looks for opportunities to accomplish the very best outcome. He is also admitted to appear before the Supreme Court and litigates regularly before the ordinary courts of law and the court of arbitration, within various practice areas. He is a sought-after lecturer within tax law, for example for The Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway, audit and accountancy firms, and within regular contract law for various business sectors.

Elisabeth Hoffmann primarily assists with questions regarding company, business, and contract law, as well as litigation. Elisabeth is competent and experienced in assisting clients with mergers, sales, and acquisitions, as well as other general corporate and shareholder related issues. Her work with transactions has given Elisabeth a solid commercial understanding and an ability to lead transaction processes in an effective and appropriate manner. As part of our litigation team, Elisabeth regularly argues cases before the courts. In addition to her legal work in Bull, Elisabeth’s experience from the banking industry has given her a good understanding of financial structures and the preparation of loan agreements. Elisabeth is solution oriented and pragmatic in her work.

Erlend Balsvik has extensive experience in transactions and corporate restructuring, especially within industries such as information and communication technology, construction, renewable energy, and real estate. He has assisted with the completion of several mergers and acquisitions of small and medium sized companies. In Mergermarket.com’s statistics he is credited as leading legal counsel in more than 20 transactions in recent years. He has also assisted a wide range of companies with preparation for sale and/or capital injections. Erlend has experience from litigation and has argued several company law cases before the courts in the last few years. Specifically, he has worked on cases relating to board liabilities and rights. Erlend regularly gives talks and seminars on different topics, such as the seminar M&A – acquisition and sale of companies. He has also published several articles on company law, board liability, technology, and intellectual property law. Recently he also published a series of articles in the Norwegian certified auditors’ magazine “Revisjon og Regnskap” about co-ownership and incentive schemes. He also has experience as board chairman and leads several committees, such as the control committee for Kredinor Finans AS. Erlend also assists banks and financial technology companies in questions relating to regulatory framework conditions.

Finn Olav Elde’s practice involves transactions and company law, as well as inheritance and succession law. In particular, he specializes in the purchase, sale, and development of commercial activities related to the transfer of property and business between generations. Finn Olav also has experience in management and development of real estate. He holds multiple directorships in commercial companies.

Jan Martin Fjellestad’s main expertise lies within taxation, company law, and transaction law. Throughout his many years of working within these specialties, Jan Martin has advised during several SMB market restructurings, including mergers and demergers, successions, and other transactions. Jan Martin focuses primarily on technology, construction, and retail. He has held several board positions in private companies and in foundations. Jan Martin has published several professional articles and co-authored books on taxation. Jan Martin has many times been ranked as one of the top tax lawyers in the national Norwegian business newspaper Finansavisen’s annual peer review ratings.

Jan Morten Evertsen has extensive experience with contract negotiations in connection with film, media, and entertainment for Norwegian and international film and TV production companies, as well as the music industry. In addition, his counsel includes trade mark and patent issues, as well as general and specific marketing law for entertainment, media, music, and merchandising clients. He has also dealt with issues related to intellectual property law in connection with a number of acquisitions and other transactions.

Jørgen Burdal works primarily within the field of employment law and has extensive experience with matters related to individual employment protection matters, such as dismissal, lay-offs and termination. He can assist with preparation of – and amendments to – employment contracts. Jørgen has litigation experience within employment law and related matters. Jørgen also makes presentations regarding employment law issues on a regular basis. Other areas of expertise include real estate law and administrative law.

Kåre Bjørlo assists with issues and matters within employment and real estate law. He works extensively with the preparation of agreements, negotiations, dispute resolution, and advice within these areas. In addition, he has significant expertise within general contract law and company law. Kåre’s long career as a lawyer and board member of various companies has given him a keen commercial understanding, which is reflected in the legal advice he provides. He has been assisting companies within industries such as trade and commerce, real estate, consulting, and industrial production as external counsel for many years. In addition to his cutting-edge expertise in employment law, Kåre is often an active partner in strategy discussions and decision-making for his regular clients. Kåre has a strong professional commitment and is a member of The Norwegian Employment Law Association. He regularly gives lectures on topics related to employment law to clients and others.

Klemet Gaski offers consultancy within business law, with a main emphasis on liability issues, especially for company board members, lawyers and auditors. Klemet is a permanent member of the panel of bankruptcy administrators at Oslo City Court and has significant experience assisting companies and their management throughout times of economic challenges, restructuring and/or insolvency. Klemet regularly litigates high-profile liability cases in court, such as insurance cases. His many such experiences over the years, combined with his cutting-edge expertise within insolvency, has given him the ability to analyse numbers and apply them toward specific legal issues. Clients and auditors alike point to this skill as one of Klemet’s key strengths as a lawyer. In addition, he is known for finding and negotiating out-of-court solutions that benefit the client(s).

Kristian Foss assists with technology agreements and privacy issues. This includes agreements for international sales, procurement of IT systems, and the definition of new business models. Kristian is one of the few Norwegian IT lawyers with litigation experience and in-depth knowledge of free software (open source). He also focuses on finding solutions to privacy challenges. Kristian achieves results through a negotiation style that preserves relationships and is interest-based. Kristian’s long career as a lawyer and entrepreneur has given him a unique commercial, technical, and strategic understanding that is reflected in the legal solutions he proposes. His extensive experience from international and domestic negotiations on technology deliveries creates results that create value over time. Kristian can also quickly resolve issues outside of Norway through his large network of international lawyers. Kristian has a strong professional commitment. He is a member of the Expert committee for ICT law in the Norwegian Centre for Continued Legal Education, former president of IT IP Law Group Europe, and he regularly attends international conferences on IT law and data protection. Kristian also gives lectures on privacy, contract law, data security, intellectual property law, and professional liability. He is considered an inspiring and knowledgeable communicator who focuses on simplifying complicated messages and agreements. Kristian is part of Bull's crisis management team for Cyber Incidents and Emergency Preparedness.

Partner

Lisa Digernes provides advisory services and enforcement and clarification of rights within intellectual property rights, in addition to drafting and negotiating agreements. Lisa has extensive international experience in intellectual property law and worked as a lawyer in New York for more than 10 years before moving back to Norway. Her primary focus is the film/TV, publishing, and art industries. She has assisted galleries, museums, and artists with tasks from transportation of art to rental agreements, showings, sale and purchase of art, and sponsorship agreements. In the U.S., she also assisted Artist Rights Society with international copyright issues and licensing. Lisa’s practice centers around international agreement negotiations, which results in her having developed a large network of lawyers worldwide.

Morten Fjermeros has extensive experience within the various areas of tax law, including power plant taxation and property tax, VAT/duty law, and corporate law. Morten regularly handles disputes within these practice areas, including tax complaints, and he has litigated a significant number of cases before the courts, including seven cases before the Supreme Court. Some of the most important examples from recent years are HR-2017-1258-A (Statnett) and HR-2014-969-A (Polaris Media). Morten also assists with planning and implementation of transactions, reorganisations (change of ownership, demerger, merger, etc.), incentive models, and succession issues. For these types of assignments, he assists with the preparation of various agreements, such as share purchase agreements, shareholder agreements. He has also assisted various specialized trade and service industry chains with organisation, restructuring, and the preparation of franchise agreements, etc.

Nils Henrik Varmann Jørgensen works primarily with negotiations and dispute resolution and has extensive experience arguing cases before the courts. Nils Henrik obtains fair out-of-court solutions for his clients and assists with professional advice, negotiations, and other dispute resolution. Nils Henrik has over 20 years of experience and has developed significant competence in dispute resolution. Most of this work is within real estate, insurance law, and law of torts. This includes personal and business liability, including product and professional liability. The work also includes liability issues related to construction and real estate law. Nils Henrik regularly holds lectures and courses for our clients.

Runar has more than 30 years’ experience as an adviser to international and national insurance companies, brokers, and insurance agents. Runar also assists insureds, organizations, and business associations in connection with handling insurance cases and insurance schemes. He has handled a number of major insurance and reinsurance disputes, especially within liability insurance, including directors’ liability (D&O) and product liability, as well as crime, real estate, travel, commodity, cyber, construction, and project insurance, in addition to claims related to financial lines. He has also often been engaged as so-called “monitoring counsel”, both for Norwegian companies involved in disputes abroad and for foreign companies in Norway. Runar has handled a large number of directors’ and professional liability cases, especially for lawyers, insurance brokers, auditors, claim settlement companies, etc. He has also assisted in numerous claims and recourse cases within most types of casualtyinsurance. Within the transport sector, he assists business organizations, as well as international and domestic large and medium sized forwarding agents and logistics companies. He has also litigated a significant number of cases before Norwegian courts, including several arbitration cases. Runar has been admitted to appear before the Supreme Court since 2005.

Rune Nordengen assists with commercial law issues, particularly relating to marketing and intellectual property law, competition law, procurement, privacy, and employment law. Rune has extensive experience with helping with well-known international brands and pharmaceutical companies with intellectual property and market law issues, as well as with general legal advice. He regularly advises government agencies, municipalities and suppliers with procurement issues. Within state aid issues and competition law, he assist clients in Norway and in EEA countries. Rune has extensive litigation experience from the District Court, The Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court. He has litigated several cases concerning public procurement, intellectual property law, contract law, and employment law. Rune is solution-oriented, and he has a commercial and strategic understanding that is reflected in his legal advice. Rune is part of Bull's crisis management team for Cyber Incidents and Emergency Preparedness.

Saloume Djoudat works mainly with company law, transactions, contract law, risk management, negotiations, and dispute resolution. The work within company law covers ongoing corporate and contractual issues, particularly related to operational issues. In her work, Saloume regularly participates in contract negotiations, and she has been project manager for various commercial projects during her time as in-house lawyer and as a Bull lawyer in due diligence processes. She has led negotiations and been an adviser on projects in Norway and for international corporations. Saloume also works with transport law issues and assists in contract preparation, insurance coverage issues, recourse claims against carriers, and liability issues. In addition to advisory services, Saloume is increasingly assisting clients in dispute resolution and legal proceedings. As an in-house lawyer at Uno-X Energi AS, Saloume has been responsible for quality assurance and preparation of all contracts and public tenders. In addition, she has assisted other companies in the Uno-X group with regulatory and contractual issues. Through her work in the oil industry, Saloume has acquired specific industry expertise, both in terms of typical contracts and strategic/operational processes. From her time as an in-house lawyer, she has experience as a member of the management team, with the insight this provides regarding technical and commercial issues. Saloume has a particular focus on and ability to analyze issues competently, providing quick responses as well as concrete and applicable advice. In addition she has assisted other companies within the Uno-X Group with regulatory and contractual law issues. She gained her expertise within the oil and gas sector through working in this field dealing with contracts typical for this sector combined with having a broad insight into strategic and operative processes. Her professional experiences allow her to focus in particular, on the oil and gas sector with a strong ability to tackle issues in a professional manner, responding quickly with concrete and useful legal advice. All her work within corporate law covers on-going questions relating to corporate and contractual law and often connected with operational issues. Saloume previous experience as an in-house lawyer also included being a part of the executive group allowing her an insight into more technical and commercial issues. Some of the work here involved minimising risks by creating templates to suit the company’s need to avoid high operational risks including avoiding significant costs relating to disputes and a weakened market position. Saloume further assists businesses with contract management, including organising the on-going follow-up of contract portfolios for optimising the use, cost control and priorities as necessary. Other work also includes legal issues relating to suppliers and assists with the drafting of contracts, questions relating to insurance coverage, indemnity claims against carriers and questions relating to liability. Through her work here at Bull, Saloume regularly handles contract negotiations and has also managed various commercial projects during her time as an in-house lawyer. Saloume has managed negotiations and acted as legal adviser in projects both in Norway and for international corporations. In addition to providing legal advice, Saloume also assists clients in matters relating to dispute resolutions and judicial processes.

Stian Sørensen Schilvold works within technology law and transactions. Within technology law, Stian has expertise within privacy law, different types of agreements (such as licensing, service, and cooperation agreements and outsourcing), intellectual property rights, e-commerce, negotiations, and dispute resolution. Stian also assists investors, companies, and founders within all business areas with their transactions. A big part of his transactional assistance is related to technology businesses due to his expertise within this industry. Stian is focused on working closely with his customers and providing practical and value-generative advice, taking into consideration the overall context of the advice and not necessarily only the legal aspects. His previous experience from public administration and as in-house counsel in the technology and media business creates a solid basis for providing such advice.

Thor Wessel has broad expertise within Norwegian and international contract law and specializes in contracts and dispute resolution in cases involving construction and manufacturing. He advises clients during all phases of construction projects, ranging from the initial tender phase, contract negotiations, preparation, and management, to potential dispute resolution following project completion. Thor supports a wide array of clients including developers, contractors, and consultants. They include public and private entities. Thor has experience as in-house lawyer for some of the largest Norwegian and European infrastructure and construction companies. His work also covers general company law matters through board positions as well as advisory during M&A transactions.

Tom Eilertsen works mainly with intellectual property law, with a particular emphasis on copyright. He specializes in film, television, publishing, museums, theatres, adventure centers, music, computer games, and media. Tom also has extensive expertise with employment and assignment contracts within film, television, and entertainment, as well as company law, administrative law, and general contract law. He advises media sector clients on issues such as framework conditions, legislation, and regulations, as well as collective bargaining and framework agreements.