Kvale Advokatfirma DA

The firm: Kvale is a commercial law firm that has been advising the Norwegian and international business community since its establishment in 1985. After consistent organic growth over almost four decades, the firm today counts over 100 lawyers.

The firm’s lawyers offer experience and specialist competence across all key areas of commercial law. It assists national and international clients in both the public and private sectors, whether they are major enterprises, medium/small businesses or enterprising private individuals.

Kvale is best known for representing and advising many of Norway’s largest enterprises with their most important legal matters and cases. Kvale consistently provides impactful representation and presentations of cases that involve highly complex facts, demanding matters of law, substantial values at risk and the need for in-depth knowledge of the sector.

Areas of practice
Intellectual property: Kvale has extensive experience advising Norwegian and international clients in relation to protection of intellectual property rights, including patents, trade marks, design rights, company names and copyright.

Corporate law: Kvale assists in all aspects of corporate matters. The firm advises on corporate form and structure, organisation of businesses and frequently acts as counsel to management and directors.

Oil, gas and renewable energy: Kvale provides regulatory and contractual advice related to the exploration, development, production and cessation of petroleum activities, and also assists in matters related to hydro power, wind power and other renewable energy sources.

Building and construction: Kvales experienced lawyers assist oil and gas companies of different sizes and nationalities on a day to day basis, as well as assisting with counselling, representation, negotiation and litigation.

IT and telecoms: Kvale supplies a high volume of top tier advice to key telecom and other sector companies with regulatory issues, sector-specific market regulation, data protection, contracts, transactions and interaction with the authorities. Within the IT sector, Kvale provides high end advice with IT agreements, including those relating to the development and purchase of software and software based systems, outsourcing- and operating agreements and consultancy agreements.

Competition and EU: Kvale’s EU/competition law group has expertise in national and EC competition law and related disciplines as well as public procurement law. The group’s work includes merger notifications to the European Commission and the Norwegian Competition Authority, appeals, cartel investigations, compliance programmes, public procurement and general advice on all aspects of national and EC competition law. Kvale is regularly involved in major high profile competition law cases.

Media and marketing: Kvale provides advice in relation to unfair competition from current and former employees, contracting parties and competitors, whether in relation to breach of confidentiality, improper solicitation of employees, suppliers or customers, misuse of intellectual property/know how and copying/counterfeiting.

Litigation and dispute resolution: Kvale’s lawyers have extensive experience in litigating very major and complex civil actions through the ordinary courts, as well as before national and international courts of arbitration. The firm handles cases of all sizes, but its strength lies in its vast experience in handling very major and complex cases, whether relating to the oil and gas industry, patents, telecom, corporate matters, tax or other fields.

Employment and pensions: Kvale’s comprehensive and high profile practice covers all questions related to employment laws and regulations. The firm’s lawyers have extensive experience in court proceedings within this field. The firm’s advice and assistance includes matters such as restructuring, workforce reductions, company acquisition or handling of individual conflicts.

Tax and accounting: Kvale is well respected for its boutique tax dispute and litigation practice. The firm’s tax practice is comprehensive and can offer high quality advice covering most business sectors.

Banking and finance: Kvale supplies services that cover all aspects of financial transactions, from the initial structuring, to drafting of finance documents and finally closing of financial transactions. The firm is particularly recognised for restructuring debt, enforcement of securities, ship finance and specialist competence within the savings bank field. Building on the firm’s leading position within technology, the firm has also developed strong fintech competence. Kvale clients are major integrated banks, savings banks, bond trustees and export credit institutions as well as major and SMB borrowers.

Restructuring, insolvency proceedings and credit security: Kvale is one of the most sought after Norwegian law firms in the fields of corporate reorganisation, debt restructuring proceedings and insolvency proceedings. The firm represents banks, financial institutions and other creditors in issues related to insolvency and credit security. Kvale’s team of experienced bankruptcy trustees are frequently appointed by the Probate Courts in major bankruptcies.

Corporate/M&A: Kvale has a strong focus on its corporate and M&A practice. The experienced team of lawyers advise national and international companies within all areas of corporate law and M&A. Kvale has experience from some of the largest multinational M&A cases in Norway.

Food law: Kvale provides comprehensive advice within food and feed law. The firm assists large Norwegian and Foreign Companies in all questions related to the food law.

Public law: Kvale assists local governments, public enterprises and private parties on the entire width of administrative law and of the remaining issues within public law.

Shipping: Kvale provides regulatory and contractual advice related to financing, construction, operation and management of vessels and offshore units.