Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS

The firm: Haavind is one of Norway’s leading law firms, delivering strategic and legal advice and services in all aspects of commercial law. Haavind is a full-service law firm with several of the largest companies in Norway, as well as public sector, as customers.

Haavind is a natural choice for organisations undergoing change and digital transformation. We work systematically to stay ahead of the game, by understanding trends and new technology and translate this into risks, challenges and opportunities for our customers. Our lawyers find great motivation in finding good solutions and working hard to ensure relevance, quality and efficiency in their deliveries.

We have experience in advising and working with organisations actively contributing to sustainable development. Haavind is legal partner to several large, international companies with a strong focus on ESG and the UN’s sustainability goals.

In our CSR-policy, care for both local stakeholders and some of society’s weaker groups is important to us, and we actively engage with, and support two initiatives from Kirkens Bymisjon; Gatejuristen and Barnas Jurist.

We value working with companies addressing the challenges of a more sustainable future, and add value by aligning our legal and industrial competence with dynamic project management and increased use of technology, to contribute to meeting our customers’ sustainability goals.

Areas of practice
Banking and finance: An expert group with extensive experience from working on both the lending and the borrowing side of acquisition- and group financing. The team assists lenders, borrowers, issuers, insurance providers, managers and other parties with the legal framework of all types of financial transactions including syndicated financing of real estate, ships, rigs and airplanes, comprehensive and tailor-made acquisition and project financing, bond loans, corporate financing, leasing, financial restructuring, derivatives and long term power purchase agreements.

We regularly represent companies in their day-to-day financing and re- financing, financial institutions and private equity firms on their acquisition financing. In addition to supporting Haavind’s many clients with their diverse financing needs, the group is focusing on building long term relationships with corporate clients and financial institutions with emphasis on partner attention, efficiency and thoroughness.

Capital markets: The team of legal experts covers all areas of capital market transactions and has advised on many of the most comprehensive transactions on the Norwegian stock exchange to date.

We act as legal advisors to a number of listed companies and investors on the handling of inside information and disclosure and notification requirements, and assist securities firms, mutual funds and private equity funds on regulatory matters.

Commercial, corporate and M&A: Haavind has a strong and experienced corporate M&A team who work full time with transactions, both public and private. In addition, we have several partners that focus on sector specific transactions and corporate mandates.

Energy M&A forms an essential part of Haavind’s full service offering towards the energy/electricity sector, with a broad offering of M&A work in solar, wind and hydro.

Technology M&A is based on our strong position within the IT and software sector and the skills needed to advise on M&A and business transformation in the new digital economy. Haavind has participated in many of the M&A processes within the Tech sector in the last few years, and has established itself as leading within software and technology deals.

Oil and offshore M&A is a key area for Haavind, and we have become a significant player within Oil and offshore M&A work, clearly putting Haavind in the frontline of advisors on Corporate M&A mandates within the Oil and offshore industry.

Construction: Being among the most respected lawyers in their field, our team has given legal advice and assisted on a number of the largest infrastructure projects in Norway. The cross-functional team of skilled and experienced lawyers offer a combination of excellent legal knowledge and deep sector- specific insight to find the best solutions for our customers and their businesses.

We assist our customers with: drafting and quality assurance of contracts, negotiations, organization of collaborations/joint ventures, advice during the entire project execution phase, settlement negotiations, dispute resolution (mitigation, arbitration and litigation). Haavind’s strong professional expertise is further illustrated by our involvement in the development of industry standards.

Dispute resolution: One of Norway’s strongest teams in litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution, with one of the highest numbers of lawyers licensed to litigate before the Supreme Court. A significant part of our business is dispute resolution, both for national courts and international arbitrations. In recent years, we have litigated more than 10 % of all civil cases for the Norwegian Supreme Court.

In hearings, we combine our expertise within dispute resolution with our specialized legal expertise and industry sector knowledge to achieve the best possible results.  With background as judges, both in the District Courts and Courts of Appeal, as well as in arbitration, the diversity and cooperation between the lawyers brings a multi-skilled approach that enables us to solve complex disputes in the best way possible.

EU and competition: Our EU and competition law team assists Norwegian and international businesses within all areas of competition law, including state aid rules. We work closely with leading players across a range of industries to find solutions that enable them reach their business objectives within the limitations posed by competition rules.

We have one of the country’s largest and leading public procurement teams. Our team has extensive experience in assisting in all stages of procurement processes, meeting all needs for procurement regulation advisory. Our lawyers assist with preparation of tenders, assessment of the competition, including the requirements, evaluation of the tenders and award, as well as assistance in complaint handling for the customer, the Public Procurement Complaints Board and the courts.

Electricity and renewable energy: Haavind is a full-service law firm for the renewable energy sector, with a very strong team within regulatory matters and litigation, as well as providing legal services in some of the largest transactions within the Norwegian energy sector.

We combine our extensive energy competence with the work of our leading legal teams, to act as legal providers and advisors to complex and extensive power projects. Our extensive experience with the renewable sector, includes a substantial network among the important stakeholders, including the energy authorities, as many have practical experience from working for public entities, such as the Attorney General and the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.

Employment: Employment and pension law is historically and strategically, a key area to Haavind’s legal services. In both number and areas of expertise, we are considered one of the largest and highly regarded legal professional environments in Norway.

We have a long tradition with management and HR support for large and complex organizations, both domestic and internationally. Our lawyers add value to clients’ reorganisations, transfers of undertaking, outsourcings, dispute resolutions (both litigation and arbitration), compensation and benefits-programs, performance management, whistle blowing and investigations, collective bargaining issues and corporate governance matters in the borderline between employment law and corporate law.

Our specific understanding of both the organization and business model of large companies have made it possible to provide valuable tailor-made input and cost efficient services.

Insolvency and corporate recovery: Our restructuring and insolvency group has considerable experience and expertise from both sides of the table, be it as a representative of public, financial, industrial mortgage secured or unsecured creditors in both restructuring and major bankruptcies, as a debtor (the company board) or as a trustee with extensive cooperation with mortgagees.

Our experienced lawyers advise on all aspects of insolvency, including debt negotiations and restructuring, creditor representation and board liability issues and litigation. The firm also acts on appointments from Oslo bankruptcy and probate court.

Intellectual property: Haavind’s strong tech-practice is one of the largest in Norway and stands out from the rest by its prevailing status in the largest projects in the high-end IP and technology segment. Our lawyers serve as strategic advisors to several large companies where central parts of their business is governed by IP.

Our lawyers have a strong reputation for their expertise in handling major IP litigations. We regularly combine specialists from our IP group and litigation group in tailor- made litigation teams. Several of our litigators have substantial experience and knowledge within particular areas of IP, and cooperate closely with our IP specialists.

Offshore construction and shipbuilding: the team consists of lawyers with extensive experience in drafting contracts, negotiations, joint ventures, and legal aspects related to project execution, as well as arbitration and litigation of complex disputes, all with an understanding of how to operate in the international arena.

With Haavind’s long tradition of contributing to the standardisation of industry terms and conditions it has the very best basis for advising the industry on matters related to contracting and project execution on NCS.

Oil and gas: the team covers all areas of required legal services for the oil and gas industry. The team has particular experience with various offshore and onshore development projects, dispute resolution, HR-related matters and transactions within the oil and gas industry.

Real estate: With the largest legal real estate team in Norway, we cover all areas of the law and give quality advice on the entire process of property development and transactions. Our lawyers have extensive experience with complex property development projects, working as a team to minimize risk and create predictable frameworks for businesses.

Our team is recognized for leading market and legal knowledge, combining commercial insight with legal expertise. Having assisted Norwegian and overseas market players in several of Norway’s largest transactions, our skilled lawyers have valuable experience and market understanding. We are considered a key player by international investors and work in cross-functional teams to give business and legal advice of high value.

Tax: Haavind is the firm that, over time, has litigated the most number of tax cases for Norwegian courts. Our tax team is renowned for its deep involvement in high-value transactions where tax is a critical factor, its strong position in tax litigation and particular standing as VAT specialists.

The experienced team of lawyers have a proven track record across most industries, as well as areas of taxes and duties. We work seamlessly with most of our legal experts in corporate M&A, real estate, renewable energy and employment and pensions.

TMT: Haavind has one of the largest and most reputable  TMT teams in Norway, delivering on the full range of legal services on digital transformation. We assist customers in the procurement of necessary IT capabilities by the purchase of software licenses, cloud services, software development, development of applications, operating and management services.

Customers include Norwegian “blue chip” companies and the largest IT vendors. Our lawyers give legal and strategic advice to industries undergoing change, whether it applies to new solutions or services or change as a result of the digital processes many sectors are experiencing.

Our experts have considerable experience with relevant regulatory issues, and the challenges related to using new types of services on dated legislation. Our leading lawyers have all worked in large technology businesses, and in such roles worked closely on technical, operational and commercial decision makers in these businesses. This gives our team a unique combination of legal expertise, insight and understanding of the business drivers. This expertise is valued by our customers, and many of our lawyers are strategic and management advisors as well as legal advisors.