Arntzen de Besche’s ‘highly-skilled‘ team attracts praise for its ‘exceptional knowledge of EU and competition legislation‘. With demonstrable industry strength across the trade and retail sectors, the group handles a high volume of merger control and state aid mandates. The ‘outstanding‘ Svein Terje Tveit oversees the department and is particularly active in high-profile state aid investigations and litigation, as well as advising on compliance and merger control mandates. Also in the core team is Stein Ove Solberg, a seasoned competition expert with a solid track record in advising clients within the trade, retail, and food sectors on complex merger control cases. At associate level, Frida May Behrens handles contentious antitrust mandates, while Paul Gunnar Hagelund is also recommended.

The ‘first-class‘ EU and competition offering at BAHR spans the full range of investigations, damages claims, state aid, and merger control mandates. The latter forms a core pillar of work for the team, which is regularly instructed to advise on cross-border filings, merger inquiries, and notification work. Helge Stemshaug oversees the practice and has a strong track record in handling cartel investigations and merger clearances, while the ‘exceptionally good‘ Beret Sundet has notable strength in M&A-related competition work in the pharmaceuticals and biotech sectors. Elin Moen re-joined the team from an in-house position in August 2023, strengthening the group's general antitrust offering. The team is supported by a strong pool of associates, including the ‘outstanding‘ Ylva Kolsrud Lønvik, recommended for multijurisdictional filings, and Annette Greve, who is experienced in dawn raids and leniency institutes.

Acting for an impressive roster of leading Norwegian players in a diverse range of industries, including the consumer goods, telecoms, IT, and transportation sectors, Advokatfirmaet Simonsen Vogt Wiig handles the full spectrum of cartel cases, merger control mandates, and EU litigation. Jan Magne Langseth oversees the team and takes point on abuse of dominance mandates, cartel investigations, and antitrust litigation. Espen I Bakken handles work in the medtech and pharma sectors, while litigator Karin Fløistad acts for clients in the media and energy sectors, attracting praise for her ‘high knowledge level and precision‘.

Lauded by clients as ‘simply the best’, Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS continues to act on the full spectrum of EU and competition work, with a ‘stellar’ offering that spans antitrust, cartel, merger control, and regulatory state aid mandates. Practice head Heidi Jorkjend has extensive experience advising on investigations and general merger control mandates. Siri Teigum takes point on contentious mandates, complex mergers, and a range of EEA and competition cases before the various European courts. The ‘experienced and highly competent’ Eivind Vesterkjær has a broad practice that spans competition, state aid, and public procurements matters.

Håkon Cosma Størdal and Elisabeth Lian Haugsdal jointly oversee the team at Wiersholm, which has broad competence across the full spectrum of EU and competition issues. The ‘very impressive‘ Størdal handles complex Norwegian and cross-border competition matters, including merger mandates, antitrust investigations, and follow-on litigation. Haugsdal has extensive experience acting for clients in complex litigation proceedings before the Norwegian Competition Authority as well as various EU authorities. The core team also includes seasoned antitrust litigator Stephan L Jervell, described by clients as ‘a rock star in court’, as well as Thomas Naalsund, a key contact for contentious state aid and public procurement matters. At associate level, the ‘very sharp‘ Edvard Hamer Rojahn is also recommended.

The ‘extremely knowledgeable and pragmatic’ team at Wikborg Rein acts for large private companies and public bodies in Norway, including major energy, telecoms, aquaculture, and transport players. Handling a high volume of infringement cases before Norwegian competition authorities, the team is also routinely instructed to act on antitrust investigations, follow-on claims and cartel mandates. Mads Magnussen heads up the team and is hailed by clients as a ‘fantastic adviser’. Preben Milde Thorbjørnsen is another core member of the team and handles both contentious and non-contentious competition mandates, including transactions and infringement litigation. Specialist counsel Stuart Stock, who is dual-qualified in Norway and England, takes point on cross-border and international matters, with an emphasis on merger control work. Hanne Camilla Zimmer departed the team in 2023.

With demonstrable strength in state aid and public procurement work, CMS Kluge fields a ‘highly competent and hardworking’ team which is also increasingly active in the complex merger control field. Henrik Nordling heads up the team and focuses on national and European competition issues, state aid work, and regulatory mandates. ‘Strong leader‘ Bjørnar Alterskjær has a strong track record in advising private companies and governmental entities on large and complex state aid matters, while Clemens Kerle handles notification and complaint procedures before the EFTA Surveillance Authority.

Lauded by clients for its ‘excellent professional expertise and industry understanding’, Kvale Advokatfirma DA handles merger clearances, infringement claims, and abuse of dominance cases for a strong group of clients in the telecoms, media, grocery, and life sciences sectors. Practice head Kristin Hjelmaas Valla handles merger clearance, cartel and leniency processes, and compliance work, while Robert Lund takes point on state aid and public procurement cases; state aid forms a core pillar of work for the group. The ‘elite‘ Gjermund Mathisen joined the group and has extensive in-house experience from the EFTA Surveillance Authority.

Advokatfirmaet Schjødt AS leverages its Scandinavian network of offices to advise its clients on both domestic and international joint ventures, investigations, and the competition aspects of large mergers. Olav Kolstad leads the competition group and stands out for his extensive track record advising oil and gas sector clients on the full range of contentious and non-contentious EU and competition mandates. Kolstad works alongside litigator Thomas Nordby, a public procurement and EU competition law specialist. Also in the core team is Elsa Brandt Stensrud, whose broad practice has a notable focus on abuse of dominance cases and investigations by the Norwegian Competition Authority.

With strength in merger control and transaction-related competition issues, Selmer acts for public and private sector clients on the full range of public procurement matters, investigations, and state aid mandates. Ole-Andreas Torgersen and Karen Anne Rekkedal jointly lead the team; Torgersen is recommended for his extensive merger control expertise as well as distribution and cartel-related litigation, while Rekkedal is the name to note for public procurement and state aid matters.

DLA Piper leverages its global network of offices to provide an EU and competition offering with particular strength in cross-border mandates, advising clients on merger control, compliance and state aid matters. Line Voldstad heads up the practice and takes point on merger filings, EU regulatory matters, and general competition issues for clients in the energy, retail, and pharma industries. Kjetil Haare Johansen has a focus on distribution matters and regulatory due diligence.

Odd Stemsrud heads up Advokatfirmaet Grette AS' EU and competition practice and excels in Norwegian and cross-border mandates spanning cartel investigations, market abuse cases, merger control work and antitrust litigation.

Acting for clients in the technology and renewables industries, Advokatfirmaet Haavind AS’ fields a ‘highly skilled and hardworking’ team with expertise in merger control issues, follow-on damages litigation, and state aid matters. Simen Klevstrand, who is ‘highly skilled in all aspects of the competition law field’, oversees the practice and takes point on merger control cases in the technology industry. He is supported by a strong team of associates, including the ‘bright-minded’ Gaute Bergstrøm and Marianne Henne Møller, who handles abuse of dominance matters.

Under the leadership of the ‘stand-out’ Monica Syrdal, Advokatfirmaet Hjort has demonstrable strength in regulatory issues and contentious competition matters, with a solid track record in litigating cartel cases, price-fixing litigation, and abuse of dominant position mandates. Syrdal takes point on contentious competition mandates and investigations for clients in the media and telecoms sector, while Heddy Ludvigsen is the name to note on the state aid front.

SANDS‘ ‘excellent team within EU and competition practice’ advises clients active in a wide range of industries, including the fisheries and aquaculture, waste and recycling, healthcare, and transport sectors. The team has a particular focus on providing competition compliance advice, assisting with merger control processes, and supporting in private damages litigation. The team is headed up by Aksel Joachim Hageler, who possesses expertise in infringement and access to the market cases as well as risk analysis related to merger proceedings. With ‘deep knowledge of competition law’, Thomas Sando routinely handles competition-related matters for large and medium-sized domestic and foreign companies. Special counsel Lennart Garnes has ‘broad knowledge’ of EU and EEA free movement rules, and public procurement, competition and state aid law.