Competitors note that Haavind has been enjoying a growing presence in the finance market. Trond Kildal, a former in-house at Handelsbanken and associate at Wiersholm, heads the banking practice with the support of the experienced Peter Brechan....
[more]
Competitors note that Haavind has been enjoying a growing presence in the finance market. Trond Kildal, a former in-house at Handelsbanken and associate at Wiersholm, heads the banking practice with the support of the experienced Peter Brechan.
One client belives the firm is "younger and more dynamic in mindset than some of the bigger firms and stack up in terms of quality". The client praises the firm's "high energy" levels.
Possibly the highest profile deal, which made other firms tae note, saw Brechan and Kildal advise Nordea Bank on a €103 million financing of the acquisition by EQT, Scandinavia's largest private equity manager, of Haflsund Fibernett, the largest dark fibre operator in the central areas of Norway. It was notable for the size of the deal and the standing of the parties involved.
Kildal also recently acted for private equity company Nordic Capital on €254 million of financing or its acquisition of Handicare, which has production facilities in a number of countries. He advised Nordea Bank on a $500 million refinancing of a large barge operator and with Peter Brechan on a €165 million acquisition financing to EQT.
Kildal and Håvard Skogvoll assisted Sector Eiendomsutvikling on an €890 million financial restructuring of a shopping mall owner (property fund) prior to selling. Brechan advised ISS alongside Slaughter and May in London on a €1.65 billion refinancing of Norwegian operations in preparation of listing of Parent following planned exit by EQT and Goldman Sachs.
[hide]
Haavind comfortably earns its place in the ratings. "Professional, pretty dynamic, high energy guys, work hard, dedicated, good mix of commercially minded yet doing all the legal tick box stuff," says a client....
[more]
Haavind comfortably earns its place in the ratings. "Professional, pretty dynamic, high energy guys, work hard, dedicated, good mix of commercially minded yet doing all the legal tick box stuff," says a client. Another adds that the firm is "a lot younger and more dynamic in mind set then some of the bigger firms and stack up in terms of quality".
Competitors note that the firm has been "working to get credibility as a full service firm" and that it has a "first class real estate practice". It works closely with municipalities. In 2011 the firm promoted Preben Brecke to partnership since he joined from BAHR in early 2010. The firm also recently recruited Christopher Jensen from Telenor Group to partnership, and he already gets good feedback from clients.
Kjetil Hardeng and Preben Brecke and Bjørn Olav Torpp all led on the firms large deals. Torpp advised Oslo listed Orkla on the sale of its shares in Borregaard Skoger to Statskog, marking the largest forestry transaction in Norway for many years. The transaction involved 40 of Haavind's lawyers.
Brecke worked with White &Case to advise private equity fund Nordic Capital Fund on a €317 million acquisition of the healthcare company Handicare from Herkules Private Equity Fund. In February 2011 Brecke also assisted Agder Energi on the establishment of joint venture infrastructure project 'North Connect' with Vattenfall, Scottish and Southern Energy, E-Co Energi and Lyse Energi.
Head of corporate Kjetil Hardeng advised Atea on its acquisition of the Norwegian IT infrastructure company Umoe IKT from Umoe for over €25 million in December 2010, one of the largest IT transactions in Norway in 2010.
[hide]