What the team is known for
Outstanding energy practice with noted capabilities in cross-border matters, assisting clients with high-profile M&A, financing and corporate mandates relating to projects. Broad expertise covers both offshore and onshore oil and gas activities as well as renewables, with a strong focus on wind energy. Advises on the regulatory and EU law aspects of energy matters and acts on environmental issues associated with energy projects. Further strength in corporate restructuring mandates, as well as representing clients in energy-related arbitration proceedings.

Strengths
One client enthuses: "I really like their negotiation style; they found the right arguments, told us the right strategies and flagged the risks."

Work highlights
Acted on construction and operational issues for the Nord Stream 2 energy infrastructure project, including a cross-border environmental impact assessment.

Notable practitioners
Jakob Østervang is "available at all times," according to one appreciative client. He is notably active in acquisitions and financing mandates involving renewable energy projects.

Chambers and Partners Europe, Energy

Bech-Bruun continues to develop its position as one of the leading names in the Danish energy and infrastructure market. This year it successfully expanded its team to bring in new expertise to supplement the already strong lawyers on its roster. It has also continued to impress on the energy side in particular, where it has again secured some of the most significant mandates in the Danish markets.

“Bech-Bruun’s energy team is providing a full-scope service for high-profile and complex renewable projects, including procurement, regulatory, competition, corporate and financing,” says one in-house counsel at a major European energy provider. “They have outstanding knowledge of Danish energy law and the Nordic energy market and all the relevant stakeholders. They are also very friendly, pragmatic and have a good responsiveness.”

Generally, clients praise the accuracy of the firm’s work as above average, with the work ethic of some of the senior lawyers praised in particular.

“Why we are using Peter [Østergaard Nielsen] is that he has a very good commercial touch and knows the supplier market on wind, he knows the industrial players and is strong on the supply agreements,” says one in-house counsel at a Danish investment group. “He is very well known on the supplier market for wind. When he moved to Bech-Bruun we followed him, because we are attached to Peter, not the firm he works for.”

Nielsen joined the team in February 2016 from Moalem Weitemeyer Bendtsen and brings a strong reputation in the wind and renewables market with him. The firm also brought on board another new partner in January 2015 in the shape of Claus Berg from Viltoft to help boost its construction and public procurement capabilities.

While the firm is known for its strength in the energy market, it has also had a productive year on the infrastructure side as well. This includes the continuing advice being provided to the Region of Southern Denmark on the development of a new hospital and working with Aarhus Kommune on the public-private partnership (PPP) construction of a new office building.

IFLR 1000, Energy and infrastructure

Ranked: tier 1

Bech-Bruun handles regulatory issues, M&A transactions, energy project developments and contentious matters for a client list of energy companies, investors, project developers, public companies and municipalities. The team’s project advice includes the drafting and negotiation of renewable energy project contracts and handling energy project financing work. Practice head Per Hemmer is notably active in his work on geothermal plants and solar parks and also assists with regulatory matters relating to cross-border gas pipeline projects. Offshore wind expert Anders Hørlyck Jensen was promoted to partner in early 2019.    

Legal 500, Energy