What Wiersholm does

Wiersholm is a full-service Norwegian business law firm, organized as Advokatfirmaet Wiersholm AS (Org.nr. 981371593), operating from its headquarters in Oslo and a second office in Trondheim opened in 2022. The firm employs approximately 383 professionals across 46 practice areas and more than 20 languages, serving Norwegian and international business clients including listed companies, private equity-backed businesses, and financial institutions. Its core offering is bespoke legal advisory across M&A, capital markets, banking and finance, regulatory compliance, employment, dispute resolution, tax, real estate, and ESG/sustainability, with sector depth in areas such as fisheries, aquaculture, and renewable energy through the Trondheim office.

Wiersholm monetizes through professional-services fees negotiated per engagement, with no public pricing or subscription model. Its go-to-market is anchored on reputation, top-tier independent rankings (Chambers Europe Band 1 and Legal 500 Hall of Fame in Employment, sustained from 2020 through 2026), and a content and events engine comprising more than 100 newsletters per year, three podcast series (Advokatene forklarer, OCF-podden, Preppa av Wiersholm), and seven annual conferences including the Nordic Buy Out Forum (the largest Nordic M&A and PE gathering, run with NVCA since 2011) and Oslo Compliance Forum.

The firm operates as a privately held, partner-owned limited company with no external institutional investors, parent, or subsidiaries disclosed. There is no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML product layer; the value proposition rests entirely on specialized human expertise, deep institutional relationships, and ecosystem assets such as the BI Norwegian Business School law degree program co-developed with Thommessen in 2023 and a main partnership with Redd Barna (Save the Children Norway) since 2019.

Name

Wiersholm

Legal name

Advokatfirmaet Wiersholm AS

Website

https://wiersholm.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1875

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Wiersholm is a Norwegian full-service business law firm with approximately 383 professionals across Oslo and Trondheim, serving listed companies, PE-backed firms, and financial institutions across 46 practice areas. Revenue is generated through negotiated per-engagement legal advisory fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

M&A Advisory (Buy-side/Sell-side) (BPAHADAC), HR Policy, Governance, Compliance & Risk Advisory (BPACAJAF), Environmental & Energy Law (BPAHAAAO)

Keywords

• Corporate legal services
• Mergers and acquisitions
• Dispute resolution
• Employment law advisory
• Regulatory compliance

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Legal Advisory Services: Wiersholm generates revenue by providing legal advisory services to Norwegian and international business clients across all areas of business law. Fees are billed for client engagements including transactions, litigation, regulatory advice, and ongoing counsel.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Wiersholm is a full-service Norwegian business law firm providing legal advisory services across all areas of business law, including M&A, capital markets, banking and finance, regulatory compliance, dispute resolution, employment, tax, real estate, and ESG/sustainability. The firm serves Norwegian and international business clients from offices in Oslo and Trondheim, with expertise spanning 46 practice areas delivered by approximately 383 professionals.

Product overview

Wiersholm is a full-service Norwegian business law firm offering legal expertise across all areas of commercial law. The firm does not offer a SaaS product or software platform; rather, its service offering consists of legal advisory services across multiple practice areas (including banking, M&A, employment, anti-money laundering, ESG, and more), supplemented by knowledge-sharing platforms and professional events. The named products include three podcast series — Advokatene forklarer, OCF-podden, and Preppa av Wiersholm — and several annual conferences and professional seminars including Nordic Buy Out Forum, Oslo Compliance Forum, Transfer Pricing Forum, and the Forvaltningssanksjonsrett professional course.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Advokatene forklarer: Podcast series where Wiersholm's lawyers discuss news, trends and changes in law and business, providing practical significance for listeners.
• OCF-podden
• Preppa av Wiersholm
• Oslo Compliance Forum
• Nordic Buy Out Forum
• Transfer Pricing Forum

Products and services

• Full-Service Business Law Advisory Legal advisory services across 46 practice areas of Norwegian business law, including M&A, capital markets, banking and finance, regulatory compliance, dispute resolution, employment, tax, real estate, and ESG/sustainability. Delivered to Norwegian and international business clients operating in Norway, including listed companies, PE-backed businesses, and financial institutions.
• Nordic Buy Out Forum An annual M&A and private equity conference organized by Wiersholm in collaboration with the Norwegian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (NVCA), serving as the leading annual meeting place for the Nordic private equity, venture capital, and M&A community.
• Oslo Compliance Forum An annual compliance and regulatory conference organized by Wiersholm, bringing together compliance, risk management, and corporate governance professionals from businesses, authorities, and expert communities in Norway.
• Transfer Pricing Forum

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Redd Barna (Save the Children Norway)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Wiersholm has been a main partner (hovedsamarbeidspartner) with Redd Barna since 2019. The partnership is built on shared values and complementary skills. Wiersholm provides legal expertise and contributes to Redd Barna's work strengthening children's rights and education. The collaboration involves pro bono legal work and knowledge sharing.
• Mino.jurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMino.jur is a student organization for law students in Bergen and Oslo with minority backgrounds. Wiersholm is a long-term partner, organizing seminars, events, and a mentoring program connecting minority students with Wiersholm lawyers for career guidance. The firm also supports Mino.jur Days annually.
• HumAkminorOthersWiersholm contributes pro bono legal advisory hours annually to HumAk through established partnerships, enabling long-term collaborations that work well for both parties.
• NOASminorOthersWiersholm provides pro bono legal services to NOAS (Norwegian Organization for Asylum Seekers) as part of its structured pro bono program through established partnerships.
• Kronprinsparets FondminorOthersWiersholm provides pro bono legal advisory services to Kronprinsparets Fond (The Crown Prince and Crown Princess' Fund) as part of its structured annual pro bono program.
• NVCA (Norwegian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerNVCA is a co-organizer of the Nordic Buy Out Forum, which Wiersholm has hosted since 2011. NVCA represents Norway's active ownership funds from seed funds to venture capital and buyout funds, with over 100 members, two-thirds of which are investing members. The forum is the leading annual meeting place for the Nordic private equity, venture capital, and M&A community.
• Advokatfirmaet Wiersholm AS (as legal counsel)minorOthersWiersholm provided legal support as counsel in Axactor ASA's share capital increase and subsequent offering transaction, raising approximately NOK 176.1 million in gross proceeds managed by Arctic Securities AS, DNB Carnegie, and Nordea Bank Abp.
• ThommessenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWiersholm and Thommessen jointly contribute teaching and case assignments to BI Norwegian Business School's law degree program launched in 2023. Both firms are integrally involved across all five years of the program, bringing real cases and practical experience to students.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Advokatfirmaet Schjødt: One of Norway's largest full-service business law firms, with comparable headcount, similar practice breadth (M&A, banking, employment, dispute resolution), and overlapping top-tier Chambers/Legal 500 rankings. Directly competes with Wiersholm for Norwegian and international business law mandates.
• Advokatfirmaet Thommessen: Norwegian full-service business law firm of similar size, with strong M&A and capital markets practices, and comparable top-tier rankings. Co-organiser with Wiersholm of BI Norwegian Business School's law degree programme; closest direct competitor in Oslo market.
• BAHR (formerly BA-HR): Major Norwegian business law firm offering corporate, M&A, banking, and dispute resolution services to Norwegian and international clients. Directly competes with Wiersholm for high-end corporate mandates and rankings in the same Chambers/Legal 500 categories.
• Wikborg Rein: Norwegian-headquartered international law firm with offices in Oslo, Bergen, London, Singapore, Shanghai, and Seoul. Competes with Wiersholm for Norwegian business law mandates while also offering cross-border capabilities that extend beyond Wiersholm's geographic footprint.
• Arntzen de Besche: Norwegian full-service business law firm of comparable size with strong M&A, energy, and dispute resolution practices. Direct competitor in the Oslo market for corporate, energy, and regulatory mandates.
• Advokatfirmaet Selmer: Oslo-based business law firm focused on corporate, M&A, banking and finance, employment, and dispute resolution. Competes with Wiersholm for mid-to-large corporate clients and employs several of its alumni.
• SANDS Advokatfirma: Norwegian full-service business law firm with offices across Norway. Competes with Wiersholm across practice areas, with a particularly strong presence outside Oslo, including in markets where Wiersholm's Trondheim office is expanding.
• Advokatfirmaet Haavind: Norwegian business law firm with a strong corporate, M&A, and technology/privacy practice. Directly competes with Wiersholm for Norwegian corporate mandates and Chambers-ranked practice areas.
• Advokatfirmaet Kluge: Norwegian full-service business law firm headquartered in Stavanger with additional offices. Competes with Wiersholm particularly in energy-related mandates and West Norway corporate work.

Broad incumbents

• DLA Piper: Global law firm with a Norwegian presence offering cross-border M&A, finance, and regulatory advice. Competes with Wiersholm for international mandates involving Norwegian parties but operates at much greater scale and geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/31593
• Instagraminstagram.com/advokatfirmaet_wiersholm?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw%3D%3D

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wiersholm