Bull International: Coordinated and quality-assured legal support across borders

Our strategy: hand-pick partners who are experts in their market and field

Many clients find it challenging to identify the right law firm in a new country. Bull therefore has a clear strategy: we hand-pick and quality-assure partners in relevant jurisdictions and practice areas. We are not tied to exclusive cooperation models, and we are free to choose the team best suited to the matter at hand.

Over the years, we have built a broad network of bilateral relationships with law firms in a number of countries. What they share is a reputation for being strong specialist environments in precisely the areas we need.

When assessing potential partners, we look at both formal qualifications and how they deliver in practice—legally, commercially, and communicatively. We meet them, discuss concrete issues, and ensure we gain a holistic impression. This is how we ensure that the lawyers we engage for our clients are professionals we can genuinely vouch for—both in terms of expertise and in the way they handle clients.

In addition, we are members of selected international networks with systematic quality control, including GALA (Global Advertising Lawyers Association), a specialist network for marketing law. This gives us access to leading marketing law specialists across multiple jurisdictions, which is particularly valuable for companies operating in several countries.

A Norwegian “trusted advisor” in an international landscape

When we engage lawyers in other countries, we do not hand the client over to a new firm and step aside. Bull acts as the client’s Norwegian lead counsel throughout the process: we serve as the link to the foreign law firm and ensure that advice and deliverables align with the client’s overall strategy and operating framework.

In practice, this also means that we manage differences in working methods and communication across countries, making the process safer and more efficient—so the client can relate to one advisor at Bull.

Cultural understanding as a competitive advantage

International work is not only about reading and interpreting legislation; it is also about understanding culture and how matters are handled in different countries. Negotiations and processes may have different pace, decision-making structures, and communication styles, and such differences can affect both progress and outcome.

Bull is used to working with clients, counterparties, lawyers, and judges from different legal cultures. This enables us to prepare the client for what to expect, adjust strategy when needed, and reduce the risk of misunderstandings that create unnecessary conflict or delays. We therefore assess not only what is legally possible, but also what is practically feasible in the specific context.

An international footprint—for the benefit of our clients

For our clients, international support is about execution and control. Bull makes cross-border matters more manageable by clarifying risk early, coordinating advice across jurisdictions, and ensuring that legal advice, strategy, and practical implementation are aligned.

In practice, this means:

• One Norwegian lead advisor responsible for the overall delivery
• Direct access to quality-assured specialist teams in relevant countries
• Clear progress and fewer misunderstandings—even where regulations and business culture differ

This makes the process more efficient—and the basis for decision-making more reliable—when multiple countries and regulatory regimes are involved.

Bull’s international background and experience

Bull has an international expert group consisting of partners with extensive experience in cross-border matters. The group is responsible for establishing and maintaining cooperation with law firms and specialist environments in the Nordics and around the world, ensuring that our clients get rapid access to the right international expertise without having to navigate unfamiliar markets on their own.

Members of the expert group are:

• Cathrine Hambro
• Andreas Wahl
• Runar Hansen
• Vegard Øien
• Lisa Digernes
• Hanna B. Olaussen

Several of Bull’s lawyers have substantial international backgrounds and experience working with different legal systems in the Nordics, Europe, the US, and Asia. Examples include:

• Lisa Digernes is qualified in New York (admitted to the New York Bar) and has worked as a lawyer there for more than ten years.
• Christian Bendiksen is qualified as an English solicitor and serves on the board of the Franco-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce. He also has international experience from London, including secondments at the Admiralty Court and at Mishcon de Reya.
• Tone Reinertsen (partner) works exclusively with international clients within cross-border mobility (Global Mobility).

Our largest international matters often involve:

• International transactions
• Cross-border deliveries and contracts
• International disputes and arbitration proceedings (including cases with international arbitrators)

We also assist within, among other areas, tax, intellectual property, marketing law, film and TV, environment and sustainability, life science, insurance and reinsurance, transport and logistics, as well as international settlements (upon divorce or death).

Do you need legal assistance abroad, or are you a foreign business operating in Norway and in need of legal support? Please get in touch with us!