Wikborg Rein appoints new partners in London and Singapore

LEADING international law firm Wikborg Rein has appointed two new partners to its shipping and offshore team.

 Birgitte Karlsen becomes a partner in the firm’s London office, which she joined in 2011 after two years working as in-house counsel for offshore oil and gas technology specialist Aker Solutions in Norway. Prior to that, Birgitte had worked in the Oslo and Singapore offices of Wikborg Rein as a senior associate.

 Birgitte’s work in the offshore sector includes structuring international projects, general risk analysis and related project financing. She also specialises in helping suppliers in the oil and gas industry to negotiate construction and conversion contracts and contracts for the operation of rigs and vessels, including FPSOs.

 Finn Bjørnstad, managing partner of Wikborg Rein’s London office, says, “We are delighted that a person of Birgitte’s experience, reputation and ability has been appointed as a partner. She will form an essential part of the team we are developing in London offering global shipping and offshore expertise and English law capability. Birgitte’s experience as a legal adviser to a leading offshore technology specialist is an important supplement to the knowledge base within the firm.”

 Meanwhile, Siri Wennevik has joined the Singapore office of Wikborg Rein. Siri is a well known and highly experienced transactional lawyer within the shipping and offshore sectors. She has participated for both borrowers and lenders in a number of transactions for Norwegian and international clients.  Siri’s work covers a broad range of commercial and financing shipping and offshore work, including syndicated facilities and bond financing, and she is particularly experienced in asset-, project-, and cross-border financings.  

 Per M. Ristvedt, managing partner of Wikborg Rein in Singapore, says, “Siri is an important addition to our growing body of expertise in Singapore, helping us provide legal advice to clients in Singapore and elsewhere in Asia, interacting with our other Asian offices in Kobe and Shanghai as well as elsewhere in the world.”

 For photos of Birgitte Karlsen and Siri Wennevik, go to:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Merlinclients/WikborgRein

l Wikborg Rein is a pre-eminent law firm in the shipping and offshore sector, and a major player on the international scene. Services to the maritime industry include ship, project and lease finance, corporate, contract negotiation, offshore and construction projects, sale and purchase, ship registration, insurance, casualty response, carriage of goods, ship arrest and international dispute resolution. More information on the firm and its partners can be found at www.wr.no