Bryn Aarflot AS is one of the big filers of the country and has since 2007 been building a legal department and litigating for some of its in-house clients. In 2010, the firm swallowed up small patent agency Thorstens and increased its patent portfolio. Lill A Grimstad handles the firm's litigation and 2010 saw him represent Cameron International in an appeal to the Supreme Court against NIPO's patent refusal, defend i-Tech against a patent infringement claim in the field of sub-sea technology, and advise KGD developments on a potential infringement case.
The firm's central practice remains prosecution. Examples of recent cases include Cécile Hermansen's work for YKK assessing the validity of a patent before a potential infringement claim, and Steinar Lie's work for Patos analysing trade mark rights following an acquisition. Attorneys Lie, Kristine Rekdal, Bjørn Møllman and Harald Tafjord were also very active in providing advice on contentious cases.
The firm is "professional and service minded, and has a wide range of expertise," says a client. A large client explains that "because they are a team with more than one person... there is always someone who can assist regardless". "They have the expertise... are well-structured and organised," says another client, who recommends Trine Greaker Herzog as "professional and service-orientated": "She fulfils our needs for consultancy, has 100% control of our portfolio and I trust her judgement 100%."