INSTRUCTIONS FOR NEW CASES

The following instructions shall apply in respect of all new cases handled by Nordisk

1.
All cases referred to Nordisk will be handled by Nordisk Defence Club (Nordisk Skibsrederforening). Hereafter referred to as Nordisk.

2.
All cases of a nature that falls within Nordisk cover and that may be covered by Nordisk, in whole or in part, will be handled in accordance with our Statutes & Rules. All members should have received a copy of our Statutes & Rules, which are also available on our website www.nordisk.no

For the sake of clarity we remind all members of rule 6.2 of our Statutes & Rules stating that the member will be responsible for all costs incurred in a case, including fees payable to Nordisk.  Nordisk Skibsrederforening may at the discretion of the Board wholly or partly indemnify the member for such costs. Fees will be calculated in accordance with paragraph 3 below.

3.
To the extent that the Board has not exercised its discretion to indemnify a member or when cases handled do not fall within the cover, such cases will be handled in accordance with our Terms of business in line with the following principles:

  • The client/member will be responsible for payment of all fees invoiced by Nordisk and all other costs incurred in connection with the case.
  • Fees will be calculated on the basis of the normal principles for calculating attorneys’ fees in Norway. The main factor will be the number of hours spent by the lawyer on the case. For a senior lawyer the current basic hourly rate is NOK 4,500-5,000 plus VAT. For other lawyers the hourly rate will be in the region between NOK 2,500 – 4,000 plus VAT. Fees may be increased or reduced depending on factors such as the amount at issue or the value of the transaction, the urgency and complexity of the matter, and the efficacy of the service given. Fees and expenses will normally be charged on a bi-monthly basis. Nordisk reserves the right to ask for payment on account. A final invoice will be issued when the case is completed.
  • Should you be dissatisfied in any way with the service provided or the costs thereof, you should raise your concerns with the case handler or the CEO. If you are still of the opinion that your case has not been handled in accordance with the general standards established by the Norwegian Bar Association (NBA), or if you are dissatisfied with the level of fees charged, you may ask the NBA to consider your complaint. In general all complaints must be submitted to the NBA no later than six months after you knew or ought to have known of the matters that have caused you to be dissatisfied.

4.
Nordisk wishes to provide its members with the best and most comprehensive services possible. In this respect we are increasingly accepting instructions in matters that fall outside the scope of our normal cover. We wish to promote this aspect of our services in the sincere belief that we can offer a broad range of expertise in the entire field of maritime law. We also believe that our members will find our rates of billing to be competitive.