Jan is a specialist on litigation and employment law and has extensive experience from a number of high-profile cases involving legal, political and reputational risk. He has litigated approximately 20 cases before the Supreme Court. In addition, Jan works with contract law, petroleum law, administrative law, environmental law and the law of damages. He is Professor II of Employment Law at BI Norwegian Business School and the author of several textbooks. He gives lectures on a regular basis and has vast experience from public and private boards, councils and committees. He has also been the head of several major investigations.
Jan has extensive experience with management and change processes in which the framework conditions of collective employment law and the restoration of the employer's managerial prerogative are of vital importance. He is also leading in Norway on compliance, anti-corruption, corporate penalty, conflict and crisis management, and subsequent clear-up processes under both Norwegian and international legislation, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 have ranked Jan as a leading lawyer on employment law. He is also ranked as Norway's leading expert on investigations in the Norwegian Financial Daily's annual lawyers survey.
Jan Fougner is very knowledgeable, trustworthy and excellent with people – a strong authority and an excellent collaborator. Has a winning mentality.
Work experience
Professor II, BI Norwegian Business School, 2015
Editor, ”Arbeidsrett", Universitetsforlaget, 2004
Main editor, EasyFind Arbeidsrett, 1999
Partner, Wiersholm, 1994
Senior Associate, Wiersholm, 1993
Lawyer, The Attorney General (Civil Affairs), 1988
Examiner, The Faculty of Law, University of Oslo, 1988
Research Assistant, The Department of Public Law, University of Oslo, 1986
Education
Executive Education, Leadership in Lawfirms, Harvard Law School, 2014
Ph.D, Aarhus University, 2007
Cand. jur., University of Oslo, 1988
Memberships / Posts
Chairman, the Legislative Committee for Labor Law, the Norwegian Bar Association, 2012 - 2018
Board member, the contractor company Leonhard Nilsen & Sønner, 2013 - 2016
Chairman, Wiersholm, 2010 - 2014
Member, the Norwegian local board for the Nordic Jurist Meeting, 1999 - 2014
Chairman, Expert committee in Labor Law, JUS, 2009 - 2013
Chairman, Appeal board for Environmental Information, 2004 - 2008
Board member, the Court Administration, 2004 - 2006
Board member, the energy company SN Power, 2005 - 2006
Board member, Wiersholm, 2001 - 2004
Chairman, Appeal board for contributions to treatment abroad, 1999 - 2004
Member, Anti-Discrimination Tribunal, 1999 - 2003
Board member, the Promotion of Norwegian Pharmacy Foundation, 2001 - 2003
Chairman, Norwegian forum for health law, 1998 - 2000
Chairman, Employment Tenancy Committee, 1999 - 2000
Member, the Legislative Committee appointed by the Government for revision of the rules on the working environment and employment letting, 1998
Separately appointed state representative, the National Salary Board, 1993
Board member, The Liquidation Board – Company for immigrant and refugee housing, 1991 - 1993
Board member, The Liquidation Board – Refugee Housing Foundation, 1992
Board member, The Liquidation Board – Lånekassen's grant for refugees, 1992
Member, Sarpsborg city council, 1983 - 1986
Board member, dCompany, 2021
Board member, Viggo Hagstrøm's Foundation, 2013
Board member, Wiersholm, 2018
Member, the government-appointed state company committee that proposed the State Companies Act,
Chairman, Fougner-committee, NOU 2021:9,
Honours and awards
Star Individuals, Chambers Europe, Employment, 2024
Hall of Fame , Legal 500, Employment, 2024
Hall of Fame , Legal 500, Regulatory, Compliance and Investigations , 2024
Hall of Fame, Legal 500, 2023
Leading individuals, Legal 500, Regulatory, Compliance and Investigatons, 2023
Star Individuals, Chambers Europe, Employment, 2023
Topp 10, Advokatundersøkelsen, Finansavisen, Investigations and compliance, 2023
Topp 10, Advokatundersøkelsen, Finansavisen, Employment Law, 2023
Band 1, Chambers Europe , Corporate Compliance & Investigations , 2022
Star Individuals , Chambers Europe , Employment , 2022
Hall of Fame , Legal 500 , Employment , 2022
Band 1, Chambers Europe, Corporate Compliance & Investigations - Norway, 2021
Star Individual, Chambers Europe, Employment - Norway, 2021
Hall of Fame, Legal 500, Employment, 2021
Star Individual, Chambers Europe, Employment - Norway, 2020
Band 1, Chambers Europe, Compliance - Norway, 2020
Hall of Fame, Legal 500, Employment, 2020