A beacon of legal expertise
Kirk Larsen & Ascanius
The law firm Kirk Larsen & Ascanius is a commercial Esbjerg-based law firm that advises the business community throughout Denmark.
With over half a century of experience, Kirk Larsen & Ascanius stands as a beacon of legal expertise. The tasks range from advising Danish ports to larger commercial enterprises on, among other things, business transfers, generational change, mergers, energy, transport, tenders, offshore, investment in real estate, personal injury compensation, and more.
They create value for their clients through tailored solutions and a deep understanding of the dynamics of the business community.
The law firm was founded in Esbjerg in 1973 by lawyer Sten Kirk Larsen and his wife Inger. The company still has its headquarters in Esbjerg and employs 100 dedicated staff, distributed across offices in Esbjerg, Skjern, Herning, Copenhagen, and Nuuk in Greenland. They are the largest law firm on the West Coast and, uniquely, have grown solely organically over the years, unlike many other law firms that have grown through mergers.
In 2021, the firm received Business Esbjerg's Business Award
Kirk Larsen & Ascanius is a locally rooted company that throughout the years has helped put Esbjerg on the world map. They were also recognized for this in 2021 when they won Business Esbjerg's Business Award for optimized earning capacity and a revised business model achieved through a clear growth strategy with increased focus on consulting within specialized and niche areas as well as industry-oriented advice.
"The Business Award is a recognition and endorsement of the company and its importance to the local community. We are happy and proud of it. Every company is known by its employees, and the award is a great pat on the back for their efforts over many years," says director Peter Kirk Larsen.
The business community's lawyers
Kirk Larsen & Ascanius has the courage to think differently and the ability to take new paths in their advice, which creates increased value for clients. This has, among other things, contributed to the establishment of niche consulting within the business rejuvenation sector, port legal affairs, property tax, advice on investment in real estate abroad, as well as two new brands in the company; KLA Personal Injury and Kirk Larsen & Ascanius Greenland.
The law firm also assists clients where challenges go beyond national borders. The company is part of the international law organization LAWorld, where offices worldwide collaborate with other law firms. The network and thus knowledge of the other offices' expertise and service make it easy to offer the company's clients legal advice abroad.
More than lawyers
The company has a long-standing tradition of engaging in its local community and supporting charitable causes.
Together with other strong forces in Esbjerg and surrounding areas, the firm has contributed to a wide range of initiatives, including the first "Esbjerg Breaks Cancer" event in 2017. The firm continues to contribute to the planning of this event every year.
"Esbjerg is the center of the world and has taken the company far and wide. We owe a lot to the city, which we have run alongside from originally a fishing town to Denmark's energy metropolis."
Peter Kirk Larsen
Director, Kirk Larsen & Ascanius
In 2018, the company helped establish a working group that successfully brought law studies to Esbjerg. At the study program, one of Kirk Larsen & Ascanius' full-time lawyers now teaches students in a subject.
"Esbjerg is the center of the world and has taken the company far and wide. We owe a lot to the city, which we have run alongside from originally a fishing town to Denmark's energy metropolis. Engaging in the city where we work and live is natural and gives good energy," says managing partner Peter Kirk Larsen.
The company has an award-winning recruitment and educational program that since 2010 has given both primary and high school students the opportunity to gain insight into the legal profession through events at the office in Esbjerg.
The program is dedicated to attracting and supporting the most promising local talents in primary schools, youth education, and among law students, and they have succeeded. Several of the company's current students, associates, and lawyers first became acquainted with the firm through the program.
In 2022, the firm received second place for the program at the Danish Lawyers' award ceremony for the Lawyer Code Prize.
50th anniversary
In connection with their 50th anniversary this year, Kirk Larsen & Ascanius had a book written about the company titled: The Will and the Way. The book was published by Politiken's publishing house in collaboration with author Lars Bo Kirk, who captured anecdotes and stories and skillfully conveyed them in a readable version. Lars has previously written The Last Fishermen about fishing in Esbjerg and Blue Blood in the Veins about the company Blue Water, both of which also deal with Esbjerg's business history.
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