Christian Th. Kjølbye

Christian focuses on litigation and arbitration proceedings and corporate and regulatory advisory and investigations, fraud issues, and fit & proper matters.

Christian has been involved as either counsel or arbitrator in numerous Danish and international arbitration proceedings (under the rules of DIA, ICC, LCIA, VIAC, etc.) regarding a range of matters, including contractual disputes, shareholder agreements, D&O liability, auditor's liability and transaction/post M&A related disputes.

Cases handled by Christian and his team have, for example, centred on purchase price adjustments, earn-out disputes, put/call options and claims for breach of warranty issues. Such disputes have involved a high degree of complexity, as well as expert opinions and testimony, written affidavits and various procedural and jurisdictional issues.

Christian was also part of Plesner's Corporate Finance team for many years. He has represented clients in a number of the largest and most complex transactions and privatisations in Denmark. His clients have included the Danish state, large international and domestic corporations, P/E funds and family-owned businesses. 

The hands-on experience and commercial understanding earned by working for many years with all aspects of M&A processes have proven valuable for Christian and his team, for example in connection with cases involving negligence and breach of fiduciary duties, including the disclosure duty on the part of the seller, and the importance of the buyer's knowledge and due diligence with respect to the target business.

Christian is active as chairman or board member of a number of Danish companies and foundations. He has been actively involved in the management and development of Plesner, and he has held board positions in numerous Danish companies, including i.e. Finansiel Stabilitet (the state-owned company taking over distressed banks after the financial crisis in the years following 2009).

Christian holds a Master's degree in law from the University of Copenhagen and from New York University School of Law.

He is admitted to the Supreme Court of Denmark, he is a certified arbitrator and is frequently appointed as an arbitrator in Danish and International arbitration proceedings.

Christian is ranked as a senior statesman within M&A.