
Frants Dalgaard-Knudsen
Frants is a partner and co-head of Plesner's Construction team. As lead counsel, Frants and his team assist clients in arbitration, litigation, mediation, commercial settlements, contracting, and ongoing advice during project execution.
He has assisted with major construction projects, including power plants (traditional, biomass, and waste-to-energy), turbines, motorways, airports, metros, bridges, hospitals, and other public buildings, as well as private projects like factories, residential projects, hotels, and retirement homes in Denmark, Greenland, and overseas.
Always with a focus on dispute resolution for the clients, Frants has also served as head of Plesner's Construction team and head of Plesner's Commercial Contracts team. He is currently leading a Plesner project that aims to digitize case hearings.
Frants has a Danish Master's degree in Law, has studied at several universities, and also holds a PhD in law from the European University Institute. He holds admission to the Supreme Court of Denmark and is a member of the experienced litigators' Supreme Court Bar Association. Frants is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb). He is a certified arbitrator in Denmark and also holds the Danish mediator certification. He has published a range of articles and books, including "Danelaws on Contracts" and a dissertation on concession contracts.
Large technical deliveries and construction projects involve complex technical, commercial, and legal aspects. These matters necessitate the collaboration of teams with diverse skills. Frants' core work and value lies in the various aspects of teamwork, which involve the integral participation of several teams, including Plesner, the client, and other advisors.
Selected cases
Biomass Plant - certification issues at Amagervaerket BIO4
Cement industry - court cases against FLSmidth re. defective deliveries and force majeure
Copenhagen Metro phases 1-2A - civil works construction arbitration award
Construction Insurance - construction arbitration award
Turnkey school project - construction arbitration award
Shopping and public care center - construction arbitration award
Waste-to-Energy - Danish arbitration institute award
Technical equipment - construction arbitration award
Automotive storage facility – construction arbitration award
City Hall Construction – construction arbitration award
International trade – court judgement
School Construction - construction arbitration award
Old Age Care JV - construction arbitration award
Shopping Mall - construction arbitration award
Odderbanen - construction arbitration award
Georg Jensen - Danish arbitration institute award
Jakobsen & Sønner - court litigation
Osted - construction arbitration award
Østerbrogade - apartment building construction arbitration award
Wind turbine gearboxes - Danish arbitration institute award
Powerplant Nordjylland - Danish arbitration institute award
Roads in Zambia - Danish arbitration institute award
Copenhagen Metro M&E works - construction arbitration award
Skjold Burne - Danish Supreme Court judgment
Copenhagen Opera - ongoing assistance
Bodegas Gargantini - Danish High Court judgment recognising the legal reasons, principles and results of the courts of Argentina
Great Belt Bridge - construction arbitration award in favour of the civil works contractor with respect to a number of claims regarding
Trustpilot was exempted for liability and had not violated the Marketing Practices Act
AP Ejendomme develops and constructs a new headquarter for Team Danmark
Morgan Stanley and Carnegie reaches a settlement in the OW Bunker case complex
The Eastern High Court rules in favour of EET Group A/S in extensive transfer pricing case
Nordjyllandsværket (North Jutland Power Plant) - Kaefer Isoleringsteknik A/S - award in favour of the client in arbitration proceedings
Copenhagen Metro, phases 1 and 2 - COMET I/S - award in favour of the client in arbitration proceedings
Ship conversion - Victor Lenac Shipyard - assistance regarding a court appointed expert evaluation and successful settlement
Petrol pumps - manufacturer - High Court judgment in favour of the client in legal proceedings
Packaging production line - fashion manufacturing - assistance with preparation of tender and conclusion of contracts
Purification plant - legal proceedings concerning technical deliveries for a purification plant in Sri Lanka under a FIDIC contract
Fish box cleaning plant - Danish Seafood - legal proceedings concerning conditions for and operation of an automatic fish box return and cleaning plant
Slaughterhouse - GVL Entreprise A/S - assistance concerning court appointed expert evaluation and settlement
Wind turbines - Ja-Ke - award in favour of the client in arbitration proceedings
Cement plant - Middle East - legal proceedings concerning defects and production disruptions, etc.
Ship engines - Skaugen - award in favour of the client in ICC arbitration proceedings
Bio-power plants - Lisbjerg - assistance with the assignment and passing of contracts
Ongoing advice: Continuing counselling regarding contractual matters, execution, and operation of construction and infrastructure projects
International Projects: Advising on a wide range of international construction projects across the globe
Public Buildings: Advising on construction projects with municipalities, state-owned companies, and other public clients concerning small and large public buildings
Pharma and Food Industry: Advising entities such as Novozymes, Leo Pharma, and Ferring Pharmaceutical
Process and Energy Plants: Various issues and legal cases related to several technical plants
Healthcare: Advising on the construction and expansion of major hospitals across Denmark
Metro/Railway: Advising contractors in connection with the development, construction, and expansion of the metro in Copenhagen, as well as advising on the electrification of the Danish railway network
Dismissal of claim for avoidance of approx. DKK 100m against Thornico
Danish Supreme Court finds for AP Pension in group action concerning change of pension schemes
The Eastern High Court upholds Sonion's preliminary injunction against Huawei and Sony
The Supreme Court finds in favour of the Ministry of Taxation in another "beneficial owner" case
Viking Life-Saving Equipment A/S successful in extensive transfer pricing court case
Leading Supreme Court judgment: Collaboration on concept did not imply ownership in respect of the "Tromborg business"
Danish Supreme Court rules against tax payers in two "beneficial owner" cases regarding interest
Danish Eastern High Court rules that Danish courts have jurisdiction in actions against two French companies
The Danish Eastern High Court overturns decision from the Danish Competition Council
The Danish Supreme Court has given its judgment in the first two Danish "beneficial owner" cases
