Christian Johansen

Experience

Christian Johansen is a Danish construction-law specialist with more than 25 years of experience advising Danish and international clients in the building and construction sector. He has provided counsel to a wide range of industry participants—including builders, contractors, architects, engineers, banks, and guarantee companies—on the formation and negotiation of contracts, as well as on disputes arising during the execution of projects and in settlement discussions. His work routinely encompasses dispute resolution through settlement negotiations, litigation, and arbitration, including domestic and international proceedings. In addition to procurement and contract matters, his practice extends to handling complex disputes in Greenland and the Faroe Islands, reflecting a capacity to manage geographically diverse and politically nuanced projects. This breadth of experience enables a practical, risk-aware approach that aligns contractual risk allocation with commercial objectives, a hallmark of his advisory style for major construction programs.

• 2000–2009: Attorney and partner at Søby & Partners (partnership status established in 2003).
• 2007: Certified arbitrator, Association of Danish Law Firms.
• 2011: Admitted to the Danish Supreme Court, signaling recognized standing within the Danish legal profession.
• 2009–2012: Partner at Horten, further developing a construction and disputes-focused practice.
• 2012–present: Partner at Bruun & Hjejle; currently serving as Managing Partner, guiding the firm’s construction and dispute-resolution practice.
• Past and ongoing engagement across domestic and international arbitration forums, including arbitration proceedings in Danish and international venues (ICC, DIA, and other tribunals).

Johansen’s leadership and scholarly involvement have positioned him as a central figure in Denmark’s construction-law landscape. He has routinely integrated contract-drafting discipline, risk management, and dispute strategy to help clients navigate complex, high-stakes projects from tendering through completion and beyond. His profile on Bruun & Hjejle’s site emphasizes his role in shaping and delivering end-to-end legal services for large, high-profile construction programs, reflecting both practical courtroom experience and strategic advisory capabilities. As the firm’s managing partner, he participates in high-level firm governance and strategic planning, aligning the construction team’s capabilities with client needs and market developments. The firm itself highlights its construction practice as a cornerstone of its offering, advising on tendering, contracting, execution, and post-construction disputes, with a demonstrated track record on some of Denmark’s most significant projects. In addition to construction matters, Johansen’s expertise intersects with energy, infrastructure, and real estate law, underscoring a broad understanding of the legal frameworks that underpin large-scale, capital-intensive projects.

Across his career, Johansen has been recognized for his depth of knowledge in construction and contract law and for his ability to guide complex disputes toward commercially sound outcomes. He has contributed to the field not only through client work but also via scholarly inquiry and professional engagement, including speaking and teaching engagements that address evolving issues in construction practice, arbitration, and risk allocation. His professional trajectory—from Søby & Partners to Horten, and then Bruun & Hjejle—illustrates a persistent focus on construction law, dispute resolution, and infrastructure-related projects, making him a central figure for clients seeking experienced counsel in this demanding sector.

Specialty

Christian Johansen’s practice is anchored in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution, with a particular emphasis on the formation and execution of construction contracts, subcontracts, performance bonds, and guarantees. He advises on contract drafting, interpretation, and negotiation, as well as on risk allocation, change management, and breach remedies. His work spans disputes that arise during construction and in post-construction phases, including settlement discussions, litigation, and arbitration, whether in domestic forums or international arbitrations. The practice leverages cross-border experience and a robust understanding of procurement and project financing to support both Danish and international clients operating in Denmark’s sophisticated construction market.

Johansen’s focus extends into Energy and Infrastructure, where he provides specialised counsel on projects related to traditional infrastructure (roads, bridges, hospitals) and renewable-energy initiatives (on- and offshore wind, solar PV, CCUS, Power-to-X, and biogas). This broader practice supports clients navigating the regulatory, environmental, and commercial complexities inherent in large-scale energy and infrastructure programs. His team also applies expertise in real estate and competition law to manage land-use planning, zoning, and regulatory approvals in tandem with construction- and infrastructure-project goals. The combination of construction-law prowess, dispute-resolution expertise, and sector-specific knowledge positions him to guide complex, multi-disciplinary projects from tender through completion, with an eye toward minimizing disputes and accelerating project timelines.

Within the Danish and international contexts, Johansen is recognized for advising on contract formation, tender documentation, bid evaluation, and contract terms negotiation, as well as for representing clients in disputes before Danish courts and in Danish and international arbitral tribunals. His credentials as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) underscore a high level of arbitration qualification and ongoing engagement with leading practices in the field. His practice also benefits from experience with cross-border and multi-jurisdictional issues, reflecting a capability to coordinate with global networks when projects involve international partners, lenders, and contractors.

Education

Christian Johansen’s formal education solidifies a strong academic foundation in construction law. He earned a Ph.D. in Construction Law from the University of Copenhagen in 1998, reflecting a deep scholarly engagement with the field and a contribution to its academic development. He also holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from Aarhus University, completed in 1994, which provided a broad-based legal education foundational to his subsequent specialization. These advanced degrees are complemented by his professional qualifications, including admission to the Danish Supreme Court in 2011 and his designation as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb) in 2007, highlighting a career that integrates academic scholarship with practical expertise in contracts, disputes, and international arbitration.