Defence & Security

Geopolitics, cyber threats, and evolving EU, EEA and U.S. regulations are reshaping the way operational risk and transactions are handled today. Companies are facing challenges in protecting critical assets, navigating sanctions and export controls, managing FDI screening, securing supply chains and data, and meeting increasing disclosure and assurance expectations from regulators, investors, and customers. Today’s geopolitical environment has also reshaped M&A transactions and investment processes, which are now subject to increased scrutiny from authorities.

Our Defence & Security practice combines top-tier legal expertise with deep strategic insight. We advise companies in anticipating and managing risk, providing actionable, business aligned advice that protects value and enables growth in a complex and rapidly evolving security environment.

Transactions within regulated sectors

We are one of the most frequently engaged advisors for transactions within regulated sectors, such as financial services, railway, defence and infrastructure projects. Our advice covers all aspects of the transaction process, from drafting and negotiation of the transaction agreements and regulatory due diligence, and preparation of regulatory filings and contacts with authorities.

FDI screening and EU national security reviews

The geopolitical environment has caused European governments to establish FDI screening frameworks targeting investment in assets conducting protective activities. We guide clients through the FDI screening process, starting with identifying notification requirements, assessing investor or target company related risks and throughout the notification process with the relevant supervisory authorities.

Regulatory mapping

We work closely with our clients in mapping the regulatory environment relevant to their business, identifying both current requirements and anticipated changes. Our team monitors legislative and policy developments and provides strategic advice on how anticipated changes in the regulatory framework may affect operations, transactions, and risk exposure. We also draft and review consultation responses and position papers in connection with proposed legislation and initiatives, helping our clients present legally robust, well‑substantiated and practical input to legislators and policy makers.

Protective security expertise

We advise on the application of the Swedish Protective Security Act, helping organisations assess whether their operations and information should be classified as security‑sensitive as well as applying, designing and implementing measures to protect security sensitive operations and information. We also support clients in public procurements connected to security‑sensitive activities, in negotiating and entering into protective security agreements, and in dealings with supervisory authorities.

Defence and security procurements

Public procurements in the defence and security sector are strongly shaped by the geopolitical landscape, legislative changes also in other fields and by development in case law. We work closely with clients to develop tender strategies and advise on protective security, defence and readiness related requirements in public procurements within this field. We help negotiate defence and security procurement arrangements, ensuring robust security requirements, supply chain resilience, audit rights and clear allocation of regulatory and operational risk. Our public procurement experts also represent clients in the administrative courts in relation to ongoing procurements and general courts in contractual disputes.

Sanctions and export controls lawyers

Our sanctions and export control experts guide clients through EU, EEA, UK and U.S. regimes, dual‑use classifications, licensing strategies, counterparty screening, and contractual allocation of sanctions risk in day‑to‑day business and strategic projects. We advise clients in relation to the sanction requirements, adoption of internal routines and on the risk related to breaches of the EU sanctions regime. We also ensure that sanctions and export control requirements are addressed in our due diligence processes as part of our M&A work.

Cyber security, IT and tech

We design cyber and operational resilience frameworks, advise on the application of cyber security legislation such as NIS2 and DORA and support clients in managing incident response requirements under various regulatory regimes. We also negotiate IT and technology contracts – including cloud and data transfer arrangements and outsourcing contracts – that align technical realities with regulatory expectations.