Judges

Individual cases before the Labour Court are presided over by seven judges: two of the court's permanent professional judges, one judge summoned from among the deputies for the professional judges, and four judges appointed based on nominations (recommendations) from the social partners.

The Labour Court consists of a president, a vice president, a third professional judge and four other judges. Deputy judges are also appointed. The three professional judges are senior civil servants. The other four judges and deputy judges are appointed by the King for terms of three years.

The deputy judges for the professional judges are appointed based on proposals from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and without being nominated by the social partners. The other four judges and their deputies are nominated by the employers’ associations and trade unions in accordance with more detailed provisions set out in Section 39 of the Labour Disputes Act. The Civil Service Disputes Act Section 25 sets out special rules on the right to nominate judges for cases to which the state is a party.

Deputy judges serve when the permanent judges are unable to attend. The deputy judges nominated by the organisations also have another important function. It follows from the Labour Disputes Act Section 38 that, when parties other than the organisations that nominated the permanent judges are parties to a case, deputy judges nominated by the organisations that are parties to the case shall take part.

With effect from 1 March 2012, the professional judges’ extrajudicial activities must be registered, cf. the Labour Disputes Act Section 36 third paragraph. The purpose of this register is to ensure transparency and prevent doubt from arising about the impartiality of the judges. The register is kept by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

Link to the official government page about Arbeidsretten

The Labour Court’s permanent judges

  • The president of the Labour Court of Norway is Tron Løkken Sundet.
  • The Labour Court’s vice president is Hanne Inger Bjurstrøm.
  • The third professional Labour Court judge is Eli Mette Jarbo.

The following judges have been appointed for the period from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2023 to hear cases pursuant to the Labour Disputes Act:

  • Tor-Arne Solbakken, Rygge (LO)
  • Niels Selmer Schweigaard, Oslo (NHO)
  • Bent Ove Hanasand, Rennesøy (NHO) (new)

The following judges have been appointed for the period from 1 September 2020 to 31 August 2023 to hear cases pursuant to the Civil Service Disputes Act:

  • Tone Rønoldtangen, Nes (LO Stat)
  • Geir Bjørkli, Trøgstad, (LO Stat)
  • Tom Simonsen, Oslo (Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation)
  • Inger Harstveit, Oslo (Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation)

Deputy judges

The following deputy judges have been appointed for the period 1 September 2020 –31 August 2023:


Deputy judges for President Tron Løkken Sundet, Vice President Hanne Inger Bjurstrøm and Judge Eli Mette Jarbo:

  • Court of Appeal Judge Hedda Remen, Bærum
  • Court of Appeal Judge Eirik Akerlie, Oslo
  • Retired Supreme Court Justice Georg Fredrik Rieber-Mohn, Ringerike
  • Retired Court of Appeal Judge Sveinung Koslung, Oslo
  • Retired Supreme Court Justice Liv Gjølstad, Oslo
  • Retired Supreme Court Justice Steinar Tjomsland, Oslo
  • Retired Supreme Court Justice Ingse Stabel, Oslo
  • Professor Marianne Jenum Hotvedt, Oslo (new)

Deputy judges for Tor-Arne Solbakken and Unni Rasmussen:

  • Erna Hagensen, Bardu (LO) (new)
  • Roger Hansen, Skedsmo (LO)
  • Stein Grøtting, Oslo (LO)
  • Liv Christiansen, Larvik (LO) (new)
  • Gerd Torkildson, Førde (Unio)
  • Mimi Bjerkestrand, Bergen (Unio)
  • Leif-Arne Asphaug-Hansen, Hammerfest (Unio)
  • Evy Ann Eriksen, Porsgrunn (Unio) (new)
  • Anne Merete Bull, Oslo (Unio)
  • Morten Sommerstad, Oslo (Unio)
  • Stein Johansen, Bekkestua (YS)
  • Didrik Coucheron, Bærum (YS)
  • John Giæver, Oslo (YS)
  • Frank Trygve Larsen, Moss (YS)
  • Geir Anthonsen, Risør (YS)
  • Gunn Olander, Granvin (YS) (new)
  • Randi Bjørgen, Trondheim, YS( new)
  • Jorunn Berland, Nesttun (YS) (new)
  • Arne Laudal Refsum, Bærum (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Per Egeness, Asker (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Henriette Breilid, Oslo, (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Sindre Kvammen, Færvik (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Kaare Marius Engebretsen, Oslo (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Henning Wold, Tolvsrød (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Avesta Gåskjønnli, Oslo (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Thomas Talén, Oslo, Akademikerne) (new)
  • Kate Elenore Rodin, Oslo (Akademikerne)
  • Kjersti Borgen, Oslo (Akademikerne)
  • Sigve Eikeland, Sola (NITO)
  • Lise Dragset, Trondheim (NITO)
  • Karen Faa, Stavanger (NITO) (new)
  • Tom Gusdal, Gjøvik (NITO)
  • Jan Olav Brekke, Stavanger (Lederne)
  • Ottar Torflåt-Vannberg, Bergen (Lederne)

Deputy judges for Niels Selmer Schweigaard and Bent Ove Hanasand:

  • Hege Aamotsmo, Oslo (NHO)
  • Anne-Lise Aukner, Oslo (NHO)
  • Tore Ulleberg, Stavanger (NHO)
  • Per Kristian Sundnes, Lørenskog (KS)
  • Inger Marie Høydal, Oslo (KS) (new)
  • Tom Fossmark, Stavanger (KS)
  • Sigrid Fritzvold, Trondheim (KS) (new)
  • Roar Reiten, Ålesund, (KS) (new)
  • Julie Emilsen Bäckstrøm, Grålum (KS) (new)
  • Frode Christensen, Sandvika (Virke)
  • Lise Falmår, Fredrikstad (Virke) (new)
  • Marianne Vernan, Oslo (Virke) (new)
  • Christina Styrvold Wiggen, Bærum (Virke)
  • Siri Sandhold, Slependen (Virke) (new)
  • Stine Kvalen Anderseng, Oslo (Virke) (new)
  • Randi Johanne Løvland, Oslo (Spekter)
  • Kim Nordlie, Oslo (Spekter)
  • Cathrine Hennig, Asker (Spekter) (new)
  • Lars haukaas, Oslo (Spekter) (new)
  • Nicolay Skarning, Oslo (Spekter) (new)
  • Anja Steinfeldt-Reisse, Nesodden (Spekter) (new)
  • Thor Johansen, Oslo (Spekter)
  • Hilde Christiansen, Hundvåg (Spekter) (new)
  • Margunn Sørskår, Stavanger  (Norges Rederiforbund)
  • Tore Ulleberg, Oslo (Norges Rederiforbund) (new)
  • Jon Lennart Sellæg, Verdal (MEF)
  • Siri Holand Andersen, Frogner (MEF) (new)
  • Brita Alsos, Oslo (Finans Norge)
  • Even Kokkvoll, Glåmos (Finans Norge) (new)
  • Per-Espen Magnussen, Drøbak (Finans Norge) (new)
  • Tone Sand, Oslo (Finans Norge) (new)
  • Christel Aase Hovrind, Lier (Finans Norge)
  • Bente Rebnor, Fjell (Finans Norge)
  • Leif Petter Fjellin, Kongsberg (Finans Norge)
  • Anja Magnusssen Brodscholl, Oslo (Finans Norge) new)
  • Hanne Rennemo, Asker (PBL)
  • Knut Bråthen, Skien (PBL)
  • Anne Berit Lyng Malmo, Verdal (PBL)
  • Hanne Rennemo, Asker (PBL)
  • Arild Magne Olsen, Tverlandet (PBL) (new)
  • Anne Berit Lyng Malmo, Verdal (PBL
  • Tommy Larsen, Halden (PBL)
  • Britt Børke, Kongsberg, (PBL)
  • Thor Gordon Eikeland, Sola  (PBL)
  • Eva Målfrid Heger, Sarpsborg (PBL)
  • Trond Ingvaldsen, Ullensaker (PBL)

Deputy judges for Tone Rønoldtangen and Geir Bjørkli:

  • Unni Karlsen, Nesoddtangen (LO Stat)
  • John Leirvaag, Oslo (LO Stat) (new)
  • Kate Elenore Rodin, Oslo (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Arne Laudal Refsum, Bærum (Akademikerne)
  • Per Egeness, Asker, (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Morten Boland Jørgensen, Tromsdalen (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Henriette Breilid, Oslo, (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Sindre Kvammen, Færvik (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Kaare Marius Engebretsen, Oslo (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Henning Wold, Tolvsrød (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Avesta Gåskjønnli, Oslo (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Thomas Talén, Oslo, Akademikerne) (new)
  • Kate Elenore Rodin, Oslo (Akademikerne)
  • Kjersti Borgen, Oslo (Akademikerne)
  • Randi Kristiansen, Oslo (Akademikerne) (new)
  • Petter Aaslestad, Oslo (Unio) (new)
  • Kari Alver, Moss (Unio) (new)
  • Marit Eriksen, Halden (Unio) (new)
  • Stein Johansen, Bekkestua (YS)
  • Didrik Coucheron, Oslo (YS)
  • John Giæver, Asker (YS)
  • Frank Trygve Larsen, Moss (YS)
  • Geir Anthonsen, Risør (YS)
  • Gunn Olander, Granvin (YS) (new)
  • Randi Bjørgen, Trondheim (YS) (new)
  • Jorunn Berland, Nesttun (YS) (new)

Deputy judges for Tom Simonsen and Inger Harstveit:

  • Kjerstin Bretteville-Jensen, Oslo
  • Jan Helge Pettersen, Oslo
  • Geir Haugstveit, Oslo
  • Trond Bigseth, Oslo