Geir Lippestad

Geir Lippestad (born 7 June 1964) is a Norwegian lawyer, politician and social activist.

Geir Lippestad was born 7 June 1964 in Hønefoss, in the Ringerike district in Buskerud county.

His family name originates from Lippestad farm in Tomter in Østfold.

He obtained the cand.jur. degree in the autumn of 1990.

After graduating and receiving his law degree in 1990, Lippestad was employed at a small law-firm in Harestua, a small rural town outside of Oslo.

Later he moved to the Association of Norwegian Insurance Companies, where he worked as a legal counsel.

Afterwards he, along with a colleague, started a private law-firm based in Nedre Slottsgate street in down-town Oslo.

As a criminal appellate lawyer, he first became known in 2001 when he acted as defence counsel following the Murder of Benjamin Hermansen.

It was while working here that Lippestad first came to the national spotlight, when he represented Ole Nicolai Kvisler, who was later convicted of participation in the racially motivated Murder of Benjamin Hermansen in 2002.

Kvisler received a 17-year prison sentence.

Three years later, Lippestad left the firm when he was appointed secretary-general at the National Association of the Hearing Impaired (Hørselshemmedes Landsforbund), Lippestad applied to this position due to his daughter Rebekka, who was born with a severe hearing impairment.

In 2009 he was one of the contenders for the position of Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Ombud, but lost to Sunniva Ørstavik.

He then decided to return to private practice and in 2010 he opened his own law-firm called Advokatkontoret Lippestad AS.

In 2011 he became known internationally for being the lead counsel for the perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks, Anders Behring Breivik.

Since 2011 Lippestad has expanded his law-firm, handling several high-profile cases, as well as speaking at public events.

In July 2011, he was appointed as defence counsel for Anders Behring Breivik, the perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks, after the latter specifically requested him.

His co-lead counsel was Vibeke Hein Bæra, and they were assisted by assistant counsels Tord Jordet and Odd Ivar Grøn, both of whom are employed at his law firm.

Before the trial Lippestad told the French newspaper Le Monde: "I feel I have lost my soul in this case [...] I hope to get it back once it's over – and that it will be in the same condition as before."

At the trial, Lippestad chose not to argue for the innocence of his client, although Breivik himself had specifically requested to be acquitted due to the legal principle of necessity.

In his closing arguments, Lippestad asked only for his client to be found sane and to be sentenced leniently without mentioning the subject of culpability.

In a bizarre moment of confusion, the presiding judge Wenche Elizabeth Arntzen asked Lippestad if he would request an acquittal for his client, to which Lippestad replied that he would not.

Breivik then interceded and told Lippestad; "You've got to do it!" after which Lippestad formally requested an acquittal.

Although Lippestad successfully argued before the court that his client was legally sane and competent, Breivik was found guilty and sentenced to the maximum penalty of 21 years in containment.

The prosecution had asked for Breivik to be formally acquitted and found legally insane, and sentenced to mandatory psychiatric confinement.

This was rejected by the court.

After the sentencing of Breivik, Lippestad formally transferred the legal responsibility of his client within the law-firm to Tord Jordet, thereby ceasing to be his official defence attorney.

Following the Breivik case, Lippestad experienced a significant increase in financial revenue.

He expanded his law-firm, hired new staff and opened another branch in Skien, which would serve as the main office, in addition to the office in down-town Oslo.

He is also noted for being an outspoken proponent of progressive causes; from 2013 to 2020 he was chairman of the left-wing think tank Agenda.

In January 2014, the law firm Lippestad signed a contract with the Norwegian Police Federation, the trade union organizing all employees in the police sector in Norway.

The agreement included assisting with all types of legal issues that members would have.

It also included legal representation in cases where police officers are accused of criminal offences, as well as Lippestad holding lectures and speaking at events organized by the Police Federation.

Lippestad is an active member of the Norwegian Labour Party, and has been deputy chair of its Nordstrand local chapter.

From 2015 to 2019, he was a member of the Oslo City Council, representing the Labour Party.

He later left the Labour Party to form a new political party called Sentrum.

His great grandfather Carl Thorvald Lippestad left the farm and relocated to Oslo at the end of the 19th century.

Lippestad's parents, originally from Nordstrand in Oslo had moved to the village of Heradsbygd outside of Hønefoss, where his father worked as an engineer.

When Lippestad was six years old, the family of five moved back to Nordstrand.

After finishing high school he enrolled in the University of Oslo, studying law.

He is known for his involvement in several high-profile legal cases, and for starting the political party Sentrum in 2020.