In the year 2000, The Counsel Office merged with another law firm called Adalsteinsson and Partners, which was established in 1969 by Ragnar Adalsteinsson. This marked the beginning of LOGOS which became the largest law firm in Iceland with a powerful team of lawyers and assistants who specialise in services for the business community using their broad range of experience on behalf of our clients in all aspects of business law practice.
As a part of the natural development of the largest and oldest law firm in Iceland, the London office was set up by Guðmundur Oddsson and opened in January 2006.
Sveinn Bjornsson
Sveinn Bjornsson opened the country’s first law office in Reykjavík. Looking back, Mr. Bjornsson was one of the most important people of the early 20th Century, culminating in the responsibility handed to him when appointed the first President of the Republic of Iceland. Sveinn Bjornsson received his law degree from the University of Copenhagen in 1907. He returned to Iceland to launch his carreer in law and immediately became very active in the modernisation of Icelandic business. For example, he was involved in the founding of various organisations that remain household names in Iceland today such as the shipping and logistics company Eimskip, the insurance company Sjóvá and the Icelandic Red Cross to name a few. Mr. Bjornsson became a member of the Reykjavík town council in 1912 and was its president from 1918-1920.
Bjornsson was elected a member of the parliament, Althingi, in 1914-1916 and again in 1920. Following the country’s independence from Denmark in 1918 he acted as Iceland’s Minister to Denmark from 1920-1924 and 1926-1940. The Danes were, however, still responsible for Iceland’s foreign affairs, until Denmark was occupied by Germany in World War II, resulting in Iceland’s autonomy. Subsequently, Sveinn Bjornsson was elected the Regent of Iceland assuming the prerogatives previously held by the kings of Denmark. When Iceland became a republic in 1944, Althingi elected him as the first President of Iceland for one year. He was well received by the Icelandic nation and stood unopposed in the 1945 and 1949 elections serving as the President of Iceland until his dying day in 1952.