It was madness

Photographer

John T. Pedersen

Category

People Photography - Portrait

Company

Submission Group

Professional

Year

2025

Country / Region:

Norway

Lawyer Øyvind Bratlien (44) has been labeled a “gangster lawyer” and criticized for his image. As the defense attorney for Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s Crown Princess, he found himself at the center of a media storm — but was bound by confidentiality and his client’s wishes. “I genuinely tried to be there for him, both as a lawyer and as a fellow human being,” he says. Bratlien believes the press contributed to a one-sided portrayal and criticizes what he saw as a ruthless level of coverage. Still, he remains proud of the work he did and stands firm in his role as a defense attorney: “It’s my clients’ opinion that matters to me.”