Berit Reiss-Andersen concluded her tenure as the Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee in 2024, having overseen the selection of Nobel Peace Prize laureates for seven years. A professional with a legal background spanning decades, her career integrates high-level political administration, criminal litigation, and literary authorship within the Norwegian public sphere.
Early Career and Legal Practice
Born in Drøbak in 1954, Reiss-Andersen pursued her legal studies at the University of Oslo, graduating in 1981 with a Candidate of Jurisprudence degree. Her initial appointments included work at the Norwegian Office of Immigration and the Royal Ministry of Justice and the Police. Following a period as a prosecutor with the Oslo Police District, she managed her own private law practice from 1987 until 2016. In 1995, she attained the right to appear before the Supreme Court of Norway. By 1997, she held positions as a regular defence counsel at both the Oslo District Court and the Borgarting Court of Appeal. She later transitioned into a partnership at the Oslo office of DLA Piper in 2016.
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Reiss-Andersen engaged in national governance as a State Secretary for the Minister of Justice and Police between 1996 and 1997, serving under the Labour Party government led by Thorbjørn Jagland. Her professional leadership extended to the legal community during her presidency of the Norwegian Bar Association, a role she occupied from 2008 to 2012.
Nobel Committee Responsibilities
The Storting appointed her to the Norwegian Nobel Committee on 22 November 2011. Following the death of Kaci Kullmann Five, Reiss-Andersen became acting chair in February 2017 and assumed the formal chairmanship in May 2017. Her involvement in the Nobel system includes a seat on the board of the Nobel Foundation, held since 2014. During her chairmanship, she publicly challenged the Norwegian government's stance regarding Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate detained in China, and sought to attend his funeral, though the Chinese government denied her a visa.
Literary Contributions
Beyond her legal and political activities, Reiss-Andersen has contributed to Norwegian literature. She co-authored two crime novels in collaboration with Anne Holt: Løvens gap, published in 1997, and Uten ekko, released in 2000. Her interest in writing shares a familial connection with her paternal grandfather, Gunnar Reiss-Andersen, who was a poet.
Fast facts
- Born: 1954, Drøbak, Norway
- Education: University of Oslo
- Chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee: 2017-2024
- State Secretary: 1996-1997
- Supreme Court Right of Appearance: 1995
- President of the Norwegian Bar Association: 2008-2012
- Partner at DLA Piper Oslo: From 2016
Questions readers ask
What is the scope of her role within the Nobel system?
She served as the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee and a board member of the Nobel Foundation.
Did she hold public office in Norway?
Yes, she served as a State Secretary for the Minister of Justice and Police from 1996 to 1997.
