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. The 22 July trial 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. After Breivik 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. In January 2014, the law firm Lippestad signed a contract with the Norwegian Police Federation, the trade union organizing all