Nordhus graduated from the University of Oslo in 1943.
From 1958 he practiced as barrister, with license to Supreme Court cases. Foreign many years he was the moste profiled barrister in Norway. Among his most prominint cases were the Hollekim case (1964) and the Liv case (1982).
A bust of Nordhus, sculptured by Nils Aas, is located at the Oslo Courthouse.