The Legal 500

An impressive client base at Castrén & Snellman includes RBS, Nordea Bank and Svenska Handelsbanken, to name a few. Tero Tuomisto leads a ‘pragmatic, commercial and very knowledgeable’ team that provides accurate advice ‘always to deadline’, with strong support from Pekka Lehtinen and Sakari Lukinmaa. The firm is increasing its profile in cross-border deals, while at home, acted for Pohjola Bank in its €150m financing of assets acquired by Finnish wine and spirits house Altia plc.

Hannes Snellman Attorneys at Law Ltd’s pan-Nordic resources and numerous experts attract sophisticated international mandates as well as Finland’s largest deals, including advising OP Mortgage Bank on its issue of €1.25bn Finnish covered bonds. Clients rate the firm’s project management and ‘innovative legal solutions’, led by ‘very experienced debt lawyer’ Henrik Mattson. The departure of Kari Lautjärvi was eased by the ‘very analytical approach’ of Matti Engelberg and Markus Bremer.

‘Creative’, ‘commercial’, ‘team players’: a sample of the plethora of praise received for Roschier’s banking practice, much of which is directed at team head Gunnar Westerlund who is ‘in his own class’. Benchmark clients include Nordea Bank, SEB, and HSBC, advising the latter on a $100m loan facility to Vidéotron Ltée, guaranteed by Finnerva, the Finnish Export Credit Agency, in a transaction with Nokia Siemens Networks.

The only global firm present in Finland, White & Case acts for all the major banks operating in the region, including Deutsche Bank, UBS and Pohjola Bank. Timo Airisto heads the ‘excellent’ team that includes Tanja Törnkvist, who ‘argues clearly and is able to hold all the ropes of a project together’. The firm acted for Talvivaara Mining in a $335m zinc deal with Nyrstar, refinancing its €320m project loan, followed by a €100m multicurrency revolving credit facility.

Attorneys at law Borenius & Kemppinen Ltd boasts quality clients and deals in equal measures, such as acting for Nordea Bank in Talvivaara Mining’s €100m secured multicurrency revolving facility. Former in-house banking lawyer Andrei Aganimov now steers the ‘very responsive’ practice, with Ari Kaarakainen head of transactions.

A regular in high-end deals, Dittmar & Indrenius provides focused expertise to international banks and major corporations, such as Rexel Group, handling the Finnish aspect of its €1.7bn refinancing. Juha-Pekka Mutanen leads an experienced team that includes several partners, and provides ‘good, commercial advice’ with ‘excellent response times’.

Krogerus is building a reputable practice under ‘talented’ Päivi Toivari, working alongside UK Magic Circle firms on significant projects, such as advice to Nordea Bank on the €850m financing of 3i’s divestment of Nordic healthcare group Ambea to Triton, as well as major debt restructurings during 2010.

Niche firm LMR Attorneys Ltd handles high-end finance work, advising a syndicate of foreign banks on the restructuring of a €610m senior and mezzanine loan to a group of companies in the energy sector. Kimmo Mettällä and his team provide ‘excellent client focus’ with a ‘determination to serve with quality’ and act for ABN AMRO and Nordea Bank.

Waselius & Wist is the preferred choice for a string of domestic and international banks, such as JPMorgan, Barclays Capital and Nordea Bank, as well as major companies requiring finance or restructuring. Jan Waselius, Tarja Wist and Lauri Peltola all shine in this area, providing a ‘very professional’ service. Peltola led advice to the syndicate of lending banks in a €100m multicurrency revolving bridge facility for Elcoteq.

Specialist counsel Kristiina Lehvilä is head of banking and finance at Bird & Bird Attorneys Ltd with support from ‘clever’ managing partner Jori Taipale, who ‘always aims for a sensible solution rather than fighting for the sake of it’. The firm has handled the finance restructuring for some major Finnish and international companies.

Merilampi acted as Finnish counsel to a German multinational in its €2.5bn syndicated loan arrangement, demonstrating the firm’s capability in this area. In particular, Ari Keinänen gives ‘accurate, practical advice’ and ‘it is evident he is experienced in complex transactions’. The firm’s merger with Veikko Palotie & Co boosted the practice, doubling the number of specialists.

A small but focused team at HH Partners, Attorneys-at-Law, Ltd advises two major financial institutions in the Nordic region, negotiating a major service agreement on behalf of one such client. Managing partner Arto Kukkonen is most noted for his litigation and restructuring experience.

Björn Nykvist at Hammarström Puhakka Partners, Attorneys Ltd is regularly consulted by UK and US firms requiring Finnish input on significant matters, acting alongside Allen & Overy LLP on behalf of a syndicate of lenders for the refinancing of loan facilities to VAC Holding and its group of companies.

Attorneys-At-Law Juridia Ltd has a good-sized team that handles finance work as part of its transactions and corporate advisory group, led by Tero Routamo. Clients appreciate its ‘keen sense of business’.

Banking and finance is a core area of practice at Peltonen, Ruokonen & Itäinen Attorneys At Law Ltd and the firm is ‘a pleasure to work with’. In particular, Hans Sundblad’s ‘experience and general understanding is excellent’. Work included acting for an export credit agency on the $1bn financing for a cruise ship and subsequent two-tranche loan.

Procopé & Hornborg has a strong reputation in the finance arena handling mid-market mandates, many of an international nature, such as acting for NMC group of companies on new financing from IFC and other financiers. Kalevi Tervanen heads the practice and is noted for his dispute resolution skills.