The Legal 500

Backström & Co is an IP boutique with an international reputation for all-round IP services, including high-level arbitration. Name partner Peter Backström is renowned in the field, particularly for his litigation skills. The firm’s other two partners, Petri Eskola and Markus Lampinen, are also widely experienced with a strong following. The client base includes numerous well-known international brands.

Several experts and an impressive client base place Attorneys at law Borenius & Kemppinen Ltd at the forefront of IP work. It is advising Finland’s leading publishing house WSOY in the Supreme Court concerning the landmark ‘Pocket Book Loisto case’. Clients rate the firm’s depth of knowledge and dispute strategy; head of IP litigation Ben Rapinoja is ‘very thorough’ and ‘takes time over detail’, while the team as a whole, led by Pekka Tarkela is ‘service-minded and open to new ways of working’.

Key to the success of Hannes Snellman Attorneys at Law Ltd in this field is Kaisa Fahllund, a client favourite and leading figure in the technology and IP spheres, who is ‘delightful’ and a ‘highly professional leader of the team’. Senior associates Panu Siitonen and Pia Ek defy their status, taking the lead role in heavyweight matters, including advice to a multinational pharmaceutical in a pending patent arbitration.

Few practices attract as much praise as Roschier’s, where Rainer Hilli leads a ‘remarkable’ and ‘extremely resourceful, knowledgeable and professional team’. Hilli himself is ‘approachable’, ‘sharp’ and noted for his advocacy and courtroom presence. Both Mikael Segercrantz and Mikko Manner made partner in 2010. Major clients include Nokia, a host of household-name pharmaceuticals and domestic telecom Elisa, advising it on one of the first patent litigations in the telecoms sector in Finland.

Bird & Bird Attorneys Ltd’s top IT practice draws a legion of IP-rich clients to the firm. The experienced and ‘service-orientated’ Ella Mikkola heads the practice with a strong international focus. The firm acted for Nokian Tyres in a high-profile trade mark infringement case against Verkkokauppa.com.

Castrén & Snellman has a sizeable, ‘professional’ team that ‘knows our business’. It is led by Arto Liinervuo, who also heads the firm’s technology and life sciences groups, while Petri Rinkinen and Jan Lindberg are singled out by clients for their expertise. The firm is advising the Finnish subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson in a European-wide patent infringement case. Other clients include Nokia, Google and Hilton.

IP and TMT are key strengths at HH Partners, Attorneys-at-Law, Ltd, particularly in the contentious arena. The firm is acting for a well-known vehicle manufacturer in a landmark trade mark dispute before the Finnish Supreme Administrative Court. Esa Korkeamäki takes much of the credit and is a high-profile practitioner and arbitrator.

Dedicated IP firm Attorneys-At-Law Juridia Ltd boasts the additional service of its own in-house trade mark agents, namely, subsidiary company Heinonen & Co. The combined team numbers 17, including four partners led by Petteri Häkkänen, the largest in the market. Clients, including Crocs Inc, which the firm successfully represented in a trade mark infringement case, rate the ‘quick, hands-on mentality’ and the ‘high quality of expertise in the field’.

The strong presence of Krogerus in the technology sector attracts a multitude of IP-rich clients to the firm, including the University of Helsinki and telecom DNA. Counsel Arto Hakkarainen and the firm’s managing partner Juha Pekka Katainen lead the ‘knowledgeable’ and ‘service-minded’ practice advising on all areas of IP.

Merilampi significantly boosted its practice with the recruitment of Sakari Aalto, former head of TMT at Roschier and Mika Pakarinen joining from merged firm Veikko Palotie & Co. They advise on all aspects of the exploitation of IP rights, acting in a precedent case on behalf of an Estonian company and Finnish parent concerning copyright levies and on-line music.

Tapio Susiluoto at Susiluoto Attorneys-at-Law Ltd is an experienced IP practitioner, particularly in the field of copyright law where he has a high profile. Along with technology law, this is a key area of focus for the firm.

Dittmar & Indrenius is able to provide both corporate support and advisory work to a high level. Senior attorney Markus Mattila leads many of the projects, such managing the trade mark portfolio of Colgate-Palmolive, while Sakari Halonen heads the practice.

Procopé & Hornborg has a small but efficient team led by specialist counsel Lauri Rechardt. Rechardt has niche expertise in music-related IP, acting for record labels and international media companies. He continues to act for worldwide recording industry association, IFPI on copyright policy and music licensing issues.

Bernt Juthström heads up the IP practice at Waselius & Wist, advising big-ticket companies typical of the firm’s client base. They include acting for a global pharmaceutical in regulatory matters and a potential patent dispute, and a worldwide media and entertainment company concerning the launch of a new product concept.