The Legal 500

Despite its three-partner size, Backström & Co is a giant in the IP arena and the firm of choice for a multitude of international companies with IP needs in Finland. Indeed, over half the firm’s client list is overseas based. All three partners, Peter Backström, Petri Eskola and Markus Lampinen, are experts in this field, with particular skill in litigious work.

Attorneys at law Borenius & Kemppinen Ltd has long had a leading reputation for IP, particularly contentious matters. It successfully acted for Bayer and its Finnish subsidiary on a landmark case relating to packaging imitations, changing the law in the process. It also advised Teva Pharmaceutical Industries on a number of regulatory and IP issues. A large team includes widely respected Pekka Tarkela and Seppo Kemppinen, with Ben Rapinoja recommended for patent litigation.

Hannes Snellman Attorneys at Law Ltd impresses with its litigious caseload of global brands, including defending the products of Crocs in the Market Court and representing Marimekko in a trade mark dispute against Dolce & Gabbana. Clients like the ‘practical’ and ‘hands on’ approach of the team led by Kaisa Fahlund, with strong support from Panu Siitonen.

Fielding an internationally-experienced team, Roschier has ‘out of the box thinkers who are not afraid to challenge me,’ says one client. The firm acts for a host of global pharmaceutical companies and handles all the IP needs of key client Nokia, and represented Lego in an unfair marketing action brought against electronics retailer Verkkokauppa.com. Department head Rainer Hilli is ‘just excellent’, while Mikko Manner is ‘completely competent and stands out for his customer service abilities’.

Bird & Bird Attorneys Ltd complements a leading TMT practice with firm capability in IP with ‘excellent knowledge of the legal issues’ and ‘has the strength of a broad international network’. It successfully represented the Nordic region’s largest tyre manufacturer, Nokian Tyres, in a trade mark infringement case against Verkkokauppa.com. Practice head Ella Mikkola is ‘an extremely competent and service-orientated lawyer’.

Specialist counsel Petri Rinkinen at Castrén & Snellman leads IP work at the firm, representing household name clients in both an advisory and litigious capacity. The firm acted for Google in a number of trade mark and domain name disputes, and advised the Finnish subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson in a Europe-wide patent infringement case. The service is ‘dedicated’ and ‘high quality’.

HH Partners, Attorneys-at-Law, Ltd impresses due to the acknowledged expertise of Esa Korkeamäki, who has a high profile in the market. Korkeamäki is acting for a well-known car manufacturer in a potentially precedent-setting case before the Finnish Supreme Administrative Court concerning trade mark law.

IP is a core area of practice at Attorneys-At-Law Juridia Ltd. The firm is ‘one of the best we are globally working with’, says a client, and is the only firm in the market to have its own trade mark agent in the form of subsidiary, Heinonen & Co. Hanna-Maija Elo is singled out as ‘second to none in this field’ and ‘very professional but tough when needed.’ Work includes successfully representing adidas in a trade mark infringement case.

Krogerus complements its first-rate technology practice with appropriate IP expertise in Arto Hakkarinen, under the leadership of TMT lead partner Juha Pekka Katainen. The firm acted for a global pharmaceutical in respect of IP matters in Finland, while the Finnish News Agency and University Pharmacy also instruct the firm.

IP is a core area of practice at Susiluoto Attorneys-at-Law Ltd, where name partner Tapio Susiluoto has a high profile for his work in this field. Of note is the firm’s expertise in copyright law.

Dittmar & Indrenius has a small but capable team providing IP advice to some enviable clients. They include the trade mark portfolio of Colgate Palmolive, and a variety of matters for Specsavers Optical Group and Fonecta, including contentious work. Sakari Halonen leads the practice.

Jussi Lampinen is cultivating a successful IP and life sciences practice at Merilampi, with additional IP expertise provided by Tapio Väätäinen and Ilkka Vuorenmaa. Work includes advisory and contentious IP advice to Kiilto, a market-leading chemical company in Finland, as well as servicing the IP needs of plastics manufacturer Wavin-Labko.

Procopé & Hornborg is noted as one to watch following Lauri Rechardt’s recruitment in 2008. Of note is the firm’s expertise in music-related IP, where clients state ‘it has the highest possible level of industry knowledge with a thoroughly professional and expert manner.’ Rechardt is ‘unstintingly first-class’ and ‘always goes the extra mile’. The firm acts for record industry association IFPI on various matters.

Mika Pakarinen leads the practice at Veikko Palotie & Co, servicing the IP needs of its substantial client base. Of note is Pakarinen’s experience in the media and entertainment sectors.

Waselius & Wist recruited IP lawyer 
Bernt Juthström from the in-house team at 
Nokia Corporation in 2009. He is a former partner at leading firm Roschier and is expected by clients to continue to cultivate a high-quality practice.