The Legal 500

Boutique Backström & Co is a leader in the field of IP, providing a full range of services from trade mark registration to patent litigation. Peter Backström, Petri Eskola and Markus Lampinen are specialists with an enviable international clientele. Backström, in particular, stands out for his litigation skills.

Attorneys at law Borenius Ltd fields a large team of ‘highly knowledgeable lawyers who work their socks off for us’. Recommended individuals include practice head Pekka Tarkela and the ‘quite brilliant’ Lasse Laaksonen, who is ‘creative, thoughtful and a great strategist’. The firm is acting in two major pharmaceutical and medicinal product patent appeals.

Hannes Snellman Attorneys at Law Ltd advises on IP issues at the highest level, including transactional support such as advising on IP aspects of Sanoma Television’s sale of cable TV operator Welho to DNA; and in patent litigation between rival pharmaceuticals manufacturers. Head of technology Kaisa Fahllund leads this ‘highly customer-focused’ team, and Panu Siitonen leads in IP litigation.

Juridia Ltd Attorneys-At-Law’s sizeable team advises on all areas of IP, and adopts a ‘business-oriented approach’. It is advising adidas on protecting its ‘three stripes’ logo, a case that is in the Helsinki Court of Appeal, and acting for Sony Music in a major copyright and trade mark infringement case. Ten lawyers at the firm specialise in the field, including Petteri Häkkänen and Hanna-Maija Elo.

Roschier’s IP group has ‘excellent knowledge’ and gives ‘brilliant customer service’. It remains to be seen how the move of Rainer Hilli, the ‘amazing’ head of IP, into the managing partner role will impact on the IP practice, but he leads a strong team, which also includes Eva Nordman-Rajaharju and Mikael Segercrantz. Clients include AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Nokia, and Finnish telecoms provider Elisa, which the firm is advising in one of the first patent litigations in Finland’s telecoms sector.

Bird & Bird is ‘intimately aware of clients’ needs’ and is able to support its vast TMT clientele with a comprehensive IP service at a ‘very high standard’. Pekka Raatikainen has ‘an excellent track record in protecting clients’ interests’, and head of IT Kari-Matti Lehti has ‘a wide range of experience of tackling difficult situations’.

The IP, technology and life sciences group at Castrén & Snellman provides a comprehensive service that includes IP litigation. Practice head Arto Linnervuo ‘outperforms all other lawyers’, says one client. Petri Rinkinen and Hanna Paloheimo lead many of the key mandates, and advised Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Janssen-Cilag Oy regarding a European-wide patent infringement.

HH Partners, Attorneys-at-Law, Ltd’s IP-rich technology clients include software games developer, Electronic Arts, which Martin von Willebrand is advising in an anti-piracy case in the Supreme Court. Esa Korkeamäki is an experienced and well-known IP lawyer and arbitrator.

Krogerus recruited new head of IP Tuukka Airaksinen from a small boutique. He joins IP specialist Arto Hakkarainen, whose advice is of ‘a very high standard’. Recent work includes handling a trade mark infringement dispute for one of Finland’s largest companies.

Merilampi has been representing an Estonian client and its Finnish parent company in the Appeals Court against copyright levy claims brought by Teosto, the Finnish collecting society for composers and songwriters. Team head Sakari Aalto provides ‘quick, practical, to-the-point advice’.

Dittmar & Indrenius advises its corporate clients on IP protection matters. Markus Mattila advises pharmaceuticals and consumer technology companies.

Hammarström Puhakka Partners, Attorneys Ltd is advising TeliaSonera in patent infringement litigation, and handling a trade mark dispute against an international footwear manufacturer on behalf of a Finnish shoe wholesaler and agent. Senior associate Jyrki Siivola supports head of dispute resolution Pekka Puhakka.

Magnusson’s IP practice handles patent protection and litigation, trade mark enforcement and copyright issues, among other issues. Its clients include Universal Music, Suunto and Viasat Finland. The firm hired Jan Lindberg from Castrén & Snellman to lead the practice; clients say he is ‘very business-minded but at the same time excels in the legal detail’.

Peltonen LMR Attorneys Ltd has a modest caseload of IP disputes, for example, acting for BookIT in patent litigation and criminal proceedings; and handling trade mark litigation for an international media company. Timo Sipi heads the IP and technology practice.

Lauri Rechardt at Procopé & Hornborg advises on all areas of IP, and has developed niche expertise in media and entertainment law. The team advised the International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI) on copyright and licensing issues. Other clients include two global music companies.

Waselius & Wist’s Bernt Juthström provides IP support on corporate transactions as well as standalone IP advice, and recently acted for a Finnish bank in a trade mark and domain name dispute.