The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Roschier is a first tier firm,

Providing a ‘level of service that is very, very high’, Roschier is a go-to firm for advising borrowers or lenders on high-value and complex transactions. For example, it acted for Nordea Bank Finland in providing a €250m loan facility to Oy Karl Fazer Ab, and represented 3i on financing of its acquisition of OneMed Group from CapMan. Gunnar Westerlund is an undisputed leader in the field, and heads a large team of talented associates.

Within Capital markets, Roschier is a first tier firm,

Roschier remained prominent in both the debt and equity markets, even with leading individual Dimitrios Himonas on sabbatical during 2011. Practice co-head Paula Linna, who has ‘very good knowledge of the big picture, but is also good in the detail’, led advice to Citycon on its €99m accelerated book-built offering, the first Finnish equity transaction in a long time to be offered at a premium above market value. Pohjola Corporate Finance and Handelsbanken Capital Markets are also clients.

Within Corporate and M&A, Roschier is a first tier firm,

Roschier also suffered headline departures, most notably former managing partner and head of M&A Ulf-Henrik Kull moving to Avance Attorneys Ltd. However, the firm’s strength in depth has allowed it to remain as number-one choice for a multitude of global corporations including key client Nokia, which the firm advised on the sale of Symbian software development and support services to Accenture. Manne Airaksinen, Jan-Anders Wik and Jon Unnérus are recommended, and are part of an ‘M&A team that is number one in Finland for transactional work’.

Within Dispute resolution, Roschier is a first tier firm,

Roschier’s Helsinki team is noted for its market-leading IP litigation practice, as well as more generally for the heavyweight, cross-border litigation and arbitration abilities of the ‘sophisticated and skilled’ Petri Taivalkoski, who recently acted for a listed company in a €100m arbitration. Recently promoted partner Gisela Knuts also gives ‘valuable strategy advice’. Stockholm-based Claes Lundblad has overall responsibility for the firm’s disputes practice.

Within EU and competition, Roschier is a first tier firm,

Roschier’s comprehensive competition practice acted for C More Entertainment and TV4 in the complex merger control and sublicensing case; and obtained merger clearance for Finnair’s joint control of Finnish Commuter Airlines alongside Flybe. The ‘approachable’ Christian Wik has ‘years of experience and one can really rely on his advice’. Senior associate Ami Paanajärvi has ‘excellent knowledge of cartels and merger notifications’.

Within Intellectual property, Roschier is a first tier firm,

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.

Within Legal market overview,

Finland’s flagship firms Hannes Snellman Attorneys at Law Ltd and Roschier each underwent a second change of leadership in two years, respectively with Carl-Henrik Wallin and Ulf-Henrik Kull curtailing their tenures. In an interesting twist, the pair united to form new corporate boutique Avance Attorneys Ltd, an enterprise with great potential in a market where individuals can carry more sway than firm logos, as evidenced by the rise of the litigation boutiques.

Within Real estate and construction, Roschier is a first tier firm,

Roschier boasts a strong following among developer and real estate investor clients, including major international funds such as UBS Real Estate Kapitalanlagegesellschaft, which the firm advised on buying a €40m logistics centre; and Amplion Asset Management, which it is advising on the €100m acquisition of 49 retail properties by its private equity fund, ARIF I Ky. Mika Alanko heads this ‘efficient’ and ‘hands-on’ team.

Within TMT , Roschier is a first tier firm,

Roschier is another recognised leading TMT practice. Nokia Corporation instructs the firm on all IP, regulatory and corporate issues, and the team is advising domestic telecoms company Elisa in a landmark telecoms patent litigation. Global internet sales company GroupOn is also a client. Mikko Manner and Rainer Hilli are ‘just fabulous; real supermen’.

Within Tax, Roschier is a first tier firm,

Roschier provides tax and structuring advice as part of its market-leading transactional practice. The firm has invested heavily in this area in the past two years with a series of lateral hires and partner promotions, including Pekka Talari’s recruitment from Krogerus. Mika Ohtonen leads the team and advised global private equity firm The Riverside Company on tax aspects of its acquisition of European children’s wear brand Reima Oy.