Legal500

Merilampi

LÖNNROTINKATU 5, 00120 HELSINKI, FINLAND

Tel:: Work +358 9 686 481
Fax:: Fax +358 9 686 484 84

Web:: www.merilampi.com
Email:

Tampere, Helsinki

The firm

Merilampi Attorneys Ltd offers a full range of legal services for domestic and international corporate clients. In 2010, Merilampi merged with Veikko Palotie & Co, another well-known Finnish business law firm, which strengthened the firm’s position within the ten largest law firms in Finland. With the breadth of expertise, its lawyers are able to look out for clients’ best interests 24/7.

Areas of practice

The firm frequently represents various parties in international and national arbitration, both as arbitrators and counsel. Its lawyers have acted as arbitrators and counsel in numerous proceedings under different arbitration rules during the years. The firm is also representing clients in litigation. For example, it acted for a well-known company in the first class action where the consumer ombudsman, on behalf of consumer group, demanded reduction of the purchase price concerning purchase of shares in housing companies. It successfully represented the Finnish Government and the Ministry of Social and Health in a case concerning the equality of men and women relating to pension age. The plaintiff claimed that Finland had breached EU regulations concerning equality and claimed damages from the Finnish Government.

Merilampi is constantly involved in a number of major M&A, corporate restructuring and capital market transactions. Recently the firm has taken part in the largest single capital market transaction in Finland during 2011 by representing Suominen Corporation in its acquisition of home and personal business of Ahlstrom Corporation, and the related public offering of shares in Suominen Corporation.

The firm offers a comprehensive variety of services related to real estate business, ranging from real estate transactions to construction and dispute resolution on all aspects of real estate business. The recent activities within the field of real estate include representation of Suomi Mutual Life Assurance Company in the sale of Fennia Quarter to a property investment company Sponda Plc, and Etera Mutual Insurance Company and Sitra (the Finnish Innovation Fund) in the sale of a remarkable office property located in Itämerentori 2, Helsinki, to Exilion Real Estate I Ky managed by Exilion Capital Oy.

Merilampi is continually involved in various competition and public procurement law matters. Recent representative cases include the firm’s representation of Skanska in the pending follow-on damage cases related to the Asphalt Cartel case before the Helsinki District Court. The firm is also representing one of the defendants in the competition law proceedings regarding the Car Spare Parts Cartel case and the follow-on damage case related to it. The firm constantly represents companies in merger control filings, cartel and abuse of a dominant position cases.

The firm is well-known for its insolvency work, eg acting as the receiver in the bankruptcy estates of Kansa Insurance Group. Merilampi acts regularly on various banking and finance law matters. The recognition of this practice is demonstrated by the firm and its lawyers who are acting as a trustee to manage the winding-up proceedings of Finnish Sofia Bank plc in conjunction with the decision by the Financial Supervisory Authority to withdraw Sofia Bank plc’s deposit banking authorisation.

The firm offers a leading team to serve its clients in matters related to technology and intellectual property. It has recently represented a number of clients in a variety of matters in this field, including both contentious and non-contentious work. The firm successfully represented a major company in a high-profile patent dispute case which led to the nullification of the claimant’s patent.

Merilampi also acts in employment law cases by advising clients in transactions and in internal restructurings. The firm’s employment law team has excellent capabilities with respect to all aspects of employment law from employment and director contracts to the termination of employment and the co-ordination of co-operation procedures.

Contacts
Arttu Mentula
Jani Ylä-Autio
Sakari Aalto

Languages
English
French
German
Swedish

Other offices Tampere

Number of lawyers 43

at this office 36

Above material supplied by Merilampi.

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