Mr Sakari Halonen > Bird & Bird > Helsinki, Finland > Lawyer Profile
Bird & Bird Offices
MANNERHEIMINTIE 8
00100 HELSINKI
Finland
- Firm Profile
- Go to...
Mr Sakari Halonen
Work Department
Technology & Communications; Commercial
Position
Sakari Halonen is a partner and co-head of Bird & Bird’s Nordic Tech & Comms group based in Helsinki. He predominantly advises clients in complex cross-border IT outsourcing transactions as well as in IT contracting in general. He also leads Bird & Bird’s Finnish Commercial group.
His ability to quickly get to the core of the problem, focus on the key issues, and find win-win solutions is the essential element valued by his clients. In addition to advising numerous global IT service providers, Sakari also acts for the customer-side in various industry sectors, including financial services, aviation, defence and automotive.
Sakari is also frequently engaged in M&A transactions, with a particular focus on technology-related transactions and the technology aspects of M&A in general. In addition, as an arbitrator, he is also involved in IT-related dispute resolution processes.
Career
During his 20 year career, Sakari has built an in-depth knowledge of the various aspects and pitfalls in IT outsourcing, which enables his clients to succeed in their projects and businesses. Having worked with both customers and suppliers, he knows the ins and outs of both technical and commercial drivers creating value for his clients.
Prior to joining Bird & Bird, he was a partner in another notable law firm in Finland, establishing its technology and outsourcing practices. His legal career began in 2000 when he joined Fennica Attorneys as an associate, the Finnish law firm that subsequently became part of Bird & Bird.
Sakari authored, together with Bird & Bird’s of counsel Pekka Takki, the third edition of the leading Finnish textbook on IT law, IT Contracts – Practical Guide (in Finnish IT-sopimukset – Käytännön käsikirja, Alma Talent, 2017), which is widely used as a textbook in law faculties of Finnish universities as well as other educational institutions.
Languages
Finnish, English, Swedish
Memberships
Member of the Finnish Bar Association
Member of the Finnish IT Law Association
Education
LL.M., University of Helsinki 2000
Lawyer Rankings
Finland > TMT
(Leading individuals)Bird & Bird‘s commercial, tech and comms department is fully integrated into the firm’s broad network of international offices, enabling it to handle a range of global mandates, especially regulatory matters regarding in particular data protection and electronic communication law. The team is engaged by numerous multinational software vendors, IT service providers as well as telecom operators and service providers. Head of the team Sakari Halonen predominantly advises clients in complex cross-border IT outsourcing transactions as well as in IT contracting in general. Riku Rauhanen advises on complex privacy and commercial law issues, while Tobias Bräutigam is another notable member of the team. In 2024, the highly regarded Pia Ek joined from Castrén & Snellman, adding notable expertise in cross-border digitisation projects and other commercial and transactional work.