Article by Petri Taivalkoskiand and Helle Lindegaard
This article first appeared in Legal Week Global October 2002
Pragmatism and a lack of formality are typical features of how dispute resolution is generally conducted in the Nordic Countries. In countries such as Finland, the homogeneity of society and the small size of the business community has meant that relationships between companies are straightforward and the need for formal communications and procedures are fewer than in many other countries.
Confidential, expedient and informal arbitration as a dispute resolution method is particularly well suited to such a business climate, as opposed to often lengthy and more formal proceedings in state courts. Accordingly, it is hardly surprising that the traditional method of resolving business disputes in Finland has been arbitration.
