Finland

Office details
Finland by night - Bird & Bird - International Law Firm

Overview

Working with both local and international clients, Bird & Bird Finland has over 50 lawyers able to help your business grow locally, or globally.

Merging with Finnish law firm Fennica in 2008, our Helsinki office combines a firmly established full service practice with first class cross-border capabilities and global reach through our many international offices. We take pride in our deep understanding of the industries in which our clients operate and make sure we're up-to-date with current business, market and technical issues at all times. This market savvy, combined with our in-depth legal expertise and extensive knowledge of the regulations that govern each sector ensures we provide commercially viable, straight-forward advice.

We're also praised for our excellence in client service. Our expertise across all practice areas has also for years been acknowledged in all leading international legal directories such as Chambers Europe, Chambers Global, IFLR1000 and EMEA Legal 500.
 
The office is headed by partner Jaakko Hietala.

Contacts

Hietala Jaakko

Jaakko Hietala

Managing Partner
Finland

Call me on: +358 (0)9 622 6670
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Recent highlights of work

  • We recently assisted:

    A global software services company Tech Mahindra in outsourcing of IT services and transfer of business in 11 countries.
  • Silmäasema Fennica Oy (Finland’s leading provider of eye care services and second largest optician chain) in a transaction where Finnish private equity firm Intera Partners acquired the majority of shares in Silmäasema.
  • MB Funds with the sale of the entire share capital of Forchem Oy to Portuguese Respol Group. Forchem Oy is an industry leader, with the most modern biorefinery in Europe, processing tall oil for upgrading special chemical industry products, biofuels for energy production and raw material for traffic fuels.
  • Rake Oy, the owner of a popular lifestyle and design hotel Klaus K in Helsinki, as luxury hotel chain Kämp Group acquired Klaus K.
  • Pöyry Oyj in a transaction where Pöyry sold its real estate design and consulting business, and its construction management business for the real estate and infrastructure sectors in Finland to Ramboll Finland Oy.
  • Elo Mutual Pension Insurance Company. Acting as the legal advisor for Mutual Pension Insurance Company Fennia and, after the approval of the merger plan, also for Mutual Pension Insurance Company Local Tapiola in a merger of the two companies into ELO, which was one of the largest transactions in Finland in 2013: the new employment pension company ELO is one of three major pension insurance companies in the Finnish market with a total revenue of around €3 billion. The combined balance sheet of the companies is around €18 billion. Our role covered all legal aspects of the project across many practice areas.

Accolades

  • Bird & Bird focuses on large and complex IT deals – often including cross-border elements – for clients including SAP Finland and TechMahindra.

    TMT - RANKED: TIER 2

  • "Skilful and knowledgeable about the law and very creative in finding solutions."

    Chambers Europe 2012

  • ''Sources say: 'It has deep insights into our business and it knows the market very well'''.

    Chambers Europe 2012

  • ''The group's 'expertise is superb' and 'continues to exceed expectations'''.

    EMEA Legal 500 2012

  • "'They are competent, reliable, straight forward, easy to access and quite efficient with an uncomplicated style', says a client"

    IFLR, M&A, Finland, 2012

  • International Law Office - Winner

    Client Choice Award - Firm of the Year 2011

  • "Clients welcome the 'team's dynamic professionalism and cost-efficient services', and international companies benefit from the 'firm's worldwide network'."

    Chambers Europe 2011

News & Events

  1. 1909-2017

    Deductibility of interest expenses in real estate business in Finland

    The Supreme Administrative Court ("SAC") has ruled in its decision SAC 2017:128 on 11th August 2017 regarding the deductibility of interest expenses in the situation where a foreign company had taxable and non-taxable operations in Finland. SAC has denied the deductibility of interest expenses, which according to the company has at least partly related to the company's taxable rental income in Finland.

  2. 1209-2017

    A lawful ban from wearing religious headscarves in private workplaces?

    In 2015, the European Court of Justice was asked to consider two cases concerning whether a ban on employees wearing visible signs of political, philosophical or religious persuasions violates Directive 2000/78/EC (the "Directive"). The specific cases concerned Islamic women wearing headscarves in their workplaces.

  3. 1209-2017

    The GDPR – What do you need to do to comply?

    The most significant regulatory change of the last few decades in EU data protection law is drawing nearer: the General Data Protection Regulation, known as the 'GDPR', comes into force in May 2018. The GDPR sets out harmonised core principles and rules on data protection across all EU Member States, therefore requiring them to review national data protection laws, and amending or repealing those that overlap with the GPDR. Member States are allowed to introduce additional data protection rules through derogations on a range of areas including employment practices.

  1. 3108-2017

    Pekka Takki joins Bird & Bird Attorneys Ltd as Of Counsel

    Bird & Bird Attorneys Ltd is pleased to announce that Pekka Takki joins the firm as Of Counsel starting from 1 September. Pekka will be a member of the Tech & Comms team in Finland, led by Partner Sakari Halonen, which works closely with Bird & Bird's international Tech & Comms Group.

  2. 2704-2017

    Bird & Bird represents Avalanche in financing and partnering deal with Nordisk Film

    Bird & Bird has represented Avalanche Studios in relation to the recent investment by Nordisk Film of more than USD 10M for a minority ownership share in Avalanche Studios.

  3. 2303-2017

    Helsinki Tech & Comms team helps Tekes with a groundbreaking digital innovation

    Helsinki Tech & Comms team helps Tekes with a groundbreaking digital innovation

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