Merilampi Attorneys Ltd

The firm: Merilampi is one of the leading Finnish business law firms. Merilampi is particularly known for  work in mergers and acquisitions and dispute resolution, but the services also cover the entire spectrum of demanding business law, ranging from competition and EU law, employment and labour law, real estate and construction law to assignments related to technology and intellectual property. Many of its clients are major international corporations and listed Finnish companies. The firm is regularly involved in high-profile M&A, real estate, competition law and dispute resolution cases.

Main areas of practice
Transactions and finance: In M&A, the firm represented, among others (1) Pihlajalinna Plc in a Mehiläinen Yhtiöt Oy public cash tender offer for all shares in Pihlajalinna Plc (transaction value approximately MEUR 362), (2) Sweco Finland Oy in its acquisition of Optiplan Oy from NCC Group, (3) Posti Group Corporation in its sale of Posti Kotipalvelut Oy to Stella Care Oy and (4) Total Specific Solutions in its acquisition of Futunio Oy.

A great deal of the banking and finance work undertaken by the firm was made in relation to real estate market, including both property acquisition financing and refinancing transactions. Clients in that sector included, among others, Mercada and Aberdeen Standard Real Estate Funds. During the year, the firm also experienced increase in demand for regulatory advice especially by foreign financial institutions operating in the Finnish market.

During the past year, Merilampi completed a substantial number of real estate transactions. Among others, the firm advised the following clients in their major transactions: Aberdeen, Barings Real Estate Advisers GmbH, Elo Mutual Pension Insurance, Nordea Life Assurance and Schroders Real Estate Funds.

Dispute resolution: In the field of dispute resolution, Merilampi has top assignments from all relevant areas: commercial litigation, arbitration (both domestic and international), ADR, white-collar defence and insolvency related advice. The firm’s lawyers are constantly active in a number of arbitration and mediation cases, both as counsel and arbitrators/mediators.

Merilampi continues to represent clients in a wide variety of industries and areas of substantive law. Lately, there has been a notable increase especially in the firm’s caseload in complex construction and engineering disputes. The firm’s lawyers have recently been very active also in different types of liability cases (such as product liability, environmental liability, board of directors’ or auditor’s liability).

During the past year, the DR team has advised, among others, Fujitsu Finland Oy in its complex contract dispute with the City of Espoo. The team also regularly represents Lassila & Tikanoja plc in controversial matters with their subcontractors, employees and other stakeholders. They also represent one of the big-four auditing companies in many of its high-profile liability cases.

Competition and EU: The firm’s competition experts have recently been busy with merger proceedings before the competition authorities. For example, Merilampi represented Pihlajalinna Plc in the merger control proceedings before the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority and the Market Court in Mehiläinen Yhtiöt Oy/Pihlajalinna Plc case. Merilampi has also continuously advised Sweco AB and its subsidiaries in various competition matters relating to Sweco’s acquisitions taking place in markets for sustainable development and design.

In addition, the firm regularly represents high profile companies in public procurement cases as well as cases related to abuse of dominant position as well as distribution systems and e-commerce. Another example of Merilampi’s versatile competition expertise is the successful representation of telecom company Elisa Corporation in yet another access pricing case against the Finnish telecom regulator Traficom in the Supreme Administrative Court.

Real estate and construction: Merilampi’s real estate and construction practice is one of the advisors in the forefront of advising in the most prominent real estate developments and construction endeavours in the market. The expertise of the team is utilised by private and public sector property owners, developers, contractors, financiers and consultants in a variety of assignments, both contentious and non-contentious, in the construction and real estate field.

The team has a steady flow of mandates particularly concerning complex infrastructure and engineering projects, and a strong specialisation in design and build and construction management contracts. During the past year, some of the most notable references include advising YIT Finland and Meridiam SAS in their successful bid for the first social infrastructure PPP in Finland, assisting several hospital districts and social and health care authorities in the largest hospital build projects in Finland, and several litigation and arbitration proceedings relating to construction and engineering endeavours.

Employment and labour law: Merilampi’s employment team is one of the most experienced in the industry. They are involved in building new and restructuring old organisations, creating and amending working rules and contracts of employment as well as supporting company management with employment related questions and challenging situations. They represent clients in civil and criminal cases relating to employment and assist in cooperation negotiations.

During the past year, the team has advised, among others, Microsoft on a regular basis in both national and global HR-issues, University of Helsinki on several significant court cases and Posti Ltd in the Supreme Administrative Court related to decisions of the Administrative Court and the Regional State Administrative Agency.

IT, technology and media: Our team has extensive experience in assisting clients in transformative situations that affect their entire operations, such as mergers and acquisitions. Our team's desire and ability to learn about our clients' operations enables us to provide the best service in ongoing operational contracts and disputes.

Intellectual property: Our team assists a diverse range of companies in finding solutions that support their operations. Depending on the client's situation, our support may involve identifying rights, commercialization, or licensing. We also frequently assist in resolving disputes arising from intellectual property issues, unfortunately common in business contexts.

Product compliance and product liability: Merilampi’s product compliance and product liability practice advises companies manufacturing, importing and distributing products in a wide variety of issues and obligations stemming from EU’s and national legislation. Recently the team has been particularly busy with appeal proceedings before the relevant authorities as well as court proceedings in product safety matters, in which Merilampi team represented, for example, known international luxury accessory manufacturers as well as vehicle manufacturers. The team also regularly assist clients in product recalls.

Tax: Merilampi’s tax team has more than four decades of experience and diverse expertise in different areas of tax law.  During 2022 and 2023, Merilampi has  assisted its corporate clients relating to M&A related tax assignments such as structuring, due diligence projects and also advised in VAT and transfer pricing related issues. In addition to serving corporate clients, Merilampi has advised private persons in personal tax audit processes and preparing their wills from the optimal tax point of view and assisted in tax controversy projects.