About
Chairman: Carl-Henrik Wallin
Managing Partner: Ilkka Perheentupa
Number of partners: 23
Number of lawyers: 70
Languages: English, Finnish, French, German, Swedish
Firm Overview:
Avance is a business law firm managed by a team of experienced attorneys that share an enthusiasm for providing legal services of the highest quality. The firm handles some of the most demanding transactions, large projects and disputes involving its market, with a focus on matters that call for the skills and sophistication of the Avance team. The firm’s high partner-associate ratio reflects the core strategy of providing a senior-oriented service that ensures concrete value-add to clients and distinguishes the firm from its key competition. Avance combines high-end advisory work with a unique breadth of international experience, focusing on regulated industries that are relevant for Finland, such as energy and infrastructure, financial services, healthcare, life sciences, media and telecommunications, and real estate and construction. Evidencing the success of its strategy, the firm can showcase a broad selection of transactional advisory in key industrial arrangements in Finland. The work has in most cases also included advice on complex regulatory, competition law and financing issues. Please visit www.avance.com for further details.
Main Areas of Practice:
Capital Markets and Financial Regulatory:
Our capital markets team advises both bidders and target companies in public takeover situations, including governance, board advisory matters, and defense strategies. We act for public companies, issuers, investors, investment banks, and other market participants in connection with various capital market transactions, such as private placements, bond offerings, rights issues, IPOs and other public offerings of equity securities and buy-back programs. Our financial regulatory team advises clients in corporate governance, disclosure, and insider matters and provides regulatory advice to securities and financial institutions, as well as investment funds in their financial regulatory and compliance matters.
Main contacts: Rasmus Sundström, Partner, [email protected], Robin Nordblad, Partner, [email protected]; Elisa Heinonen, Partner, [email protected]; Ulf-Henrik Kull, Senior Partner, [email protected]; Ilkka Perheentupa, Managing Partner, [email protected]
Competition and State Aid:
We advise clients on matters relating to competition law, state aid and market regulation. As part of this regulatory advisory practice, our attorneys also manage merger control filings in connection with our transactional practice. Members of our team have broad experience in effectively managing diverse regulatory proceedings and matters at the EU and domestic levels and in interacting with the various EU and domestic institutions.
Main contacts: Katja Jaakkola, Partner, [email protected]; Asko Lindqvist, Partner, [email protected]
Compliance and Investigations:
Our team assists clients with designing, developing and implementing compliance policies and programs as well as with audits and investigations related to compliance practices. Our compliance team provides the first line of defense in various corporate crisis management situations and internal or external investigations.
Main contacts: Ulla Vuokila, Partner, [email protected]; Minna Katajoki, Partner, [email protected]; Elisa Heinonen, Partner, [email protected]; Salla Suominen, Partner, [email protected]; Asko Lindqvist, Partner, [email protected]
Data Protection and Cybersecurity:
We advise clients on a broad range of matters related to data protection and privacy. We also advise clients on how to prepare and respond to cybersecurity incidents. We assist clients e.g., with internal and criminal investigations relating to cyber attacks and with notifications to and proceedings with relevant authorities, data subjects and business partners.
Main contacts: Salla Suominen, Partner, [email protected]; Minna Katajoki, Partner, [email protected]; Sonja Heiskala, Senior Associate, [email protected]
Dispute Resolution:
We offer domestic and international clients across various industry sectors a full spectrum of conflict avoidance and dispute management services. We assist clients with corporate, commercial and regulatory disputes, in negotiations, litigation, arbitration, administrative proceedings and mediation. We also act as arbitrators in institutional and ad hoc arbitrations and squeeze-outs, and as mediators. Further, we advise clients in compliance, investigations and corporate crime cases, and with insolvency and restructuring related matters. We work closely with our colleagues from across the firm to resolve disputes in specialist areas, such as M&A, construction, real estate, data privacy, cybersecurity, IP, and tax.
Main contacts: Ulla Vuokila, Partner, [email protected]; Salla Suominen, Partner, [email protected]; Minna Katajoki, Partner, [email protected]
Employment and Incentives:
Avance’s team provides strategic advisory across various employment issues. Our practice covers both contentious and non-contentious employment matters including corporate restructurings and business transfers, cooperation procedures, collective bargaining agreements, service and executive employment contract issues, termination of employment, as well questions related to equity incentive programs, management compensation and pension issues. We advise clients in a wide variety of employment-related disputes and criminal matters, ranging from dispute avoidance and conflict management to litigation and arbitration. Our services also include supporting clients with whistleblowing matters, internal investigations and workplace-related non-compliance, including complex questions related to occupational health and safety matters. In addition, we advise clients on employment privacy matters and employment related intellectual property matters, including employee invention and trade secret disputes, as well as strategic management of intellectual property and trade secrets in the employment context.
Main contacts: Mari Mohsen, Partner, [email protected]; Erkki-Antti Sadinmaa, Partner, [email protected]
Environment:
We help clients assess the current and developing environmental issues that impact their operations across several industry sectors, including Energy, Oil & Gas, Chemicals and Food. We work with clients on environmental, health, and safety matters in a broad array of settings and regularly coordinate our efforts with technical experts.
Main contacts: Christoffer Charpentier, Partner, [email protected]; Sampsa Suominen, Partner, [email protected]
Finance:
Our team advises clients in banking and finance transactions, including syndicated and bilateral loans, acquisition, real estate, structured and project financing arrangements, as well as securitizations and restructurings. We act on behalf of lenders and borrowers at the senior, mezzanine, and subordinated levels. Our team also provides counsel relating to banking and financial regulatory matters.
Main contacts: Sari Wallgren, Partner, [email protected]; Tytti Laajanen, Partner, [email protected]
Governance:
Our team advises boards of directors and senior management on high-level corporate governance matters, including securities market matters, and legal and strategic issues that are of critical importance to the interests of the company and its shareholders. We also handle shareholders’ meetings of publicly and privately held companies, and members of our team regularly chair such meetings.
Main contacts: Carl-Henrik Wallin, Partner, Chairman, [email protected]; Ulf-Henrik Kull, Senior Partner, [email protected]; Rasmus Sundström, Partner, [email protected]
Intellectual Property:
We advise clients on a broad range of intellectual property matters, including the development, protection, licensing, acquisition, and assignment of intellectual property rights and technologies as well as related dispute resolution. Members of our team also provide counselling on trade secret and data law, regulatory matters related to information and communications technology, e-commerce, and consumer and advertising law.In addition, we advise clients on employment related intellectual property matters, including employee invention and trade secret disputes, as well as strategic management of intellectual property and trade secrets in the employment context.
Main contact: Sonja Heiskala, Senior Associate, [email protected]
Mergers and Acquisitions:
Transactions are at the core of what we do. Our team advises clients in their most demanding mergers and acquisitions, joint venture structures, and related arrangements. We believe in the value of bringing the right team and senior attention to each project and understand the importance of effective project management. Our firm has the capability and resources to execute high-end transaction projects from commencement to completion, including strategic planning, corporate structuring, due diligence, negotiation and documentation. We leverage the firm’s shared expertise to achieve the results that our clients are after.
Main contacts: Erkki-Antti Sadinmaa, Partner, [email protected]; Ilkka Perheentupa, Managing Partner, [email protected]; Ulf-Henrik Kull, Senior Partner, [email protected]; Mathias Lindqvist, Partner, [email protected]
Private Equity:
Our team has first-hand experience in industry practices and fund structures. We bring the full range of our expertise, including banking and leveraged finance, taxation, management incentive arrangements and management compensation to our sponsor clients.
Main contacts: Ulf-Henrik Kull, Senior Partner, [email protected]; Ilkka Perheentupa, Managing Partner, [email protected]; Erkki-Antti Sadinmaa, Partner, [email protected], Robin Nordblad, Partner, [email protected]
Venture Capital and Growth Equity:
Our team has in-depth experience advising VC-backed Nordic companies from a broad range of industries, as well as leading global venture capital, growth equity investors and strategic corporate venture investors. We provide tailored, practical, solutions-oriented counsel in all matters throughout the venture capital investment lifecycle, including advisory on equity and debt financing, transactional assignments, governance, intellectual property, data privacy, corporate and securities law, commercial agreements and strategic alliances.
Main contacts: Ilkka Perheentupa, Managing Partner, [email protected]; Anders Floman, Partner, [email protected]
Real Estate:
Our team represents domestic and international clients in connection with real estate transactions and projects, including purchase and sale of both individual properties and real estate portfolios, real estate investments and development projects. We have the resources and capability to coordinate projects from commencement to completion, covering, as applicable, structuring, due diligence, corporate and contractual matters, negotiation and documentation, financing and registration, and completion and post-completion matters. Members of our team have advised real estate companies, funds and other financial owners, property developers, construction companies, and state and municipal actors in a broad range of the largest real estate transactions and projects.
Main contacts: Henrikki Tahkokallio, Partner, [email protected]; Christoffer Charpentier, Partner, [email protected]; Mathias Lindqvist, Partner, [email protected]; Björn Söderblom, Partner, [email protected]
Restructuring and Insolvency:
We provide practical assistance in matters related to economic distress. Our team regularly advises debtor companies, their boards of directors, shareholders or creditors in out-of-court refinancing or voluntary restructuring negotiations and pre-pack discussions, but also in in-court insolvency proceedings. We act as court appointed administrator in corporate restructuring proceedings. In addition, we assist clients in insolvency related disputes and other court proceedings, such as claw-back claims and board liability matters.
Main contact: Salla Suominen, Partner, [email protected]
Tax and Structuring:
We provide a broad range of tax advisory services with focus on tax litigations, transaction and financing structuring services, due diligence, financial services tax and tax compliance and audit assistance. Our tax services complement our ability to execute high-end transactions, equity and debt structures, and litigations processes.
Main contacts: Sebastian Kellas, Partner, [email protected]; Antti Leppänen, Senior Advisor, [email protected]
Ranked Offices
Provided by Avance Attorneys
- HelsinkiMannerheimintie 20 A, 7/F, Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland, 00100
- Web: www.avance.com
- Tel: +358 20 155 5140
- Fax: +358 20 155 5141
- View ranked office
Avance Attorneys rankings
Articles, highlights and press releases
181 items provided by Avance Attorneys
Supercell invests in Penguin Armada
Avance advises Supercell in its investment in a Barcelona-based gaming studio Penguin Armada.
Synergi announces seed financing round led by Greencode Ventures
Avance advises Synergi, a Finnish tech company accelerating the transition to sustainable energy sources with smart and flexible software for consumers and utilities, in raising a EUR 2 million seed financing round led by Greencode Ventures.
Future Run announces a second financing round led by Supercell
Avance advises Future Run, a Finnish game development studio, in raising a second investment round from Supercell.
Tencent enters into a EUR 15 million convertible loan agreement with Remedy
Avance advises Tencent Holdings Limited and its affiliate in the EUR 15 million convertible loan transaction with Remedy Entertainment.
CapMan Infra and its portfolio company Valokuitunen acquire Telia's fibre network
Avance advises CapMan Infra and its portfolio company Valokuitunen Oy in the acquisition of Telia’s residential area fibre network.
Lumme Palvelukiinteistöt acquires a care property portfolio from Hoivarakentajat
Avance advises Lumme Palvelukiinteistöt (jointly owned by Alma Property Partners and senior members of the operating team) in the acquisition of a portfolio of eight timber-constructed care properties from Hoivarakentajat Oy for approximately EUR 30 million.
Odevo to acquire Retta Isännöinti
Avance advises Retta Group and Altor Equity Partners in the sale of Retta Isännöinti to Odevo. Retta Isännöinti is Finland’s largest service company in the management of residential and real estate companies, with close to 6,000 customers, 150,000 homes under management and 600 employees.
Mehiläinen repurchases all shares held by LocalTapiola
Avance advises Mehiläinen and its majority owner, CVC Capital Partners, on a transaction whereby Mehiläinen Konserni Oy repurchased all shares held by LocalTapiola in the company as well as the related debt financing arrangements. Prior to the transaction, LocalTapiola owned approximately 20 percent
InfraRed Capital Partners acquires a majority stake in Voltan Energy
Avance advises Voltan Energy and its shareholders in a transaction where InfraRed Capital Partners acquires a majority stake in Voltan Energy and allocates EUR 75 million to fund the growth of the heat-as-a-service business of Voltan Energy.
Summa Equity to acquire the recycling and waste business of Fortum for approx. EUR 800 million
Avance advises Summa Equity in the acquisition of the recycling and waste business of Fortum for approximately EUR 800 million.
KKR to acquire Accountor Software
Avance advises KKR on its agreement to acquire a majority stake in Accountor Software, a leading provider of mission critical business software in Finland and Sweden.
Slättö acquires two residential portfolios for EUR 130 million
Avance advises funds managed by Slättö in two separate acquisitions of residential portfolios in Finland, for a total transaction value of EUR 130 million. The acquisitions are made with Finnish institutional investors as co-investors.
Aspia acquires Accountor's outsourcing business
Avance advises Aspia, a Vitruvian investee company, on Finnish law aspects of its acquisition of Accountor’s outsourcing business cluster, a leading provider of accounting, payroll, and professional services in the Nordic region.
Combination of Canatu Oy and Lifeline SPAC I Plc
Avance advises Canatu Oy and its shareholders and option holders in the de-SPAC combination of Canatu and Lifeline SPAC I Plc, whereby Lifeline SPAC I acquires all shares and option rights in Canatu by way of a directed share issue consisting of Lifeline SPAC I’s new shares and option rights.
NCC Property Development enters into preliminary agreement to develop a commercial property
Avance advises NCC Property Development Oy in a development project of a commercial property in Malmi, in which NCC would acquire the property from Revelon Oy with the target of obtaining a city plan change and developing the property for residential, retail and care home use.
NREP sells urban logistics portfolio
Avance advises NREP in the sale of a Finnish urban logistics portfolio to funds managed by Blackstone.
Sirius acquires a residential portfolio
Avance advises Sirius Capital Partners and its newly established residential vehicle in the acquisition of two prime residential buildings located in Helsinki from OP-Rental Yield.
Altor’s acquisition of a minority stake in Mandatum
Avance advises Altor Fund VI in the acquisition of a minority stake in Mandatum Plc. Altor first acquired a stake in Mandatum following the demerger of Mandatum from Sampo and subsequent listing of Mandatum on Nasdaq Helsinki in October 2023.
Nuveen Real Estate’s European value-added strategy makes first single-family housing acquisition in
Avance advises Nuveen Real Estate (Nuveen, a TIAA company) in its forward-purchase of the delivery of 141 single-family housing units in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
Humana divests elderly care units
Avance advises Humana (listed on Nasdaq Stockholm) in the divestment of 21 elderly care units in Finland to Mehiläinen.
Mehiläinen to acquire Docrates
Avance advises Mehiläinen in the acquisition of Docrates, a comprehensive cancer diagnostics and treatment provider serving patients from up to 50 different countries each year.
Combination of the share classes of Keskisuomalainen
Avance advises Keskisuomalainen Oyj in connection with the combination of the company's two share classes and related directed share issuance to the holders of former class K shares in the company.
eQ Commercial Properties Fund sells a retail park in Finland
Avance advises eQ Commercial Properties Fund in the sale of a retail park in Espoo to an entity established by Swiss Life, one of the leading real estate managers and facilitators in the Nordics.
A consortium formed by Apollo and Rettig announces a public tender offer for all shares in Purmo
Avance advises Rettig Oy Ab and the consortium formed by certain affiliated funds of Apollo Global Management and Rettig in relation to the voluntary recommended public cash tender offer for all the shares in Purmo Group Plc announced by the consortium’s special purpose vehicle.
HappySignals receives growth investment led by Mandatum Asset Management
Avance advises HappySignals, a leading provider of IT Experience Management solutions, in its EUR 12 million funding round led by Mandatum Asset Management and joined by existing investors Nauta and Vendep Capital.
Sirius acquires residential portfolio for EUR 45 million
Avance advises Sirius Capital Partners and its newly established affiliate in the acquisition of a portfolio of 4 residential buildings from eQ's residential fund, Oivat Kaupunkikodit Ky.
Cobbleyard and sponsors divest warehouse property in Vantaa
Avance advises Cobbleyard Real Estate and its sponsors in the divestment of a warehouse property in Vantaa. The 6,400 sqm last-mile warehouse is single let with a long-term lease.
Kurio acquired by SAMY Alliance
Avance advises the owners of Kurio, a social-first creative agency, in the sale of Kurio to SAMY Alliance, an integrated, social-first technology and data-enabled digital marketing company. Kurio is ranked the 8th most creative agency in the world in the Global Creative Index 2023 by PRovoke Media
SARC Architects join forces with SIGGE Architects
Avance advises SARC Architects when it joins forces with SIGGE Architects. SARC and SIGGE are Finland’s leading architecture firms whose works have received several architecture awards, both domestic and international.
Avance advises AVS-Yhtiöt Oy and its owners in the sale of AVS-Power Oy to Beijer Oy, a subsidiary of Beijer Alma AB.
Supercell invests in Penguin Armada
Avance advises Supercell in its investment in a Barcelona-based gaming studio Penguin Armada.
Synergi announces seed financing round led by Greencode Ventures
Avance advises Synergi, a Finnish tech company accelerating the transition to sustainable energy sources with smart and flexible software for consumers and utilities, in raising a EUR 2 million seed financing round led by Greencode Ventures.
Future Run announces a second financing round led by Supercell
Avance advises Future Run, a Finnish game development studio, in raising a second investment round from Supercell.
Tencent enters into a EUR 15 million convertible loan agreement with Remedy
Avance advises Tencent Holdings Limited and its affiliate in the EUR 15 million convertible loan transaction with Remedy Entertainment.
CapMan Infra and its portfolio company Valokuitunen acquire Telia's fibre network
Avance advises CapMan Infra and its portfolio company Valokuitunen Oy in the acquisition of Telia’s residential area fibre network.
Lumme Palvelukiinteistöt acquires a care property portfolio from Hoivarakentajat
Avance advises Lumme Palvelukiinteistöt (jointly owned by Alma Property Partners and senior members of the operating team) in the acquisition of a portfolio of eight timber-constructed care properties from Hoivarakentajat Oy for approximately EUR 30 million.
Odevo to acquire Retta Isännöinti
Avance advises Retta Group and Altor Equity Partners in the sale of Retta Isännöinti to Odevo. Retta Isännöinti is Finland’s largest service company in the management of residential and real estate companies, with close to 6,000 customers, 150,000 homes under management and 600 employees.
Mehiläinen repurchases all shares held by LocalTapiola
Avance advises Mehiläinen and its majority owner, CVC Capital Partners, on a transaction whereby Mehiläinen Konserni Oy repurchased all shares held by LocalTapiola in the company as well as the related debt financing arrangements. Prior to the transaction, LocalTapiola owned approximately 20 percent
InfraRed Capital Partners acquires a majority stake in Voltan Energy
Avance advises Voltan Energy and its shareholders in a transaction where InfraRed Capital Partners acquires a majority stake in Voltan Energy and allocates EUR 75 million to fund the growth of the heat-as-a-service business of Voltan Energy.
Summa Equity to acquire the recycling and waste business of Fortum for approx. EUR 800 million
Avance advises Summa Equity in the acquisition of the recycling and waste business of Fortum for approximately EUR 800 million.
KKR to acquire Accountor Software
Avance advises KKR on its agreement to acquire a majority stake in Accountor Software, a leading provider of mission critical business software in Finland and Sweden.
Slättö acquires two residential portfolios for EUR 130 million
Avance advises funds managed by Slättö in two separate acquisitions of residential portfolios in Finland, for a total transaction value of EUR 130 million. The acquisitions are made with Finnish institutional investors as co-investors.
Aspia acquires Accountor's outsourcing business
Avance advises Aspia, a Vitruvian investee company, on Finnish law aspects of its acquisition of Accountor’s outsourcing business cluster, a leading provider of accounting, payroll, and professional services in the Nordic region.
Combination of Canatu Oy and Lifeline SPAC I Plc
Avance advises Canatu Oy and its shareholders and option holders in the de-SPAC combination of Canatu and Lifeline SPAC I Plc, whereby Lifeline SPAC I acquires all shares and option rights in Canatu by way of a directed share issue consisting of Lifeline SPAC I’s new shares and option rights.
NCC Property Development enters into preliminary agreement to develop a commercial property
Avance advises NCC Property Development Oy in a development project of a commercial property in Malmi, in which NCC would acquire the property from Revelon Oy with the target of obtaining a city plan change and developing the property for residential, retail and care home use.
NREP sells urban logistics portfolio
Avance advises NREP in the sale of a Finnish urban logistics portfolio to funds managed by Blackstone.
Sirius acquires a residential portfolio
Avance advises Sirius Capital Partners and its newly established residential vehicle in the acquisition of two prime residential buildings located in Helsinki from OP-Rental Yield.
Altor’s acquisition of a minority stake in Mandatum
Avance advises Altor Fund VI in the acquisition of a minority stake in Mandatum Plc. Altor first acquired a stake in Mandatum following the demerger of Mandatum from Sampo and subsequent listing of Mandatum on Nasdaq Helsinki in October 2023.
Nuveen Real Estate’s European value-added strategy makes first single-family housing acquisition in
Avance advises Nuveen Real Estate (Nuveen, a TIAA company) in its forward-purchase of the delivery of 141 single-family housing units in the Helsinki metropolitan area.
Humana divests elderly care units
Avance advises Humana (listed on Nasdaq Stockholm) in the divestment of 21 elderly care units in Finland to Mehiläinen.
Mehiläinen to acquire Docrates
Avance advises Mehiläinen in the acquisition of Docrates, a comprehensive cancer diagnostics and treatment provider serving patients from up to 50 different countries each year.
Combination of the share classes of Keskisuomalainen
Avance advises Keskisuomalainen Oyj in connection with the combination of the company's two share classes and related directed share issuance to the holders of former class K shares in the company.
eQ Commercial Properties Fund sells a retail park in Finland
Avance advises eQ Commercial Properties Fund in the sale of a retail park in Espoo to an entity established by Swiss Life, one of the leading real estate managers and facilitators in the Nordics.
A consortium formed by Apollo and Rettig announces a public tender offer for all shares in Purmo
Avance advises Rettig Oy Ab and the consortium formed by certain affiliated funds of Apollo Global Management and Rettig in relation to the voluntary recommended public cash tender offer for all the shares in Purmo Group Plc announced by the consortium’s special purpose vehicle.
HappySignals receives growth investment led by Mandatum Asset Management
Avance advises HappySignals, a leading provider of IT Experience Management solutions, in its EUR 12 million funding round led by Mandatum Asset Management and joined by existing investors Nauta and Vendep Capital.
Sirius acquires residential portfolio for EUR 45 million
Avance advises Sirius Capital Partners and its newly established affiliate in the acquisition of a portfolio of 4 residential buildings from eQ's residential fund, Oivat Kaupunkikodit Ky.
Cobbleyard and sponsors divest warehouse property in Vantaa
Avance advises Cobbleyard Real Estate and its sponsors in the divestment of a warehouse property in Vantaa. The 6,400 sqm last-mile warehouse is single let with a long-term lease.
Kurio acquired by SAMY Alliance
Avance advises the owners of Kurio, a social-first creative agency, in the sale of Kurio to SAMY Alliance, an integrated, social-first technology and data-enabled digital marketing company. Kurio is ranked the 8th most creative agency in the world in the Global Creative Index 2023 by PRovoke Media
SARC Architects join forces with SIGGE Architects
Avance advises SARC Architects when it joins forces with SIGGE Architects. SARC and SIGGE are Finland’s leading architecture firms whose works have received several architecture awards, both domestic and international.
Avance advises AVS-Yhtiöt Oy and its owners in the sale of AVS-Power Oy to Beijer Oy, a subsidiary of Beijer Alma AB.