26.3.2025

Castrén & Snellman top-ranked in the Legal 500 EMEA 2025: ‘Top expertise, straightforward approach to essential issues, no legal jargon.’

The Legal 500 EMEA 2025 edition has ranked all the researched Castrén & Snellman’s services in Tier 1 and 2.

Banking and finance, Commercial, corporate and M&A, Dispute resolution, Employment, EU and competition, Intellectual property and TMT. Our Tax, Capital Markets, Real Estate and Construction and Maritime & Transport services were placed in Tier 2.

A total of 38 of our experts were recognised for the exceptional work they do in their own fields. The Legal 500 ranks law firms and lawyers throughout the world and is one of the most prestigious publications in our line of business.

The rankings are largely based on interviews with clients. Here are some quotes from our clients:

Dispute resolution, Tier 1

The practice is extremely client-focused, and they deliver an exceptional approach to solving difficult project issues. They offer clear advice which clients can readily understand and direct their course of actions with confidence.

Employment, Tier 1

The team has a wide practice and covers almost all aspects of employment relationships. We have worked with the team for years and never encountered a situation in which the team has not been able to help us. Skilled, responsive and creative are words that come to my mind when I think of Castrén’s employment team.

Banking and finance, Tier 1

The C&S team has the relevant capabilities when it comes to financing agreements. The team consists of people with different types of knowledge in varying industries. In my opinion they have the best team in town.

EU & Competition, Tier 1

Top expertise, straightforward approach to essential issues, no legal jargon. Cooperation and communication is uncomplicated. Atmosphere is friendly, with a good sense of humour.

Tax, Tier 2

The team is very responsive and equipped with versatile experience. Especially the tax litigation work provided by the team has been consistently excellent.

TMT, Tier 1

Eija Warma-Lehtinen and Kim Parviainen are both excellent in what they are doing, and you can feel the experience right away. They can understand the client’s business and the special questions related to it, including questions outside of legal matters. They work as a team with the client, and as a client, you can always be confident that the matter will be handled with excellent experience and on time.

Intellectual property, Tier 1

It is very easy to work with the Castrén team. They respond very quickly and offer the best expertise in relation to all the questions we might have.

Real Estate and Cosntruction, Tier 2

C&S’s real estate practice itself provides legal services with exceptional quality. The practice is the best choice for anyone requiring legal advice on complex real estate transactions or development projects with difficult substance law questions. They can do it.

Capital Markets, Tier 2

They have a no-nonsense approach which is based on extensive experience dealing with their counterpart on an almost weekly basis.

Maritime and Transport

Rickard Langenskiöld and Jerker Pitkänen both display tremendous experience and problem-solving skills in complex shipping and maritime law issues.

Latest references

We advised Jolt Capital and Tesi in connection with their investment in VEV, a leading provider of commercial fleet electrification solutions. The investment, led by Jolt Capital with Tesi as co-investor, will support VEV’s next phase of growth and expansion across Europe. As part of the transaction, VEV became an independent company following the acquisition of Vitol’s stake in the business. Founded by Vitol, VEV provides integrated fleet electrification solutions combining fleet strategy, charging infrastructure, energy supply and operational services. Through its VEV IQ platform, the company supports more than 6,000 commercial electric vehicles across Europe and has been deployed across more than 600 sites spanning the transport, logistics and waste sectors. Jolt Capital is a private equity firm focused on growth investments in European deeptech companies. Tesi is a Finnish state-owned investment company that promotes Finnish business and economic growth through investments. We advised Jolt Capital and Tesi on the equity financing and structuring aspects of the transaction. International law firm Goodwin advised the investors on the acquisition of VEV.
Case published 10.9.2026
VR-Group Plc is a transport and logistics group owned by the Finnish State, operating passenger and freight rail transport in Finland with activities also in the Swedish market. VR Group provides passenger, logistics and maintenance services with over 160 years’ experience in developing responsible transport of the future. We advise VR Group in intellectual property matters as part of the company’s wider brand protection efforts. Our assignments have included advice on copyright, design rights and trademarks, focusing on the protection of the company’s visual identity – including its distinctive green colour – in connection with transport services as part of a comprehensive IP protection strategy. VR Group’s consistent brand building has also received recognition, including the Finland Chamber of Commerce’s Brand of the Year award in 2026. In the competition, brands were viewed comprehensively from various perspectives, including their story, strategic role, brand renewal ability and intellectual property protection. The jury found that VR had understood the importance of the protection of its brand as part of a comprehensive business strategy. 
Case published 9.9.2026
We advised NoHo Partners Plc on the issuance of EUR 50 million senior secured floating rate notes. The notes have a tenor of four years and mature on 10 September 2030. The notes bear interest at a rate of three-month EURIBOR plus a margin of 4.375 per cent. per annum. The notes were allocated to a mix of domestic and international investors. We also advised NoHo Partners on the negotiation of its new senior facilities agreement. The facilities agreement comprises a EUR 60,000,000 term loan facility, a EUR 10,000,000 capex facility and a EUR 27,000,000 revolving credit facility. “We are delighted by the interest investors have shown in the company’s Notes, which reflects confidence in our strategy. The successful issuance of the Notes, together with the new loan agreement, extends the maturity profile of our financing and enables the company to continue executing its growth strategy going forward. I would like to thank all investors for their participation, as well as our partner bank for the excellent execution of the Notes issuance”, says Jarno Suominen, CEO of NoHo Partners. OP Corporate Bank plc acted as the sole lead manager and bookrunner for the issue of the notes. NoHo Partners Plc is a Finnish group established in 1996, and it specialises in restaurant services being the creative innovator of the Northern European restaurant market. The company was listed in Nasdaq Helsinki in 2013 becoming the first Finnish listed restaurant company, and it has continued to grow strongly throughout its history. NoHo Partners’ vision is to be the leading restaurant operator in Northern Europe.
Case published 4.9.2026
We advised Topfoods Oy, a Triton-backed Geia Group company, on its acquisition of Oy Delice Plus Ab, a Finnish supplier of cakes and pastries. Through the acquisition, Topfoods strengthens its retail business and further reinforces its position in the cakes and pastries segment. Founded in 2008, Topfoods supplies selected food products to professional kitchens, the retail sector, and the food industry. 
Case published 4.9.2026