The Legal 500 EMEA 2026 edition has ranked all the researched Castrén & Snellman’s services in Tier 1 and 2. The research assesses the competence of law firms and lawyers, focusing on client satisfaction.
25.3.2026
Castrén & Snellman top-ranked in the Legal 500 EMEA 2026: ‘The team possesses the full range of capabilities required to act as a first-class transactional advisor.’
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All of our services reviewed in the Finland guide were ranked in the two highest tiers: Dispute resolution, Employment, Banking & Finance, TMT and Intellectual Property were placed in Tier 1. Our EU & Competition, Tax, Commercial, corporate & M&A, Real Estate and Construction, Capital Markets and Maritime & Transport services were placed in Tier 2.
A total of twenty‑eight of our experts were recognised for the exceptional work they do in their own fields: Marko Hentunen, Anna Kuusniemi-Laine, Rickard Langenskiöld, Janne Juusela and Mikko Alakare as Hall of Fame lawyers, thirteen as Leading Partners, five as Next Generation Partners and five as Leading Associates.
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
Castrén & Snellman’s dispute resolution practice stands out for its exceptional combination of legal precision and strategic insight. What makes the team unique is not just their ability to master complex legal issues, but also their commitment to understanding the business context and broader implications of each dispute. The team members are also highly communicative.
Employment, Tier 1
Castrén Snellman is in my view the strongest employment law team in Finland. They are very knowledgeable, pragmatic, timely and a trusted partner every time we have the need of involving a Finnish employment counsel.
Banking and finance, Tier 1
Castren’s banking and finance team is very experienced, solution-oriented and committed to providing excellent legal services. Resourcing is always great and appropriate for the task at hand.
TMT, Tier 1
The team combines strong industry knowledge with a breadth of skills across commercial and IT law. They provide consistently reliable advice, are responsive to our needs, and demonstrate a clear understanding of the commercial context in which we operate.
Commercial, corporate & M&A, Tier 2
You can always trust that Castrén & Snellman has done its homework. Sound, balanced advice in every situation. Castrén & Snellman always seem to have a good, collaborative spirit, whether sitting on the same or opposite sides of the table, both internally and externally, but can be tough when need be.
Intellectual property, Tier 1
There are no unnecessary questions once it has been agreed how things will be handled. All the IP matters will be handled with great expertise.
EU & Competition, Tier 2
Excellent team with a high standard of expertise combined with a practical understanding of the client’s operating environment. The team focuses on essential issues, gives practical advice and listens to the client’s needs. Collaboration is easy and fluent.
Tax, Tier 2
The team has always been very responsive and easy to work with. Especially the tax litigation part of the team’s work has consistently been a pleasant experience.
Real Estate and Construction, Tier 2
They have a very business-oriented mindset. The partners are very experienced real estate professionals. They recognise what truly matters to the client and know when to let go of less important details.
Capital Markets, Tier 2
We have experienced exceptional cross-border capability. The team led our multijurisdictional mandate across the EU, carried it out under a single commercial strategy and delivered on a matter with no established playbook. Most impressively, they designed and executed the re-domiciliation of our publicly listed company, achieving an outstanding outcome for our business.
Maritime and Transport, Tier 2
The maritime and transport team of Castrén & Snellman are very well equipped to advise on complex international maritime-related deals and transactions, for example, in negotiating acquisitions of vessels and drafting charter party agreements, as well as providing hands-on advice in transport and maritime-related matters.
View the results in detail on the Legal 500 -website.
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Jolt Capital and Tesi – Investment in VEV
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 – Intellectual property matters
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
NoHo Partners – EUR 50 million secured notes and EUR 97 million senior secured facilities agreement
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
Topfoods – Acquisition of Delice Plus
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