Our leading Restructuring & Insolvency service has made a major new hire, as insolvency law expert, Justice Mikko Könkkölä will join Castrén & Snellman as a senior advisor on 11 January 2021. Könkkölä has an extensive career as a judge and architect of Finnish insolvency law. Prior to joining Castrén & Snellman he served as the president of the Helsinki Court of Appeal for eleven years.
15.12.2020
Former President of the Helsinki Court of Appeal Mikko Könkkölä Joins Castrén & Snellman as Senior Advisor
Related services
Tags
Mikko Könkkölä has served in high offices in the judiciary for nearly two decades: first as a member and justice of the Supreme Court and later as the president of the Vaasa and Helsinki courts of appeal. Könkkölä has worked as a law drafter for over 25 years, including as the director of legislative affairs at the Ministry of Justice, being responsible for the drafting of laws in the field of private law.
Many lawyers also know Könkkölä for his achievements in the field of insolvency law, where he has led many key projects, including chairing the Bankruptcy Act committee. Könkkölä has also participated in the drafting of EU insolvency law. Last spring, he and co-author Tuula Linna completed the second edition of Konkurssioikeus, which is considered one of the foundational texts of Finnish insolvency law.
Our Insolvency service is expecting the coming spring to be a busy one. Many of the efforts to mitigate the financial impacts of the pandemic have mainly delayed acute cash shortages without actually lightening companies’ liabilities. Many debtors and creditors are weighing voluntary debt arrangements, restructurings proceedings or even bankruptcy.
‘I am very happy to have Mikko on our team to help our clients in their insolvency law issues. These kind of career shifts are rare in Finland, but more common globally. As forerunners in our field, it was natural for us to seize this opportunity to bring such a top expert in the field on board. Mikko’s experience and expertise will be of great value, for example, in demanding trials. He will bring new insights into trial strategy and into how different financing arrangements should be handled from the perspective of insolvency law’, said partner and head of our Restructuring & Insolvency service Pauliina Tenhunen.
Mikko Könkkölä is looking forward to starting a new path in his long and varied career.
It is exciting to start a new career in a new environment on the other side of the table. The shift to a law firm is mentally easy. After all, alongside the judiciary, high-quality legal representation is one of the most important guarantees of the rule of law. I believe that I will be able to deepen the expertise of the firm’s teams, particularly with respect to insolvency law and dispute resolution’, Könkkölä said.
Latest news
Latest references
Banyan Software – Acquisition of Carus Ferry
We acted as legal adviser to Banyan Software on its acquisition of Carus Ferry, a Finland-based provider of reservation, check-in and port operations software for ferry and passenger shipping operators. The acquisition further strengthens Banyan Software’s presence in the Nordic region while providing Carus with a long-term partner to support its continued growth and development. Carus was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mariehamn on the Åland Islands, Finland. The company develops mission-critical software for ferry, cruise and passenger shipping operators, covering the full passenger journey from booking and ticketing to capacity management, check-in and boarding. Carus also provides port automation, onboard sales systems and business information tools. The company serves approximately 30 operators across four continents and is the largest vendor by customer count in ferry reservation and departure control. Banyan Software is an acquirer and long-term operator of mission-critical software businesses serving specialised industries. Founded in 2016, Banyan follows a buy-and-hold-for-life approach and supports the long-term growth and development of its portfolio companies. Banyan operates more than 130 portfolio companies across North and South America, the United Kingdom, Europe and APAC. Following the acquisition of Carus, Banyan operates three businesses in the Nordic region.
Case published 20.10.2026
Move Energy – Combination of 3North Partners and Steady Energy and related private placement and IPO
We advised Move Energy as an investor in connection with the combination of 3North Partners Plc and Steady Energy Oy and the related private placement and initial public offering of the combined company on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland. In connection with the transaction, 3North Partners received approximately EUR 69.8 million in investor commitments from a group of institutional and other investors, including Move Energy, to fund the combined company. Steady Energy is a Finnish nuclear technology company developing a new generation of small modular reactors (SMRs) particularly suited for district heating. Its LDR-50 reactor is designed to provide cities and utilities with a scalable and low-carbon alternative to combustion-based heat production.
Case published 19.10.2026
Efima – Sale of AI business
We advised Efima Oyj on the sale of its AI business to Better Care Technologies Oy. The transaction included Efima’s Moiva AI platform developed for the care sector, the related technology and brand, customer contracts, and the experts working in the business. Efima is a Finnish digital company that supports the sustainable growth of large and mid-sized companies by streamlining their business processes and by creating competitive advantage through the innovative use of artificial intelligence and data. The company has nearly 200 experts based in Helsinki and Tampere.
Case published 21.9.2026
Neoen – Sale of data centre
We advised Neoen Renewables Finland Oy, part of the French Neoen Group, in its sale of a data centre project to a consortium consisting of international data centre developers and operators. This marked Neoen’s first data centre development project in Finland. Founded in 2008, Neoen is one of the world’s leading independent renewable energy producers. The company operates in 15 countries. It develops, finances, builds, owns, and operates solar power plants, wind farms, and battery storage systems. Neoen Group is owned by global alternative asset manager Brookfield Corporation.
Case published 17.9.2026