Our law firm would not run for long without our assistants. Hanna Rajamäki is one of them. She found her way into the job by accident, but now wouldn’t want to do anything else.
‘I never thought I would end up in this career back when I was studying marketing and communications. After graduating, I got a job at a different law firm, and fell in love with the business’, she says.
Hanna happened to be put in the employment law team, and that field of law instantly grabbed her interest.
Eight years later in 2016, Hanna noticed a job posting that looked like it was written just for her and decided to apply. That is how she joined Castrén & Snellman’s employment team.
The Best Service for Clients
Assistants are consummate professionals and trusted aides who enable our lawyers to focus on their core competences.
‘We know we’ve succeeded at our job when our lawyers don’t have to think about what we do at all’, Hanna says.
Every workday is different.
‘Some people seem to think that this job is the same day in and day out, but there is actually a lot of variety in our tasks. We take care of all kinds of things behind the scenes to ensure clients get the best service.’
According to Hanna, the most important characteristics for an assistant to have are the desire to help and a genuine interest in your what you are doing and in developing your work.
‘Being interested in your team’s area of law is also a very big plus. It adds a lot of meaning to the work.’
Soft Values in a Tough Business
Hanna says she enjoys working at Castrén & Snellman a great deal.
‘C&S maintains soft values even though the business is quite tough and hectic. The firm puts a great deal of effort into employee wellbeing and takes its employees into consideration comprehensively.’
As a few examples, Hanna mentions exercise breaks, a wellbeing programme and the small surprises that the firm has sent to its employees at home to cheer them up during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Boost in Working Life from Motherhood
Hanna particularly appreciates the value the firm puts on work-life balance.
Hanna worked at C&S for a year and a half before going on parental leave for three years. She says that the firm has a very positive attitude towards parental leave.
‘Everyone treated parental leave like a natural thing and felt that there is more to life than work.’
Castrén & Snellman launched what it calls the Bridge initiative to seek to help employees balance work and family life. The Bridge initiative and her supervisor have made returning to work very easy.
‘I’ve gotten a great deal of support in coming back to work. Even though many of the people and systems have changed, I’ve been able to get back into work mode quickly.’
Hanna says that motherhood has given her renewed energy in working life, as well.
‘Becoming a mother has improved by organisational and time management skills because I have to get things done in time to pick up the kids from day care. On the flip side, it’s easy to forget about work the instant my children run into my arms.’
Latest news
Latest references
VR – Supreme Court decision clarifies working time practices
We successfully represented VR Group before the Supreme Court in a case concerning the meal break practice of commuter train drivers. On 6 February 2026, the Supreme Court ruled in VR’s favour (decision KKO:2026:12), confirming that VR had the right to amend the commuter train drivers’ meal break practice in 2021 by rendering the break unpaid in accordance with the applicable collective agreement. This decision clarifies the interpretation of collective agreements and employment legislation as well as the limits of the employer’s right to direct work. Over 250 commuter train drivers challenged the unpaid meal break practice which VR introduced in April 2021. Before the change, meal breaks had a long history of being paid. The change was based on the train drivers’ collective agreement, which allows for meal breaks to be organised either as paid or unpaid time. The Supreme Court ruled that the scheduling and managing of breaks falls within the core area of the employer’s right to direct work. This increases the threshold for an established practice becoming a binding condition for the parties. Merely following a practice consistently and over a long period of time does not make the practice binding; instead, the employer’s intent to commit to the practice must be clearly evident from the employer’s conduct or other circumstances. As both alternatives – paid and unpaid – for organising meal breaks had been retained in the collective agreement despite other amendments over the years, it could not be considered that VR had intended to commit to the paid break practice and waive its right to direct work as regards break scheduling. It was also significant that the employment contracts explicitly referred only to the collective agreement as regards working time. The Supreme Court deemed that the employees’ paid meal break was not an established term of employment and that VR was entitled to change the practice based on the collective agreement. The employer had the right, by virtue of its right to direct work, to unilaterally change the meal break practice by choosing to apply the other arrangement permitted by the collective agreement.
Case published 3.3.2026
CapMan Growth – Investment in Kuntokeskus Liikku
We are assisting CapMan Growth in its significant investment in Kuntokeskus Liikku, a Finnish gym chain known for its high-quality self-service facilities and excellent value for money. The investment will further strengthen Liikku’s position as a market leader and support the continued execution of its growth strategy. Liikku is one of Finland’s leading fitness chains, with more than 70 locations across the country serving nearly 90,000 members. The company’s concept is to offer high-quality self-service gyms at an exceptionally competitive price point which, combined with strong operational efficiency, provides a solid foundation for profitable growth. The company’s main shareholder is COR Group, a long-time partner of CapMan Growth, and a Finnish health and wellness conglomerate known for active ownership and long-term value creation. CapMan Growth is a leading Finnish growth investor that makes significant investments in entrepreneur-led growth companies with a turnover of €10–200 million. CapMan Growth is part of CapMan, which is a leading Nordic private equity investor engaged in active value creation work. CapMan has been listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange since 2001.
Case published 27.2.2026
Terrafame – Environmental and water management permit processes concerning the company’s entire operations and the KL1 side rock area
Castrén & Snellman successfully assisted Terrafame Ltd in environmental and water management permit processes concerning the company’s entire operations and the KL1 side rock area, on which the Supreme Administrative Court issued its decision on 12 February 2026 (KHO 366/2026 and 367/2026). The changes made to the decisions of the Vaasa Administrative Court as a result of Terrafame’s appeals, enable the company to implement its new strategy and develop its operations as planned. The decisions of the Supreme Administrative Court brought the nearly ten-year-long permit process to a close.
Case published 20.2.2026
Plastep – Sale of share capital
We advised Plastep Oy and its shareholders in the sale of the entire share capital of the company to FinnProfiles Oy. The acquisition strengthens FinnProfiles’ position as a Nordic expert in sealing and insulation solutions and expands the company’s expertise in the manufacture of plastic products and technical components. Plastep, founded in 2001 and based in South Savo, is a contract manufacturer specialising in the design and production of demanding and technical plastic components, with a turnover of EUR 6.5 million.
Case published 18.2.2026