Digitalisation and the green transition are major transformations that will change both society and the ways to do business in the coming years. Topi Lusenius and Marius af Schultén, the new partners of Castrén & Snellman, advise our clients and help them navigate their business in the midst of these changes.
4.9.2024
Our new partners Topi Lusenius and Marius af Schultén help our clients navigate through major transformations
Related services
Topi Lusenius: Technology acquisitions are a touchstone for businesses
‘The technological transformation fundamentally changes the ways to do business. Many customer interfaces are already digital, and the transformation pace keeps accelerating. It has been forecasted that the money spent on digital transformation will double from the current two trillion to four trillion dollars by 2027,’ describes Topi Lusenius, Partner of our Data & Technology service.
In the coming years, businesses will face system upgrades and acquisitions. Topi encourages businesses to approach these projects cautiously, plan them well and investigate the risks carefully.
‘Digital projects should be treated as business transformation projects. Major reforms tend to be vulnerable to delays and other deviations. The budget may have to be increased, and the end product may not meet expectations. It is advisable to prepare for any deviations by carefully drafting the contract and by reserving sufficient financial and human resources for the project,’ Topi advises.
A well-drafted project contract allows for enough freedom but is concrete at the same time. The contract should clearly define project responsibilities, timetables and budget. A high-quality contract helps the project organisation to lead the project and to address any shortcomings if necessary.
‘At best, the contract enables the project organisation to focus on what matters most, in other words leading the project and engaging users at different phases of development,’ Topi summarises.
Topi Lusenius has a long and varied experience in technology and contract law. He advises domestic and international companies on cross-border projects such as digital transformation, outsourcing, product development, technology-driven M&A transactions, venture capital and litigation.
Marius af Schultén: The opportunities of the green transition should be leveraged in full
During the past two years, the green transition has raced forward in Europe. Key questions for the coming years are renewable energy, storage of electricity and increasing the production of green hydrogen.
‘Investors are currently interested in the possibilities of renewable energy, and Finland is among the most attractive investment targets. This opportunity should now be leveraged in full as the demand for renewable energy will significantly increase in the coming years,’ explains Marius af Schultén, Partner of our Environment, Energy & Green Transition service.
The demand for renewable energy will be increased by the EU’s ambitious climate objectives as well as by the goal-oriented expansion of green hydrogen production capacity. ‘The EU has been determined about driving green hydrogen production forward, and the regulatory environment is constantly evolving. However, large-scale production requires significant investments and achieving satisfactory investment security requires a large and sufficiently steady output of green electricity. While there is interest towards Finland, the opportunity should now be seized to remain one of the forerunners in the development of clean energies.’
Green transition regulation is constantly evolving, and to succeed in the competitive market, energy companies need to continuously analyse the operating environment and monitor changes in legislation.
‘A strategic partner knows the operating environment thoroughly and can therefore help predict changes and plan projects. The special characteristics of the project’s or investment’s target country always have an impact on how the project progresses, which means that local knowledge is particularly valuable. As a full-service office, we can help companies at every stage of green transition projects,’ Marius summarises.
Marius af Schultén is an experienced expert in environmental law. He has a long and extensive experience as a strategic advisor to domestic and international energy and infrastructure project developers, investors, funds and financial institutions, in particular on renewable energy projects and their development.
Latest news
Latest references
Fortum – AI workshop
We delivered two AI workshops for Fortum Corporation’s Mergers and Acquisitions team, with both legal and business professionals participating. The sessions combined fundamental AI principles with custom use cases for commercially available AI tools tailored to Fortum’s needs. We also presented a bespoke solution merging AI with a script-based tool developed by our Legal Tech team, enabling a more automated way of working. Our experts conducted the training drawing on their legal background and leading experience in this emerging field of legal technology. Participants particularly appreciated the clarity and relevance of the implementations demonstrated. ‘C&S delivered an excellent, well-structured series of workshops, with directly applicable takeaways,’ says Sabina Hautaviita, Legal Counsel for M&A at Fortum.
Case published 9.3.2026
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