Iris Brisson

Senior Associate, Member of the Finnish Bar

Services

  1. Dispute Resolution

Contact details

I advise our clients in assignments relating to dispute resolution. My main areas of practice are domestic and international court and arbitration proceedings.

Prior to joining Castrén & Snellman, I worked as an associate with the dispute resolution team of another Finnish law firm and as an in-house lawyer for a global company manufacturing mobile phones. During my studies, I gained valuable work experience by working as a trainee at reputable Finnish law firms and by completing an internship with one of the case management teams of the ICC International Court of Arbitration in Paris.

I hold a Master of Laws degree from the University of Helsinki.

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
Energy company – Dispute arising from an energy supply agreement
We represent a major energy company in arbitration. The dispute has arisen out of a long-term energy supply agreement and the value of the claims is approximately EUR 33 million.
Case published 19.9.2023
Excelerate Energy – Chartering an FSRU to Finland
We advised Excelerate Energy on the conclusion of a lease agreement with Gasgrid Finland Oy for the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) Exemplar. The Inkoo LNG terminal project will have a significant impact on securing the supply of gas to Finland and Estonia as imports of pipeline gas from Russia cease. The Exemplar is the first FSRU in Finland and the Inkoo LNG terminal project is legally unique. Moreover, the project, which is critical for Finland’s and the Baltics’ gas supply, was completed in an exceptionally short timeframe. Our experts assisted the company in a wide range of areas including contracts, energy legislation, licensing, labour law, taxation and structuring.
Case published 9.6.2023
Neste – A EUR 250 million 10-year loan with NIB
We advised Neste as it signed a EUR 250 million 10-year loan with NIB. The loan will finance Neste’s investments related to research and development (R&D) in processing lower-quality feedstocks into high-quality renewable products; as well as the liquefied waste plastics (LWP) investment at Neste’s refinery in Porvoo, Finland. The R&D activities supported by the loan focus on the development of renewable solutions. These include, for example, expanding feedstock capabilities and technologies that enable the processing of new and lower-quality waste and residues into high-quality renewable end products. Part of the financing supports Neste’s liquefied waste plastics investment in Porvoo, related to upgrading low-quality plastic waste into high-quality feedstock at an industrial scale. The investment contributes to advancing circular economy solutions by enabling the use of hard-to-recycle plastic waste as a replacement for virgin fossil raw materials. The unit has an annual capacity to process up to 150,000 tonnes of liquefied waste plastic. Production ramp-up commenced in 2026.
Case published 19.8.2026
Aspo – Demerger and finance matters
We advised Aspo Plc, ESL Shipping Ltd and AtoBatC Shipping AB in relation to finance matters in connection with the demerger of Aspo, by which all the shares in ESL Shipping Ltd held by Aspo, together with the related assets and liabilities, will be transferred to a new independent company to be named ESL Shipping Group Plc. Aspo intends to apply for the shares of ESL Shipping Group to be admitted to trading on the regulated market of Nasdaq Helsinki. It is further intended that Aspo be renamed Telko Group Plc. 
Case published 19.8.2026
Lenders and Export Credit Agencies – EUR 514.4 million green project financing for Easpring Finland New Materials’ CAM plant
We acted as Finnish law legal adviser to the lenders and the export credit agencies in connection with the EUR 514.4 million green project financing for the development and construction of Easpring Finland New Materials Oy’s cathode active material (CAM) manufacturing plant in Kotka, Finland. The borrower, Easpring Finland New Materials Oy, is a joint venture owned by Beijing Easpring Material Technology, Finnish Minerals Group and LG Energy Solution. The financing was provided by six international commercial banks, with Société Générale acting as financial adviser and mandated lead arranger together with Natixis as co-mandated lead arranger, and DNB, ICBC, ING and Standard Chartered participating as lenders, with support from the export credit agencies Finnvera and Sinosure. The project represents a significant milestone for Finland and the European battery value chain by strengthening Europe’s domestic supply of cathode active materials, a key component in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage applications. Once the first phase of the project is operational, the Kotka facility is expected to produce approximately 60,000 tonnes of cathode active material annually, making it one of the largest CAM production plants in Europe and supplying leading battery manufacturers across Europe. 
Case published 21.7.2026
Delta Capacity – Acquisition of BESS Project
We acted as Finnish legal advisor to Delta Capacity in connection with its acquisition of the ready-to-build Karppio battery energy storage system (BESS) project from Helios Nordic Energy. The acquisition was made and the project will be implemented together with Strioga Family Foundation. The Karppio BESS project is located in Teuva, Finland, and has a capacity of 125 MW / 300 MWh. Delta Capacity will lead the remaining development of the project through to commissioning, planned for 2027, and will serve as long-term asset manager. Delta Capacity is a Swiss-based developer of utility scale battery storage systems. The acquisition adds to Delta Capacity’s growing Nordic portfolio. 
Case published 20.7.2026
Swedbank – Refinancing of Trophi’s Finnish retail real estate portfolio
We advised Swedbank AB (publ) on the refinancing of a large Finnish retail real estate portfolio owned by Trophi’s Finnish subsidiaries. Trophi is the leading Nordic real estate company focusing on grocery anchored retail properties, with 278 properties across Sweden and Finland. Finland is a market that continues to develop and is also strategically important for Trophi, accounting for approximately 30% of Trophi’s letting and property value.
Case published 17.7.2026

Get to know our other experts in the field

Anders Forss
Position: Partner, Chairman of the Board
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 50 588 6110
Marko Hentunen
Position: Partner
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 40 590 6689
Ilona Karppinen
Position: Partner
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 50 357 0514
Eveliina Tammela
Position: Partner
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 44 532 5022
Marcus Blomfelt
Position: Senior Counsel
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 40 352 9226
Teemu Auressalmi
Position: Counsel
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 50 325 2465
Stina Europaeus
Position: Counsel
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 40 744 3545
Lars Lindeman
Position: Counsel
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 20 776 5086
Touko Hakahuhta
Position: Senior Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 40 749 0511
Alexis Huldén
Position: Senior Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 40 661 5222
Onni Koivu
Position: Senior Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 50 400 5032
Pekko Linnanmäki
Position: Senior Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 50 306 9193
Roope Oja
Position: Senior Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 45 788 17724
Robin Ollus
Position: Senior Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 20 776 5413
Veera Sundberg
Position: Senior Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 50 438 7197
Mikaela Virtanen
Position: Senior Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 20 776 5046
Janina Assor
Position: Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 40 051 4935
Lotta Henriksson
Position: Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 45 788 44261
Ella Tervonen
Position: Associate
Primary service Dispute Resolution
 +358 40 095 0959