Lotta Huhtamäki

Associate, Master of Laws

Services

Competition & Procurement

Contact details

I advise our clients particularly in assignments related to public procurement. As a lawyer, I am highly client-oriented and have extensive practical experience in assisting both contracting entities and tendering companies in various procurement-related matters. I assist our clients with all phases of the competitive tendering process, from procurement planning to issues that arise during the contract period. Public procurement related appeal and rectification processes also belong to my strongest areas of expertise.

Prior to joining Castrén & Snellman, I worked for several years as a procurement lawyer in the service of a contracting entity. Through this work experience, I gained valuable understanding of the procurement process from the perspective of the contracting entity, and I utilise this expertise strongly in my current role. I have also completed the Finnish court training at the Helsinki District Court, and before graduating, I undertook various internships in both the private and public sectors.

At Castrén & Snellman, I also work with matters related to EU and competition law, as well as state aid.

I hold a Master of Laws degree from the University of Turku. During my studies, I also spent a semester studying abroad in the United States.

Career+

Education+

Language+

Organizational activity+

Latest references

General Catalyst – ICEYE’s USD 150 Million Series E Funding Round

We advised General Catalyst as lead investor on ICEYE’s EUR 150 million series E funding round, valuing the company at EUR 2.4 billion. ICEYE is the world leader in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite systems and operates the largest SAR constellation globally. Its technology delivers objective, near real-time Earth observation in any weather or light conditions, enabling governments and institutions to manage risks and respond faster. General Catalyst is a global investment and transformation company, partnering with leading entrepreneurs to build toward global resiliency and applied AI. Its portfolio includes companies such as Airbnb, Snap, Stripe, Mistral AI, Hubspot, Anduril, Helsing and Legora. We advised General Catalyst on this transaction in collaboration with the US law firm Goodwin.

Ministry of the Environment – Report on the promotion of circular economy aspects in public procurement

Castrén & Snellman was commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment to carry out a study on how the Circular Economy Act could be used to promote circular economy aspects in public procurement. Our report provides valuable information to the working group tasked with preparing the new Circular Economy Act. The report includes an overview of relevant strategies, action programmes and policies, a look at relevant legislation and case law, an assessment of the current state of circular economy procurement and examples of integrating circular economy aspects into public procurement from around the world. We end the report with concrete conclusions and a proposal for a new circular economy provision with justification. The proposal aims to maximise the regulation’s effectiveness and minimise any adverse side effects. The final report is available on the Circular Economy Act project’s Gateway to Information (in Finnish). The study was carried out by Anna Kuusniemi-Laine, Sanna Aalto-Setälä, Lotta Huhtamäki, Marja Ollila, Laura Vuorinen, Paavo Heinonen and Anna Ylitalo.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Fingrid – Ilmarinen’s sale of shares to the Finnish State and OP Pohjola Kantaverkko

We advise Fingrid Oyj in a transaction in which Ilmarinen Mutual Pension Insurance Company is selling its holding of approximately 20 per cent of the shares in Fingrid to the Finnish State and OP Pohjola Kantaverkko Holding Ky. Fingrid owns Finland’s main electricity transmission grid and all significant cross-border transmission connections. The main grid is the backbone of the electricity transmission network, to which major power plants, industrial plants and regional electricity distribution networks are connected.

Metsäkonepalvelu – Acquisition of PJP Metsäexpertit

We advised Metsäkonepalvelu Oy in its acquisition of the entire share capital of PJP Metsäexpertit Oy. PJP Metsäexpertit is a Pirkanmaa-based company specialising in forest management and logging. The acquisition will strengthen Metsäkonepalvelu’s operations, particularly in the Pirkanmaa region, and expand its operations. Metsäkonepalvelu is a portfolio company of A. Ahlström Oy, a Finnish family-owned industrial owner. Metsäkonepalvelu provides mechanical timber harvesting services to forest companies, large private forest owners, and the public sector in Finland and Sweden. Metsäkonepalvelu Group employs nearly two hundred forestry professionals.

Get to know our other experts in the field

Competition & Procurement

+358 50 308 5522 kiti.karvinen@castren.fi

Competition & Procurement

+358 40 480 8661 jussi.nieminen@castren.fi

Senior Counsel, Head of Public Procurement

Competition & Procurement

+358 50 384 3082 johanna.lahde@castren.fi

Competition & Procurement

+358 40 747 9544 anu.aaltonen@castren.fi

Suzanne Simon-Bellamy

Competition & Procurement

+358 44 557 3512 suzanne.simon-bellamy@castren.fi

Senior Associate

Competition & Procurement

+358 44 992 7774 joona.havunen@castren.fi

Jenna Puschmann

Senior Associate

Competition & Procurement

+358 20 776 5399 jenna.puschmann@castren.fi

Senior Associate

Competition & Procurement

+358 50 553 7415 joachim.wik@castren.fi

Johanna Kyllöinen

Competition & Procurement

+358 40 821 4394 johanna.kylloinen@castren.fi

Search from the site.