Mia Ihamuotila

Legal Tech & Design Lawyer

Contact details

I specialise in data protection, legal technology and legal design and co-lead our legal technology and design team. My team produces innovative solutions that improve the quality and efficiency of legal services. As a lawyer, I am innovative and creative, focusing on change management and the implementation of new perspectives and practices, such as user-centricity and artificial intelligence, in our field.

I graduated from the University of Helsinki in the spring of 2024. During my studies, I worked in law firms and as a consultant in legal technology and legal design and also managed client projects. My master’s thesis dealt with the interpretation of data protection legislation and the comprehensibility, transparency and user-centricity of privacy statements and was based on empirical research and user experiences. My research showed that comprehensibility and transparency increase thanks to design methods.

I actively participate in the development of our business, project management and innovation processes. I speak at national and international legal innovation conferences, through which I have gained extensive insights into the topics. Additionally, I have acquired expertise in the fields of design, psychology and information processing.

My team also includes legal technology trainees, with whom we take care of our digital tools. Our team’s tasks include document automation and training our staff in the use of legal technology.

In my work, I particularly enjoy being involved in developing new solutions that meet the changing needs of the business. I am social and cooperative, and I value close and interdisciplinary collaboration both within the organisation and with external stakeholders. It is important to me to be part of a dynamic and forward-looking work community where we can create meaningful changes together.

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My latest blogs

Blog Being a Part of the Legal Transformation at Castrén & Snellman

Blog Revolutionising legal services: Castrén & Snellman’s journey with AI integration

Latest references

Natural Resources Institute Finland – AI training

We delivered two tailor-made AI workshops for the lawyers at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). We discussed the AI revolution and its impact on lawyers’ ways of thinking and working, and left the participants with practical solutions for enhancing and streamlining their work with Legora. Our AI-specialist lawyers prepared use cases tailored to Luke and the needs of public administration, which Luke received for its own use following the workshops. These use cases covered topics such as: utilising legal sources and the organisation’s own data to maximise AI results building and leveraging AI workflows AI-enhanced contract drafting based on a large volume of documents. The workshops sparked wide-ranging discussion on the role and benefits of AI in legal work. Participants appreciated how clearly and comprehensively our experts were able to present the nature and benefits of AI specifically within a legal context. ‘The workshops provided excellent support for Luke’s goal of leveraging AI responsibly and gave us concrete and ready-to-use practical takeaways,’ says Hannu Laitinen, Luke’s Senior Vice President, Administrative Affairs.

Finnish Centre for Pensions – Information design workshop

We delivered two information design workshops for the legal department of the Finnish Centre for Pensions, with participants from both legal and other professional backgrounds. In the sessions, we applied the principles of legal design thinking to the Finnish Centre for Pensions’ field of operation and background materials, also utilising AI as a design tool. The participants found the tailored training highly useful and commended the trainers for their in-depth familiarisation with the Centre’s opinion drafting process and operating environment. As a result of the workshops, our experts proposed a new structural and linguistic model for the legal department of the Finnish Centre for Pensions for drafting opinions and guidelines. The proposal was well received as clear and applicable to the participants’ everyday work. In addition, we presented tailored AI use cases to support experts, allowing for a more efficient AI-assisted way of working. Our experts who delivered the workshops combined their legal expertise with their leading experience in legal design. The participants appreciated this versatile expertise, which enabled a knowledgeable, creative and applied approach to legal writing. ‘C&S created a well-structured training tailored to our needs, providing clear direction for our organisation and concrete takeaways for our experts in their day-to-day work,’ says Mari Kuunvalo, Head Of the Legal Department at the Finnish Centre for Pensions.

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.

Taaleri – AI workshop

Castrén & Snellman organised a practical AI workshop for Taaleri’s lawyers, combining the basic principles of AI thinking with practical applications in a legal environment. The training utilised use cases that were designed in collaboration based on Taaleri’s own materials. Participants found the use cases particularly useful and noted that what they had learnt was readily applicable to their daily work. The training was delivered by Castrén & Snellman’s legal technology experts with a legal background, and participants praised their strong expertise in both legal technology and its application in a legal environment. ‘Our team gained valuable insights into leveraging AI, which will continue to support our organisation’s AI journey,’ says Irina Bergström, Development Manager at Taaleri.

Puhdistamo – PK Consumer Health invests in Puhdistamo

We advised the shareholders in Puhdistamo – Real Foods Oy in the sale of all shares in Puhdistamo to PK Consumer Health. Puhdistamo is a leading Nordic wellbeing company, best known for its high-quality supplements, sports nutrition products and, functional beverages. Puhdistamo employs 120 employees in Finland and Sweden. PK Consumer Health is owned by Avista Healthcare Partners and Damier Group. The sellers will make a reinvestment into PK Consumer Health as part of the transaction. Completion is subject to customary closing conditions.

Merger of Oomi and Lumme Energia

We are acting as the joint legal advisor to Oomi Oy and Lumme Energia Oy in a transaction whereby Lumme Energia will merge with Oomi. As from the completion of the merger, the combined entity will be the largest electricity retail and service company in the Finnish market. In 2024, Oomi reported a turnover of EUR 373.9 million and had approximately 110 employees. Lumme Energia’s turnover for the same year was approximately EUR 314.6 million and it had approximately 50 employees. The transaction is primarily driven by the recent developments in the electricity market and the strategic goal to develop competitive products and services. Another key objective is to further enhance the customer experience, which is a shared value between the two companies. As a result of the merger, Lumme Energia’s customers will transfer to Oomi, and Lumme Energia will become one of Oomi’s shareholders. The completion of the transaction is subject to an approval by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority.

Suominen Corporation – Rights Issue

We advised Suominen Corporation in connection with its rights issue. The offering was oversubscribed, and the company raised gross proceeds of approximately EUR 28 million. We also advised Suominen in connection with the renegotiation of the terms of the company’s three-year EUR 100 million syndicated credit facility, under which the maturity was extended and headroom was added to the financial covenants. “I would like to thank our shareholders for their support and confidence in Suominen’s future. The completion of the Offering will enable us to accelerate the implementation of our Full Potential Program while strengthening our capital structure. Our transformation particularly focuses on enhancing the reliability and efficiency of our production and supply, and on reinforcing our commercial capabilities, allowing us to better meet the expectations of our customers and shareholders”, comments Charles Héaulmé, President and CEO of Suominen. Suominen is a nonwovens manufacturer operating in global markets. Suominen creates value by taking fiber raw materials and turning them into nonwovens that the company’s customers convert into both consumer and professional end products. Suominen’s vision is to be the frontrunner for nonwovens innovation and sustainability. Suominen’s net sales in 2025 were EUR 412.4 million and the company has almost 700 professionals working in Europe and in the Americas. Suominen’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.

Nordea Bank Abp and Avain Yhtiöt – A financing arrangement of a real estate portfolio

We acted as joint legal advisor for Nordea Bank Abp and Avain Yhtiöt in an approximately EUR 48 million financing arrangement which included facilities for refinancing of an existing real estate portfolio and also for acquisition and property development purposes. The financing arrangement strengthens Avain Yhtiöt’s objective to build and maintain a functional, safe and environmentally friendly living environment, as well as to develop the overall quality of housing and construction. Avain Yhtiöt is a Finnish group specialising in housing and housing-related services, construction contracting and new construction. Its goal is to build 1,000 new apartments per year in key growth areas in Finland.

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