Werner Laitinen

Associate, Master of Laws

Services

  1. Employment

As a part of the Employment team, I advise our domestic and international clients on diverse assignments related to employment law.

Before completing my Master of Laws degree at the University of Helsinki, I worked as a trainee at Castrén & Snellman and several other business law firms. Additionally, I gained international experience while studying at the University of Sheffield in England.

Latest references

Castrén & Snellman advised the lead investors Ten Eleven Ventures and Tesi in the EUR 275 million Series B financing round of IQM Quantum Computers, the global leader in building quantum computers. The round is largest Series B round ever in Finland and the second largest in the Nordics. In addition to the lead investors represented by C&S, the round was participated by several new and existing investors, including pension funds Elo Mutual Pension Insurance and Varma Mutual Pension Insurance, strategic investors Companies of Schwarz Group and Winbond Electronics Corporation, and sovereign wealth funds EIC and Bayern Kapital. Ten Eleven Ventures is the original cybersecurity-focused, global, and stage-agnostic investment firm. The firm identifies, invests in, and helps grow top cybersecurity companies addressing critical digital security needs, leveraging its team, network, and experience to build successful businesses. Since its founding, Ten Eleven Ventures has raised over USD 1 billion and made over 60 cybersecurity investments across various stages worldwide. Tesi (Suomen Teollisuussijoitus Oy / Finnish Industry Investment Ltd) is a state-owned investment company with an industrial policy mission focused on driving economic growth, renewal, and investments. Tesi invests on market terms both in venture capital and private equity funds, and directly in startups, scale-ups, and large industrial projects. IQM Quantum Computers, founded as a deep tech spin-off from Aalto University in 2019, specialises in developing quantum computers utilizing superconducting circuits. The company designs and produces quantum processors at its facility in Espoo, providing computing solutions and optimizations tailored to both research and industrial applications. In addition to its Finnish operations, IQM has expanded its presence to Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Poland, Spain, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States.
Case published 4.9.2025
We advised Lantmännen ek för in its contemplated acquisition of Leipurin from Aspo Plc. Lantmännen is an agricultural cooperative and Northern Europe’s leader in agriculture, machinery, bioenergy and food products. Lantmännen is owned by 17,000 Swedish farmers and has 12,000 employees in over 20 countries. Leipurin is a leading Nordic supplier of bakery ingredients, equipment, and expert services to professional bakeries, confectioneries, and food manufacturers. The company operates across Finland, Sweden, and the Baltic countries with subsidiaries located in the aforementioned countries, providing comprehensive solutions to the baking industry. The closing of the transaction remains subject to regulatory approvals.
Case published 25.8.2025
We advised Pihlajalinna Plc on an arrangement whereby Pihlajalinna Terveys Oy and Ikipihlaja Setälänpiha Oy sold their special housing services business to Esperi Care Oy.  The transaction involved three Pihlajalinna Uniikki units in Hämeenlinna, Lohja and Riihimäki as well as Ikipihlaja Oiva in Raisio. As a result of the arrangement, more than 100 employees transferred to Esperi. Pihlajalinna is one of Finland’s leading private providers of social and healthcare services, offering a wide range of services to both private and public sector clients. Pihlajalinna has more than 160 locations across Finland.
Case published 2.6.2025
We are advising Oomi Oy in a business transaction whereby KSS Energia Oy’s consumer and business customers in the retail sale of electricity will be transferred to Oomi. The transfer is scheduled to take place in March 2025. The arrangement requires approval from the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority. Oomi Oy is one of the largest energy service companies and electricity sellers in Finland. The arrangement is a result of the recent development of the electricity market and Oomi’s strategy, which aims to offer customers a seamless and improved digital customer experience.
Case published 20.12.2024
We advised Nomios, a portfolio company of the European growth buyout investor Keensight Capital, with its cross-border acquisition of Intragen Group, a leading European expert in digital identity and access management. The acquisition marks a major milestone in Nomios’ growth strategy and further strengthens its position as the global trusted partner for cybersecurity across Europe. Nomios is one of Europe’s leading providers of cybersecurity services. Keensight Capital is a European growth buyout investor with deep expertise in technology and healthcare.  
Case published 17.11.2025
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.
Case published 11.11.2025
We advised CapMan Real Estate in the acquisition and financing of a high-quality residential asset located in Katajanokka, Helsinki.  The asset was acquired from the Finnish Seamen’s Service Bureau (MEPA).  The property consisting of 38 modern rental apartments with a parking garage was completed in 2017. The building features high-quality construction, modern floorplans, and well-designed communal areas including a gym and rooftop sauna premises, and blends with the area’s historic maritime character. The residential asset is located in the prestigious Katajanokka seaside district of central Helsinki, known for its architectural heritage and proximity to the city centre. The property has a high ESG profile which will be further improved by CapMan Real Estate.
Case published 6.11.2025
We are acting as legal adviser to Stena Line on its acquisition of NLC Ferry Ab Oy (Wasaline), strengthening Stena Line’s position in the Baltic Sea and enabling it to take over operations of the ferry route between Umeå in Sweden and Vaasa in Finland. The acquisition further strengthens Stena Line’s position as one of the leaders in sustainability within the ferry industry and enhances the company’s access to alternative fuels whilst providing a strong intermodal transport link towards Gothenburg and Trelleborg, and onwards to the European continent. NLC Ferry, operating under the auxiliary name Wasaline, were owned by Kvarken Link, a company jointly owned 50/50 by the cities of Umeå and Vaasa. Wasaline is the world’s northernmost shipping company, operating daily passenger and freight services between Vaasa, Finland and Umeå, Sweden, and is the first carbon-neutral ferry operator in the Baltic Sea with its hybrid vessel, Aurora Botnia, which runs on biogas and batteries. Stena Line is one of Europe’s leading ferry operators, with 20 routes across the continent. The company is family-owned, was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Gothenburg, with 6,550 employees and an annual turnover of 19.6 billion SEK. The transaction is conditional to the approval of the respective municipal councils of Umeå and Vaasa as well as customary closing conditions such as authority approvals. The completion of the transaction is expected to take place in the beginning of the year 2026. Castrén & Snellman is collaborating with CMS Wistrand, Stena Line’s advisor on Swedish law matters in connection with the transaction.
Case published 4.11.2025