Krogerus appoints Kalle Hynönen, Kirsi Kannaste and Samu Lassila as heads of practice groups
We have appointed three new heads of practice groups. The appointments are effective from 1 April 2021. Kalle Hynönen will lead our TMT and Intellectual Property practice group, Kirsi Kannaste will steer our Dispute Resolution practice group and our Tax practice group will be led by Samu Lassila.
The appointments reflect our firm’s focus on continuously developing our strategic offering in growing areas of demand. All three appointed partners represent a wide range of expertise and they are looking forward to continuing to drive of our already highly preferred practice groups, and meeting the long-term demand for legal advice among our clients.
"Our TMT&IP team is in a very exciting phase. We have a strong background in providing advice in the largest and most complex ICT matters in the market, and we are now investing significantly in our IP and data protection services, for which demand is growing rapidly. IP and technology law can be complex, which makes it even more important that our advice is always human-understandable and comes in a practical and friendly package. We have a unique set of individuals on board to ensure that," says Kalle Hynönen, Partner and Head of the TMT and Intellectual Property practice group.
Kalle advises clients on both contentious and non-contentious intellectual property matters, with a particular focus on copyrights and trademarks. Kalle also regularly provides counsel on IP and technology intensive contractual matters, marketing law and data protection, and he is a Certified Information Privacy Professional / Europe (CIPP/E).
Kirsi specialises in high-level commercial dispute resolution with a particular focus on international arbitration, both as counsel and arbitrator. Kirsi also has valuable experience from advising clients in relation to management liability issues and white-collar crime.
"Each of our team's lawyers is encouraged from day one to find their own area of specialisation while maintaining the readiness to manage disputes and give sophisticated yet straightforward advice as a dispute resolution generalist. Our clients' continuous appreciation of being able to find just the right team with a pragmatic approach is what drives us and makes us want to excel time and again. As in any other field of law, the key to successful dispute resolution is a functioning dialogue with your client. This allows us to unlock the dispute in our client's best interests," comments Kirsi Kannaste, Partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution practice group.
Samu's main focus is on M&A and transaction-oriented tax advice. He advises domestic and international clients on the taxation aspects of acquisitions, disposals, internal reorganisations and refinancing processes. He also frequently assists clients who are seeking advance tax rulings from the Finnish tax authorities and with other tax processes, including tax audits and controversy.
"There are two factors driving our clients' increased needs for tax services. First, the tax landscape is constantly evolving. Second, the real world and the business situations our clients are in are becoming increasingly complex. The most rewarding cases as a tax lawyer are those where we are able to collaborate with the client, learn from their business, and provide valuable and meaningful insight into the tax implications of contemplated business decisions in return," says Samu Lassila, Partner and Head of the Tax practice group.
