International boutique law firm

Nordic hands on expertise on employment and labour, disputes and insolvency

We at AURORALAW Attorneys Ltd are Helsinki based boutique law firm specialized in employment and labor law, disputes and selected insolvency related assignments. We represent the employers as well as individual directors, senior executives, CEO's and shareholders whenever they encounter challenges, disputes or new opportunities during their career.

We help and advise our international clients to succeed in the Finnish market, ensure compliance of their policies, controlling risks and offering dispute resolution services in mediation, court proceedings and Finnish Chamber of Commerce (FCC) as well as ad hoc arbitrations.

We are here to help whenever you or your client need hands on knowledge and clear advice on Finnish employment, labour or HR related issues, policies, compliance or arising disagreements. Our goal is always to put your client back on track as fast as possible so they can concentrate to the thing that deserves their full attention, their business.

Sometimes all it takes is just a quick "check up" on the local rules or a fast paced agreement but every now and then full scale litigation, arbitration or applying for a preliminary injunction simply cannot be avoided in order to secure the clients interests and business.

We are always happy to talk with you about the possible HR-legal questions, concerns and goals you or your client may have related to doing business in Finland as well as give our opinion about what would be the best approach in the situation at hand. Instead of "it depends" we always strive to deliver usable and practical advice to our clients. We do believe that as a advisors, we should also have the guts to tell you what we would you, if we were you!

We do not only know how things work in Finland on a pure legal perspective but also in practice.

As an example we have previously helped our international colleagues and our clients with the following issues;

Advising foreign corporation starting operations in Finland by drafting employment and senior level executive agreements as well as introduction to the employer obligations in Finland
Advising an global automotive corporation hiring a Finnish country manager and drafting the director agreement
Acting as counsel for multinational tech corporation in Finnish litigation considering the employees breach of non-competition and non-disclosure obligations
Acting as a counsel for global IT corporation in Finnish litigation considering the termination of employment of an employee
Advising multiple international employees working on executive and director roles in Finland with recruitment, termination agreement and dispute situations
Consulting a multinational transportation company in possible mass redundancy process and the required prior co-operation negotiations for Finnish operations
Offering day-to-day employment and HR-legal advisory for multinational IT corporation for their Finnish operations
Advising a potential foreign CEO candidate in directorship negotiations with an global sport tech corporation headquartered in Finland
Advising a multinational corporation in termination agreement process for multiple employees
Advising a international creditor in a Finnish bankruptcy procedure

Why choose us?

Being a boutique law firm means to you better availability, swift response times, value and guaranteed 100 % partner attention delivered with the highest quality not forgetting the easy going and friendly Nordic attitude. We care and really like what we do and believe it shows to the clients as well!

We are straight-talking and have the guts to tell you how it really is. Even if the situation does not look good for the client and a settlement really is the best option!

We are also happy to refer you or your client to one of our experienced colleagues in our nationwide network when the problem at hand is not within our own expertise. Your client deserves no less than the best possible advice and a local counsel with real hands on experience. Sometimes this requires also going behind the usual legal rankings and really knowing the local legal market with all the niches. We stand behind our recommendations.

We have a true global mindset that is not so common when you talk about boutique law firms in Finland. Connections with international colleagues and friends are really important to us and participation in the International Bar Association (IBA) and American Bar Association (ABA) has been our top priority for years. We are also members of the International Forum of Senior Executive Advisers (IFSEA) that ensures being on the pulse of current global trends and issues when advising our clients.

We want to be the go to law firm in Finland for our clients and global colleagues, whenever top quality advice with efficiency and excellent value is needed.

And if you ever end up in Finland on business or holiday make sure to let us know. We are glad to give you some inside tips and recommendations. Maybe even take you to traditional smoke sauna and ice swimming in the wintertime.

Feel free to contact us via phone, SMS or e-mail (contact details below).

Mikko & Katja

AURORALAW Attorneys Ltd

Helsinki, Finland

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mikko Kontturi

Managing Partner, Attorney-at-Law

mikko.kontturi@auroralaw.fi

Tel. +358 44 784 6290

AURORALAW Attorneys Ltd

Mannerheiminaukio 1 A / SPACES Postitalo

FI-00100 Helsinki

FINLAND

Mikko regularly advises domestic and international employers with Finnish operations on all employment, labor and HR related issues such as co-operation negotiations (consultations), employment terminations and termination agreements, collective redundancies, workplace conflicts and harrassment cases as well as occupational health & safety issues and related criminal procedures.

Mikko is also a highly seeked after and trusted advisor to corporate directors, senior executives, CEO´s and shareholders in in variety of issues and disputes usually consulting on the terms and conditions of directorship, incentive programs, stock options, shareholder agreement issues, director liability, agreement termination and restrictive covenants.

The fact that most of Mikko's executive and director new clientele comes by referrals from his clients and colleagues speaks about his work ethic and quality of his advisory.

Mikko also acts as counsel for companies and directors in litigation and arbitration proceedings especially related to employment, directorship and shareholder agreements and related preliminary injunctions. Mikko has also completed the Arbitration Academy of the Finland Arbitration Institute (FAI) and is available for arbitrator appointments under the arbitration rules of Finnish Chamber of Commerce (FCC) and statutory ad hoc arbitrations in Finland.

Mikko regularly acts as the court appointed receiver and assists the creditors in Finnish bankruptcy proceedings as well as insolvency related disputes especially recovery claims.

WORK HISTORY & EDUCATION

AURORALAW Attorneys Ltd, Founder, Managing Partner 2022 -
Teperi & Co Attorneys Ltd Lawyer 2011 - 2015, Attorney-at-Law 2015 -, Partner 2016 - 2022
Finland Arbitration Institute (FAI) Arbitration Academy 2020
Admitted to the Finnish Bar Association 2015
L.L.M University of Turku, Finland 2011

MEMBERSHIPS

Admitted to the Finnish Bar Association (Attorney-at-Law)
One of the ten members of the Finnish Bar Association expertise group for employment and labor law
International Bar Association (IBA)
American Bar Association (ABA)
International Forum of Senior Executive Advisers (IFSEA)
INSOL International
Finnish Sports Law Association

Katja Halonen

Partner, Attorney-at-Law, MSC (ECON), Trained on the Bench

katja.halonen@auroralaw.fi

Tel. +358 40 189 3045

AURORALAW Attorneys Ltd

Mannerheiminaukio 1 A / SPACES Postitalo

FI-00100 Helsinki

FINLAND

Katja regularly assist employers and senior executives with legal issues and proceedings related to employment law and dispute resolution. She also has broad experience on bankruptcy issues.

With regards to employers, Katja acts as a counsel to companies and corporations on contracts, redundancies, co-operation procedures as well as occupational health and safety issues. Katja advises her clients also with questions and risks relating to mobility of employees, international assignments as well as local agreements and employer obligations.

In addition to employers Katja's clientele consist of Executives and Managers with legal issues relating to director's agreements, termination processes, change of employment and partnership negotiations. In addition to legal advice, Katja strives to evaluate different alternatives and negotiation strategies and offer continuous support to the clients with challenging situations that they encounter in work life.

With regards to SMEs, Katja acts as a counsel to companies and corporations on contracts, redundancies, co-operation procedures as well as occupational health and safety issues. Katja advises her clients also with questions and risks relating to mobility of employees, international assignments as well as local agreements and employer obligations.

Katja acts as counsel in litigation and arbitration procedeedings and ADR measures. She has completed mediation training arranged by the Finnish Bar Association and is qualified to act as a mediator in an attorney-assisted mediation.

Katja also assists employment offences procedures starting from the preliminary investigation carried out by the police to the court hearings and appeal processes. She is also familiar with proceedings related to precautionary measures and administrative procedures.

Katja has also gained several years' experience in bankruptcy related processes on behalf of the bankruptcy estate administration and insolvency related disputes such as recovery claims.