Risto Ojakoski
Risto Ojakoski
Risto advises both domestic and international clients on a wide range of matters related to employment law and human resources, such as director and employment contracts, terminations of employment, collective bargaining agreements, working time arrangements, employee representation, work permits, HR policies, employment discrimination, and employee privacy. He also advises clients on employment law aspects of major mergers and acquisitions, including legal due diligence, employee transfers, employee participation issues, information and consultation procedures, and post-closing measures.
Owing to his previous career and degree in human resources, Risto's expertise goes beyond legal: He is able to put himself in the client's shoes and provide them with practical and business-minded solutions as well as recommendations on best HR practices.
Risto is currently training on the bench at a District Court.
References
Counsel to a client in biopharmaceutical industry in various employment law related matters, including e.g. advice related to change negotiations, working hours arrangements, changes in terms of employment, terminations of employment, issues related to family leaves as well as matters related to employee benefit.
Counsel to a tech company in a global reorganisation of workforce.
Parties
Nordic Metal Holdings (Buyer), Alumeco Group (Target)
Transaction
Hannes Snellman advised Nordic Metal Holdings in its acquisition of Alumeco Group, a metal wholesaler primarily within aluminum.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Nordic Metal Holdings
Counsel to a company in the food industry in matters related to subcontracting, hiring foreign workforce and seasonal workforce.
Parties:
Vitec Software Group AB (publ), Oy Raisoft Ltd
Transaction
Vitec’s acquisition of all shares in Oy Raisoft Ltd
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Vitec Software Group AB (publ)
We advised the client in setting up operations in the Finnish Lapland and preparing feasible employment models and work permits for a staff consisting of up to 200 noncitizens.
Counsel to a multinational company in a merger, including harmonisation of employment policies and practices.
Advised Pankaboard in its negotiations with the Paper Workers’ Union and Trade Union Pro to conclude company-specific collective bargaining agreements for its paper workers and salaried employees, respectively.
Parties
IK Partners (Buyer), Intera Fund II Ky, Intera Fund III Ky, management and other minority shareholders (Sellers), Renta Group Oy (Target)
Transaction
Intera Partners’ sale of Renta Group Oy to IK Partners
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Intera Partners
Parties
Angel Pond Holdings Corporation, MariaDB Corporation Ab
Transaction
Combination of Angel Pond Holdings Corporation and MariaDB Corporation Ab by way of a domestication merger and cross-border merger, and related transactions
Deal Value
USD 672 million (implied enterprise value of the combined company)
Role
Finnish counsel to Angel Pond Holdings Corporation
Parties
Lassila & Tikanoja plc (JV shareholder), Neova Oy (JV shareholder), L&T Biowatti Oy (joint venture company)
Transaction
Counsel to Lassila & Tikanoja plc, a service company that is putting the circular economy into practice, in creating a joint venture with Neova Oy consolidating the parties’ energy wood businesses in Finland and Estonia. The joint venture’s turnover is approximately EUR 100 million and it employs approximately 100 employees.
Deal Value
Not disclosed
Role
Legal counsel to L&T plc
Parties
Enersense International Oyj, Megatuuli Oy
Transaction
Enersense International Oyj, a provider of zero-emission energy solutions, has signed an agreement on acquiring shares of the onshore wind farm developer Megatuuli Oy.
Deal Value
EUR 18.5 million
Role
Counsel to Enersense International
Parties:
Intera Partners (buyer), Aihio Arkkitehdit, Arkkitehdit Soini & Horto and Cederqvist & Jäntti Arkkitehdit and their respective owners (sellers)
Transaction:
Counsel to Intera Partners and in the creation of Arco Architecture through acquisitions of Aihio Arkkitehdit, Arkkitehdit Soini & Horto sekä Cederqvist & Jäntti Arkkitehdit
Deal Value:
Value not public
Role:
Counsel to Intera Partners
Parties
Altia Plc, Arcus ASA
Transaction
Merger of Altia Plc and Arcus ASA to form Anora Group
Deal value
Preliminary aggregated annual revenue EUR 640 million
Role
Lead counsel to Altia Plc
Parties
Assemblin, Tom Allen Senera
Transaction
Counsel to Assemblin in its acquisition of Tom Allen Senera, a Finland-based systems supplier of energy solutions to properties.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Assemblin
Parties
Landis+Gyr (Buyer), Telia Finland (Seller), Telia AMR Business (Target)
Transaction
Telia Finland’s sale of Telia AMR Business to Landis+Gyr
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Telia Finland (Seller)
We advised the client in arranging employee participation on the board of directors of the combined company (Anora Group Plc) in connection with a cross-border merger between Altia Plc and Arcus ASA, as required by the EU directive 2017/1132.
Memberships and Positions of Trust
- Member of the Finnish Labour Law Association
- Member of the Finnish Association for Human Resource Management (HENRY)
- Member of the Association of Finnish Lawyers
Education and Professional Background
- Associate Lawyer, Hannes Snellman, 2020-
- Master of Laws, University of Helsinki, 2020
- Employee Relations Specialist, Restel Oy, 2020
- Bachelor of Business Administration, Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, 2017
- HR Specialist, Finnkino Oy, 2014-2017
- HR Assistant, R-kioski Oy 2012-2014