Hannes Snellman Boosts Its IP & TMT Practice

Jesper Nevalainen and Elisabeth Vestin become new Partners, and Outi Jousi has started as Counsel.

Our clients face a continuously increasing variety of demanding IP & TMT (Intellectual Property & Technology, Media and Telecommunications) related challenges and opportunities, which we support them in addressing. The digitalisation of business, the knowledge economy and new innovative technology, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and the internet of things, create complex legal issues to be tackled.

In order to further enhance our delivery of premier Nordic services in this fast-developing field, we boost our team with the lateral partner recruitment of Jesper Nevalainen and by promoting Elisabeth Vestin to partner. In addition, we have recruited Outi Jousi as counsel who focuses on technology and public procurement, as well as numerous bright and talented associate lawyers to further strengthen our IP & TMT services. 

Jesper Nevalainen joins Hannes Snellman as Partner and Head of the TMT practice in Helsinki. Jesper focuses on commercial, technology and data protection law, including outsourcing in the TMT sectors, and he has particular expertise in open source licensing issues. He advises both buyers and suppliers of information technology on a wide range of business-critical matters ranging from strategic advice, project management, contract drafting, negotiations and disputes to re-engineering of distressed projects. In addition to outsourcing, his expertise also covers complex technology transactions, data protection and privacy, as well as non-contentious IP, software licensing and compliance matters. For several years, Jesper has been ranked as a leading TMT practitioner in all notable legal directories.

Jesper joins Hannes Snellman from Bird & Bird. In addition to his work experience from leading Finnish and international law firms, he also has in-house experience from the information technology sector, which makes Jesper well equipped to grasp and deliver on client expectations.

 “Jesper has skills and capabilities which are sought-after in the market, so we are delighted to welcome him to both our partnership and our high-performance, cross-border IP & TMT team”, says Mikko Heinonen, Managing Partner in Helsinki.

“I am very honoured to become a partner at Hannes Snellman. As the digitalisation of the society and the knowledge economy pushes rapidly forward, and so does the demand for legal advice in this space, I am very excited about the opportunity to advise Hannes Snellman's current and future clients in navigating in the rapidly changing world of TMT and data protection law”, says Jesper Nevalainen.

Elisabeth Vestin becomes a partner at Hannes Snellman as of 1 January 2018. Elisabeth joined Hannes Snellman in January 2016 as Head of IP & TMT in Stockholm. She has hit the ground running with a highly motivated and fast-growing team. Elisabeth’s fields of expertise include IP, IT, data protection, marketing, consumer, e-commerce and online business, sports, media, music and entertainment law, as well as general commercial law.

She also serves clients in sustainability, anti-bribery and data compliance matters in Hannes Snellman’s Corporate Responsibility & Compliance group.
 
“We are thrilled to welcome Elisabeth to our partnership. During her time at Hannes Snellman, Elisabeth has not only demonstrated a high level of legal expertise within IP & TMT, but she has also proven to be very driven, client-oriented and business-minded”, says Paula Röttorp, Managing Partner in Stockholm.

“I am very proud of how fast Hannes Snellman’s IP & TMT practice has grown, as it is the result of having a hard-working and enthusiastic team, and inspiring clients. Personally, I am of course honoured and excited to become a Hannes Snellman partner”, says Elisabeth Vestin.

Outi Jousi, Counsel, has joined Hannes Snellman from Bird & Bird, where she established the Finnish IT public procurement practice. In addition, Outi spent eight years with the Finnish Government’s Central Purchasing Body Hansel. Outi offers strategic advice in the cross-roads of technology and public procurement.

Outi advises both contracting authorities and companies in negotiations, market surveys, tendering competitions, contract preparation and drafting, Market Court proceedings, compliance analysis, contractual disputes and re-engineering of distressed projects.
 
In addition to her legal degree, Outi has a software developer background. She brought agile contracting to the Finnish public sector and has been certified as a Scrum Master.  Outi has been involved in some of the most significant and novel public procurement tender processes of the past decade, her advice ranging from strategic advice to the development of novel contracting models. 

For further information, please contact:

Madeleine Bergenheim, Client Relations Manager, Stockholm
Mobile: +46 (0) 760 000 039, madeleine.bergenheim@hannessnellman.com

Johanna Mattsson, Head of Client Relations, Helsinki
Mobile: +358 40 570 5995, johanna.mattsson@hannessnellman.com

 

Jesper Nevalainen, Partner | IP & TMT and Outi Jousi, Counsel | IP & TMT

Elisabeth Vestin, Partner (as of 1 January 2018) | IP & TMT