Markus Manninen
Markus Manninen
Markus focuses on compliance, M&A and company law related cases, as well as general commercial dispute resolution.
Markus advises clients in their internal and external compliance investigations and enforcement proceedings. He represents clients in M&A disputes relating to purchase price adjustments, damages claims, and share redemptions. In the field of general commercial disputes, Markus has litigated and arbitrated cases relating to e.g. international trade, construction projects, insurance contracts, and lease agreements. He has extensive experience on injunction proceedings.
Markus regularly represents Finnish and foreign corporations in both domestic and international ad hoc arbitrations, as well as in arbitrations administered by various institutional rules (including FAI, ICC, SCAI, and SIAC). In addition, Markus frequently serves as an arbitrator in both ad hoc and administered arbitration proceedings.
Markus has unparalleled experience in the field of sports law. He serves as a CAS arbitrator and has advised foreign and Finnish top level sports clubs in cases relating to sponsorship, player, coach, and stadium agreements. Furthermore, he has represented a leading stadium company and a major sports gear company in different sports-related disputes. Apart from being a versatile lecturer on sports law related topics, Markus has published several articles on the subject.
Markus Manninen demonstrates remarkable skills in integrating profound legal knowledge with strategic thinking and a composed demeanour.
Dispute Resolution | Chambers Global, 2024
References
Counsel to an international consortium in arbitral proceedings concerning the redemption of minority shares in a Finnish listed software company following a public tender offer.
Counsel to a sports federation in a disciplinary matter concerning unethical and inappropriate behaviour by an individual.
Counsel to a client in multi-million euro appeal proceedings regarding the redemption of minority shareholders of a major Finnish company, successfully overturning the arbitral award.
Successfully represented a client in court proceedings against a multi-million arbitral award enforcement request.
Represented several energy sector companies in a dispute (including an eventual complex settlement) over abuse of influence by a shareholder, share redemption, and related matters.
Counsel to a creditor in a dispute over the repayment of a shareholder loan in the energy sector.
Counsel to a major Finnish listed corporation in an international multi-million ICC arbitration concerning alleged defective supply of machinery as well as related injunction and damages claim proceedings in several instances of national courts.
Counsel to a major Finnish listed corporation in an international multi-party ICC arbitration involving damages claims and counterclaims amounting to billions of euros.
Counsel to an international organisation as an investigator. The internal investigation concerned suspected harassment, discrimination, and financial misconduct over an extended period of time.
Counsel to a significant Finnish company as an investigator in an internal investigation regarding substantial financial misconduct and alleged derelictions. The monetary value at stake amounted to millions of euro. The investigation involved AI assisted review of thousands of documents and a number of interviews.
Counsel to a leading Finnish company by successfully representing them in an external investigation concerning alleged breach of applicable regulations.
Advised a large Finnish company in a high-profile external compliance investigation relating to alleged misappropriation of funds.
Represented a Finnish listed company in external compliance investigations relating to stock exchange releases. The investigation did not lead to disciplinary actions.
Advised a Finnish listed company in internal and external compliance investigations and related multi-million insurance and criminal proceedings.
Represented a Finnish company against its former shareholders in an earn-out dispute before an independent expert. The value of the claims amounted to EUR 3 million.
Represented a Finnish corporation against an Italian subcontractor in a litigation concerning breach of contract and defective goods.
Represented major Finnish insurance companies against a government organisation in a domestic arbitration concerning the interpretation of a shareholders’ agreement. The value of the dispute exceeded EUR 2 million.
Represented a Finnish corporation in squeeze-out proceedings against the minority shareholders of another listed company. The redeemed shares were valued at EUR 3 million.
Represented a Finnish listed company against a Latin American counterparty in a multi-million euro dispute over the termination of a distribution agreement and unlawful use of our client’s intellectual property rights. Apart from the main arbitral proceedings seated in Helsinki, the case involved convoluted injunction and criminal proceedings before Brazilian state courts.
Represented a Finnish investment company against another investment company in an arbitration based on the Finnish Limited Liability Companies Act. The value of the dispute exceeded EUR 17 million.
President of the panel, sole arbitrator, or a co-arbitrator in more than 40 arbitrations.
Rankings
- "Markus Manninen is one of those very trusted advisers, with exceptional analytical skills, providing advice that is well thought through from every angle.", Dispute Resolution, Legal 500, 2024
- "Markus Manninen is very hands-on and always available to support on short notice even in quasi-legal topics.", Dispute Resolution, Legal 500, 2024
- "Markus Manninen is a great dispute resolution lawyer.", Dispute Resolution, Legal 500, 2024
- “He is highly skilled and pleasant to work with”, Chambers Europe, 2024
- “Markus Manninen demonstrates remarkable skills in integrating profound legal knowledge with strategic thinking and a composed demeanour.” Chambers Global, 2024
- Ranked as one of the Thought Leaders in the Who's Who Legal – Sports & Gaming, 2021-2024 editions
- Ranked as Future Leader in Who’s Who Legal, Arbitration (Finland), 2023
- "Markus has long experience in dispute resolution and litigation. He presents his thoughts precisely and gives clear answers.", Dispute Resolution, Legal 500, 2023
- "Markus is highly skilled and pleasant to work with.", Dispute Resolution, Chambers Global, 2023
- '"A gifted and committed expert in sports law" who is highly sought after for his top-drawer arbitration practice.', Who's Who Legal: Sports & Gaming, 2022 Edition
- 'Markus Manninen stands out because of 1) his in-depth knowledge and experience, 2) true customer orientation, 3) ability to create trust and confidence, 4) ability in creating various options for strategy and tactics for the case and making them understandable for us. I am impressed.', Dispute Resolution, Legal 500, 2021
- 'Markus Manninen is an outstanding arbitrator.', Dispute Resolution, Legal 500, 2020
- Ranked among the best lawyers in the 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017 editions (Helsinki: Arbitration and Mediation, Litigation and Sports Law) of Best Lawyers®
- Listed among the World’s Leading Sports Lawyers (Finland) in Who’s Who Legal Sports and Entertainment: Sport 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2023
Memberships and Positions of Trust
- Chairman of the Regulation and Disciplinary Unit of the Finnish Basketball Association
- Member of the Delegation of the Finnish Bar Association
- Member of the Finnish Bar Association
- Member of the Finnish Arbitration Association
- Member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Football Association of Finland (2017-2022)
- Chairman of Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports FINCIS’s Anti-doping Supervisory Board (2015-2020)
- Vice-chairman of the Disciplinary Board of the Finnish Bar Association (2014-2018)
- Member of the IRONMAN Arbitration Panel (2016-2021)
- Member of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) Arbitration Panel (2016-2021)
Publications
- New ethical and disciplinary rules by the Finnish Olympic Committee, Sports Law & Taxation Vol.11 No.4 December 2020 (co-author)
- Co-author of the Finnish Chapter in the Global Practice Guide: Litigation 2020 by Chambers & Partners
- Doping: Legal challenges posed by low concentration of a non-threshold substance (Global Sports Law and Taxation Reports, 2018)
- Doping: Proof of source – a prerequisite for an unintentional anti-doping rule violation? (Global Sports Law and Taxation Reports, 2018)
- “Unless Fairness Requires Otherwise”- A Review of Exceptions to Retroactive Disqualification of Competitive Results for Doping Offenses (CAS Bulletin, 2017)
- “Lex mitior”: reduction in the period of ineligibility under art. 25.3 of the World Anti-Doping Code (Global Sports Law and Taxation Reports, 2016)
- Re-analysis of a doping sample - delay not attributable to the athlete? (Global Sports Law and Taxation Reports, 2015)
- Key case law on attempts to circumvent FIFA’s Training Compensation System (LawInSport, 2014)
- Anti-Doping Code 2015 - Stricter Sanctions and Investigations (2014)
- The evolution of hGH cases: Veerpalu, Lallukka and Sinkewitz (Global Sports Law and Taxation Reports, 2014)
- Retroactive Disqualification of Competitive Results for Doping Offences (2013)
- Second Anti-Doping Rule Violation (2012)
- The Finnish Match Fixing Scandal (Global Sports Law and Taxation Reports, 2012)
- Refusal and Other Evasion of Doping Test (2011)
- FINADA Supervisory Board and its Decisions 2009-2010 (2010)
Education and Professional Background
- Partner, Hannes Snellman, 2020
- Specialist Partner, Hannes Snellman, 2018
- Licentiate in Laws, University of Helsinki, 2014
- Counsel, Hannes Snellman, 2012
- Senior Associate, Hannes Snellman, 2007
- Master of Economic Sciences, Helsinki School of Economics, 2005
- Trained on the Bench, District Court of Loviisa, 2005
- Associate Lawyer, Hannes Snellman, 2003
- Master of Laws, University of Helsinki, 2003