We assist clients with various business disputes, including commercial and corporate cases and matters related to marketing, construction, securities, corporate crime, insolvency and enforcement as well as intellectual property. Our team is focused on meeting our clients’ goals, whether that means winning a case at trial, minimizing litigation costs, negotiating a business resolution or charting a course to avoid litigation entirely. Our litigation lawyers regularly represent both domestic and foreign parties in general and special courts. We also handle ad hoc and institutional arbitration proceedings both as counsel and serving as arbitrators.
Recent cases
Represented a mobile gaming company in a case concerning an application for injunction before the Finnish Market Court. The Market Court rejected the application lodged against our client.
Represented a major Finnish company in a high-profile, complex construction related litigation regarding a 20 MEUR claim for damages.
Represented a former employee of a Finnish listed company in a court case related to trading of complex financial instruments. The case concerned 34 MEUR claim for damages and charges of misuse of position of trust.
Represented a former CEO and a member of the board of a Finnish subsidiary of a global group company against damages claim amounting to over 25 MEUR and bankruptcy related criminal charges.
Represented a global financing service company in arbitration proceedings under FAI Rules concerning termination of licensing agreement and the related damages.
Represented a Finnish company in arbitration proceedings under FAI Rules related to a breach of a non-competition undertaking.
Represented a Finnish industrial manufacturing and development company in arbitration proceedings related to an earn-out clause in a share purchase agreement.
Represented a Finnish subsidiary of a global chemical development and industry group of companies in arbitration proceedings under FAI Rules related to a share purchase agreement, in particular the earn-out clause therein.
Represented a Finnish insurance company in arbitration proceedings under FAI Rules related to termination of a cooperation agreement.
Represented a Finnish real estate investment company in a debt collection case involving complex judicial issues. The case was finally decided by the Finnish Supreme Court.
Represented a Finnish financial management company in a dispute regarding a claim for damages, heard and decided finally by the Finnish Supreme Court, based on the marketing of certain financial products and investor duty of care.
Represented a Finnish company providing defense, security and aviation life-cycle support services and technology solutions in a landmark case with regard to corporate criminal liability and related to an alleged aggravated bribery of foreign public officials in connection with supplying defense material to a foreign state.
Represented a Finnish company in a dispute concerning the alleged nullity of a general meeting resolution and related share issue.
Represented a Finnish private equity company in a dispute concerning the invalidity of a share purchase agreement.
Represented an international engineering and electronics group company in a Market Court litigation related to marketing of products and unfair business practices.
Represented a Finnish insurance company in a large debt collection matter and advised the client also with related board liability issues.
Advised a Finnish company in complex corporate and debt restructuring matters as well as various board liability issues.
Advised a private equity company in a dispute over an alleged breach of the sellers’ warranties under a share purchase agreement.
Represented a Swedish private equity company in a court case regarding a significant recovery claim.
Represented a former CEO in a dispute regarding the termination of managing director agreement.
Advised a company within energy business in a dispute regarding a major claim for damages based on an electricity disturbance in its customer’s production plants.
Advised a Finnish company in a dispute related to termination of an agent contract of a cross-border nature.
Advised a major Finnish construction company in disputes regarding alleged faults in planning, design and building of large office and business premises.
Advised a foreign technology company in a commercial dispute regarding an IT system related supply contract.
Represented a Finnish subsidiary of a global industrial manufacturing and development group of companies in criminal court cases related to the misuse of our client’s business secrets.
Represented a former director of a development company in a police investigation regarding an alleged fraud and misuse of public funding in connection with a major cross-border real estate project.
Represented a major Finnish retail company, as a plaintiff, in a criminal court case regarding suspected bribery in business.
Continuous advisory of corporate clients in board and management liability cases.
Continuous advisory of corporate clients with regard to cross-border and national compliance related issues, conflict management situations, internal and external investigations, corporate and white-collar crime related matters as well as criminal court proceedings with a special focus on anti-corruption, business secrets and securities market issues.
Continuous advisory on various insolvency related questions related to M&A, finance and other transactions.
Served as sole liquidator in a Finnish company’s liquidation proceeding carried out in accordance with the Finnish Companies Act.
Served as sole arbitrator in ad hoc and institutional proceedings in various commercial disputes including e.g. share purchase agreements and consultancy agreements. Acted as arbitrator and trustee in redemption proceedings concerning the minority shares of limited liability companies.
Served as sole arbitrator under FAI expedited arbitration rules.
Rankings
2021
Avance’s Dispute Resolution team ranked by Benchmark Litigation 2021 edition. Our key cases highlight our capabilities in tax, insolvency and corporate and commercial litigation.
Benchmark Litigation 2021
2020
The Legal 500 highlights that “the team is led by the ‘highly respected’ Ulla Vuokila and Salla Suominen, who are both highly experienced litigators; Vuokila is also in demand as an arbitrator, chairing a number of significant panels.” Dispute Resolution team is praised for expertise, professionalism and dedication. One source describes that our firm has “a really good reputation and has extremely good and experienced personnel who truly are the real experts in company law” and continues that our “experience was evident and assuring.”
Legal 500 2020, Dispute Resolution
2018
Co-heading the disputes team at Avance Attorneys, Ulla Vuokila is renowned in the market for her longstanding experience in white-collar crime mandates. She also represents clients in a broader range of corporate disputes. Interviewees appreciate that she “makes sure all the relevant aspects in a case will be considered,” and add that she is “always available when needed.”