Mergers & Acquisitions in Finland | M&A Lawyers | LKOS Law Office

Mergers & Acquisitions

Our firm’s assignments encompass a broad spectrum of Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) work, including auction processes, negotiated deals, joint ventures, carve-outs, share transfers and asset deals. Our client base comprises industrial companies, private equity investors and late-phase startups. Our business lawyers possess extensive experience and deliver pragmatic, commercial advice to support and execute our clients’ strategic objectives at every stage of their corporate lifecycle.

M&A projects are closely connected with Corporate Law & Governance, Contracts & Commercial Agreements, Dispute Resolution & Arbitration, Employment Law and International Trade & Sanctions. We ensure that deal structures, documentation and post-closing arrangements are aligned with your wider corporate structure, financing, HR strategy and cross-border requirements.

For a more detailed overview of the Finnish M&A environment, you can read our guide How to Conduct Mergers & Acquisitions in Finland .

Our M&A services cover transactions in Finland and Baltic markets as well as EU level (internationally). 

M&A lawyers at LKOS Law Office Helsinki

We regularly advise clients on M&A transactions in the following industries:

  • Construction and real estate;
  • Shipping, maritime and transport — often together with our Transport, Maritime & Logistics team;
  • Healthcare and health technology;
  • Machine and equipment rental;
  • Wood and timber industry, as well as other industrial and services sectors.

Many of our M&A projects involve cross-border elements, regulatory issues and international trade and sanctions considerations.

In Finland the most common deal structure is a private share purchase

In Finland, the most common M&A deal structure is the private share purchase. Under this structure, all assets and liabilities of the target remain with the company and only the shares transfer to the purchaser. As a result, the private share purchase is often considered the simplest form of transaction.

Careful due diligence and well-drafted share purchase agreements and transaction documents are essential to allocate warranties and indemnities correctly. We ensure that the structure fits the company’s corporate governance, financing needs and strategic objectives.

Acquisition of a business

An acquisition of a business (asset deal) is used to acquire a specific part of a business or selected assets, while limiting the purchaser’s assumption of unwanted liabilities. In an asset deal, the seller and purchaser agree precisely which assets, contracts, employees and obligations will transfer — and which will remain with the seller.

A thorough due diligence investigation is essential to identify the assets and rights that should be transferred, as well as any liabilities that should remain outside the transaction. Our team combines Corporate Law, Contracts & Commercial Agreements, Insurance Law and Employment Law expertise to structure, negotiate and document asset deals in a commercially sound and legally robust manner.

Joint ventures and strategic alliances

In Finland there is no specific legislation governing the establishment or operations of joint ventures or strategic alliances. Therefore, the general principles of Finnish contract law and company law are applicable. The choice of joint venture vehicle (limited liability company, partnership or purely contractual arrangement) has important implications for governance, control, exit and liability.

We assist clients in designing governance structures, minority protections and exit mechanisms through carefully drafted corporate documentation and shareholders’ and joint venture agreements. Where needed, we also consider competition law, sanctions and international trade aspects and provide dispute-prevention mechanisms together with our Dispute Resolution & Arbitration team.

Selected reference

Our experience in complex cross-border financing and collateral arrangements also supports our M&A and corporate transactions work. For example, we advised Signet Bank AS on the Finnish law aspects of a EUR 5 million refinancing loan facility agreement and related collateral arrangements. The matter involved structuring Finnish security and guarantees in a clear and pragmatic way to support the client’s wider financing strategy.

You can read more about this reference here: LKOS Law Office Advised Signet Bank AS on Refinancing and Collateral Arrangements .

Digitalisation

Our Firm uses a modern ERP and secure transaction platform where the full M&A workflow can be organised and executed in one place. All documentation, correspondence and due diligence reporting can be managed through the platform, providing transparency and efficient collaboration between all parties.

This digital approach is particularly helpful in multijurisdictional transactions, but it also enables us to efficiently handle smaller add-on acquisitions. We combine digital tools with our Legal Gym training to help management teams understand deal risks, integration issues and board-level responsibilities.

Our lawyers advise, draft and negotiate domestic and international purchase and sale agreements, shareholders’ agreements and other M&A documents. We are recognised for practical and business-oriented advice across all areas of Mergers & Acquisitions.

LKOS Law Office collaborates with leading international law firms, enabling us to provide seamless support for cross-border transactions. Through these partnerships we can rapidly address the client's specific needs while remaining your trusted business law partner in Finland.

If you are planning an acquisition, divestment or joint venture in Finland, contact us to discuss how we can support your transaction.

Related services and expertise

Mergers & Acquisitions rarely occur in isolation. They are often closely connected with contracts, corporate structures, financing arrangements, employment matters, cross-border trade, transport operations or sector-specific regulation. Explore related services:

For M&A-related disputes, warranty claims, escrow issues or post-closing disagreements, you can also contact our Dispute Resolution team.