Get to Know Us | Markus Manninen, Partner, Dispute Resolution, Helsinki

How did you become a lawyer at Hannes Snellman?

I was at a student party at the end of the 90s, when an older student asked me if I would be interested in working as a courier in a law firm, which turned out to be Hannes Snellman. The next day, I checked to see whether the offer was still valid and after a few phone calls and one interview, I began working as a courier at Hannes Snellman a few days later. Little by little, I went from being a courier to working as a trainee in the Dispute Resolution team, and I ended up signing an associate lawyer employment contract prior to my graduation in 2003.

What is your work history like?

At the beginning of my career at Hannes, I was also studying at the Helsinki School of Economics. In 2004–2005, I did my training on the bench at the District Court of Loviisa, which has since been abolished. The year at the District Court was very educational from a professional standpoint and in other ways as well, and it gave me confidence with regard to handling our clients’ matters in courts. About a year after completing my court training, I spent one month in the United States as a visiting intern. In addition to normal assignment work, I began seeking and eventually was appointed to sports law related positions of trust. I had already been so interested in sports law during my studies that I decided to make it the focus of my advanced studies. In 2009, I was appointed to the Supervisory Board of the Finnish Antidoping Agency FINADA, which really kickstarted my career in sports law.

You have just recently been elected to the Delegation of the Finnish Bar Association. What does this appointment mean to you?

The Delegation exercises the supreme decision-making power in the Finnish Bar Association. I feel very honoured of the election, as the members of the Delegation can have an impact on the future development of our profession. The Finnish Bar Association is currently preparing a significant renewal for its rules, and one of the core elements will be the technological development of the legal industry. The members of the Delegation have an essential role in the process, and I am very much looking forward to this work. We need to be able to react agilely to the changes of the ever-evolving society and keep ourselves on track when it comes to the technological rupture.

You started as a partner at Hannes at the beginning of 2020. How have the first months been?

My daily work has not changed much; I still focus on compliance, M&A, and company law related cases, as well as general commercial dispute resolution, as I did previously. What has changed, though, is that in my new role I have also more administrative work in addition to practicing law. One of my priorities as a partner is to continue to foster our learning culture and to empower our people through leadership and coaching. It is great to see colleagues reaching their full professional potential by mentoring and coaching.

You seem to have a lot of duties. Do you have any time for hobbies?

Yes, it is all about prioritisation and time management skills. I play basketball on a regular basis, and I also spend time with my family every day. However, this work takes a certain toll; I do not get to enjoy entertainment and culture as much as I would like to.

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