Greetings from Alumni: Mirva Näsi

We interviewed our alumna Mirva Näsi, who used to work as a lawyer in our Dispute Resolution team from 2010 to 2018 and who currently works as a judge at the Market Court. We asked Mirva about her work as a judge and her memories of the time she spent at Hannes Snellman.

Hi Mirva, how are you?

Hi! I’m doing fine, thank you for asking. At the moment, life is, of course, more restricted and home-centered than it used to be due to the coronavirus epidemic. However, this situation has, for example, taught me useful new IT skills when it comes to working from home. And I’m glad that we have two furry assistants at home, who are always eager to “help”.

You have now worked as a judge at the Market Court for three years. What would you say are the biggest differences when it comes to working as a judge when compared to working as a lawyer at a law firm?

Surprisingly, there are a lot more similarities than differences in the content of these two jobs. I used to work in the Dispute Resolution team at Hannes Snellman, and, like now, my work also back then comprised mainly of legal research and legal writing with an internal meeting or a court hearing every now and then. As the Market Court decides most of its cases in a three-judge panel, the teamwork part is also somewhat similar to what it was like at Hannes Snellman. Probably the biggest differences are my role in the court proceedings and the absence of client relationships per se.

Do you remember what your very first day at Hannes Snellman was like in 2010 when you started as an associate lawyer? How about, what were your thoughts on your last day at Hannes Snellman?

I was very excited to join Hannes Snellman. It was my first job after graduating from the law school, and I felt very grown up. I had met three of my future colleagues in the job interview, and it didn’t come to me as a surprise that the rest of the team were just as easy-going and welcoming. Six years went by quickly, and I remember that on my last day I somehow didn’t know how to stop working. I was left with too little time to say goodbye to all the amazing people that I had got to know at Hannes Snellman.

Has the law firm background helped you in your current job?

While the fields of law that I work with at the Market Court are mostly different from what I used to work with at Hannes Snellman, I believe that working at a large law firm, especially as a litigation lawyer, is an excellent steppingstone for working as a judge. It is also very good for a judge to be able to understand an attorney’s point of view in the court proceedings.

What tips would you give to a law student and young lawyer who dreams of a career as a judge?

If you already know that working at a court is your thing, it pays off to familiarise yourself with the Finnish procedural acts. It will make your life easier. But, whether or not you are aiming for a career at a court, I would strongly recommend doing the one-year court training (in Finnish: auskultointi). It gives you an idea of what it is like to work as a judge, helps you gain work-related self-confidence, and prepares you for making difficult decisions. Also, applying for the three-year assistant judge (in Finnish: asessori) programme is a good way to start your court career or give you an insight into how the courts function.

Want to know more about working at Hannes Snellman? Please pay a visit to our Careers section.