Languages

English, Finnish

Assistant

Zoe Röpelinen

Klaus Metsä-Simola

Partner Environment & Natural Resources

Languages

English, Finnish

Assistant

Zoe Röpelinen

Klaus advises clients in our Real Assets Practice, which is a multi-disciplinary group of experienced lawyers whose expertise cuts across energy, infrastructure, real estate, construction, environment, and projects. Klaus heads the Environment & Natural Resources Practice.

He advises domestic and international clients on assignments related to environmental law. He is regularly involved in a wide range of energy and natural resources projects. Wind power development, solar PV, data centres, hydrogen projects, and mining are particular focal areas of Klaus’s expertise, and he has in-depth regulatory know-how and practical experience in these fields. Klaus has also had an active role in numerous infrastructure-related projects ranging from waterways to harbours and road networks. His expertise spans capital markets, litigation, PPP, project finance, restructuring, and tax, with an outstanding track record. He is also active in Hannes Snellman’s ESG Group.

Selected References

Parties

CompassForge, Ecogrid Energy Park

Transaction

Hannes Snellman acted as counsel to CompassForge in the development of the Ecogrid Energy Park located in Pori, Finland.

Ecogrid Energy Park, a billion-euro international energy project combining a state-of-the-art data center and a balancing power plant. Designed to support Finland’s energy transition, the environmentally neutral facility will create jobs, promote green innovations, and contribute to the national grid’s capacity.

Deal Value

Not public

Role

Counsel to CompassForge in the development of the Ecogrid Energy Park located in Pori, Finland.

Contacts

Parties 

ib vogt, Renewable Power Capital Nordics

Transaction 

Legal advisor to ib vogt in its disposal of a 50 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project to Renewable Power Capital Nordics. The BESS project is located in Kalanti, Uusikaupunki, in Southwest Finland, and is ready to be built. It is one of the larger BESS projects in development in Finland.

Deal Value 

Value not public

Role

Counsel to ib vogt

Contacts

Parties

Exilion

Transaction

Counsel to Exilion in respect of Exilion’s solar PV project in the municipality of Simo, Finland, with a planned nominal capacity of 70 MWp and an estimated annual production of 65,000 MWh. Once operational, the project will be one of the largest solar PV projects in Finland. Our team advised Exilion in respect of e.g. negotiating construction, supply, and services contracts.

Deal Value

Value not public

Role

Counsel to Exilion

Contacts

Parties:

Danske Bank, La Banque Postale, Neoen, Prokon

Transaction:

Counsel to Danske Bank and La Banque Postale in respect of matters of Finnish law in the project financing of a Finnish onshore wind farm portfolio consisting of the three onshore wind farms Björkliden, Lumivaara, and Storbötet, co-developed by Neoen and Prokon and currently under construction. These projects will have a combined capacity of approx. 202.5 MW.

Deal value: 

Approx. EUR 220 million

Role:

Finnish Counsel to Danske Bank and La Banque Postale

Contacts

Hannes Snellman has been engaged by the Finnish state enterprise Metsähallitus in the Pyhäjoki-Raahe and Närpiö offshore wind power development projects. The envisaged nominal capacity of the projects is 3,000 MW.

 

Contacts

Parties:

United Bankers’ UB Timberland Fund (AIF), Taaleri Forest Fund III LP

Transaction:

United Bankers’ UB Timberland Fund (AIF) agreed to acquire Taaleri Forest Fund III LP. The forests managed by Taaleri Forest Fund III comprise 19 forest properties covering in total a surface area of approximately 7,650 hectares of which more than 6,400 hectares is productive forest land.

Deal value: 

Value not public

Role:

Counsel to United Bankers’ UB Timberland Fund (AIF)

Contacts

Parties

ib vogt, Helen

Transaction

ib vogt's disposal of 206 MWp solar PV project to Helen.

Deal Value

Value not public

Role

Counsel to ib vogt

Contacts

Parties:

Metsähallitus, Vattenfall

Transaction:

Counsel to the Finnish state enterprise Metsähallitus in the joint venture entered into with Vattenfall concerning Finland’s first large-scale offshore wind farm. Our assignment, commenced in 2021, entailed all legal aspects of the structured sales process followed by the creation of the joint venture and the contractual framework steering the development.

Deal Value: 

Value not public

Role:

Counsel to Metsähallitus

Contacts

Parties 

Gasgrid Finland Oy

Transaction 

Counsel to Gasgrid Finland Oy in connecting Hamina LNG terminal to the Finnish natural gas transmission network

Deal value 

Value not public

Role 

Counsel to Gasgrid Finland Oy

 

 

Contacts

Parties

Stora Enso Oyj, UPM-Kymmene Group, Metsä Group, Sonoco-Alcore, other sellers (Sellers), Stena Recycling Oy (Buyer), Encore Ympäristöpalvelut Oy (Target)

Transaction

Sale of Encore Ympäristöpalvelut Oy to Stena Recycling Oy

Deal Value

Value not public

Role

Counsel to Stora Enso Oyj, UPM-Kymmene Group, Metsä Group, Sonoco-Alcore, and other sellers

Contacts

Parties

Remeo Holding II Oy (buyer), Delete Finland Oy (seller), Delete Ympäristöpalvelut Oy (target)

Transaction

Counsel to Remeo in its acquisition of Delete Ympäristöpalvelut Oy, a Finland-based environmental and recycling services provider.

Deal Value

Value not public

Role

Counsel to Remeo

Contacts

Parties:

Veolia Services Suomi Oy, Metsä Fibre

Transaction:

Veolia Services Suomi Oy’s project to build a crude methanol processing plant in connection with Metsä Fibre's Äänekoski bioproduct mill plant in Äänekoski

Deal Value:

Value not public

Role:

Counsel to Veolia Services Suomi Oy

Contacts

Parties:

Gasgrid Finland Oy, Excelerate Energy

Transaction:

Gasgrid Finland Oy's chartering of an LNG Floating Storage and Regasification Unit from Excelerate Energy.

Deal Value:

EUR 460 million

Role:

Counsel to Gasgrid Finland Oy

Contacts

Hannes Snellman acts as counsel to Microsoft in Finland.

Contacts

Parties 

LähiTapiola Kiinteistövarainhoito Oy, Tapiola Yhteismetsä

Transaction 

LähiTapiola Kiinteistövarainhoito Oy's establishment of the jointly owned forest Tapiola Yhteismetsä and the related service concept, which provides forest owners an opportunity to attach forest areas to the jointly owned forest, thereby receiving the benefits of professional, sustainable, and long-term forestry services as stakeholders of Tapiola Yhteismetsä.

Deal Value 

Value not public

Role

Counsel to LähiTapiola Kiinteistövarainhoito Oy

Contacts

Hannes Snellman has been engaged by the Finnish state enterprise Metsähallitus in the Korsnäs offshore wind power development project. The envisaged minimum nominal capacity of the project is 1300 MW, entailing 70–100 turbines with a capacity of 12–20 MW each.

Contacts

Parties

BlackRock Real Assets (Buyer), Green Horizon Renewables a.s. and other minority investors (Sellers), Mikana portfolio (Target)

Transaction

BlackRock Real Assets’ acquisition of the Mikana portfolio, which consists of an existing operational project of 20 MW and four wind development projects with a capacity of 200 MW, from Green Horizon Renewables a.s. and other minority investors

Deal Value 

Value not public

Role

Counsel to Green Horizon Renewables a.s. and other minority investors

Contacts

Parties

Assemblin, Tom Allen Senera

Transaction

Counsel to Assemblin in its acquisition of Tom Allen Senera, a Finland-based systems supplier of energy solutions to properties.

Deal Value

Value not public

Role

Counsel to Assemblin

Contacts

Parties 

Mayr-Melnhof Cartonboard International GmbH, Kotkamills Group Oyj

Transaction 

Mayr-Melnhof Cartonboard International GmbH's acquisition of Kotkamills Group Oyj

Deal Value 

Approx. EUR 425 million

Role

Counsel to Mayr-Melnhof Cartonboard International GmbH

Contacts

Parties 

Keliber Oy, Sweco

Transaction 

Keliber signed an engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) contract with Sweco in respect of a project, which comprises a concentrator plant and lithium mines in Kaustinen, Kokkola and Kruunupyy, and a lithium hydroxide plant in Kokkola.

Value

Value not public

Role 

Counsel to Keliber Oy

Contacts

Parties 

Oy Linde Gas Ab (Buyer), Neste Markkinointi Oy (Seller), Neste’s cylinder gas business and stake in Oy Innogas Ab (Targets)

Transaction 

Oy Linde Gas Ab’s acquisition of Neste Markkinointi Oy’s cylinder gas business and Neste Markkinointi Oy's stake in Oy Innogas Ab, a provider of LPG cylinder filling, requalification and logistics services.

Value

Value not public

Role 

Counsel to Oy Linde Gas Ab

Contacts

Parties 

Remeo Oy

Transaction 

Remeo Oy's construction project of a materials recovery facility.

Value

Approx. EUR 35 million

Role 

Counsel to Remeo Oy

Contacts

Rankings

  • Ranked as Leading Partner, Real Estate and Construction, Legal 500, 2025
  • "He's worked with the renewables sector for a long time and can provide solutions that are not only correct from a legal point of view but also work in the day-to-day business.", Energy & Natural Resources, Chambers Europe, 2025
  • Recognised as Highly Regarded in Project Development, IFLR1000, 2024
  • Leading Individual, Real Estate and Construction, Legal 500, 2024
  • Ranked in Energy & Natural Resources in Chambers Europe, 2024
  • Recommended by clients and peers, Who’s Who Legal: Energy, 2024
  • Leading practitioner, Who’s Who Legal: Environment 2024.
  • "Klaus is a true expert within his field and great at finding solutions for versatile issues. He is also very nice to work with, because he is calm and easy-going.", IFLR1000, 2023
  • "Working with Klaus Metsä-Simola really calms us down when a matter is turbulent.", Energy & Natural Resources, Chambers Europe 2023
  • "Expertise in Finnish legislation and the renewables industry, ability to combine legal framework with commercial considerations and market practices, very responsive attitude and focus on solving problems.", IFLR1000, 2022
  • "One client comments: 'Klaus aims to find the commercially viable solution for the client.', Energy & Natural Resources, Chambers Europe 2022
  • “The ‘top-notch lawyer’ Klaus Metsä-Simola is an environmental expert who excels at handling wind power development projects with his impressive knowledge of domestic and international regulations.”, Who's Who Legal 2020
  • 'Klaus is commended by clients for his "excellent technical knowledge, commercial awareness and great client service skills."', Energy & Natural Resources, Chambers Europe 2020
  • Ranked as a Highly regarded lawyer in the 2020-2021 editions (Finland: Project development) of IFLR1000
  • Ranked as a recognised practitioner in Energy & Natural Resources in the 2018 & 2019 editions of Chambers Europe
  • Ranked among the best lawyers in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 editions (Helsinki: Environmental Law) of Best Lawyers®
  • Leading practitioner, Who’s Who Legal: Environment (2014, 2015 and 2016).

Memberships and Positions of Trust

  • Member of the Finnish Bar Association
  • Member of the Finnish Society for Environmental Law

Professional Background

  • Partner, Hannes Snellman, 2022–
  • Specialist Partner, Hannes Snellman, 2018–2021
  • Counsel, Hannes Snellman, 2013–2018
  • Borenius Attorneys at Law, 2010–2013
  • Ministry of the Environment, 2009–2010
  • State Environmental Administration, 2004–2009

Education

  • University of Helsinki, Faculty of law, 1999–2004
  • Licentiate in Laws, University of Helsinki, 2003
  • Master of Laws, University of Helsinki, 1999