Mikko Manner
Partner, Helsinki
Digitalization & TMT, Dispute Resolution, Intellectual Property, Outsourcing
Contact
Assistant information
Mikko is a strategic advisor to a significant number of leading global companies in technology intensive industries. His clientele ranges from large-cap listed companies to globally recognized leaders in the growth company space and global private equity. He has worked extensively across key industries, such as telecommunications, healthcare, aerospace, defense, banking, online platforms, deeptech and gaming, to name a few.
He regularly advises clients on IP and technology issues in operational, transactional and strategic contexts. In addition, Mikko has significant trial experience of arbitration, mediation and litigation before the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Supreme Court, the Market Court, the Helsinki Court of Appeals and the Helsinki District Court.
Mikko has been praised by clients as being “simply excellent, always pragmatic and solution oriented, and astonishingly effective in grasping the important aspects.” (Legal500, 2024), and one client commented, in connection with the ILO Client Choice 2015, that “he provides excellent legal advice from a legal perspective, as can be expected from a partner, but he sets the mark in his commercial and solution oriented approach, which is exceptional also on a global scale.”
As the previous Managing Partner of the firm, Mikko has broad understanding and experience in engaging with senior leadership of clients and peers on a broad range of issues impacting the future of the Nordic economies. He is currently serving on the Board and the Executive Committee of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading network of independent firms, which gives him unique perspectives and experience in acting as the HQ counsel for Nordic companies.
Mikko’s experiences as in-house counsel at Nokia Research Center and at Nokia Technology Platforms have afforded him with insights into the realities of inhouse teams.
Recognitions
Mikko was recognized in 2020 (as the only legal advisor) as one of the “five leading strategic advisors to the C-Suite” by the leading Finnish economic publication, Kauppalehti Optio, among a group of multidisciplinary senior leaders on the Finnish Market.
Mikko has won the International Law Office (ILO) Client Choice Award for Intellectual Property in Finland in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016. In addition, he has been awarded with the Best Lawyers – Lawyer of the Year 2014 and 2018 awards for Technology, and the Best Lawyers – Lawyer of the Year 2016 award for Information Technology in Finland. In 2010, he was awarded with the “Golden Radio Award” by RadioMedia, the Finnish Association of Commercial Radio Broadcasters, for his work on the copyright issues in the media industry.
Mikko is ranked in Band 1 by e.g. Chambers Europe within TMT and he is in the Hall of Fame in Legal500 for both intellectual property and TMT. He is further recognized as one of the leading experts in the country within intellectual property, TMT, information technology, licensing and litigation by international legal directories such as Chambers Global, IAM Licensing 250, IAM Patent 1000, Managing IP (IP Stars), The Legal 500, Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) and Best Lawyers. In addition, Lexology Index ranks Mikko as a Thought Leader in Firm Management (since 2022) and Global Leader in Data (Data Privacy & Protection and Information Technology 2023), Entertainment (2023) and Telecoms & Media (2023).
This is what clients say about Mikko:
“He is extremely hands-on and always jumps on calls.”
– Chambers Global 2024, Intellectual Property
“Mikko Manner is very talented.”
– Chambers Global 2024, Intellectual Property
“Mikko has amazing negotiation skills, industry knowledge and legal understanding. He is a great relationship builder.”
– Chambers Europe 2024, TMT
“He has strong vision for client’s business and legal needs. He has an extraordinary attitude.”
– Chambers Europe 2024, TMT
“Mikko is a go to person and has great expertise. We appreciate his down to earth and practical thinking. He really adds value.”
– Chambers Europe 2024, TMT
“Mikko Manner is simply excellent, always pragmatic and solution oriented, and is astonishingly effective in grasping the important aspects of a case. Surely one of the best – perhaps even the best – IP lawyers in the Nordics.”
– The Legal 500 2024, Intellectual Property
“Mikko Manner is truly exceptional, at the same time seeing the big picture and having an eye for detail.”
– The Legal 500 2023, Intellectual Property
“Mikko Manner is sought after for his counsel on contentious and non-contentious IT work, and represents a range of multinational corporations.”
– Who’s Who Legal 2023, Data – Information Technology
“Mikko Manner is very knowledgeable and very responsive.”
– IP Stars 2023
“Exceptionally service minded with a brilliant grasp of clientele and their relevant industries.”
– IAM Patent 1000 2023
Work highlights
Mikko Manner’s experience includes advising:
- Nokia regularly on a wide range of strategic matters ranging from contentious patent, copyright and trade secret work to patent, copyright & trademark licensing as well as transactional IP work. From a broad range of cases, we have picked acting as the sole counsel in the global exclusive brand deal between Nokia and HMD Global, acting as the sole IP and technology counsel in Nokia’s acquisition of Withings S.A, being the global lead IP and technology counsel in the EUR 5.44 billion sale of its Devices & Services business to Microsoft Corporation (where Mikko was the lead IP & Technology counsel for Nokia in the transaction and responsible for, among other issues, the external counsel work on the 10 year trademark license for “NOKIA” to Microsoft and the 10 year patent license to Nokia’s IP portfolio to Microsoft Corporation as well as a number of intellectual asset related ancillary agreements and conceptual planning), in the EUR 15.6 billion combination with Alcatel-Lucent, in the creation of the Chinese joint venture Nokia Shanghai Bell and in the sale of HERE digital mapping and location services business to an automotive industry consortium comprising AUDI AG, BMW Group and Daimler AG at EUR 2.8 billion, in the sale of Nokia’s subsea cable business ASN and in the USD 2.3 billion acquisition of Infinera. These are only the largest transactions in a long line of high-end lead counsel work for Nokia, which includes e.g. all IP assignment and licensing aspects in the divestment of a) broadband modem technology to Renesas Inc., b) in the out-sourcing of Symbian software development to Accenture, c) the sale of Vertu Corporation to EQT, d) the purchase of Scalado’s imaging technologies into Nokia, and e) the sale of Qt Commercial to Digia;
- A leading global deeptech growth company in the Market Court litigation and in the successful defense of multiple patent infringement claims by a foreign listed company;
- A Finnish telecoms operator in the patent litigation relating and in the successful defense of an alleged patent infringement related to GSM roaming solutions against a foreign non-practicing entity;
- Telia Finland Oyj in its successful defense against copyright copyright infringement claims by the collecting society Kopiosto, including representing Telia in the European Court of Justice and the Finnish Supreme Court;
- A number of growth companies in strategic issues related to entry onto the global markets.
- A global listed industrial equipment manufacturer in the development of its global patent licensing strategy and licensing program;
- A global listed healthcare equipment and software provider in a variety of issues related to its supply chain, including disputes around software delivery projects.
Career
Roschier (2006-), Partner (2010-); Head of Helsinki office (2016-2019); Managing Partner (2019-2024)
Nokia, Legal Counsel, Java & Open Source (2004-2006)
Roschier Holmberg, Attorneys Ltd., Associate Lawyer (2001-2004)
Nokia Research Center /Helsinki, Visiting Lawyer (2001-2002, 2003)
IPR University Center /Helsinki, Secretary to the Board (1999-2000)
Memberships
Member of the Finnish Bar Association
Member of the IBA
Member of the ABA
Member of AIPPI
Member of the EuroITCounsel
Member of the Finnish Association for Industrial Property Rights (STY)
Member of the International Technology Law Association (ITechLaw)
Member of the Finnish IT Law Association
Professional appointments
Member of Executive Committee, Lex Mundi (2024-)
Member of the Board, Lex Mundi (2023-)
Finnish IT Law Association, Board member (2006-2009)
IP Advisory Committee, Eclipse Foundation, Invited expert (2005-2006)
Publications
Finnish chapter in “Copyright Litigation: Jurisdictional comparisons” 2nd edition 2015, with T. Komppa, The European Lawyer Reference
Finnish chapter in “The Technology, Media and Telecommunications Review” 5th edition 2014, with A. Haapanen and S. Laes, Law Business Research Ltd.
Finnish chapter in “Sourcing World: Jurisdictional comparisons” 2nd edition 2015, with A. Haapanen and J. Sinkkonen, The European Lawyer Reference
Education
University of Helsinki, LL.M. (2001)
Languages
English, Finnish, Swedish
The Legal 500Mikko Manner is simply excellent, always pragmatic and solution oriented, and is astonishingly effective in grasping the important aspects of a case. Surely one of the best – perhaps even the best – IP lawyers in the Nordics.