Aapo Saarikivi
Aapo Saarikivi heads Roschier’s Dispute Resolution practice in Finland.
Having represented clients in many of the largest high-stakes cases on the market, Aapo has extensive experience of arbitration, litigation, mediation and dispute board proceedings, as well as other forms of alternative dispute resolution in Finland and internationally. Aapo further provides strategic advice on claims management and the settlement of business disputes in a broad range of contentious settings. He also serves as arbitrator in domestic and international arbitrations. Aapo’s arbitration track record includes cases seated in all four Nordic jurisdictions, and major international hubs such as Paris, Geneva and Singapore.
Aapo‘s experience spans a variety of sectors, with a special emphasis on energy & industrial projects, telecoms and construction. He also has considerable experience of cartel damages actions on a national, EU and global level. Aapo has further litigated and arbitrated M&A and corporate disputes, contentious finance and insolvency matters, and disputes relating to international trade & transport, agency & distribution, tax & customs and foreign investment.
Aapo has been recognized as one of the leading experts in arbitration, litigation and dispute resolution in Finland by international legal directories such as Chambers Europe/Global, Who’s Who Legal and Benchmark Litigation. Who’s Who Legal ranks him as “Thought Leader” in arbitration (2023) and commercial litigation (2021).
According to clients, Aapo “offers solid performance and a client-minded approach” (Chambers Global, 2023); he is “an outstanding litigator who capably handles litigation and arbitration in Finland and around the world” (The Legal 500, 2022). Further, he is commended as “a solid arbitration counsel with a keen eye for strategy” and an “efficient communicator who understands the business underpinnings of a case” (GAR 100, 2019). Aapo’s work is described as “uniformly outstanding” (The Legal 500, 2021) and he is also praised for being “extremely diligent and knowledgeable” as well as “very responsive” and having “a great understanding of [client’s] business” (The Legal 500, 2020). Clients further highlight that Aapo is “clever, good in hearings and good with clients” (Chambers Europe, 2020) as well as “pleasant to work with, he understands the client’s needs and his work is high-quality” (Chambers Europe, 2018).
Aapo Saarikivi’s experience includes advising:
- Nokia as lead counsel in multiple arbitrations under the ICC, SCC, FAI and other arbitration rules and a variety of substantive laws relating to, e.g., IT services, patent licensing, component sourcing and network deliveries;
- Finnish nuclear company Fennovoima in five parallel ICC arbitrations against Rosatom group companies arising as a result of the termination of an EPC Contract for the turnkey delivery of the Hanhikivi-1 nuclear power plant, with claims valued at several billion euros;
- A Finnish energy company as lead counsel in six parallel domestic arbitrations and court cases relating to liabilities arising from a joint venture power plant, valued at EUR 70 million;
- A multinational technology provider in three parallel SCC, DIA (Danish Arbitration Institute) and OCC (Oslo Chamber of Commerce) arbitrations over the delivery of a network platform, with claims valued in excess of EUR 100 million;
- Claimant in multiple concurrent FAI arbitrations concerning cartel damages claims valued at USD 800 million;
- The owner in relation to a major ICC arbitration over delays and disruption on a significant power plant project, including complex negotiations leading to a global settlement between the parties;
- Claimant in emergency arbitrator proceedings under the SCC Rules relating to unpaid deliveries of natural gas with claims valued at USD 250 million;
- A Finnish corporation as defendant in a cartel damages action before the Finnish courts initiated by a Belgian claims vehicle, with claims exceeding EUR 100 million;
- An international bank in relation to multiple disputes arising out of the bankruptcy of its customer, and in securing the bank’s rights in connection with the bankruptcy.
Roschier (2007-), Partner since 2016
Bredin Prat /Paris, Visiting lawyer (2012)
Member of the Finnish Bar Association
Member of the International Bar Association
Member of the Finnish Arbitration Association
Member of the Swedish Arbitration Association (SAA)
Member of the ICC Commission on Arbitration and ADR
ICC YAF, regional representative (2017-2019)
Young Arbitration Club Finland (YACF), chair (2014-2015), founding board member (2012-2013)
University of Helsinki, LL.M. (2007)
Finnish Arbitration Academy (2014)
SAA Training Program for Arbitrators (2016-2017)
English, Finnish, Swedish, French
An outstanding litigator who capably handles litigation and arbitration in Finland and around the world.
The Legal 500