Four new Sorainen partners: Stop overregulation!

The Baltic governments are clearly swamping entrepreneurs in too much bureaucracy. This is the key message from our four new partners at Sorainen. “Trust people more,” concludes Paul Künnap.

Senior partner
Aku Sorainen

Never before have we invited four partners to join simultaneously. The move is even more significant as all four have “grown” within the firm and have over many years become leading specialists in their fields of Practice – Mantas in M&A and private equity, Augustas in banking and finance, Mihkel in IT, IP and data protection and Paul in real estate related M&A, construction and tax.

In February, Sorainen has promoted a record number of new generation partners. The partnership is joined by Mihkel Miidla and Paul Künnap (Estonia), with Augustas Klezys and Mantas Petkevièius (Lithuania). Sorainen now has 33 partners in four countries.

Augustas Klezys

Augustas (34) joined the firm in 2011 and since 2013 has been at the helm in Lithuania of our Financial Services & Insurance Sector Group, one of the fastest growing sector groups in the firm. Augustas has advised global financial institutions and major banks in Lithuania on many high-profile strategic transactions. Unsurprisingly, he knows banks inside out and can serve them well – his background is as a banking lawyer. Today, Augustas has established himself as a trusted advisor of many financial market players in the country. His colleagues know Augustas as a good team member, opinion leader, and a friendly advisor and a passionate sailor that younger colleagues can turn to for any advice.

Mihkel Miidla

Mihkel (34) has built his career with Sorainen, having started 10 years ago in our Estonian office as a legal assistant. As the first hire for the firm’s Commercial & Regulatory Practice Group, he has always been one of the driving engines behind it. Mihkel’s passion for the internet, communications and technology has made him an excellent head of our Communications, Media & Technology Sector Group. These days, Mihkel is the go-to man in all issues related to GDPR, the new data protection regulation. Mihkel is a lawyer who knows that it is the market that the lawyer needs to follow, never getting stuck in the past. With all the technological disruption in progress, Mihkel should have no shortage of waves to ride. His colleagues know Mihkel as a professional lawyer with a fun side.

Mantas Petkevièius

Mantas (37) has been with our Lithuanian office for no less than 14 years. He has successfully led the firm’s Private Equity Practice in Lithuania while also advising on M&A deals. Mergermarket ranks Mantas as the No. 3 lawyer by total value of major M&A transactions advised in the Baltic States. He has 26 transactions to his credit with a total disclosed value of EUR 2.7 billion in 2005-2018. With his sharp eye and quick reaction for both legal details and badminton, Mantas has built a friendly trust in the firm as well as our Private Equity Practice from scratch. Last year, Sorainen established all three of the PE/VC funds launched in Lithuania. Mantas is also known as a good diplomat and a capable organiser.

Paul Künnap

Paul (41) is the tried and true rock of Sorainen, celebrating 20 years with the firm. His wide background in various areas of the law makes him the perfect lawyer to see the grand scheme of things. He mostly handles corporate, tax and contract law matters. Paul chairs the firm’s Real Estate & Construction Practice Group in Estonia. Having been brought up in Helsinki as a little boy, Paul later studied law in both Estonia and Finland and also worked in Finland for some years. This means that he can tell you whatever you want to know about the Finnish legal system. Paul believes that true and trusted advisors have to understand the market and business, tell the important from the unimportant and be responsive but also humble, never thinking they know it all. Paul truly lives up to his own high standards.