Pirkko-Liis Harkmaa

Professional highlights

Broader view. Before joining Sorainen, I worked in a TOP 3 pan-Baltic law firm for 20 years, out of which during the last 10 years I headed various practice groups and teams in my fields of expertise. I have advised both local and international clients from diverse industries in day to day matters as well as in more extensive reorganization projects and cross-border transactions. I have been focused on corporate, employment, regulatory and commercial law issues (eg, data protection, life sciences, telecoms and media, e-commerce, marketing and consumer relations, and product safety). This enables me to have a bigger picture in mind when advising clients and helps to keep in mind that each matter has various aspects to consider, often requiring the timely involvement of our other team members.

Employment expert. Although I have spent my career working mostly as a generalist lawyer on the advisory side, my “first love” has always been employment law and the “human touch” involved in it. Since 2010 I have been ranked by Chambers Europe as a Band 1 employment law practitioner in Estonia. To better understand clients’ concerns I recently attended the Estonian Business School for a certificate course in “Development Programme for HR Managers,” which helped foster a good understanding of the issues involved in matching modern HR and talent management strategies with the rather strict employment regulations.

Active member of the Estonian Bar Association and other professional associations. The status and future of the attorney’s profession are very close to my heart, which is why I have been a member of the Estonian Bar Association’s ethics and methodology committee since 2009 and a member of its employment law committee since 2020. I’m also active in the European Employment Lawyers Association, where I have been a member and board member since 2008.

Helping others unlock their potential. In addition to helping clients I like to dedicate time to helping future lawyers in their studies and career progression. Thus from time to time I get myself involved in conducting labour law seminars and supervising student papers at the law school of the University of Tartu. With an interest in psychology and people management, I love to work with people, as well as to figure out what motivates and affects them in their professional lives and at workplaces. So I’m happy to pass on my experience and give guidance to younger colleagues.