OREANDA-NEWS. May 28, 2013. SORAINEN advised and successfully protected a major shareholder in a complex bundle of disputes between shareholders. A minority shareholder attempted a hostile takeover of a group of import-wholesale and retail companies via conspiracy and improper shareholders meetings and attempting, with partial temporary success, to limit the client’s voting rights and powers as manager of the companies.

The number of related disputes exceeded 50 and investigations covered a wide range of matters involving aspects of corporate, tax, criminal and civil law including bankruptcy proceedings, cross-border chasing of assets, divorce and division of marital property. The disputes saw gaps in the law filled regarding rules on shareholders meetings, execution of minority shareholders’ rights, applicability of the bad faith principle, voting with shares in the common ownership of spouses, management liability and granting procedural aid. Related cases reached the highest court several times and in one instance involved review of constitutionality.

The overall success story was directed by the partners in SORAINEN’s Dispute Resolution, Real Estate & Construction and Corporate Advisory Teams. During in-court and out-of-court “battles” the client was represented by SORAINEN task teams managed by Dispute Resolution Team partner Carri Ginter and other team members were senior associates Andrus Kattel, Inga Murula and Veikko Puolakainen.