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PIRITA VIRTANEN

Founding Partner, Mediator
Harvard Law School (LL.M.) and University of Turku Law School (OTM)

Pirita Virtanen founded the first commercial mediation firm in the Nordic countries, Private Mediator Ltd.

Pirita has mediated, e.g., a 1.5-billion-euro international insurance dispute, in which claims were pending in different countries. Pirita reserved one week of her own time and 2.5 days for the negotiations, and the case was settled.

Pirita has also settled several +30 meur disputes in the Nordic countries. These disputes include some of the largest construction projects in the Nordic region.

Pirita has a public reference from West Metro ("Länsimetro"), which was the largest infrastructure, automation and building technology project in Finland. Parties had negotiated for years and they also tried another type of mediation, which failed. Despite this, Pirita settled these disputes within two weeks, of which only one day was used for the actual negotiations.

During almost 7 years of individual practice, Pirita's settlement rate is still 100 %.

Before founding her own firm, Pirita mediated numerous high-stakes international disputes with the leading mediator in the U.S., Daniel Weinstein. These disputes include an international damages case having a monetary interest of 3 billion euros. These disputes were usually multiparty disputes, including a dispute having 10 parties (more than 50 persons present). All disputes were settled.

Pirita was recently selected as the first foreign member of the Swiss Arbitration Centre's Mediation Advisory Council.

 

EXPERIENCE / CV

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  • I founded the first commercial mediation firm in the Nordic countries. I settle disputes in a business-oriented structured negotiation process, which process is also a legal process. This type of mediation is different from other mediation processes in Europe. I have settled all disputes I have mediated.

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Disputes are usually claims for damages or dissagreements over the interpreation of a contracts, but they can also be all kinds of commercial disagreements between companies or public entities.

 

For example, I have settled a 1.5 billion euro international insurance dispute and several +30 meur disputes in the Nordic region. These disputes include a dispute over building a new metroline in Finland ("West Metro"). West Metro was the largest infrastructure, building technology and automation project in Finland.

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  • Before founding my own firm, I mediated some of the largest international disputes with the leading mediator in the U.S., Daniel Weinstein. These disputes include: ​

 

  • a damages case worth over 3 billion euros. The case was mediated in one day.

  • a highly complex international securities breach case worth over 800 million euros. The case involved over 50 persons from 10 different corporations. The case was mediated in one day. 

  • an international intellectual property case worth over 500 million euros. The case was mediated in one day.

  • several class actions and other complex cases worth 100 - 500 million euros from the fields of consumer protection, construction and banking. The cases were typically mediated in one day. 

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  • I am the first person from the Nordic countries having mediated at JAMS, the largest commercial mediation provider globally. At JAMS, I participated as a mediator in several commercial contractual disputes, insurance coverage disputes, engineering and construction disputes, a product liability dispute and intellectual property disputes. Further, participated as a mediator in several employment disputes, property disputes and a highly complex sexual harassment case. 

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  • Before starting to mediate, I was a litigator and repsesented clients in some of the largest damages trials in Finland ("the asphalt cartel damages litigation"and "the motor vechile spare parts damages litigation") for 7 years and in other complex litigation and arbitration.

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  • I also worked pro bono for CMI, a peace mediation organization founded by Finland's former president and a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Martti Ahtisaari. At CMI, I participated, e.g., in facilitating meetings of high-profile Iraqi actors developing a reconciliation strategy for Iraq – how Iraq could tackle problems concerning the rule of law, transitional justice and constitutional reform.

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  • I completed a clerkship at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg assisting the Finnish judge of the court, Allan Rosas.

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  • I am a graduate of Harvard Law School and University of Turku Law School. At Harvard, I focused on mediation, negotiation and leadership. For example, 

 

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CURRENT POSITIONS OF TRUST

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  • The Swiss Arbitration Centre, Mediation Advisory Committee, Member 2024 -

  • Harvard Club of Finland r.y., Board Member and Treasurer, 2022 -

ACADEMIC PUBLICATIONS

Kilpailuoikeudellinen vahingonkorvaus asfalttikartellituomion valossa [Antitrust Damages in Light of the Asphalt Cartel Judgment]. Publisher: Defensor Legis, 2014. 

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  • A legal analysis of the Helsinki District Court's judgment in the precedent-setting Asphalt Cartel antitrust damages litigation. Co-authored with Toni Kalliokoski. 

  • The Helsinki District Court made reference to the article in the Timber Cartel antitrust damages judgment. The Finnish Bar Association selected the article as one of the best articles in 2014.

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Korko kilpailunrajoituksella veloitetulle ylihinnalle - kuinka paljon rahaa on aika? [Interest to a Cartel Overcharge - How Much Money is Time?] Publisher: Defensor Legis, 2016. 

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  • Based on years of extensive research on interest, uncovering the general principles behind the Finnish Interest Act on calculating interest and how these principles should be applied when calculating interest to a cartel overcharge.  

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Women Negotiating Peace - The Iran Nuclear Deal. Publisher: Harvard Law School, 2017.

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  • Based on interviews of the leading women negotiators, including Ambassador Wendy Sherman, the U.S.'s leading negotiator in the Iran Nuclear Deal Negotiations and the 4th highest ranking person in the Obama administration, focusing on how to overcome barriers for women to be included in peace negotiations and how to use beneficially perceptions on women in negotiating peace agreements. 

AVAILABLE TO MEDIATE WITH THE LEADING MEDIATOR IN THE U.S., DANIEL WEINSTEIN

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