In March 2024, the Finland Office of GUOZUN CATHAY ASSOCIATES completed its establishment filing and commenced operations in the central business district of Helsinki, Finland. As a key node in the firm’s Nordic and EU legal service network, the team comprises Finnish local legal practitioners and Chinese-European cross-border legal professionals. With in-depth expertise in EU regulatory norms and Finnish commercial rules, the office coordinates service resources across multiple global jurisdictions to deliver localised, full-cycle dual-jurisdiction legal services to Sino-Finnish bilateral economic and trade entities.
This document sets out the 2026 baseline fee schedule for legal services provided by GUOZUN CATHAY ASSOCIATES Finland Office. All quoted prices exclude Finnish value-added tax (VAT), and settlement is available in euros (EUR), renminbi (CNY) and US dollars (USD). The entire service delivery process complies with the relevant regulatory requirements of the Finnish Bar Association and EU legal services frameworks.
I. Standardized Fee Models
Five compliant billing methodologies have been established in alignment with Finnish professional conduct rules and cross-border service scenarios, with fully traceable fee breakdowns:
1.Fixed Fee Arrangement
Applicable to standardised matters including company incorporation, basic filings and standard document processing. A fixed total service fee is stipulated in the formal engagement contract.
2.Hourly Rate Arrangement
Applicable to bespoke services such as cross-border projects, compliance mandates and dispute cases. Fees are calculated based on billable working hours, with detailed timesheets issued on a monthly basis.
3.Subject Matter Value Percentage Arrangement
Applicable to property-related matters including asset transactions, commercial claims and investment and financing. Fees are charged under a tiered structure based on the value of the subject matter.
4.Contingency Fee Arrangement
Only applicable to debt recovery and tort claim cases within regulatory compliance. Fees are charged based on case outcomes, with the fee ratio not exceeding 25% of the amount recovered.
5.Annual Legal Counsel Retainer Arrangement
A fixed annual service fee is charged, with bilingual service support provided to cover basic corporate needs including daily compliance, contract management and risk prevention and control.
II. Hourly Rate Schedule for Legal Practitioners
The service team applies differentiated pricing based on seniority levels, covering junior lawyers, specialist lawyers, partners and cross-border professionals. Practice areas include cross-border investment, data compliance, ESG compliance and more. The 2026 fee range is as follows: EUR 190 – EUR 650 per hour.
The final rate will be determined holistically based on project complexity, area of expertise, service urgency and team configuration.
Additional Billing Provisions
1.A fieldwork surcharge of 25% to 50% applies to work performed outside Finland;
2.Expediting fees apply for rush services and services provided on statutory public holidays;
3.Rates for EU multi-jurisdictional collaborative cases, bilingual court hearings and dedicated compliance mandates shall be appropriately uplifted in line with industry standards.
III. Specific Fee Schedule for Core Practice Areas
This fee schedule is aligned with Finnish regulatory requirements and the EU legal framework, focusing on the essential cross-border needs of Chinese-invested enterprises. Details are set out below:
A. Cross-Border Investment and M&A Legal Services: EUR 2,500 – EUR 82,000
1.Full-cycle services for Chinese enterprises investing in Finland and EU regions, including entity establishment, merger and acquisition restructuring, liquidation and deregistration;
2.Investment structure design, market entry compliance, due diligence and transaction implementation services for Finnish enterprises investing in China;
3.Formulation of investment compliance solutions for sectors including clean energy, technology innovation and advanced manufacturing;
4.Compliance legal services relating to corporate equity changes and asset integration.
B. Corporate Compliance and Annual Legal Counsel Services: EUR 1,800 – EUR 68,000
1.Establishment of compliance systems covering EU GDPR data compliance, export control, anti-monopoly and anti-commercial bribery;
2.Corporate compliance audits, risk identification and regulatory enquiry response services;
3.Annual legal counsel services, including contract review, corporate governance and day-to-day legal consultation.
C. Intellectual Property and Tech Innovation Legal Services: EUR 320 – EUR 35,000
1.Agency services for the registration, renewal and modification of Finnish and EU trademarks, patents and copyrights;
2.IP infringement investigation, cross-border enforcement and dispute resolution services;
3.IP portfolio strategy and technical cooperation compliance support services for tech innovation enterprises.
D. Labour and Human Resources Legal Services: EUR 280 – EUR 25,000
1.Compliance-focused drafting and review of Finnish employment contracts and corporate internal rules and policies;
2.Administrative agency services for employee residence permits and work visa formalities;
3.Remuneration scheme design, labour dispute mediation, and arbitration and litigation representation services.
E. Tax and Wealth Management Legal Services: EUR 950 – EUR 52,000
1.Cross-border tax compliance, tax planning and transfer pricing compliance services in Finland and the EU;
2.Legal services relating to tax audit response and tax dispute resolution;
3.Legal services for personal cross-border asset allocation, tax planning and family wealth matters.
F. Dispute Resolution and Crisis Management Legal Services: EUR 1,600 – EUR 520,000
1.Mediation and litigation representation for Sino-Finnish cross-border commercial disputes and investment disputes;
2.Services relating to international commercial arbitration and the recognition and enforcement of cross-border awards;
3.Corporate compliance investigations and legal risk emergency response services.
G. Energy, Infrastructure and ESG Compliance Legal Services: EUR 3,000 – EUR 76,000
1.Full-cycle legal services for the development, construction and operation of new energy and infrastructure projects;
2.Establishment of EU ESG compliance systems and carbon neutrality-related compliance services;
3.Construction tendering, contract management and engineering dispute resolution services.
H. Real Estate and Commercial Operation Legal Services: EUR 850 – EUR 39,000
1.Compliance services for Finnish commercial real estate investment, leasing and transactions;
2.Cross-border e-commerce, customs import and export, and supply chain compliance and risk control services;
3.Basic legal consultation for corporate localised operations.
I. Personal Cross-Border Affairs Legal Services: EUR 750 – EUR 5,500
1.Legal document processing services for study, work and residence in Finland;
2.Legal services for cross-border family disputes, estate succession and property division;
3.Services relating to personal real estate transactions and civil rights protection.
Supplementary Note: For major complex cross-border cases and sophisticated special compliance matters, there is no fixed upper fee limit. A bespoke service quotation will be prepared based on the actual circumstances of each case.
IV. Factors Affecting Fee Adjustments
1.Jurisdictional Complexity: Fees for multi-jurisdictional collaboration and cross-border evidence collection projects are adjusted based on the level of difficulty;
2.Practice Specialisation: Fees for high-end specialised compliance areas differ from those for basic civil and commercial legal services;
3.Case Complexity: Dynamic pricing applies to major disputes and difficult enforcement matters;
4.Service Urgency: Additional fees are charged for expedited processing and holiday services in accordance with standard rates;
5.Cooperation Model: Corresponding fee discounts are available for annual package engagements;
6.Team Configuration: Fees are adjusted accordingly for collaborative services delivered by multi-disciplinary teams;
7.Case Risk: Fees for contingency fee arrangements are linked to case handling difficulty and overall case duration.
V. Third-Party Pass-Through Charges
The following charges are not included in legal service fees and are settled on a reimbursement basis at official rates or actual cost, with no markup:
1.Government Fees: Including registration fees, court fees, arbitration fees, intellectual property application fees and similar charges;
2.Notarisation and Authentication Fees: Fees relating to local notarisation, Hague Apostille and consular authentication;
3.Translation Service Fees: Fees for legal document translation and court interpreting services;
4.Professional Service Fees: Third-party fees for due diligence, audit, appraisal, expert consultation and similar services;
5.Travel Expenses: Transportation, accommodation and related expenses for off-site case handling;
6.Financial Handling Fees: Bank charges arising from cross-border transfers and currency conversion;
7.Other Expenses: Expenses for specialised services such as asset appraisal and compliance testing.
VI. Important Notice
This document constitutes the 2026 reference fee schedule and does not constitute an offer of legal services. The final fees and scope of services for all legal engagements shall be exclusively governed by the formal written engagement contract signed by both parties.