LL.M. Heidi Hannula has been appointed Legal Counsel to the Finland Arbitration Institute as of 19 January 2026. As part of the FAI Secretariat, she is responsible for the daily administration of arbitrations and mediations conducted under the FAI Arbitration Rules and FAI Mediation Rules.
Welcome to the FAI, Heidi! Can you tell us a bit about your professional background and what brought you here?
Thank you for the warm welcome! My interest in dispute resolution began during my bachelor’s studies at Maastricht University, where a mandatory Moot Court course sparked my interest in litigation and dispute resolution.
My interest deepened during my master’s studies at the University of Turku, particularly through my participation in the 30th Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, one of the world’s most prestigious moot court competitions. The competition focuses on international commercial law and dispute resolution and provided me with valuable hands-on experience in arbitration, as well as practical skills directly relevant to professional practice, including legal research, legal analysis, and oral advocacy.
I have applied these skills during internships at law firms and in-house, as well as in my post-graduate work at a law firm. This combination of experience and motivation ultimately led me to join the FAI as Legal Counsel.
What aspects of your role at the FAI are you most looking forward to?
I am particularly interested in working with arbitration proceedings from the institutional perspective and in contributing to the development of the FAI’s activities together with the Secretariat.
