"I believe it is often best to be open to opportunities and if something feels properly interesting, then to follow that lead with intent."
Counsel Joel Kanervo from our Capital Markets and Public M&A practice shares insights from his career journey — from his early days as an Associate Trainee to his current role as Counsel. He reflects on his professional growth, the approaches he takes to continually develop his expertise, and how he ensures clients receive the best possible advice. Joel also emphasizes the value of staying open to new opportunities and exploring different paths when shaping a legal career.
How has your career been so far, and how did you end up at Krogerus?
I believe people tend to want to see clear narratives in the world around them, and in their personal history. That includes me. Becoming a capital markets lawyer was, however, not the result of meticulous planning. (And neither was becoming a lawyer for that matter, but that is another story). A university friend suggested a moot court competition, with prospectus liability as the topic, during our law school studies and that got me interested in the field. I subsequently took optional courses in capital markets law and also had the good luck of stumbling upon a passionate professor who mentored me during my studies and got me gravitating towards Krogerus. That is a clear narrative in itself, but one that hopefully also reflects the randomness in life. I believe it is often best to be open to opportunities and if something feels properly interesting, then to follow that lead with intent.
What motivates you most in your work as a lawyer?
At Krogerus, our purpose is and should be to help our client, in the client's specific matter and context. My approach is to ask myself "how can I best be of help to our client". The answer to that question naturally varies from one situation to another, but often asking this simple question puts one in the right mindset. Moreover, I think that in our work we get to be useful at least on four levels. We help our client. We help the client's contact person make a better job for the client. We work as a team, helping our colleagues strive and achieve better results. I may be a hopeless idealist but, in doing all the above, I believe that we can be of help to the society at large. That makes me tick.
Not to sound overly pompous, of course there are fuzzier things in the job that I do enjoy. The casual camaraderie. The rush of working to get a deal done. These things appeal as well.
How does Krogerus support professional development?
I've been incredibly lucky to have great colleagues to work with, learn from and help grow as well. I believe Krogerus has succeeded in putting in place processes that support professional growth. Training our people, exposure to challenges that are demanding yet surmountable, support from one's manager and HR, clear career paths. These are all here. And they make it possible to practice law in an inherently safe environment. One of the things I personally enjoy the most is the latitude to operate, the opportunity to try your best. Safe does not always mean comfortable. Sometimes one does fail but at least that should not be because of the environment.
What is your approach to staying current and building expertise in a constantly evolving legal field?
To be of help to clients requires one to stay attuned to developments. Like with anything, the more you can devote yourself to proper analysis, the better the results. While it may sometimes be hard to focus on anything for an extended period, often the payback is well worth the investment of time. Trying to look out of your cocoon, trying to be active, absorbing information and reflecting on that.
Piece of advice you would give an aspiring lawyer
My two cents would be to stay open to opportunities, take optional courses during your time in university, participate in extracurricular activities, and take side steps when it is still relatively easy to change tack. Pivoting is necessary in life, do it while it is still cheap to find out what you want to do. I would also suggest to read widely (outside of legal literature) to keep one's thoughts refreshed.
Joel's career in numbers
- 9 years at Krogerus
- 8 years of working as a lawyer
- 4 years as a member of the Finnish Bar Association
