Ilona Pilkama-Paajanen

Partner Elect

EU and Competition

Construction, Defence and Security, ICT, Pharma and Healthcare

Ilona Pilkama-Paajanen is singled out for her leading expertise in a range of areas in public procurement, including: drafting bidding documents and advising bidders in procurement processes; structuring contract award procedures and representing bidders and procuring in the appeal and other review processes. Her practice is especially active in sectors such as social and healthcare services, goods related to healthcare, ICT, construction and defence.

Ilona is also experienced in various competition law assignments ranging from cartels, merger control and related due diligence processes, distribution agreements (vertical aspects), agreements between competitors (horizontal aspects) for example based on sustainability grounds and abuse of dominance analyses as well as dawn raids.

Ilona is an experienced lecturer on both public procurement and competition law.

Assistant Information

Susanna Rautiainen

+358 45 652 0551
susanna.rautiainen@hpp.fi

Recognitions

Ilona has been recognised by leading international directory Lexology (former Who’s Who Legal). She has been Highly Recommended under the Projects & Procurement category.

Career

HPP (2026–)
Fondia PLC (2009–2026)
Attorneys at law Veikko Palotie & Co Oy (Merilampi) (2002–2009)
Finnish Competition Council (Market Court) (2001–2022)
Attorneys at law Veikko Palotie & Co Oy (Merilampi) (1999–2000)

Memberships

Member of the Finnish Bar Association (2007–2009), Applying for membership again in 2026.

Education

Aalto University, PhD student in Business Law/Public Procurement (2019–)
King’s college London, post graduate diploma in Competition Law (2003–2004)
University of Helsinki, LL.M. (1999)
University of Caen, France, Exchange studies in European Law, Competition Law, International Commercial Law (1997–1998)