President and Members of the Court
The President of the Supreme Administrative Court leads the work of the Court and is responsible for its performance. The President also participates in the adjudication of individual legal cases by acting as chair of the composition. Members are called Justices of the Supreme Administrative Court. The President of the Republic of Finland appoints the President and the members of the Supreme Administrative Court.
President
Kari Kuusiniemi
President of the Supreme Administrative Court 1.9.2018–
b. 1960
Master of Laws 1982
Licentiate of Laws 1985
Doctor of Laws 1992
Assistant and Assistant Researcher, Research Council of Finland, 1983–1984
Assistant, Helsinki University of Technology, 1984
Junior Research Fellow, Research Council of Finland, 1985–1991
Assistant in Economic Law, Helsinki University of Technology, 1985–1988
Professor of Economic Law, Helsinki University of Technology, 1988
Lecturer in Environmental Law, Helsinki University of Technology, 1991–1995
Acting Professor of Law, Helsinki University of Technology, 1993–1995
Professor of Environmental Law, University of Turku, 1996–2002
Justice (fixed term), the Supreme Administrative Court, 1999–2000
Justice (fixed term), the Supreme Administrative Court, 2002
Justice, the Supreme Administrative Court, 2003–2018
President of the Supreme Administrative Court 1.9.2018–
Other activities:
- Docent of four Finnish Universities
- Visiting professor at the University of Louisville, Kentucky (September-October, 1997)
- Expert in the South-African Water Law review 1995–1996
- Chairman, member and secretary in several law drafting commissions since 1985
- Member of ERA Board of Trustees 2010–2020
- Member of the Board of the National Defence Course Association 2011–, Chairman 2020–
- Member of the Academy of Science and Letters 2014–
- Member of the Board of the Finnish Association of European Law 2014–2022
Publications
Some 20 books (partly joint publications) and more than 100 articles, several reports, case comments, etc. in the field of Environmental and Administrative Law, mainly in Finnish
Members
b. 1961
Master of Laws 1987
Licentiate of Laws 1991
Doctor of Laws 2000
Trained on the Bench 1994
Assistant at the University of Turku 1987–1990
Court Secretary at the County Administrative Court of Central Finland 1991–1994
Court Secretary at the County Administrative Court of Uusimaa 1994–2000
Judicial Secretary at the Administrative Court of Helsinki 2000–2001
Judge at the Administrative Court of Helsinki 2002–2012
Special Advisor at the Ministry of Justice 2004
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2013–2015), permanent 2015–
b. 1966
Master of Agriculture and Forestry Science / Environmental Protection and Fishing Industry Science 1991
Master of Laws 1995
Licentiate of Laws 2003
Special Profession Degree of Management 2007
Lawyer at the Fishing Industry Central Association 1995
Teacher at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Science for Agriculture, Forestry and Bioscience 1995–2009
Senior Inspector and Special Planner at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 1996–2000
Referendary at the Environmental Permission Authority of Western Finland 2000–2004
Office Manager at the Environmental Center of the City of Helsinki 2004–2006 and 2007
Counsellor of Committee (Agriculture, Forestry and Environment) at the Parliament 2006, 2007–2017
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2017–2019), permanent 2020–
b. 1976
Master of Laws, University of Helsinki, 2004
Licentiate of Laws, University of Helsinki, 2006
Doctor of Laws, University of Helsinki, 2011
Researcher at the University of Helsinki 2004–2009
Lawyer at the LE-Consulting Ltd (part-time) 2004–2010
Lawyer at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (fixed-term) 2004–2005, 2008–2010
Senior Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Natural Resources Department 2010–2016
Senior Researcher at the University of Eastern Finland, Law School 2014–2017
Professor at the University of Eastern Finland (50% leave of absence), Law School 2017–2025
Research Professor at the Finnish Environment Institute Syke (50%, part-time) 2017–2025
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (fixed-term) 2025–
b. 1971
Master of Laws 1996
Trained on the Bench 1997
Notary at the District Court of Mustasaari 1996–1997
Judicial Secretary at the Court of Appeal of Vaasa 1998–2003
Judge at the District Court of Mustasaari 2002–2003
Lawyer at the Sercetariat of the European Court of Human Rights 2003–2009
Judicial Secretary at the Supreme Administrative Court 2009–2012
Judge at the Administrative Court of Helsinki 2012–2018
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2019), permanent 2020–
b. 1966
Master of Laws, University of Turku, 1994
Trained on the Bench, District Court of Helsinki, 2012
Various research and teaching posts at the University of Turku 1995–2002
Secretary of legislation at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Legal Department 1998–2000
Legal Adviser at the Prime Minister’s Office, EU Secretariat 2002–2007 (on leave 2005–2007)
Committee Counsellor of the Constitutional Law Committee of the Finnish Parliament, assistant clerk of the committee (fixed term) 2005–2006
Committee Counsellor of the Grand Committee and the Constitutional Law Committee of the Finnish Parliament, assistant clerk of the committee (fixed term) 2006–2008
Committee Counsellor of the Constitutional Law Committee of the Finnish Parliament, assistant clerk of the committee (fixed term) 2008–2014 (on leave 2011–2012)
Notary at the District Court of Helsinki 2011–2012
Committee Counsellor of the Constitutional Law Committee of the Finnish Parliament, clerk of the committee 2014–2017 (on leave 2016–2017)
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (acting member 2016–2017), permanent 2017–
Tasks as an expert and member of committees in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Finnish Parliament
Publications in the fields of constitutional law and EU law
b. 1972
Master of Laws, University of Helsinki, 1996
Doctor of Philosophy (Law), University of Cambridge, England, 2000
Trained on the Bench, District Court of Helsinki, 2002
Secretary of Legislation at the Ministry of Justice (fixed-term) 2000–2001
Notary at the District Court of Helsinki 2001–2002
Counsellor of Legislation at the Ministry of Justice (fixed term) 2002–2003
Counsellor of Legislation at the Ministry of Justice 2003–2007 (partially on leave)
Ministerial Adviser at the Prime Minister’s Office (fixed-term) 2003
Senior Specialist at the Permanent Representation of Finland to the European Union 2006–2007
Director of EU Litigation and Agent of the Government of Finland before the Court of Justice of the European Union (fixed-term) 2007–2008
Deputy Director of EU Litigation and Deputy Agent of the Government of Finland before the Court of Justice of the European Union 2008–2010
Director of EU Litigation and Agent of the Government of Finland before the Court of Justice of the European Union 2011–2019
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 1.1.–31.7.2020), permanent 1.8.2020–
Adjunct Professor of International Law at the University of Helsinki 2002–
Chairman of the ad hoc working party of the Council of the European Union on fundamental rights and citizenship 2006
Chairman of the working party of the Council of the European Union on the Court of Justice 2019
Visiting Professor of the College of Europe (Bruges) 2025–
Publications nationally and internationally in the field of EU law
b. 1979
Master of Laws 2004
Licentiate of Laws 2008
Trained at the Bench 2007
Associate Lawyer at Roschier Attorneys Ltd. 2004–2006
Notary at the District Court of Imatra 2006–2007
Senior City Counsel at the City of Helsinki 2007–2010
Referendary at the Supreme Administrative Court (partially fixed-term) 2010–2014
Senior Referendary Counsellor at the Supreme Administrative Court 2014–2016
Leading Referendary Counsellor at the Supreme Administrative Court (fixed-term) 2016–2017
Secretary General of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (fixed-term) 2017–2019
Judge at the Administrative Court of Helsinki 2019–2021
Member at the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2021), permanent 2022–
b. 1960
Master of Laws, University of Helsinki, 1987
Licentiate of Laws, University of Helsinki, 1990
Trained at the Bench, District Court of Hyvinkää, 1990
Doctor of Laws, University of Helsinki, 2001
Clerical Officer at the Secretariat of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, Helsinki Commission, 1982–1986
Assistant in International Law at the University of Helsinki 1987–1989
Notary at the District Court of Hyvinkää 1989–1990
Legal Assistant in the Iran-United States Claims Tribunal at The Hague, the Netherlands 1990–1993
Legal Officer at the Ministry of the Environment 1993–2000
Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of the Environment 2000–2016
Acting Professor of International Law at the University of Helsinki 2003 and 2004
Part-time Professor of International Environmental Law at the University of Eastern Finland 2004–2016
Member at the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (acting member 2016), permanent 2017–
Published a number of articles on international environmental law and international law in national and international publications
b. 1968
Master of Laws, University of Turku, 1994
Master of Laws, New York University, 1999
Doctor of Laws, University of Turku, 2011
Tasks as Research Assistant, Assistant and Doctoral Trainee at Turku University 1995–2001
Acting Professor of Public Law (International Law) at Turku University 2001
Assistant of Administrative Law- and Fiscal Law at Turku University 2002–2008
Researcher at Turku University 2009
Senior Researcher at Turku University 2010
Post-Doctoral Researcher at Turku University 2011
Senior Researcher (Academy of Finland Post-Doctoral Researcher Project) at Turku University 2012–2013
Associate Professor of Public Law (tenure track) at Tampere University 2014–2015
Professor of Laws at Turku University 2016–2017
Professor of Public Law at Turku University 2018–2020
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2020), permanent 2021–
Judge of the European Court of Human Rights 2025–
Docent of Constitutional Law at the University of Turku and University of Helsinki 2013–
Member of Non-Discrimination and Equality Tribunal 2015–2020
Expert Legal Opinions to the Constitutional Law Committee of Parliament and other Committees of Parliament and Ministries
Scientific Expert and Position of Trust in Finland and abroad.
Editor of peer-reviewed law journal Oikeus (“Justice”) 2011–2012.
Publications in Finnish and English particularly about Fundamental Rights and Human Rights and constitutional review.
b. 1971
Master of Laws 1995
Trained on the Bench 1997
Notary at the District Court of Alavus 1996–1997
Court Secretary at the County Administrative Court of Uusimaa 1997–1999
Advisor at Pricewaterhouse Coopers Ltd 1999–2010
Judge at the Administrative Court of Helsinki 2010–2019
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 1.9.2019–2020), permanent 2021–
b. 1958
Master of Laws 1982
Trained on the Bench 1984
Associate Lawyer at Pekka Komo Ky 1982–1983
Notary at the District Court of Heinola 1983–1984
Judge at the District Court of Heinola 1984
Legal Secretary at the County Administrative Court of Häme 1984–1998
Referendary at the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland 1999–2007
Secretary General of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland 2007–2008
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (acting 2007), permanent 2009–
b. 1963
Master of Laws 1987
Licentiate of Laws 2006
Doctor of Laws 2014
Trained on the Bench 1989
Lawyer at pension insurance company Eläke-Varma 1987–1988
Court training at the District Court of Lapua 1988–1989
Referendary at the Pension Appeal Board 1989
Attorney-at-Law at law firm ANPR Ltd 1990–2003
Judicial Secretary at the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (fixed-term) 2003
Judicial Secretary at the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland 2004–2005
Senior Judicial Secretary at the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (fixed-term) 2005–2007
Referendary Counsellor at the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland 2008–2018
Member at Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (acting member 2016–2018), permanent 2018–
b. 1965
Master of Laws, University of Helsinki, 1989
Trained on the Bench 1990
Doctor of Laws, University of Helsinki, 2012
Customs Taxation Inspector at the Customs Office of Helsinki District 1992
Court Secretary at the County Administrative Court of Uusimaa 1992–1996
Various posts as Corporate Tax Expert at PricewaterhouseCoopers Ltd in 1996–2000 and 2003–2007
Corporate Tax Expert at Ernst & Young Ltd 2001–2003
Judicial Secretary at the Supreme Administrative Court (fixed-term) 2007–2008
Corporate Tax Expert at KPMG Ltd 2008–2011
Referendary Counsellor at the Supreme Administrative Court (fixed-term) 2011
Corporate Tax Expert at KPMG Ltd 2012–2014
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2014–2015) permanent 2015–
b. 1970
Master of Political Sciences, University of Turku, 1994
Master of Laws, University of Turku, 1995
Specialist Vocational Qualification in Leadership, Management Institute of Finland JTO, 2011
Doctor of Laws, University of Turku, 2025
Trainee at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs 1994
Senior Official at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health 1995–1996
Legal Officer at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs 1996–2001
Judicial Secretary at the Referendary and Head of Research at the Supreme Administrative Court 1998–2008
Lawyer at the Secretariat of the European Court of Human Rights 2005–2007
Counsellor of Legislation at the Ministry of Justice 2008
Secretary General of the Supreme Administrative Court 2009–2024
Senior Specialist at the Ministry of Finance 2014–2015
Judge at the Administrative Court of Helsinki 2017–2018
Director of Legal Affairs and Member of the Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Finland 2018–2024
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court 2025–
b. 1967
Master of Laws 1992
Licentiate of Laws 1996
Doctor of Laws 2001
Lawyer at Pikkujämsä Attorneys Ltd 1992–, Attorney 1997–2001
Tax Law Assistant at the University of Lapland 1999–2001
Law and Tax Advisor at KLegal Ltd / KPMG 2001–2003
Partner and Attorney at PPV Lex Attorneys Ltd 2004–2015
Chief Justice of the Administrative Court of Northern Finland 2020–2023
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2013), permanent 1.8.2015–
b. 1960
Master of Laws 1984
Various posts at the County Administrative Board of Kyme 1984–1995
Lawyer at the Environment Center of South-Eastern Finland 1995–2002
Various posts at the Administrative Court of Kouvola 2002–2011
Judge at the Administrative Court of Helsinki 2011–2016
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court 2017–
Member of Board on Trial Counsel 2016–
b. 1959
Master of Laws 1983
Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration 1985
Doctor of Laws 2002
Deputy Head of Department at Suomen Yritysrahoitus Ltd 1984–1985
Consultant at Kesko 1985–1987
Lawyer at Mancon Juridia Ltd 1988
Various posts at the Chamber of Commerce 1988–2008
Counsellor at the Ministry of Finance 1998
Various posts at the Universities of Helsinki and Turku 2001, 2003–
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2008), permanent 2009–
b. 1963
Master of Laws 1988
Trained on the Bench 1992
Trainee and Research Assistant at the Ministry of Environment 1988–1988
Research Assistant at the Academy of Finland 1988–1989
Assistant at the University of Helsinki 1989
Department Secretary at the University of Helsinki 1989
Lawyer at the Environment Center of the City of Helsinki 1989–1991
Administrative Manager at the Environment Center of the City of Helsinki 1991
Environmental Inspector at the Environment Center of the City of Helsinki 1992–1993
Various posts at the District Court of Tammela 1991–1992
Teacher at the University of Technology 1994
Referendary at the Museum Authority 1994–1996
Senior Inspector at the Ministry of Environment (fixed-term) 1995–1998
Legal Advisor at the Ministry of Environment (fixed-term) 1998–2001
Legal Advisor at the Ministry of Environment 2001–2004
Legislative Counsellor at the Ministry of Justice 2003–2004
Referendary (fixed-term) at the Environment Permission Authority of Western Finland 2003
Environmental Counsellor, Chair at the Environment Permission Authority of Western Finland 2004–2009
Director at the Regional State Administrative Agency 2010
Various posts at the Regional State Administrative Agency of Southern Finland 2010–2012
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2011), permanent 2012–
b. 1959
Master of Laws 1984
Doctor of Laws 2010
Referendary (various positions) at the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland 1986–1995
Various positions at the Ministry of Justice, Law Drafting Department (legal expert, Counsellor of Legislation) 1995–2008
Acting Judge at the Market Court 2008–2009
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (acting member 2010), permanent 2010–
b. 1960
Master of Laws 1984
Licentiate of Laws, 1989
Doctor of Laws, 1996
Doctor of Laws, h.c. 2013, University of Uppsala, Sweden
Notary and Judge at District Court of Loviisa 1985–1986
Committee Secretary at the Ministry of Education 1987–1988
Post-graduate studies in Germany, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen 1989-1990
Legal Secretary at the Chancellor’s Office at the University of Helsinki 1990-1991
Assistant in Administrative Law, Research Fellow at the University of Helsinki 1990–1992
Junior Research Fellow at the Academy of Finland 1992–1995
Research work at Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany, 1996–1997
Acting Associate Professor in Administrative Law at the University of Helsinki 1996, 1997
Counsellor of legislation, Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Justice 1997–2003
Academy Research Fellow at the Academy of Finland 2003–2008
Professor in Administrative Law University of Helsinki 2008–2012
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2011), permanent 2012–
b. 1961
Master of Laws 1987
Trained on the Bench 1989
Secretary at the Special Court (Water) of Western Finland 1987–1993
Referendary at the Supreme Administrative Court 1994–2001
Judge at the Administrative Court of Hämeenlinna 2001–2016
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2016), permanent 2017–
b. 1978
Master of Laws 2002
Licentiate of Laws 2005
Doctor of Laws 2007
Trained on the Bench 2021
Research Assistant at the University of Helsinki 2002
Researcher at the University of Helsinki 2003
Assistant of Land, Water and Environmental Law at the University of Helsinki 2004–2007
Administrative Trainee at the European Commission 2005
Referendary (part-time) at the Rural Businesses Appeals Board 2006–2008
Legal Expert at the Finnish Environment Institute 2007–2009
Assistant of Land, Water and Environmental Law at the University of Helsinki 2010
Lawyer at Roschier Attorneys Ltd 2010–2019 (attorney-at-law 2012–2019)
Trainee District Judge at the District Court of Itä-Uusimaa 2020
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court (acting member 2021), permanent 2022–
b. 1982
Bachelor of Laws, Åbo Akademi, 2006
Master of Laws, University of Turku, 2008
Assistant Judge at the Administrative Court of Turku (partly fixed-term) 2008–2012
Administrative Judge at the Administrative Court of Åland (partly fixed-term) 2012–2018
Referendary Counsellor at the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (fixed-term) 2018–2019
Secretary General of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland (fixed-term) 2019–2024
Member of the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland 2024–