3.8.2021

Career Stories: Teresa Kauppila

There is a great deal of similarity in the work that lawyers and journalists do, and lawyers can also benefit from the skills of a journalist.

This has been the experience of Castrén & Snellman Counsel Teresa Kauppila, who studied journalism and mass communication and worked as a journalist in a newspaper prior to becoming a lawyer.

‘My experience as a journalist has been very useful. I’ve gotten the most mileage out of the research and communications skills I developed. A major part of the work that both lawyers and journalists do is finding out about things and passing that knowledge on to other people.’

‘The second benefit is that as a journalist, I learned to react to unexpected situations, which are common in legal work, as well.’

Teresa finds that the biggest difference between these professions is the work cycle: while reporters working for a daily newspaper usually work on a single piece for a day or two, lawyers often work on an assignment for week, months or even years.

A Leap into the Unknown During the Night Shift

In high school, Teresa had two dream jobs: a lawyer or a journalist. At the time, journalism won.

The idea of a career switch was something she had thought about for a while, though. She made the decision one evening while putting the finishing touches on an article during the night shift.

‘A university friend of mine who I studied journalism with called and said they were applying to law school. They knew I had been considering doing the same. In the moment, I decided to take the leap, as well.’

Things turned out well for both friends, as they both got into law school at the University of Helsinki. Teresa has had no cause to regret her decision.

‘Leaving a steady and interesting job was definitely a leap into the unknown, but I’ve been very happy that I had the courage to make that decision.’

Not Pointing Out Problems but Finding Solutions

Teresa works in Castrén & Snellman’s Corporate Governance service and advises the firm’s clients in corporate law matters.

An important step in her new career was a secondment in the legal department of a major listed company. This secondment made it clear to her what makes a good lawyer: not pointing out problems but looking for solutions and moving forward.

Spring is general meeting season, which keeps Teresa and the other lawyers in the team busy. General meetings require a great deal of meticulous preparation.

‘The whole team put in a superb effort this spring. The fact that the meetings have been held remotely added an extra twist. Though you might think organising a remote meeting would be easier, experience has proven otherwise.’

Teresa has a great deal of praise for her colleagues. Skilled, caring and helpful colleagues are the main reason Teresa has enjoyed working at C&S so much.

‘Whenever I have a question, I can just pick up the phone and people are ready to help and give some of their own time. I always try to do the same myself, though it can be challenging at times when Teams and my inbox are flashing red’, she laughs.

‘We also have great support services, such as translators, assistants and communications and ICT specialists. Not to mention the ladies in our outstanding conference services team, who are the heart of the whole office. It is a great help to be able to focus on my own work and not have to worry about translating a text or whether my devices work or organising catering for a meeting.’

Latest references

We advised SRV Group plc when it sold its 50% holding in the Pearl Plaza shopping centre in St. Peterburg to CP Invest Limited. The sale was the final part of SRV’s actions to exit from all of its operations in Russia which began in 2022. The sales price of SRV´s ownership of the shopping centre was approximately 11 million euros. SRV is a Finnish developer and innovator in the construction industry. SRV was established in 1987 and is listed on the Helsinki Stock Exchange.
Case published 17.2.2025
We advised Valio Oy in its acquisition of Raisio Oyj’s plant protein business, related fixed assets and the Härkis® and Beanit® fava bean brands. The fixed assets include, among other things, the production equipment of the factory that makes plant protein products in Kauhava. The transaction supports Valio’s strategy to grow from a dairy company to a food company. This business acquisition will make us an even more significant developer and producer of plant-based protein products. The demand for these products will grow in the long term, and a great deal of growth potential still remains. In 2022, we acquired the Gold&Green® business and, since then, we have been carrying out strong product development and renewed the brand. Following successful product launches, sales in the last quarter of 2024 increased by about 50% from the previous quarter. With this acquisition, we are building our own production capacity. The production equipment of the Kauhava factory is just right for our needs and situation. says Kimmo Luoma, Valio’s Senior Vice President. Valio is a Finnish dairy and food company founded in 1905 and owned by Finnish dairy cooperatives. Valio has subsidiaries in Sweden, Estonia, the United States and China. In 2023, the Group had a turnover of EUR 2 278 million and more than 4 000 employees.
Case published 14.2.2025
We successfully represented Trety AB in a dispute and settlement negotiations concerning an agreement for development and production of communication devices for the healthcare sector. Eventually, the parties reached an amicable settlement to the full satisfaction of our client and thus the parties avoided an extensive arbitral proceeding. Trety AB is a global company that provides its customers with solutions for development, industrialization and production of electronics. Trety AB has over 30 years’ experience from IT, electronics and telecommunication industries.
Case published 11.2.2025
We advised a financier consortium including OP Corporate Bank plc, Nordea Bank Abp, and Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB in a leveraged financing arrangement for Vexve, a company owned by DevCo Partners Oy. The financing included EUR 143 million acquisition, refinancing and other facilities for, among other things, the financing of Vexve’s acquisition of Denmark-based Frese A/S, a leading manufacturer of dynamic balancing valves for hydronic networks. Vexve’s combined turnover after the completion of the transaction will be ca. EUR 200 million. Vexve is the leading European provider of valve solutions for the energy sector and selected energy-intensive industries.
Case published 7.2.2025