Laura Häyrinen

Senior Associate, Member of the Finnish Bar,

Services

Employment

Contact details

I am specialised in employment law. I assist our clients in various questions that can arise during employment, such as questions related to working hours, termination of employment, the acts on equality, non-discrimination and co-operation, and the applicable collective agreement. I advise our clients in various matters related to employment law and represent them in courts. I also enjoy providing training in employment law matters.

I have spent most of my career working with employment law cases, and I still find this branch of law extremely interesting. Employment law cases usually derive from concrete real-life problems, and that is what keeps me motivated year after year. I have a wide experience from the legal services industry, but I have also worked in an employer organisation and in the Confederation of Finnish Industries. This diverse background gives me a valuable perspective on various kinds of employment law issues. Thanks to my background, I am also very familiar with the national collective agreement system.

I am a very approachable and sociable person, and clients find it easy and comfortable to work with me. I have an ambitious and curious attitude towards every assignment: I take a personal interest in each case and leave no stone unturned to find the perfect solution. Sometimes it is necessary to resolve the matter in court, sometimes it may be wise to consider a settlement. I always have the customer’s interest in the centre of my action, and I find it extremely rewarding to work in close contact with our clients.

Career+

Education+

Language+

Latest references

WithSecure – Sale of open source data collection product and business

We advised WithSecure Oyj in the sale of its open source data collection product and business to Patria Oyj. The divested business combining software and services falls outside WithSecure’s current strategy. Through the sale, WithSecure sharpens its focus on the Elements portfolio. WithSecure is a global cyber security company (listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki) with more than 35 years of industry experience. WithSecure offers partners flexible commercial models, ensuring mutual success across the dynamic cyber security landscape. Patria is an international company in the defence and security industry offering defence, security and aviation life cycle support services and technology solutions. As a result of the transaction, Patria will open a new office in Oulu and 10 WithSecure experts currently working in the business area will join Patria.

A. Ahlström – ESG advisory and corporate sustainability due diligence process planning

We advised A. Ahlström in establishing a corporate sustainability due diligence process plan which incorporates best practices and tailored solutions based on our expertise within relevant business sectors. Our comprehensive ESG offering also included tailored training for members of the investment team and management team and the board of directors of several portfolio companies. ‘The ESG team at Castrén & Snellman provided us with legal and practical advice around the ESG regulatory tsunami that we need to incorporate in our ESG work,’ comments Camilla Sågbom, Director, Sustainability and Communications, at A. Ahlström Oy. A. Ahlström is a family-owned industrial company, developing leading global specialist positions in Forest & Fiber and Environmental technology sectors.

Vapaus Bikes Finland – Series A funding round

We represented Vapaus Bikes Finland Oy, a company offering employee benefit bikes, in its international EUR 10 million Series A funding round. The investors behind the funding are private equity investors Shift4Good and Superhero Capital Ltd as well as Tesi together with the European Guarantee Fund of the European Investment Bank. The equity-based funding will support the company’s international expansion, software development, platform automation, and the growth of its concept for the second-hand market of bikes. Vapaus Bikes Finland is at the forefront of sustainable mobility services and has been a pioneer in the Employee Benefit Bikes sector since late 2020. It has been ranked among Finland’s fastest growing companies. Shift4Good is an impact venture capital fund focused on the decarbonisation of the transportation sector. Tesi (officially Finnish Industry Investment Ltd) is a state-owned, market-driven investment company that invests in venture capital and private equity funds and directly in Finnish startups and growth companies.

City of Rovaniemi – Former employees ordered to pay damages in an investment decision matter

We successfully acted for the City of Rovaniemi in a matter concerning offence in public office and damages claims in relation to a significant investment decision made by the city. The defendants were the city’s former municipal corporate officer, who was in an employment relationship, and a city treasurer, who was in a public-service employment relationship and acted as the supervisor of the municipal corporate officer. The criminal matter related to the City Board’s decision to invest EUR 2 million of the city’s funds in bonds offered by a newly established investment company in accordance with a decision prepared by the defendants. A significant part of the company’s operations involved quick loan business. The main legal question in the matter was whether the investment of public funds constitutes an exercise of public authority and whether regulation on offences in public office therefore becomes applicable even to a person in an employment relationship. The municipal corporate officer in an employment relationship was charged with aggravated abuse of public office based on her negligence in the preparation and presentation of the investment decision as well as based on a conflict of interest due to the fact that she had invested her own money in a company that received funding from the investment target presented to the City Board. The charges of an offence in public office against the city treasurer concerned his position as the supervisor and reporter of the city’s investment activities. He was also involved in the preparation and presentation of the City Board’s decision. The processing of the matter started in the District Court of Lapland in June 2022. In its judgment given in August 2022, the District Court stated, based among other things on our argumentation, that the investment of public funds constitutes an exercise of public authority and that regulation on offences in public office can therefore be applied to the municipal corporate officer. The District Court deemed that the conduct of the former municipal corporate officer fulfils the characteristics of abuse of public office and that the conduct of the former city treasurer fulfils the characteristics of violation of official duty with respect to the preparation of the investment decision, but the right to bring charges had become time-barred. Punishments could therefore not be imposed on the defendants, but the defendants were ordered to jointly and severally pay the city approximately EUR 114,000 in damages plus interest for late payment. The city treasurer’s share of the amount was 10%. The prosecutor accepted the judgment but the other parties appealed it to the Court of Appeal. Acting for the city, we pursued claims for both punishment and damages in the Court of Appeal. The Rovaniemi Court of Appeal processed the matter in November and December 2023. In its judgment given in June 2024, the Court of Appeal upheld the District Court’s judgment with respect to the abuse of public office and violation of official duty. The Court of Appeal deemed that the municipal corporate officer had failed in her duty to declare the conflict of interest. In addition, she had failed in her duty to ensure that the prepared decision was in compliance with the city’s investment guidelines and that it had been properly put out to tender. The Court of Appeal also found that the text of the investment proposal was insufficient and misleading and that the municipal corporate officer’s conduct was intentional. As regards the city treasurer, the Court of Appeal held that he had failed in his duty to ensure that the investment proposal to the City Board complied with the investment guidelines, that the presentation was not misleading and that risks were taken into account as required by the investment guidelines. With the judgement, the Court of Appeal took a clear position that abuse in public offices and when exercising public authority is not acceptable. The judgment is also significant as it declares that investing public funds constitutes an exercise of public authority and that the liability for acts in office therefore becomes applicable even to persons in employment relationships. In addition, a key question for the Court of Appeal to assess was defining the amount of economic damage in a matter related to investment activities. The Court of Appeal held based on our arguments that the conduct of the municipal corporate officer and the city treasurer had caused damage to the city. The Court of Appeal increased the amount of damages to EUR 210,000 with the city treasurer’s share limited to 10%. The amount was increased because the Court of Appeal deemed that the city had suffered damage not only in terms of the loss of capital but also in terms of the loss of estimated return on investment. The judgement is not final.

Tesi – Investment in Sisu Auto

We advised Tesi (Finnish Industry Investment Ltd) in its investment in the heavy duty vehicles company Oy Sisu Auto Ab. With this investment, Tesi became an owner in the company with a share of 24.4 per cent. Sisu Auto is a pioneer in the Nordic market in the development of heavy duty vehicles. Sisu’s core competences are in the product development and production of trucks and military vehicles. Tesi is a state-owned, market-driven investment company that invests in venture capital and private equity funds and directly in Finnish startups and growth companies. The investments managed by Tesi total 2.1 billion euros.

Finnish industrial company – Decision to waive prosecution for an occupational safety and health offence

We assisted a major Finnish industrial company and two employees of its safety organisation in criminal proceedings concerning an occupational safety and health offence. The accident occurred at a common workplace where several other employers were also operating at the time of the incident. During the criminal investigation, the police suspected, among other things, two employees of the company of having committed an occupational safety and health offence. The police also investigated the company’s criminal liability. We examined the safety practices applied in the company and the common workplace, and the roles of the companies and individuals involved in the incident. We justifiably argued that our clients had acted diligently with respect to their duties. The prosecutor concluded that there were no grounds to prosecute our clients, so the prosecutor decided not to press charges against the company and its two employees.

S-Bank – Bond transactions totalling EUR 1.45 billion for acquisition of Svenska Handelsbanken’s operations

We have advised S-Bank Plc in four bond transactions totalling EUR 1.45 billion that provided financing for S-Bank’s acquisition of Svenska Handelsbanken AB’s Finnish private customer, asset management and investment services operations. In 2023, we advised S-Bank in supplementing their earlier bond programme and in the issuance of two new bonds. S-Bank’s first covered bond, valued at EUR 500 million, was issued in September 2023. In addition to general corporate purposes, the purpose of the issue was to finance the acquisition of Svenska Handelsbanken AB’s Finnish private customer, asset management and investment services operations. Further, a EUR 150 million senior preferred MREL eligible bond was issued in November 2023 and the purpose of the issue was to meet the minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) and to finance the bank’s activities. In 2024, we have advised S-Bank Plc in the update of a EUR 3 billion bond programme. Under the programme, S-Bank may issue senior preferred MREL eligible notes, covered bonds and additional tier 1 capital notes. In February of 2024, we advised S-Bank in its issuance of a EUR 300 million senior preferred MREL eligible bond and on the tender offer of its EUR 220 million senior preferred MREL eligible bond maturing in 2025. The tender offer required the prior permission of the Finnish Financial Stability Authority based on Commission Delegated Regulation 2023/827 on technical standards for the reduction of own funds and eligible liabilities prior authorisation. The Stability Authority granted S-Bank a permission for repurchases of the notes. Based on the permission, S-Bank replaced the notes with own funds or eligible liabilities instruments of equal or higher quality at terms that are sustainable for the income capacity of S-Bank. The final tender offer results were announced in February 2024. In April 2024, we further advised S-Bank in supplementing their base prospectus and issue of their second covered bond of EUR 500 million. The covered bond’s maturity date is 16 April 2030.

Fortum – Sale of recycling and waste business

We are acting as the lead counsel to Fortum in a cross-border transaction in which Fortum is selling its recycling and waste business. The business is sold to thematic impact investing firm Summa Equity through its portfolio company NG Group. The debt-free purchase price is approximately EUR 800 million. The transaction is subject to authority approval and customary closing conditions. Fortum’s recycling and waste business to be sold comprises municipal and industrial waste management and end-to-end plastics, metals, ash, slag and hazardous waste treatment and recycling services. These businesses are located in Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway and currently employ approximately 900 employees.

Get to know our other experts in the field

Tomi Kemppainen

+358 40 354 2204 tomi.kemppainen@castren.fi

+358 50 324 7377 outi.tahtinen@castren.fi

+358 50 357 1726 mats.forsius@castren.fi

+358 40 922 5703 mikko.hanni@castren.fi

+358 20 776 5442 suvi.kettunen@castren.fi

+358 20 776 5420 jutta.nieminen@castren.fi

Senior Associate

+358 20 776 5259 krista.gusev@castren.fi

Senior Associate

+358 40 745 6784 ville.kukkonen@castren.fi

+358 40 703 4031 samuel.brusila@castren.fi

Mari Kulmakorpi

+358 50 338 3905 mari.kulmakorpi@castren.fi

Werner Laitinen

+358 50 556 3751 werner.laitinen@castren.fi

Sofia Seppänen

+358 50 550 1274 sofia.seppanen@castren.fi

+358 20 776 5011 veera.ylitalo@castren.fi

Search from the site.