Laura Karkimo

Language Specialist

Contact details

I translate communications and legal texts between Finnish and English and proofread texts in both languages. I particularly enjoy working with English texts as I have studied and worked in several English-speaking countries. Creative marketing texts appeal to me the most, but I also enjoy translating demanding legal texts that call for accuracy.

Before joining Castrén & Snellman I worked as a project coordinator and senior linguist at an international translation company, where I was the Finnish lead translator for a global music industry company. In addition, I coordinated and translated projects for clients in various fields, and over the years I have translated texts ranging from marketing campaigns to terms and conditions. I am especially experienced in UI translations, and I’ve been happy to discover that this experience has also come in handy in the world of business law.

I enjoy the hustle and bustle of the legal field. The texts we translate can relate to any aspect of the corporate world and I am constantly learning new things. To balance things out, I enjoy rock climbing, where the focus required leaves no room to worry about anything else.

I have a master’s degree in English translation from the University of Helsinki.

Language+

Latest references

Excelerate Energy – Chartering an FSRU to Finland

We advised Excelerate Energy on the conclusion of a lease agreement with Gasgrid Finland Oy for the Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) Exemplar. The Inkoo LNG terminal project will have a significant impact on securing the supply of gas to Finland and Estonia as imports of pipeline gas from Russia cease. The Exemplar is the first FSRU in Finland and the Inkoo LNG terminal project is legally unique. Moreover, the project, which is critical for Finland’s and the Baltics’ gas supply, was completed in an exceptionally short timeframe. Our experts assisted the company in a wide range of areas including contracts, energy legislation, licensing, labour law, taxation and structuring.

Fraktal – Legal design of terms of service

We drafted and designed new terms of service for Fraktal Oy’s DevSecLab learning platform. In this legal design project, we created a new, clearer structure for the terms of service, rewrote the terms from scratch and presented them with a fresh visual look. The final result was a completely new product, not just a redesign of the earlier terms. Fraktal’s goal was to have terms of service that are easy to understand and simple to accept. The project was carried out in our multi-professional legal design team consisting of experts in legal technology, linguistics, graphic design and the law. The new terms, which are both clear and in line with Fraktal’s visual brand, were presented as an interactive prototype in Figma. The key to successful legal design projects is understanding the client’s needs and wishes. In this project, efficient project management and an open line of communication increased our team’s understanding of the client, resulting in a product that fits the purpose perfectly. Active dialogue with the client was an important quality factor in this agile and iterative project. “Our previous terms of service were difficult to understand, which usually led to lengthy negotiations. This created an obstacle for increasing sales. We believe that the new, designed terms of service will increase sales, make the agreement process faster and reduce the need for administration and constant negotiations,” says Iiro Uusitalo, product owner of DevSecLab. “Implementing the new terms is currently Fraktal’s top priority.” Founded in 2019, Fraktal Oy is a young and agile cyber security company. Fraktal has served organisations with hundreds of assignments across the continents. In 2021 the company had a turnover of EUR 2 million and employed 25 people.

Suominen Corporation – Rights Issue

We advised Suominen Corporation in connection with its rights issue. The offering was oversubscribed, and the company raised gross proceeds of approximately EUR 28 million. We also advised Suominen in connection with the renegotiation of the terms of the company’s three-year EUR 100 million syndicated credit facility, under which the maturity was extended and headroom was added to the financial covenants. “I would like to thank our shareholders for their support and confidence in Suominen’s future. The completion of the Offering will enable us to accelerate the implementation of our Full Potential Program while strengthening our capital structure. Our transformation particularly focuses on enhancing the reliability and efficiency of our production and supply, and on reinforcing our commercial capabilities, allowing us to better meet the expectations of our customers and shareholders”, comments Charles Héaulmé, President and CEO of Suominen. Suominen is a nonwovens manufacturer operating in global markets. Suominen creates value by taking fiber raw materials and turning them into nonwovens that the company’s customers convert into both consumer and professional end products. Suominen’s vision is to be the frontrunner for nonwovens innovation and sustainability. Suominen’s net sales in 2025 were EUR 412.4 million and the company has almost 700 professionals working in Europe and in the Americas. Suominen’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.

Nordea Bank Abp and Avain Yhtiöt – A financing arrangement of a real estate portfolio

We acted as joint legal advisor for Nordea Bank Abp and Avain Yhtiöt in an approximately EUR 48 million financing arrangement which included facilities for refinancing of an existing real estate portfolio and also for acquisition and property development purposes. The financing arrangement strengthens Avain Yhtiöt’s objective to build and maintain a functional, safe and environmentally friendly living environment, as well as to develop the overall quality of housing and construction. Avain Yhtiöt is a Finnish group specialising in housing and housing-related services, construction contracting and new construction. Its goal is to build 1,000 new apartments per year in key growth areas in Finland.

Shareholders – Sale of the Suomen Autohuolto Group

We advised the shareholders of Suomen Autohuolto Oy in connection with the sale of the company’s entire share capital, to SAKA Finland Group Oy. Suomen Autohuolto Group is one of Finland’s largest companies specializing in brand-specific automotive maintenance and has locations in Oulu, Tampere, and from July, also in Järvenpää. The transaction is subject to final approval by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority (KKV).

Natural Resources Institute Finland – AI training

We delivered two tailor-made AI workshops for the lawyers at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). We discussed the AI revolution and its impact on lawyers’ ways of thinking and working, and left the participants with practical solutions for enhancing and streamlining their work with Legora. Our AI-specialist lawyers prepared use cases tailored to Luke and the needs of public administration, which Luke received for its own use following the workshops. These use cases covered topics such as: utilising legal sources and the organisation’s own data to maximise AI results building and leveraging AI workflows AI-enhanced contract drafting based on a large volume of documents. The workshops sparked wide-ranging discussion on the role and benefits of AI in legal work. Participants appreciated how clearly and comprehensively our experts were able to present the nature and benefits of AI specifically within a legal context. ‘The workshops provided excellent support for Luke’s goal of leveraging AI responsibly and gave us concrete and ready-to-use practical takeaways,’ says Hannu Laitinen, Luke’s Senior Vice President, Administrative Affairs.

Finnish Construction Management Consultancy — District Court Dismisses charge in occupational safety offence case concerning a safety coordinator

We successfully represented a Finnish construction management consultancy and a safety coordinator employed by the company in criminal proceedings concerning an alleged occupational safety and health offence. The prosecutor sought a penalty for an alleged breach of occupational safety regulations. The charge arose from a fall accident at a construction site where our client acted as the safety coordinator appointed by the developer. We assessed the scope of the safety coordinator’s duties in relation to the responsibilities of the main contractor, as well as how our client had fulfilled their obligations in practice. We demonstrated that our client had acted with due care and in full compliance with their duties throughout the planning, preparation and execution of the construction project. The District Court of Eastern Uusimaa dismissed the charge against our client. The Court held that our client, in their capacity as safety coordinator, had duly fulfilled the occupational safety obligations incumbent on the developer during the planning and preparation phases of the construction project and had not been aware of the fall protection deficiency identified at the site. The judgment is final insofar as our client is concerned.

Efima – Sale of financial management services business

We advised Efima Oyj on the sale of its financial management services business to Rantalainen as part of its strategic focus on fully concentrating on the delivery of business applications as well as data and AI solutions. As a result of the transaction, customer contracts related to financial management services and 65 experts working in these services will transfer to Rantalainen. The transaction will be carried out as a transfer of business, and the experts will move to the new owner as existing employees. Efima is a Finnish digital company that supports the sustainable growth of large and mid-sized companies by streamlining their business processes and by creating competitive advantage through the innovative use of artificial intelligence and data. The company has nearly 200 experts based in Helsinki and Tampere.

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