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.

Neste – A EUR 250 million 10-year loan with NIB

We advised Neste as it signed a EUR 250 million 10-year loan with NIB. The loan will finance Neste’s investments related to research and development (R&D) in processing lower-quality feedstocks into high-quality renewable products; as well as the liquefied waste plastics (LWP) investment at Neste’s refinery in Porvoo, Finland. The R&D activities supported by the loan focus on the development of renewable solutions. These include, for example, expanding feedstock capabilities and technologies that enable the processing of new and lower-quality waste and residues into high-quality renewable end products. Part of the financing supports Neste’s liquefied waste plastics investment in Porvoo, related to upgrading low-quality plastic waste into high-quality feedstock at an industrial scale. The investment contributes to advancing circular economy solutions by enabling the use of hard-to-recycle plastic waste as a replacement for virgin fossil raw materials. The unit has an annual capacity to process up to 150,000 tonnes of liquefied waste plastic. Production ramp-up commenced in 2026.

Aspo – Demerger and finance matters

We advised Aspo Plc, ESL Shipping Ltd and AtoBatC Shipping AB in relation to finance matters in connection with the demerger of Aspo, by which all the shares in ESL Shipping Ltd held by Aspo, together with the related assets and liabilities, will be transferred to a new independent company to be named ESL Shipping Group Plc. Aspo intends to apply for the shares of ESL Shipping Group to be admitted to trading on the regulated market of Nasdaq Helsinki. It is further intended that Aspo be renamed Telko Group Plc.

Lenders and Export Credit Agencies – EUR 514.4 million green project financing for Easpring Finland New Materials’ CAM plant

We acted as Finnish law legal adviser to the lenders and the export credit agencies in connection with the EUR 514.4 million green project financing for the development and construction of Easpring Finland New Materials Oy’s cathode active material (CAM) manufacturing plant in Kotka, Finland. The borrower, Easpring Finland New Materials Oy, is a joint venture owned by Beijing Easpring Material Technology, Finnish Minerals Group and LG Energy Solution. The financing was provided by six international commercial banks, with Société Générale acting as financial adviser and mandated lead arranger together with Natixis as co-mandated lead arranger, and DNB, ICBC, ING and Standard Chartered participating as lenders, with support from the export credit agencies Finnvera and Sinosure. The project represents a significant milestone for Finland and the European battery value chain by strengthening Europe’s domestic supply of cathode active materials, a key component in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage applications. Once the first phase of the project is operational, the Kotka facility is expected to produce approximately 60,000 tonnes of cathode active material annually, making it one of the largest CAM production plants in Europe and supplying leading battery manufacturers across Europe.

Delta Capacity – Acquisition of BESS Project

We acted as Finnish legal advisor to Delta Capacity in connection with its acquisition of the ready-to-build Karppio battery energy storage system (BESS) project from Helios Nordic Energy. The acquisition was made and the project will be implemented together with Strioga Family Foundation. The Karppio BESS project is located in Teuva, Finland, and has a capacity of 125 MW / 300 MWh. Delta Capacity will lead the remaining development of the project through to commissioning, planned for 2027, and will serve as long-term asset manager. Delta Capacity is a Swiss-based developer of utility scale battery storage systems. The acquisition adds to Delta Capacity’s growing Nordic portfolio.

Swedbank – Refinancing of Trophi’s Finnish retail real estate portfolio

We advised Swedbank AB (publ) on the refinancing of a large Finnish retail real estate portfolio owned by Trophi’s Finnish subsidiaries. Trophi is the leading Nordic real estate company focusing on grocery anchored retail properties, with 278 properties across Sweden and Finland. Finland is a market that continues to develop and is also strategically important for Trophi, accounting for approximately 30% of Trophi’s letting and property value.

HANZA – Acquisition of Fortaco Finland’s heavy mechanics and assembly business

We are acting as Finnish legal advisor to HANZA in connection with its acquisition of Fortaco Finland’s heavy mechanics and assembly business. The transaction is structured as a combined asset and share acquisition and includes Fortaco Finland’s heavy mechanics and assembly operations in Finland, as well as shares in two Estonian and two Polish subsidiaries. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Founded in 2008, HANZA is a Swedish mechanical engineering and electronics contract manufacturing company listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm main list. HANZA has approximately 5,000 employees and annual sales of SEK 10 billion. We advise HANZA on this transaction in collaboration with the Swedish law firm Lindahl.

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