` Karina Paatsi | COBALT
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Karina Paatsi

Partner / Estonia

Contacts 

karina.paatsi@cobalt.legal
+372 514 6405
+372 665 1888

About

Karina Paatsi is a Partner at COBALT Estonia and head of the fields of employment law and corporate law. Karina advises clients with regard to commencement of business activities as well as all legal matters related to the everyday business activities of companies, including the restructuring, merger and liquidation of companies, matters related to the liability of the members of management bodies and corporate governance. She has long-term experience in counselling clients in matters related to employment relationships, including the preparation of employment contracts and other documents pertaining to employment law, termination of employment relationships and labour disputes.

In addition to her work as an attorney, Karina regularly gives presentations in professional conferences, gives lectures in the Estonian Business School and contributes to writing articles on topical issues.

Karina has been ranked by Chambers Europe in band 1 as a leading employment lawyer in Estonia.

Karina has been a member of the Estonian Bar Association since 2000 and she is also a member of the Employment Law Committee of the Bar Association since 2014.

Practice

Recognition
  • Chambers & Partners, Employment, Ranked Lawyer, Band 1 – 2011 – 2024
  • The Legal 500, Employment, Leading Individual – 2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2022 / 2023 / 2024
  • IFLR1000, Financial and Corporate, Expert Consultant – 2022 / 2024
  • IFLR 1000, Financial and Corporate, Notable Practitioner – 2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2022
CV

Languages

  • Estonian, English, Russian

Membership & education

  • Member of the Employment law Commission of Estonian Bar Association (2014)
  • Estonian Bar Association (2000)
  • Master of Arts in Law (M.A.), University of Tartu, Faculty of Law, Estonia (1998)
    Experience

    Via3L Spedition OÜ won in court against firm’s former managers

    Interchemie reached an agreement with Kepro in court

    Binalyze raised 19 million dollars in a Series A financing round

    Change Ventures invests in startup Formaloo

    The majority shareholder of Hansab sells its majority stake to BaltCap

    HellermannTyton acquires Estonian microduct manufacturing company Höhle

    COBALT advised the sale of district heating network company VKG Soojus to Gren

    COBALT advises Neo Performance Materials Inc. upon development of magnet manufacturing plant in Estonia

    COBALT assisted the client in an internal investigation and successfully defended the client in a cartel criminal case

    COBALT advised Avena Nordic Grain on selling its grain trade business to Scandagra Group

    COBALT advised Ekspress Group on acquiring Geenius Meedia

    COBALT advised Zurich Insurance Group on acquiring AlphaChat

    COBALT advised IBM on reorganization for separation of Kyndryl regarding Baltic jurisdictions

    COBALT advised Mid Europa Partners on acquisition of leading Baltics e-commerce platforms

    COBALT advised Levine Leichtman Capital Partners on acquiring Creditinfo

    COBALT advised Swedbank on evaluating structural changes at the Baltic level

    COBALT advised Biogen on launching its operations in Latvia and Estonia

    COBALT advised AS Ekspress Grupp in connection with option programs

    COBALT advises Flügger on gaining the majority stake in Eskaro group

    COBALT advises Ardian on acquiring Nevel Oy

    COBALT advised Algeco on the acquisition of Wexus

    COBALT advised Change Ventures on investment in fintech startup askRobin

    COBALT advised Steel Import Finland Oy on acquiring FinEst Metallid

    COBALT advised Baltic Agro Machinery OÜ on the sale of John Deere business

    COBALT advised Hansab Group on selling their stake in Moya OÜ

    COBALT advises Zeppelin Group on acquiring Baltic Marine Contractors

    COBALT advised Luminor, Nordea and DNB on closing transaction with Blackstone

    COBALT advised NEXTCLINICS on acquiring F-Est OÜ

    COBALT advised Luminor on cross-border merger

    COBALT advised European Diversified Infrastructure Fund II on investment in Utilitas, leading private Estonian energy group

    COBALT advised the sale and purchase transaction of Merit Tarkvara to Oslo-based Visma

    COBALT advised Luminor on obtaining ECB approval for cross-border merger in the Baltics

    COBALT advised Port of Tallinn on its IPO and listing on Nasdaq Tallinn Stock Exchange

    COBALT advises Luminor on reorganising its management structure

    COBALT advised Alexela Energia on a transaction with Adven Eesti

    COBALT advised Ambient Sound Investment on sale of Ecofleet Holding

    COBALT advised DNB on the creation of Luminor – largest ever transaction in the Baltic banking market

    COBALT advises on buyout of majority investors in Estonian glulam manufacturer Barrus

    COBALT advises the sale of successful start-up Teleport

    COBALT advises Nordea and DNB banks on issues concerning insolvent dairy producer Tere

    COBALT advises DAVA Agravis Machinery Holding on acquisition of 45% of shares in Konekesko Ltd

    COBALT advised Sports Direct International on purchase transaction

    COBALT advised Quattromed HTI Labs on purchase transaction

    Publications

    Whistleblower Protection Act finally adopted

    More flexible on-call time for ICT employees

    Changes in organising occupational health and safety

    Hiring foreign workers

    Exceptions concerning consecutive fixed-term employment contracts with people registered as unemployed

    Employees with independent decision-making capacity

    Construction contractor liability for wages not received by the employees of a subcontractor

    Estonia: Salary subsidies extended to March

    COVID-19 Estonia: Coronavirus in employment relations – payment of salary subsidies extended, employees return to workplaces

    COVID-19 Estonia: The effects of the coronavirus on the adoption of resolutions by shareholders and the formal requirements for non-electronic share transfers

    COVID-19 in Estonia: The coronavirus in employment relations & taxes – April update

    COVID-19 in Estonia: The coronavirus in employment relations & taxes – March 20 update

    COVID-19 in Estonia: The coronavirus in employment relations

    Baltic Employment Law News – May 2019

    Baltic Corporate Law News – February 2019

    Comparative investment guide to the Baltics – January 2019

    Guide to employee share options in the Baltic states – August 2018

    Baltic Corporate Law News – February 2018

    Baltic Employment Law News – November 2017

    Baltic Corporate Law News – July 2017

    Baltic Employment Law News – March 2017

    Comparative Investment Guide to the Baltics – July 2016

    We are driven by your recognition

    "Karina Paatsi is one of the best lawyers I've worked with. She has a calm and solution-oriented approach. 10/10 service every time!"
    Legal 500 2024, Employment
    "Karina is one of the best lawyers we have worked with. With a practical approach, she is able to support with various legal issues."
    Chambers Europe 2024, Employment
    "Karina Paatsi knows and remembers all the details and always gives the best advice. Even if I have forgotten some details, I can be sure she remembers the whole situation as well as making sure that everything that we discuss is clear and stands out."
    Legal 500 2024, Employment
    "Karina Paatsi has been integral to our business and her speed of response has been exceptional along with her thoroughness in taking the time to understand our case management through to providing highly effective solutions. Karina Paatsi has consistently provided us with high quality feedback, always supporting us with local legislation for wider business context and understanding."
    Legal 500 2024, Employment
    "She is very pragmatic," a client says, adding: "Her turnaround is swift and she is very time-conscious."
    Chambers and Partners 2021, Employment
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