Karin Oberlin, lic.iur. et lic.rer.publ. HSG, LL.M
Karin Oberlin, lic.iur. et lic.rer.publ. HSG, LL.M

Karin Oberlin, lic.iur. et lic.rer.publ. HSG, LL.M

Partner, Zurich

Schiffbaustrasse 2 | P.O. Box | CH-8031 Zurich | Switzerland
Schiffbaustrasse 2 | P.O. Box | CH-8031 Zurich | Switzerland
T +41 58 552 04 20
karin.oberlin@mll-legal.com

Profile

Karin Oberlin is a partner in the firm’s corporate and finance department. Her main area of practice is financing where she assists lenders and borrowers in asset backed financings, acquisition finance, structured finance and syndicated loan transactions. Karin Oberlin is especially experienced in complex financing structures across several jurisdictions. Having worked for several years as head of transaction management in Credit Suisse’s aviationfinance department, she has in-depth knowledge in aviation and ship financing transactions.

Karin Oberlin also frequently advises clients in M&A and private equity transactions. Her M&A experience includes transactions with clients from various industries with an emphasis on technology intensive businesses and the banking and FinTech industries. In addition to the transportation and to the banking and finance sectors, she holds a special interest and advises clients regarding any corporate matters in connection with current technological changes. Additionally, Karin Oberlin heads the industry group MLL Start! which focuses on advising Swiss start-ups and their investors.

Karin Oberlin was admitted to the Zurich bar in 2005. She holds a degree in law as well as a degree in international public relations from the University of St.Gallen. In 2009, Karin received an LL.M. degree from Columbia University in New York and graduated as Harlan Fiske Stone scholar. In 2016 Karin completed a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Financial Markets Law. Before joining MLL Legal as a partner in 2015, Karin Oberlin worked for several years as associate in the M&A department of another major Swiss business law firm and thereafter joined Credit Suisse AG as in house lawyer where she headed the transaction management team of the aviation finance department.





Special Desks


Rankings & Awards

IFLR 1000 Notable Practitioner 2024Legal 500 EMEA Recommended Lawyer 2024IFLR 1000 Notable Practitioner 2023Best Lawyers Karin Oberlin 2024Legal 500 EMEA Recommended Lawyer 2023Client Choice Award 2022Legal 500 EMEA Recommended Lawyer 2022IFLR 1000 Notable Practitioner Leading Lawyers 2022IFLR 1000 Notable Practitioner 2021-22Legal 500 EMEA Recommended Lawyer 2021Legal 500 EMEA Recommended Lawyer 2020
  • “Karin Oberlin handles the corporate and commercial sides. She has great management skills and responsiveness. Deep familiarity with the business side combined with legal expertise allows her to be always ahead with the legal services needed in a very innovative structure” – Legal 500 EMEA, Fintech, 2024
  • “Karin Oberlin stands out as being excellent in her field and is the go to choice for Swiss aviation law questions” – Legal 500 EMEA, Transport, 2023
  • “Highly skilled in all corporate matters, very responsive, and connected” – Legal 500 EMEA, Banking and Finance: Zurich, 2023
  • “Karin is an outstanding business-oriented lawyer delivering tangible results for us as clients” – Client Choice, Fintech, 2022
  • “Karin Oberlin is one of the best” – Legal 500 EMEA, Transport, 2022
  • Karin Oberlin is featured as a key lawyer in The Legal 500 EMEA, Commercial, Corporate & M&A, 2022
  • “Karin Oberlin is top notch in Swiss aviation law” – Legal 500 EMEA, Banking and Finance, 2022
  • “Best in class subject matter expert of private market investment topics, strong contribution, clear communication, focus on what matters” – IFLR 1000, 2021-22
  • “Very insightful and strong structuring skills; strong execution skills; strong risk assessment and mitigation skills; pragmatic and highly efficient” – IFLR 1000, 2021-22

Deals & Cases

  • Advised Clinical Research Ventures (CRV), a global life-science investor based in Boston, USA, in its investment in Adiposs SA, Geneva, the developer of a unique diagnostic product for the non-invasive early detection of body wasting cachexia
  • Advised Clinical Research Ventures (CR Ventures), a Singapore, Frankfurt and Boston based global life-science investor in its investment into BioVersys AG, Basel, a biotech company focusing on research and development of small molecules which switch off drug resistance against antibiotics
  • Advised Swisscom Ventures in CHF 20 Mio. Series AG financing round in ANYbotics AG. The ETH spin-off ANYbotics is a leading maker of four-legged robots and enhances safety and productivity in industrial operations through autonomous mobile robots capable of navigating complex environments. The financing round was led by Swisscom Ventures
  • Representation of WEPA SE, Germany, a family business operating throughout Europe which offers sustainable and innovative hygiene solutions, who is one of the largest European manufacturers and leads the market in the production of hygiene paper from recycled fibres with regard to its M&A activities in DACH region. MLL supported WEPA with regard to the due diligence process, the preparation and negotiations of transaction agreements (such as share purchase agreements, transitional services agreement, manufacturing agreement), the analysis of merger control filing obligations and the preparation of filings under special national real estate provisions
  • Represented a ship owning company in all matters relating to a complex and international re-financing transaction involving the re-negotiation of one syndicated loan agreement and seven bilateral loan agreements in parallel
  • Advised Dassault Aviation in the acquisition of TAG Aviation’s European maintenance operations in Geneva, Le Bourget, Farnborough and Cascais (Portugal) as well RUAG Group’s maintenance activities (MRO) and ground handling activities (FBO) in Geneva and Lugano. With these acquisitions, the Dassault Aviation is pursuing its strategy to develop a global MRO network of excellence
  • Taco Family of Companies in the acquisition of Taconova Group AG. In addition to the M&A process, MLL also provided advice regarding any post closing matters such as TSA and coordination of all European law aspects with the subsidiaries’ local counsels

Education & Admission

  • CAS financial market law, University Zurich (2016)
  • Columbia University New York, LL.M., Harlan Fiske Stone scholar (2009)
  • Admitted to the bar in Switzerland (2005)
  • University of St. Gallen, lic.iur. HSG (2003)
  • University of St. Gallen, lic. rer. publ. HSG (2002)

Memberships and public offices

  • Swiss Bar Association (SAV)
  • Zurich Bar Association (ZAV)
  • International Bar Association (IBA)
  • European Business Aviation Association (EBAA)
  • Zurich Shipping Network (ZSN)
  • Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA)

Languages

  • German
  • English

Publications


News Portal


Firm News

Karin Oberlin is featured as a key lawyer in The Legal 500 EMEA, Commercial, Corporate & M&A, 2022