The Legal 500

Lawin provides comprehensive service, its team is ‘available at all times’, and it is ‘genuinely able to understand clients’ needs’. Zinta Jansons recently led advice to GE Capital on the sale of GE Money Bank to Otkritie Financial. ‘Very professional’ practice head Raimonds Slaidins advised Securitas on its acquisition of a 65% stake in a leading Latvian security company, and Liga Merwin advised Japan Tobacco International on the restructuring of its distribution business in Latvia. Other clients include Apple Inc, The Coca-Cola Company and ArcelorMittal.

Raidla Lejins & Norcous is ‘a long-time player and one of the oldest and best-established corporate firms in Latvia’. This ‘excellent, thorough and efficient’ team is able to handle ‘complex, multi-jurisdictional matters with ease’. Practice head Guntars Zile is ‘very responsive’, ‘achieves impressive results’ and is ‘a strong negotiator’. He advised ABLV Private Equity Fund 2010 on its purchase of a 25% stake in SIA Depo DIY, and the highly regarded Dace Silava-Tomsone acted for TVNET on its acquisition of a leading Russian-language news site in Latvia. Girts Lejins heads the corporate advisory group.

Attorneys at Law Borenius has particularly strong experience in the media and broadcasting sectors. Indrikis Liepa, who heads the busy transactional team, recently assisted Alma Media with its acquisition of leading Baltic internet recruitment service provider, CV-Online. Gatis Flinters heads the practice.

Leveraging off the firm’s international network, Eversheds Bitans has strength in cross-border transactions. Practice head Maris Vainovskis advised Independent National Media on its sale of a domestic television channel to a Swedish broadcasting group, and also assisted French waste management company Veolia during the management buyout of its Latvian subsidiary.

Glimstedt & Partneri’s practice head Peteris Dalderis has been advising Air Baltic Corporation on its acquisition of shares from a minority shareholder and the €100m refinancing of its debt held by two insolvent banks. The team is also acting for the Ministry of Transport on a €600m public procurement contract. The firm expanded the team by hiring two new senior associates.

Kronbergs & Cukste’s ‘excellent’ team is adept at representing multinationals and leading local companies in cross-border commercial matters. It recently advised a US-based IT company on its acquisition of a Latvian software developer and the creation of a holding structure in Ireland. Clients praise the firm’s ‘timely, accurate and professional service’, and single out ‘highly knowledgeable, experienced and excellent communicator’ Vineta Cukste. Valters Kronbergs heads the practice.

Sorainen’s corporate and M&A practice is a core area for the firm, and the team is considered to be ‘a first choice when it comes to cost efficiency and business mindset’. Managing partner Eva Berlaus advised BaltCap on an investment contract with software development company Clusterpoint, and acted for Baltic Property Trust Asset Management on the sale of its Valdemāra Rimi Hypermarket to Rimi Baltic Group. Among the team’s senior associates, Jãnis Bite is ‘a one-of-a-kind talent in the corporate field’, and Valts Nerets is ‘a rising star’.

Amber Law provides ‘an excellent, high quality and client-friendly service’. Besides its ‘extensive professional experience and industry knowledge’, clients praise the team’s ‘flexibility, target-oriented approach and ability to keep to very tight schedules’. It advised World of Services on its acquisition of a company operating a well-known resort hotel in Latvia. The ‘knowledgeable, experienced and intelligent’ Inese Lazdupe is commended for her ‘solution-guided approach’ and ‘willingness to help in difficult situations’.

bnt Attorneys-at-law provides ‘excellent and spot-on advice’, has ‘a very helpful network’ and ‘an excellent command of the German language’. Highlights included advising Latvia’s largest industrial conglomerate Achema on a due diligence process covering 65 companies. Arturs Krauklis and the ‘outstanding’ Theis Klauberg are the practice co-heads.

The ‘excellent’ Gencs Valters Law Firm delivers ‘practical, efficient and in-depth’ advice to prominent multinationals including McDonald’s, L’Oréal and the Stockholm School of Economics. Valters Gencs, who is ‘very astute’ and ‘knows how to avoid traps and issues’, assisted TC Motors with establishing a franchise in Latvia.

LetLaw delivers ‘good, quick and to-the-point responses’, and is renowned for its transactional work. The ‘competent, clear and attentive’ Zane Eglite advised Van Genechten Packaging on its acquisition of one of Latvia’s main packaging production companies, Kvadra Pak.

MAQS Law Firm provides ‘very high quality service’ and is recommended for its ability to ‘look deeply into specific industry issues’. The team focuses on M&A transactions as well as cross-border corporate matters. Clients include Sony Mobile Communications, UNIBET and Baltic Travel Group. Sergei Petrov heads the practice.

Magnusson is best known for its expertise in public procurement, M&A transactions, and insolvency and restructuring matters. It recently advised Rimi during its acquisition of a supermarket in Riga from BTP Optima. Gints Vilgerts and Julija Jerneva are the main contacts.

Tark Grunte Sutkiene’s ‘dedicated’ team excels at capital markets and securities work, and displays ‘high professionalism, independence and a broad scope of specialisation’. Lead partners Ivars Grunte and Andra Rubene represented Eko Baltija during its IPO on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and listing on the Riga Stock Exchange and NASDAQ.