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Corporate tax advice from Eversheds Bitans Law Office is seen as ‘several steps ahead’, with ‘good business analysis and easy communication skills’. Highlights included advising a major retail chain, which successfully recovered €1.8m, following a Supreme Court judgment, won by Maris Vainovskis and Maris Logins.
The versatile Valters Gencs at Gencs Valters Law Firm’s strong tax expertise was demonstrated at the highest level in representing client Alstom Power Hydro in the ECJ on a €100m VAT refund case. The firm also previously advised the European Commission on Latvian law in reviewing national tax laws amongst member states. New clients include chemicals company Sika, cosmetics company L’Oréal and auction houses Sotheby’s and Christie’s.
Kronbergs & Cukste’s tax advice is explicitly linked to the consequences of Latvia’s recession; encompassing corporate restructuring, tax negotiations and appeals and debt management, for clients facing a changing tax burden. Clients say it is ‘amongst the best law firms in the country’ in this area, and Vineta Cukste is ‘perfectly professional’.
RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS is a ‘high level law firm, easily approachable, giving good advice with no airs and graces’. With disputes ranging from income tax, excise duties, VAT and general tax advisory work, Sandija Novicka supports partner colleagues in this area. Clients include a major tobacco company and timber company Stora Enso Mežs.
Sorainen ‘is a recognised firm with a full-service tax capability; advice comes with a range of options’. Janis Taukacs and Edgars Koskins advise in this area, and were joined by Diana Kluškina from KPMG. The firm’s contentious VAT litigation practice is excellent, focusing on input VAT deduction issues. Clients include Coca-Cola and Finnish electrical company Elektroskandia.
The standout tax advice of 2009 for Klavins & Slaidins LAWIN was its work for the EBRD regarding, amongst other things, the EBRD’s tax status in Latvia and the tax implications of its acquisition of a key shareholding stake in Parex Ban. Head of tax Zinta Jansons also advised a large local manufacturer on the VAT implications of the structure of their export operations.
At LETLAW, Inguna Abele’s tax work has picked up, as clients seek to minimise tax impacting on lower profits. With ‘high-level expertise in tax issues’, the firm ‘deals personally with each case – no delegation to juniors’. Highlights included work for Unicredit, on the tax consequences of assets secured against distressed loans, plus client representation on additional VAT liabilities, overpaid VAT claims and income tax liabilities.
Liepa, Skopina /Borenius has ‘extensive expertise in Latvian tax matters and assisted us in several tax regulation and tax structuring issues with great success’; Zane Krecere is an experienced tax expert with ‘extensive knowledge with an ideas-driven approach to a client’s business’. It advised BaltCap on the tax structure of their purchase of Interinfo, plus provided tax advice on debt restructuring for a leading Nordic bank.
bnt Klauberg Krauklis Attorneys-at-law advised on the tax issues arising from construction projects for M Plus Design and Bock Consulting Engineers, whilst also handling VAT reimbursement issues for Scandlines. Elizabete Krivcova and German-qualified Nikolas Kadegis lead here.
Grunte & Cers / TLS Alliance has, post-reorganisation, stayed active in tax advice, acting for trophy client Swedbank in providing tax advice on the restructuring of bad debts and bad assets in the Baltics.
Helena Stanislavska IPZA maintains a discrete tax practice for Pfizer and Colgate-Palmolive Latvia.