The Legal 500

Few heavyweight deals come to market without Lawin on the cast list. It acted for the shareholders in the $260m sale of Fermentas International, possibly the largest private capital transaction in 20 years; and is representing the state in the historic demerger of public company LEO, valued at €2.3bn. The team includes ‘top level professionals’ such as managing partner Rolandas Valiunas, practice head Zilvinas Zinkevicius and head of restructuring, Dovile Burgiene.

Raidla Lejins & Norcous’ links to Nordic Scandinavia via the Raidla brand appeals to multinational clients from this region; for example pharmaceutical and medical supply company Mediq, which the firm advised on the Lithuanian aspects of its €85m acquisition of Oriola-KD Healthcare Trade Business. It also acted for Neste Oil in its acquisition of Alexela Oil, operator of petrol stations in Lithuania. The service is ‘excellent’ and the team, led by Irmantas Norkus, ‘is very client-orientated and solves problems very quickly’.

Sorainen has an international reputation for high-end M&A, with notable expertise in private equity. It acted for AON on the merger of its pan-Baltic subsidiaries, and advised a global money transfer company on establishing a Lithuanian centre, a major FDI project of the year. Laimonas Skibarka has ‘excellent local knowledge that he is able to convey to multinational clients’; among several experienced senior associates, Sergej Butov has ‘good commercial understanding and is able to focus on the key issues’.

Tark Grunte Sutkiene’s substantial team is ‘one of the best in Lithuania’ and is led by Vidmantas Drizga and Marius Matonis, both experienced professionals. Matonis is consistently praised for his ‘good intuition’ and ‘business understanding’, while Jonas Pilkauskas is ‘creative’. The firm acted for US technology company Thermo Fisher Scientific on the Lithuanian aspects of its $260m acquisition of Canada-based Fermentas, a landmark transaction for the region.

The recently merged Baltic Legal Solutions Lithuania has significantly boosted its corporate capability, uniting Ginautas Bartkus and Gediminas Lisauskas with Robertas Degesys and Ramunas Kaziauskas. The firm provides general corporate advice to Carlsberg and Wrigley’s, as well as post-merger integration advice to a multinational food and beverages company.

Law Firm Bernotas & Dominas Glimstedt has a strong reputation in the corporate arena, and recently acted for private investor NDX energija in the exchange of a private stake in regional grids and other assets for €250m cash, effectively the largest demerger within the electricity industry. ‘The service is always excellent’ says clients, while Remigijus Jakutis is praised for his ‘practical approach and good support during negotiations’.

The impressive client list at Eversheds Saladžius is testament to the abilities of Jonas Saladžius, Rimtis Puišys and Aušrys Šliavas. The firm is ‘more client-orientated than some others’ and provides everyday corporate advice to clients such as Fortum, British American Tobacco Lithuania, Volvo Financial Services and Samsung Electronics Baltics.

Motieka & Audzevicius is ‘results-orientated’ and ‘highly skilled’ with lawyers who are ‘team players’. Giedrius Kolesnikovas is singled out for his M&A capability, and led the advice to a listed regional agribusiness on its €34.8m acquisition of a 50% stake in a Ukrainian joint venture. Other recent deals include a €31m multijurisdictional transaction in the retail sector.

A capable and ‘very professional team’ at VARUL attracts major projects, such as acting for the Ministry of Energy on the restructuring of the Lithuanian electricity market, including the liquidation of state company LEO. Private sector clients include worldwide Swedish-based manufacturer Trelleborg. Robert Juodka and Andrius Smaliukas are key individuals.

With a network of ten offices across CEE, bnt Heemann Klauberg Krauklis APB attracts multinationals doing business across the region with a bias towards German clients, where the firm has its roots. Frank Heemann is ‘very service-orientated and client-focused’ and heads the Lithuanian office, which advised Swiss-based European Charcoal on establishing production sites in Lithuanian, valued at €10m each.

Balciunas & Grajauskas advises on mid-market deals for both domestic and international companies. Clients consistently praise the teamwork of the firm. Gintaras Balciunas ‘displays exceptional attention to detail’ and provides ‘precise and prompt services’, while deals include acting for Itella Information on the €2m purchase of a scanning centre business.

Attorneys at Law Borenius advises some leading international companies on smaller deals, for example, acting for Johnson & Johnson in a transaction and representing Estonia’s Alexela Oil in the sale of its subsidiary to Neste Oil. The recently merged firm unites Dalia Foigt and ‘strong negotiator’ Daivis Svirinas, creating an experienced duo both noted for their project management skills.

Two-partner firm Juridicon Law Firm has a decent flow of general advisory work and modest-sized deals for domestic and international companies. Laimonas Marcinkevicius leads in this area and acted for USP Baltics, part of US Pharmacia (USP), on commercial arrangements in Lithuania.

Part of a Baltic-Scandinavian network, MAQS Law Firm advises both local and multinational clients on cross-border corporate work. Laimonas Markauskas leads the M&A and general commercial work supported by a substantial team of associates.

Managing partner Arunas Šarka and Linas Sabaliauskas at Sarka, Sabaliauskas, Jankauskas have a successful portfolio of small-to-medium-sized deals, often with an international dimension. Corporate and M&A is a core area for the firm, which advised on the merger of Mediapool and Adcom to create one of the largest media and advertising companies in the country.

Two-partner firm Vadapalas, Vaitekunas and Partners Eurolex has a steady caseload advising SMEs and some foreign companies on general commercial matters and smaller transactions. Dalius Vaitekunas heads the corporate and commercial practice.