The Legal 500

Members of Lawin’s expanding team ‘are not only good competition experts but also know how to serve the client’. The firm plays a key role in the development of EU and competition law in Lithuanian via representation of the government and industry-leading clients such as petroleum company ORLEN, Coca-Cola, and local subsidiaries of TeliaSonera. Jaunius Gumbis and Marius Juonys are representing ORLEN in the appeal of a €2.3m fine, which is the largest ever imposed by the Lithuanian competition authority.

Raidla Lejins & Norcous is providing VAASAN Group with a competition law analysis of merger scenarios across all Baltic countries and Finland. Contentious mandates include representing 14 media and advertising agencies in a cartel case in the Supreme Administrative Court. Clients praise the communication skills of Irmantas Norkus, who jointly leads the practice with Elijus Burgis.

Baltic Legal Solutions Lithuania has a strong practice under the experienced Iraida Zogaite. The firm is representing broadcaster Lithuanian Radio and Television in a rare private complaint of abuse of dominant position, and obtained a successful outcome for GlaxoSmithKline Lithuania in an investigation into vertical price-fixing.

Last year’s recruitment of former Competition Council chairman Rimantas Stanikunas is paying dividends for Law Firm Bernotas & Dominas Glimstedt. It is acting for clients such as Latvian Railways in a predatory pricing and cross-subsidisation investigation, and advising Lukoil Baltija concerning an investigation into alleged anti-competitive distribution and retail of oil products.

Attorneys at Law Borenius is ‘really proficient in the area of competition law’, which is a key area for the firm. It is advising leading retailer Palink on issues relating to the European Basketball Championships, EuroBasket 2011. Other clients include Sandoz and a leading Scandinavian bank. Managing partner Daivis Švirinas leads the practice, and is ‘clear-headed and a good strategist’.

Disputes boutique Motieka & Audzevicius has an effective practice under Ramunas Audzevicius, who ‘knows the labyrinths of EU law like his own pocket’. The team is representing a domestic airline as third party in a Supreme Court competition dispute, and advising on the competition aspects of the acquisition of an oil exploration company.

Sorainen is cultivating an ‘excellent’ practice under senior associate Lauras Butkevicius, who is ‘a delight to work with’ and ‘proactive and quick at understanding complex issues and providing advice’. The firm succeeded in reducing a price-fixing fine on behalf of Forum Cinemas Home Entertainment on appeal in the Supreme Administrative Court, in what was Lithuania’s first resale price-fixing case.

Tark Grunte Sutkiene’s ‘business-minded’ group is acting for Viasat in an investigation of abuse of dominant position in the pay-TV channels wholesale market, following a complaint by TEO, the Lithuanian subsidiary of TeliaSonera. The firm is also representing the state as initiator of an investigation into Gazprom. Lina Daruliene heads the practice.

bnt Heemann Klauberg Krauklis APB joins the ranking following the recruitment of Yvonne Goldammer, former head of EU and competition at Varul. Clients note that ‘the quality of her work is always perfect’, and praise her language skills. The new practice is currently focusing on corporate support.

Balciunas & Grajauskas provides ‘a high level of service’. It assisted a global pharmaceuticals company with its dawn-raid policy and is advising a government body on the effective implementation of EU funds. Tomas Ivanauskas heads the practice.

Eversheds Saladžius’ clients have access to the firm’s 49 competition specialists worldwide. Rimtis Puišys heads the practice locally and advised BAT regarding distribution agreements within the highly regulated tobacco industry.

Varul is acting for Michelin in various complex competition actions against the Competition Council and is advising the Lithuanian Prime Minister’s Office on the feasibility and impact on Lithuania of the creation of a European Public Prosecutor’s Office, a matter involving significant EU legal issues. Robert Juodka and Tomas Venckus ‘react quickly and to the point, and are very helpful’.