Lithuania > Legal market overview
Bucking the trend in recessionary fallout, the highly competitive Lithuanian legal market is relatively stable. It was headline news, therefore, when leading litigator Andrius Smaliukas left Varul for top firm Lawin, taking a dozen lawyers with him. Varul also lost personnel to other firms, but strong leadership from managing partner Robert Juodka, a merger with experienced corporate boutique Devyžis & Partners and the firm’s successful pan-Baltic alliance should engender swift recovery.
Lawin’s recent strategy of A-list hires, plus specialisation by legal discipline, is proving a hit with international clients. However, the firm’s closest rivals – Raidla Lejins & Norcous, Sorainen and Tark Grunte Sutkiene – continue to prove their worth with high-calibre mandates and clients. These firms’ allied offices also lead the rankings in Estonia and Latvia, proving the success of the pan-Baltic merger. Another change in the legal landscape is that Sarka, Sabaliauskas, Jankauskas has allied with firms in Estonia and Latvia and is now simply known as Triniti.
A negative issue for firms is the pricing of fees, which have not recovered from pre-crisis years. Reports continue of fee dumping, particularly in relation to high-profile public tenders, where the kudos from the project may be worth the financial hit.