The Legal 500

Lawin has a significant transport practice, acting for the majority of commercial airlines serving Lithuania. Non-aviation clients include vessel owner Ocean Breeze Energy, which the firm advised on construction and financing issues of the Wind Lift I vessel. Clients report a ‘flexible, resourceful and solution-orientated’ service.

Based in the seaport of Klaipeda, Ramanauskas ir Partneriai Law Firm is a specialist shipping boutique led by Vytas Ramanauskas, a leading maritime lawyer. The firm advises on all areas of shipping, wet and dry, including ship arrests.

Sorainen has a strong track record in the transport sector, particularly rail and aviation. Air Baltic is a key client, which the group advises on all legal matters including regulatory. Other mandates include acting for a domestic airport in negotiations with Ryanair, and continued advice on a major cross-border rail project in the region. Experienced senior associate Laura Cereškaite leads the practice.

Transport clients of bnt Heemann Klauberg Krauklis APB report a ‘very good level of service’ while office head Frank Heemann is ‘very qualified, prompt and reliable’. The firm acts for Lithuanian freight-forwarding company Cargotrans, Atlas Maritime Security and KRAVAG-Logistic, a German transport insurer.

A multi-modal practice at Baltic Legal Solutions Lithuania acted for Klaipeda City Municipality Agency on establishing a system for local public transport routes, and advised Ernst & Young Baltic on a feasibility study to establish a Vilnius public logistics centre. Gytis Kaminskas leads much of the work in this sector.

Law Firm Bernotas & Dominas Glimstedt advises clients in shipping and transport matters at the highest level, as demonstrated by its work for Western Shipyard, which it successfully represented in the Supreme Court in a dispute against a Norwegian company concerning a vessel rebuild. Leading practitioners from across the firm participate in this area.

Attorneys at Law Borenius has a modest client base of transport companies, both domestic and international, including DHL Latvia. Attorney Jurate Rusteikaite-Baksiene acted for Avia Asset Management as lessor in the lease of two Boeing 737s, while Vaidas Mackonis is advising in a carriage of goods by sea case concerning detention of cargo and compensation for transport fees.

A cross-disciplinary team at Eversheds Saladžius advises some major players in the sector, the overall practice steered by litigator Alvydas Ginetis. Recent highlights include acting for Sea Connect in the disposal of a stake in its marine forwarding business, and acting for the Lithuanian Road Administration on a feasibility study into viability of PPP and concessions.

A varied caseload at Sarka, Sabaliauskas, Jankauskas included acting for the Lithuanian Road Administration, part of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, on all contractual matters relating to administering motorways, side and regional roads. It is also acting for rail services company DB International in a dispute against Lithuanian Railways.

The ‘extremely attentive’ team at Tark Grunte Sutkiene is part of the firm’s general commercial group led by Odeta Trucinskaite-Šiušiene. It acts for the Ministry of Transport and Communications, a client obtained via competitive tender, on a project to improve the country’s road, rail and water public passenger transport systems.

The state-owned railway company Lietuvos is a key client of VARUL, advising it on a number of transportation issues, including railway reform. The firm also acts for cargo and shipping companies JSC Arijus and UAB Cargo and Go, on daily matters including litigation. Inga Martinkute leads the practice with input from across the firm.