The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Lawin is a first tier firm,

Lawin’s comprehensive and excellent practice was involved in most major transactions in the Latvian financial sector in 2012. Among the firm’s capital markets mandates, newly promoted partner Agnese Garda advised the European Investment Fund on €30m and €22m risk-sharing facility agreements with SEB Bank and Swedbank, respectively. Zinta Jansons led advice to GE Capital on the sale of its Latvian subsidiary, GE Money Bank. Practice head Egons Pikelis is recommended.

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Within Corporate and M&A, Lawin is a first tier firm,

Lawin provides comprehensive service, its team is ‘available at all times’, and it is ‘genuinely able to understand clients’ needs’. Zinta Jansons recently led advice to GE Capital on the sale of GE Money Bank to Otkritie Financial. ‘Very professional’ practice head Raimonds Slaidins advised Securitas on its acquisition of a 65% stake in a leading Latvian security company, and Liga Merwin advised Japan Tobacco International on the restructuring of its distribution business in Latvia. Other clients include Apple Inc, The Coca-Cola Company and ArcelorMittal.

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Within Dispute resolution, Lawin is a second tier firm,

Lawin is noted for its particular expertise in IP, employment, insurance and public procurement cases. Practice head Daiga Zivtina is leading representation of Stadler Bussnang in a dispute regarding the decision by the Latvian Procurement Monitoring Bureau to approve a Ls460m contract between CAF and the state-owned railway Pasazieru Vilciens.

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Within EU and competition, Lawin is a first tier firm,

Lawin’s ‘very talented’ team provides ‘excellent service’. It is particularly strong in merger control, cartel and abuse of dominant position cases and recently represented one of the country’s leading retailers in two proceedings before the Competition Council. Other clients include Japan Tobacco International, The Coca-Cola Heller Bottling Company and Swedbank. Practice head Liga Merwin is ‘an extremely skilful lawyer who has a strong background in the field of competition law and knows it inside out’.

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Within IP, IT and telecoms, Lawin is a second tier firm,

Lawin’s IP practice is part of Liga Merwin’s industry and regulatory group. It advised IBM on IT and data protection issues; The Coca-Cola Company on trade mark matters; and Sony on IT and post-warranty product services. New clients include Moderna Group and General Motors. Senior associates Martins Gailis and Sarmis Spilbergs are recommended.

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Within Real estate and construction, Lawin is a first tier firm,

Lawin is particularly strong in all aspects of transactional real estate and reported an increase in development work in 2012. Highlights included advising major retailer H&M Hennes & Mauritz on its entry into the Latvian market, including shopping centre lease agreements for H&M shops, and advising a leading Baltic retail chain on the purchase of a partially built shopping mall. Managing partner Filips Klavins is the key contact.

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Within Shipping and transport, Lawin is a first tier firm,

Lawin is renowned for its aviation expertise and advises aircraft owners, lessors and investors on aircraft leases and finance transactions. It assisted an aircraft service and maintenance provider on the restructuring of VIP AVIA. The team is also representing Finnlines in a €1m cargo loss recovery claim.

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Within Tax, Lawin is a first tier firm,

Egons Pikelis’ team at Lawin has ‘excellent knowledge of the Latvian business community’. The ‘very good’ Zinta Jansons, who was recently promoted to the partnership, advised GE Capital on tax matters relating to the sale of GE Money Bank to Otkritie Financial; and Merck Sharpe & Dohme on obtaining a VAT refund pertaining to the integration of the Schering-Plough business in Latvia.

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