Legal500

RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS

ROOSIKRANTSI 2, 10119 TALLINN, ESTONIA

Tel:: Work +372 6 407 170
Fax:: Fax +372 6 407 171

Web:: www.rln.ee
Email:

Vilnius, Tallinn, Riga

What we say about the firm's legal practice in Estonia

Banking and finance

Within Banking and finance , RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS is a first tier firm,

Raino Paron at Raidla Lejins & Norcous is one of the country’s top finance lawyers with an extensive résumé of landmark transactions to his name. More recently, he led advice to AB Linas Agro on its €28m IPO, the first flotation on the NASDAQ OMX Vilnius in two years. International investment and leading Nordic banks are regular clients, including Morgan Stanley, Citibank and Swedbank.

Corporate and M&A

Within Corporate and M&A , RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS is a first tier firm,

Few major deals come to market without Raidla Lejins & Norcous’ involvement, its corporate team ‘highly professional’ and among the most experienced in the country. It includes managing partner Jüri Raidla and Sven Papp, who provide everyday corporate advice to Nokia, IBM and Eesti Energia, while transactions included acting for Telia Sonera on its €328m takeover bid for Eesti Telekcom.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution , RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS is a first tier firm,

Raidla Lejins & Norcous has a heavyweight team, advising public bodies and major companies from a host of industries. Toomas Vaher heads the group with strong support from TMT specialist litigator Ants Nõmper. The extensive caseload included representing the government’s Environment Ministry in a dispute concerning a new sterilization plant, and acting for Astra Zeneca in the first pharma patent litigation Estonia.

EU and competition

Within EU and competition , RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS is a first tier firm,

Widely-admired Raino Paron leads a high-calibre competition practice at Raidla Lejins & Norcous, combining top corporate support work with major litigious matters for leading domestic and international companies. Typical instructions included acting for the State Agency of Medicines in a dispute concerning prescriptive drug advertising, a case with EU-wide implications, and the competition aspects of Orkla’s acquisition of leading confectioner Kalev Chocolate Factory.

IP, IT and telecoms

Within IP, IT and telecoms, RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS is a first tier firm,

An impressive client list is testament to the capability at Raidla Lejins & Norcous. Practice head Ants Nõmper acted for the inventors of Skype in the UK-based action over the technology’s IP rights involving eBay, and represented Apple in protection measures for the iPhone in Estonia.

Legal market overview

Within Legal market overview,

The Estonian legal market is fiercely competitive and becoming polarised in the battle to flourish in a tough economy. At the top end, the ‘Big Five’ have outgrown the domestic market and bowed to pressure to become pan-Baltic, uniting with firms in Lithuania and Latvia to form a single brand, albeit with differing degrees of integration. The latest is Tark Grunte Sutkiene, formed in 2010 by the union of Estonia’s Tark & Co, Lithuania’s Sutkiene Pilkauskas & Partners and Grunte & Cers of Latvia. While local laws prevent a full merger in the business sense, LAWIN took a step closer in 2010 by announcing the creation of a single management board for LAWIN colleagues across the Baltics. The remainder of the Estonian Big Five are: Attorneys at Law Borenius; Raidla Lejins & Norcous; and Sorainen. VARUL, created in 2009 by another pan-Baltic union, is fast becoming the ‘Big Sixth’.

Real estate and construction

Within Real estate and construction, RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS is a first tier firm,

Raidla Lejins & Norcous is advising a key client on multi billion-dollar projects in Estonia and abroad, typical of the level of instructions received by this leading practice. The firm provides a complete service from complex transactions to environmental and construction disputes, the majority of matters led by group head Jaanus Ikla and Jüri Raidla. Active clients include Estonian Cell and Nordecon International.

Shipping and transport

Within Shipping and transport, RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS is a first tier firm,

Raidla Lejins & Norcous continues to act for Tallink Group and Hansatee Cargo, Estonia’s leading shipping companies, in their claim against the state concerning navigation fees. The broad practice is led by Jaanus Ikla, who is supported by leading individuals from other practice areas, and acts for clients from across the transport sector.

Tax

Within Tax, RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS is a first tier firm,

Counsel Marek Herm is a tax specialist at Raidla Lejins & Norcous, providing support to lead partners in headline transactions and litigation, including acting for Ericsson Eesti on the international tax aspects of its €30m acquisition of certain businesses of Elcoteq Tallinn. Everyday tax advice is provided to clients such as Deutsche Post and Barclays Capital.

What we say worldwide

Please choose another RAIDLA LEJINS & NORCOUS office to view full details of what we say in that region, or choose from this list to view a specific editorial reference in context.

Estonia

Offices in Tallinn

Lithuania

Offices in Vilnius

Latvia

Offices in Riga

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Legal Developments in Estonia

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

Estonia allows claiming punitive damages

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- Concordia Attorneys at Law
Review of reorganisation proceedings in Estonia

Until the adoption of Reorganisation Act Estonian legislation did not provide efficient regulation for companies which were in temporary financial difficulties, but could be “rescued” via certain turn-around proceedings to overcome the economically difficult period.

- Concordia Attorneys at Law
New Estonian Advertising Act

New Advertising Act has entered into force from 1st of November 2008. The main reason for drafting the new Act was the current situation in the advertising market – the legal regulation of the Advertising Act passed in 1997 needed to be modernized. Requirements for advertising goods and services, which are likely to cause controversy in the society, have been specified. Additional restrictions have been provided for advertising of alcohol products and financial services, while exemptions have been added to the advertising regulation of tobacco products and gambling. The efficiency of surveillance has been improved and additional measures have been taken. Consistency with the EU law is important in order to avoid discrimination of foreign manufacturers and service providers. Drafting a new act was expedient, whereas extensive amendments were to be made to the current legal regulation of advertising.

- Concordia Attorneys at Law
Division of the company as the joint property between the spouses

The Civil Chamber of the Estonian Supreme Court has thoroughly handled the topics of division of joint property, repeated some earlier principles and given the clear instruction in the proceeding of division of the joint property of spouses in the question of assessment of the value of the company.

- Concordia Attorneys at Law
Estonian Supreme Court on the tax avoidance rules in share transfers

The Estonian Supreme Court handled the taxation of the earnings of the physical persons through the application of the rule of economic interpretation (Taxation Act § 84) in its decision of 6 November 2008. In this case the Supreme Court gave the instructions which circumstances are important for establishing the existence of the objective of tax evasion. This is a significant decision in the cases of transfer of securities, where the tax authority has found that the substance and form of the transaction are not in compliance and in no doubt will have its impact to assessing the tax consequences of corporate restructurings.

- Concordia Attorneys at Law