The Legal 500

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

Varul enjoys a longstanding reputation in the finance sector. It attracts numerous Scandinavian banks as clients, such as Swedbank, which the firm is advising on several cross-border bankruptcy proceedings relating to Alta Foods, one of the largest Baltic bankruptcies. Paul Varul, Ants Mailend and Helmut Pikmets form a strong team of partners which is ‘among the most valued’ and has an ‘excellent theoretical knowledge base’.

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

Varul is ‘definitely a top-league firm’, which attracts pharmaceuticals multinationals, regional energy companies and others such as Fujitsu Services, which the firm advised on its acquisition of the data management division of a global IT company. Ants Mailend and Martin Tamme lead the practice, in which senior associate Ramon Rask is also a key figure.

Within Dispute resolution , VARUL is a first tier firm,

Varul’s Paul Varul is a litigator and arbitrator, and ‘someone you can trust to handle your most complex matters’. For one satisfied client, ‘the overall experience has been flawless’. The team acted for Sanofi-Aventis Estonia in a dispute with the Ministry of Social Affairs over the pricing of medicinal products. Helmut Pikmets has three white-collar crime cases in the ECHR.

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

Varul’s impressive portfolio includes acting for leading telecoms operator Tele 2 Eesti and Tele 2 Sweden in public competition for a 4G frequency licence involving significant competition law advice, and advising the Estonian Development Fund on state aid rules. Vaido Põldoja heads the team, which is commended for being ‘very easy to work with’.

Within IP, IT and telecoms, VARUL is a first tier firm,

Varul advises pharmaceuticals, telecoms and technology clients including Tele 2, Fujitsu and Estonian R&D company Cybernetica, and is advising the latter on data processing technology for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Ants Mailend has ‘pronounced IP knowledge’, and a long track record in IP litigation.

Within Legal market overview,

The latest trend is to drop local names from firm titles in preference for a one-word, pithy brand in an effort to appeal to an international clientele, prime examples being: Lawin; Varul; and Sorainen. In 2011, the former Tamme Otsmann Ruus Vabamets rebranded as Triniti Estonia as part of a formal alliance with firms in Lithuania and Latvia.

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

Varul acts for major public bodies as well as international investors and developers. It is advising Tallinn Public Utility Agency on the €50m public procurement process and reconstruction of a major traffic junction in Tallinn. Contentious work includes acting for construction group Facio Ehituse in litigation and arbitration; practice head Martin Tamme and ‘very professional’ senior associate Tarmo Peterson are leading that work.

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

Varul acted for Paldiski Northern Port on establishing the Paldiski Free Economic Zone to enhance transit capacity at the port. Other clients include Edelaraudtee Infrastruktuuri, an Estonian railway infrastructure operator.

Within Tax, VARUL is a first tier firm,

Varul is acting for 20 fuel wholesalers and retailers in a case against the ETCB including lobbying parliament to amend liquid fuel and VAT legislation. Practice head Helmut Pikmets ‘justly has a very high reputation as a top-ranked law expert’. Associates Ramon Rask andSergei Jegorov are also recommended, given that their ‘ability to go into detail and plan several steps ahead is quite impressive’.