Cobalt > Vilnius, Lithuania > Firm Profile
Cobalt Offices

Lvivo 25
09320 Vilnius
Lithuania
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Cobalt > The Legal 500 Rankings
Lithuania > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 1
Cobalt is highly skilled in cross-border instructions, and often utilises its offices in Latvia and Estonia for pan-Baltic mandates and is also known to handle matters involving wider Europe and the US. This workload has entailed advising on financing, capital markets and corporate transactions within the financial services sector, as well as more niche areas such as aviation finance and fintech. Akvilė Bosaitė jointly leads the team and is highly skilled in the aforementioned areas, with additional strengths in the insurance sector. Also leading the team is Eva Suduiko, who is also skilled in advising on major financings, corporate transactions and capital markets mandates. Elijus Burgis, who is noted financings and corporate transactions, is another key name.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Open-minded and agile.’
‘In our experience no other Lithuanian top tier legal firm could do a better job for us.’
‘What we need in legal advice is speed, efficiency, effectiveness, reliability, completeness, understanding of our needs, creativity and proactivity in providing solutions. That’s what we get with Cobalt individuals, particularly Akvile Bosaite, Elijus Burgis and Eva Suduiko.’
Key clients
Luminor Bank AS
EBRD
European Investment Bank
SEB
Swedbank
Citadele
Genesis
Nordic Investment Bank
PZU investment fund management company
PayPal
Sezzle
B4Payment GmbH (SEPAexpress)
Wallter
Kevin EU
AB East West Agro
Practica Capital
Change Ventures
Work highlights
- Advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Swedbank and Citadele banks on providing a syndicated loan for the development of UAB Vakarų medienos grupė.
- Advised Luminor Bank AS on the issuance of covered bonds.
- Advised an Irish aircraft lessor Genesis on its strategic alliance with Heston Aviation to create Heston Airlines.
Lithuania > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1
A leading pan-Baltic firm, Cobalt is highly skilled in cross-border transactions, most recently assisting Aviva with the sale of its Lithuanian and Polish operations to Allianz. Juozas Rimas advised on that transaction and specialises in M&A and private equity transactions. Managing partner Irmantas Norkus has a similar focus on M&A and PE, with additional strengths in competition law. Corporate transactions are also a specialty of Elijus Burgis, especially within the banking and energy sectors.Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Cobalt is a market leader in the Baltics (full service but with a particular focus on transactional work).’
‘Pro-business approach and commercial awareness at Cobalt are on a very high level since the beginning of the project (quotation and understanding of the background) through its implementation (structuring transaction in line with client’s business expectations) to its completion (corporate integration aimed at reaching ultimate business aim).’
‘We worked only with partner Juozas Rimas. He did an excellent job of working with the clients in parallel to manage their expectations regarding the scope, pricing, and overall project management. We are looking forward to having more joint projects (his commercial awareness adds efficiency to joint projects, especially in a cross-border context).’
Key clients
Mid Europa Partners
Johnson & Johnson
Aviva
Levine Leichtman Capital Partners
KJK
Entain
INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund
Barings BDC
Moog Inc
Resource Partners
BaltCap
Nets
Lithuanian Railways
Hikvision
7Industries
Repharm
Work highlights
- Advised Mid Europa Partners on the acquisition of platforms Pigu and Hobby Hall Group.
- Assisted Aviva with the sale of its entire shareholding in Aviva Poland, with the Lithuanian subsidiary, to Allianz.
- Advised Levine Leichtman Capital Partners on the acquisition of Creditinfo Group in partnership with its founder and management team.
Lithuania > Dispute resolution Tier 1
Cobalt has been very active in cases concerning energy, transport and banking, particularly in relation to damages claims, bankruptcy and procurement. The aviation sector is an industry of particular prominence and the firm counts Air Baltica and Riga International Airport as clients. Practice head Rimantas Simaitis’ work has a strong emphasis on energy and transport law, and expertise in litigation and arbitration. He is supported by Deividas Soloveičik, a well regarded name for public procurement cases. Paulius Markovas is a key figure for the firm’s bankruptcy and restructuring disputes work. Insurance disputes specialist Marius Inta and senior associate Milda Markevičiūtė, who assists Simaitis’ on numerous matters, are also noted. Žygimantas Pacevičius was a new arrival in September 2020.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘I have worked with Marius Inta who is bright, responsive and creative with solutions. I think Marius is a good all rounder with litigation and insurance expertise. He has a good manner with clients and reports clearly.’
‘Cobalt are represented across the Baltic countries and are clearly an integrated firm, uniquely positioned in the region in my view, to offer a comprehensive and sophisticated legal service to corporate clients in particular, requiring specialist advice and support in these markets. I found their costs to be very reasonable given the scale and complexity of the work that was instructed and never had any billing issues with them.’
‘I worked primarily with Marius Inta. I found him to be responsive, balanced in his advice and highly astute on key decisions regarding strategy and legal interpretation. A very trust worthy advocate.’
‘We are very pleased with dispute resolution team: we are mainly dealing with partner Rimantas Simaitis and senior associate Milda Markeviciute and we value the depth and the quality of legal advice. We are comfortable and quite at ease knowing that our cases are being managed in the top level. The team is very thoughtful and has high competence in managing disputes. They like to get to the bottom of disputes in question and we value the understanding of the kind of disputes we are having.’
‘We would like to highlight partner Rimantas Simaitis for his one-of-the-kind point of view to disputes and senior associate Milda Markeviciute for her ability to manage any dispute put before her in an efficient manner. They manage their team very well.’
Key clients
AB Lietuvos geležinkeliai
Veolia Group
Enercon GmbH
Citadele Leasing
Riga International Airport
AB ORLEN Lietuva
UAB Merko statyba and Merko Ehitus AS
Lithuanian Car Roads Administration
UAB ATEA Baltic, UAB ATEA, UAB ELSIS and related group of ATEA/Ementor companies
Air Baltic Corporation A/S
Vakarų medienos grupė
UAB ARX
UAB Pramonės energija
BOD group
Suek AG
UAB Alna, UAB Alna Business Solutions, UAB Alna Software
UAB ITALIANA LT
Steinmuller Babcock GmbH
Rituals Cosmetics enterprise B.V.
AB LIFOSA
Work highlights
- Represented a major Latvian airport as a respondent in a case initiated by formerly one of the biggest air carriers in Lithuania which is currently undergoing bankruptcy proceedings.
- Represented AirBaltic as a co-respondent in a standalone case involving claims for damages from another air carrier and its former shareholders.
- Represented UAB Vilniaus energija (a Veolia Group company) in a dispute against a Lithuanian distribution network operator Ignitis, AB regarding discrimination against other CHP plants and a state-owned electricity plant.
Lithuania > Employment Tier 1
Cobalt represents a number of multinational clients and has been particularly active in advising companies on employment issues relating to entry into the Lithuanian market, setting up subsidiaries and the employment aspects of M&A transactions. Specialist counsel Dalia Foigt-Norvaišienė leads the team and is highly skilled in advising on transactions as well as day-to-day employment activities. Žilvinas Kvietkus, who has a particular interest in the life sciences and pharmaceuticals sectors, is another name of note, as is senior associate Jovita Valatkaitė, who specialises in employment and migration law.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Good response times and knowledgeable on Lithuanian employment law.’
‘Response, reliability of the information, and ease of access.’
‘Friendly, responsive, and pragmatic.’
Key clients
Western Union
Wolt Enterprises Oy
Guidehouse
Wecash
Mambu
Stada Arzneimittel
KONE
Ryanair
Bloomberg
Bayer
CITCO
Yazaki
Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania
Arxan Technologies, Inc
Softeq
Onninen
LIDL Stiftung
Global Blue
Evolution Gaming
ALD automotive
TNT
AT&T
Oracle
Fortum
Kevin EU
Work highlights
- Providing AT&T with continued advice regarding complex employment law issues, such as transfer of business and of the employees, confidentiality, non–compete undertakings etc.
- Advised Evolution Gaming regarding establishing its activities in Lithuania as well setting up the employment and remuneration structures.
- Advised Stada Arzneimittel on employment-related matters in its acquisition of Walmark.
Lithuania > EU and competition Tier 1
Cobalt’s position as one of the largest law firms in both Lithuania and the Baltics means it is a popular choice for major merger clearances, state aid, cartel investigations, price fixing and abuse of dominance cases. Rasa Zaščiurinskaitė specialises in EU and competition and is particularly prominent in the energy, pharmaceutical, and aviation sectors. Managing partner Irmantas Norkus and corporate partner Elijus Burgis are very experienced in merger clearances; the former also handles disputes. Senior associate Laura Ryzgelyte, who formerly worked in the Brussels office of Norton Rose Fulbright, is a recent arrival.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘ COBALT lawyers always find precise and knowledge-based solutions for every problem.’
‘I’d like to note Rasa Zasciurinskaite. It’s a great pleasure to work with such a highly qualified lawyer. She always provides very clear and ingenious advice. Her strategic thinking, careful attention to details and extensive experience create value for every client. I would highly recommend Rasa Zasciurinskaite as an advisor to anyone.’
‘Partner Rasa Zasciurinskaite leads this team very well and is very helpful.’
‘Serious, capable and likeable team. Very responsive and responsible.’
‘Rasa Zasciurinskaite stands out as the anchor of the team and the client relationship.’
‘One of the leading practices, if not the leading practice for competition law in Lithuania. Huge experience with difficult cases (esp mergers), a lot of useful practical know-how, excellent relationship with the national competition authority of Lithuania (Competition Council).’
‘Cobalt keeps us constantly informed about news in the market – new regulations, requirements, especially in regulatory and competition area. We appreciate the urgency and high attention of COBALT lawyers to each problem or inquiry question we forward them. In addition, we always feel the team provides full concentration on the issue and a high level of teamwork. We are comfortable when delegating our issues to COBALT as we are in good hands.’
‘In competition issues we mostly communicate directly to Rasa Zasciurinskaite, who is a top-level professional in this area, in our opinion. Rasa is sensitive to details. She can provide urgent advice, if necessary, but her advice always remains very diligent and extensive.‘
Key clients
Air Baltic Corporation
Moller Auto
G4S
Estrella Baltics (part of Intersnack Group)
Lietuvos geležinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways)
Riga International Airport
Avitela
KJK Management
ARX (official Skoda importer in Lithuania)
Kesko Senukai Lithuania
Media bitės
Lords LB Asset Management
Medipressa
Huqsvarna
Innovative Pharmaceutical Industry Association (IFPA)
Kauno grūdai
Bayer
Baltcap
Vilniaus energija
Novian Technologies
Lifosa
ORLEN Lithuania
Lyra Group
European Investment Bank
Lithuanian Business Support Agency
Apranga
Cgates
Lietuvos paštas (Lithuanian Post)
Biržų ranga
Consolis
Lietuvos radijo ir televizijos centras
Benu, Tamro (Phoenix group)
Tolimojo keleivinio transporto kompanija
Lithuanian basketball league
AkzoNobel Baltics
Concretus Group
Rokiškio pienas
Pieno žvaigždės
AS REPHARM
Mediterranean Shipping Company
Work highlights
- Represented ATEA Baltic (a major international provider of IT services) in two investigations into alleged cartel agreements.
- Represented the shareholders of KG Group (an internationally active Lithuanian conglomerate primarily focused in agriculture) in obtaining merger clearance for selling their business to a major competitor.
- Represented the Lithuanian Basketball League and one of the basketball clubs in the investigation by the Lithuanian Competition Authority on the compliance of actions of the Lithuanian Basketball League and basketball clubs concerning the conditions of payment of salaries to basketball players.
Lithuania > Intellectual property Tier 1
Cobalt is a leading firm in the market for patent litigation, most recently assisting big names such as Novartis and Bayer with infringement disputes. The team also has experience of handling contentious matters involving trade mark and copyright law, particularly in relation to infringements and oppositions. Practice head Žilvinas Kvietkus is an expert in life sciences and pharmaceutical law matters. Managing associate Julija Beldeninovienė, who has a similar focus on pharmaceutical law, is another name to note.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Brilliant legal knowledge=,= as well as great commitment to the client’s needs.’
‘Kvietkus and his team are always within reach with open ears and minds.’
‘Excellent service, quick response, easy to work with.’
Key clients
DPD Lietuva, UAB
AL FAKHER
Berlin-Chemie AG
UAB MERCK SHARP & DOHME
Bayer Cropsience AG
Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH
Novartis Pharma AG
PETRUS
Švaros broliai, UAB
Amadeus IT Group, S.A
MB Rideris
SATA GmbH & CO. KG
Work highlights
- Advised DPD Lietuva on a dispute before the State Patent Bureau regarding cancellation or revocation of the trademark initiated due to the request of another parcel delivery company to cease using its trademark.
- Advised Novartis International AG in respect of the request to grant a cross-border PI against Mylan’s generic deferasirox product in the patent/SPC infringement proceedings in the Netherlands.
- Advised Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH on complex issues related to the potential patents infringement litigation.
Lithuania > Real estate and construction Tier 1
Cobalt is a leading adviser to investment funds on their interests in the construction of major infrastructure projects. One of its clients is BaltCap Infrastructure Fund, which is a major investor in this space. The team is also highly skilled in real estate transactions and leasing agreements, with a particular interest in commercial, retail and hospitality properties. The practice is led by Simona Oliškevičiūtė-Cicėnienė, who is ‘a really strong professional in the real estate field‘. Artūras Kojala, who specialises in real estate and infrastructure developments, is another name to note.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘They take time to explain the issues, and really think about ways to solve the issues. They are able to give real opinion on the risks of each issue. Very reactive and professional.’
‘Have a relevant & experienced team with deep knowledge of the sector. Easy with communication & accessible team (on demand).’
‘Team is very motivated, strongly oriented to the result and clients’ interests.’
‘Simona Oliškevičiūtė-Cicėnienė is easy to communicate with and a really strong professional in the real estate field. All tasks were done in the fastest terms, professionally.’
Key clients
Lietuvos geležinkeliai, AB
Corum Asset Management
BaltCap Infrastructure Fund
Prosperus Asset Management
Orion Asset Management
Union Asset Management
UAB Vilbra
WESTERN UNION PROCESSING LITHUANIA, UAB
Booking.com
RB RAIL AS
LCN Capital Partners
ATEA Group
KS Boulevard C.V.
Evolis, UAB
Merko statyba, UAB
LITGRID, AB
Invest in Lithuania
Šiauliai Free Economic Zone Management Company
Kėdainiai Free Economic Zone Management Company
Amberwind, UAB
Imlitex Holdings, UAB
LIM Verslo Trikampio NT Fondas, UAB
Šiauliai Free Economic Zone Management Company
European Energy A/S
Lords LB Asset Management
Nordecon Betoon OÜ
E Energija Group
Enefit Green UAB
UAB “IREC Baltic”
UAB Sandworks
UAB “VPH”
Work highlights
- Advised AB Lietuvos geležinkeliai, a state-owned railway company, on a planned brownfield project to convert over 33 ha territory near the train station of Vilnius, Lithuania, to an integrated transport (train and bus), services and office hub with all related infrastructure and public areas.
- Advised BaltCap Infrastructure Fund, a fund managed by private equity and venture capital funds manager BaltCap, in connection with its investment in a new multifunctional complex for sports, health, education and culture in Vilnius – National Stadium.
- Advised Western Union Processing Lithuania on the biggest office premises lease transaction of 2020 involving 15,346 sq. m of lettable space.
Lithuania > Tax Tier 1
Cobalt handles tax structuring, transfer pricing and the tax aspects of M&A for clients. Practice head Rokas Daugėla is ‘a very experienced lawyer with in-depth understanding of complex international and local tax topics‘ and is particularly skilled in transfer pricing. He is supported by senior associate Nerijus Jurkus, who specialises in tax and customs, and advises on both tax due diligence and disputes.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘They have a number of qualified lawyers who have their areas of expertise and know those areas very well. Our private banking clients appreciate that they can receive expert consultations on the most complex matters and in many cases very specific situations. The team also has a very positive and attentive attitude and are always very quick to react.’
‘Rokas Daugela is a very experienced lawyer with in-depth understanding of complex international and local tax topics, yet he has a gift of communicating the most difficult and technical aspects in a very straightforward and easy to understand manner. He also has loads of experience that he relies on when advising or simply speaking to our clients and I know that the clients appreciate that.’
‘The team responds promptly and provides qualified assistance.’
Key clients
Devbridge
Practica Capital
Linas Agro Group
Lidl Lietuva
Bennet Distributors
Skonis ir kvapas
G4S Lietuva
NEPI Rockcastle
East West Agro
Komfovent
Amazon
Kauno Grūdai
Citus
Corum
Omberg
Bolt
Work highlights
- Advised 7-Industries on all tax matters related to the acquisition of 25% shares of UAB Light Conversion.
- Advised the shareholders of AB Kauno grūdai group companies on selling shares to AB Linas Agro Group.
- Represented Lithuanian residential property development fund in a tax dispute with the Lithuanian tax authorities relating to tax exemptions applied by the fund.
Lithuania > Fintech Tier 2
Cobalt acts for both local and international fintech players on licensing and regulatory compliance matters, as well as capital raising rounds. It also advises foreign fintech companies on entering the market in Lithuania, as well as assisting Lithuanian companies with expanding across Europe. Akvilė Bosaitė and Eva Suduiko jointly lead the team.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Aurelija Balčiūnė; Lina Aleknaitė-van der Molen; Greta Kvedaravičienė; Justina Aužbikavičienė
Key clients
PayPal
Sezzle
KEVIN EU, UAB
ValorPay, UAB
TeslaPay, UAB
Wittix, UAB
Wallter, UAB
Paydoo Payments, UAB
GlobalNetInt
B4Payment GmbH (SEPAexpress)
Work highlights
- Advised a US-based “buy now, pay later” unicorn Sezzle Inc. on acquiring an electronic money institution (EMI) licence in Lithuania.
- Advised PayPal on Lithuanian law requirements applicable to provision of payment services in Lithuania.
- Advised Kevin EU, UAB, a payment initiation FinTech company and standard payment services disruptor, in a European roll-out of its activities as well as raising seed round investment from venture funds.
Lithuania > Projects and energy Tier 2
Cobalt is notably skilled in assisting investment funds with their ventures in the infrastructure arena and counts the BaltCap Infrastructure Fund as a key client. The team advises on all areas of infrastructure, most recently assisting with projects pertaining to education, health, transport and recreation. Practice head Simona Oliškevičiūtė-Cicėnienė focuses exclusively on real estate and infrastructure projects.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Artūras Kojala; Vydmantas Grigoravičius; Aušrys Šliavas; Andrius Kazlauskas; Ignas Jurkynas
Key clients
Lietuvos geležinkeliai, AB
Corum Asset Management
BaltCap Infrastructure Fund
Prosperus Asset Management
Orion Asset Management
UAB Vilbra
WESTERN UNION PROCESSING LITHUANIA, UAB
Booking.com
RB RAIL AS
LCN Capital Partners
ATEA Group
KS Boulevard C.V.
Evolis, UAB
Merko statyba, UAB, a member of Merko Ehitus Group
LITGRID, AB
Invest in Lithuania
Šiauliai Free Economic Zone Management Company
Kėdainiai Free Economic Zone Management Company
Amberwind, UAB
Imlitex Holdings, UAB
LIM Verslo Trikampio NT Fondas, UAB
Šiauliai Free Economic Zone Management Company
European Energy A/S
Lords LB Asset Management
Nordecon Betoon OÜ
E Energija Group
Enefit Green UAB
UAB “IREC Baltic”
RB Rail AS
Lietuvos geležinkeliai
Invest in Lithuania
Lords LB Asset Management
Höegh LNG
Vilniaus energija, AB
Vėjų spektras, UAB
Vėjo gūsis, UAB
Vėjo vatas, UAB
Amberwind, UAB (SPV company belonging to Stemma Group, one of the largest groups in Lithuania operating in the field of wind park construction and operation)
European Energy A/S
UAB “Energia futura”
Work highlights
- Advised Lithuanian Railways on a planned brown field project of regional importance to convert over 33 ha territory near the train station of Vilnius to an integrated transport (train and bus), services and office hub.
- Advised BaltCap Infrastructure Fund in connection with its investment in the real estate development to be leased to Queen Morta school (Karalienės Mortos mokykla) and Childhood Garden pre-school (vaikų darželis “Vaikystės sodas“).
- Advised UAB Kėdainiai Free Economic Zone (FEZ) on drafting establishment and operation agreements.
Lithuania > Shipping and transport Tier 2
Equally strong in both contentious and non-contentious matters, Cobalt primarily focuses on work connected with roads, as well as the maritime and aviation industries. Its workload covers advice on cargo compensation claims, customs procedures and commercial agreements. Team head Vaidas Mackonis counts Kuehne + Nagel as a key client. Mackonis specialises in transport law, with additional strengths in adjacent areas such as environmental and infrastructure law.Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘They have a great team.’
‘They know our business very well, especially Vaidas Mackonis.’
Key clients
Kuehne + Nagel, UAB
Alpi Baltika, UAB
Lithuanian National Road Carriers Association LINAVA
TOKIO MARINE KILN INSURANCE LIMITED
UAB “BTL Group“/ UAB “Baltic transline” / UAB “Baltic transline transport”
Riga international airport
AB Lietuvos geležinkeliai
Scania CV AB
Air Baltic Corporation A/S
MAAS Aviation
Work highlights
- Advised KUEHNE + NAGEL on a dispute concerning an improper customs clearance operation.
- Represented TOKIO MARINE KILN INSURANCE LIMITED in a civil case regarding the damage caused by a fire during the carriage of goods in Belgium.
- Advised ERA Holdings on the conclusion of a sale-purchase agreement of a yacht “Oceandrive”.
Lithuania > TMT Tier 2
Cobalt is a popular choice for international tech companies and recently assisted Huawei Technologies on the roll out of 5G technology in Lithuania. The team also advised global tech companies on video-sharing platforms, on-demand programme services, privacy and election advertising. Žilvinas Kvietkus oversees the team and has extensive experience in telecoms regulations and commercial agreements. He is supported by managing associate Julija Beldeninovienė and senior associate Renata Vasiliauskienė.Practice head(s):
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Cobalt law firm is able to provide all the legal services which could be requested by client. They have very good knowledge of the pharmaceutical business.’
‘Strong TMT team with impressive broad range of expertise. Really efficient lawyers and always available. They are pleasure to work with.’
‘Zilvinas Kvietkus is pragmatic and solution oriented lawyer with strong graps of dynamics in “regulated industries” such as telecommunications. Managing Associate Julija Beldeninoviene is a rising star and very capable lawyer.’
‘Zilvinas Kvietkus is incredibly knowledgeable of not only the law but the market dynamics. His advice and guidance is practical and clear.’
Key clients
Huawei Technologies (Vilnius), UAB
Evolution Lithuania, UAB
EngageCraft, Ltd.
Coral solutions, UAB
Association of Innovative Pharmaceutical Industry
eObuwie.pl, S.A.
Johnson & Johnson Poland Sp. Z o.o.
JYSK
Ferrero Polska Sp. Z.o.o
Bayer
Novartis
Ipsen Pharma
Sanofi-Aventis
Merck Sharp & Dohme
JCDecaux Lietuva UAB
Eldes UAB
Minordija UAB
Fleet Complete Lietuva, UAB
Hoegh LNG Klaipėda, UAB
Western Union Processing Lithuania, UAB
Betonika, UAB (Consolis group)
Forum Cinemas, UAB
Elektrum Lietuva, UAB
Monetų namai
Finolita Unio, UAB
Wallter, UAB
Work highlights
- Advised Coral Solutions on matters related to the technical and regulatory compliance.
- Advised Volkswagen on the enrolment of on-demand functions of mobile online services and connected services in VW vehicles.
- Advised Huawei on Lithuanian regulation related to 5G development and assisting the company in communication with the government authorities in relation to 5G development in Lithuania.
Cobalt > Firm Profile
COBALT is a closely integrated alliance of top-tier law offices across the Baltics uniting more than 250 attorneys and lawyers. The firm’s legal professionals offer leading–edge legal solutions in all key areas of business law: banking and finance, capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, EU law, competition, dispute resolution, restructuring and bankruptcy, real estate and construction, energy and infrastructure, employment, IP, IT and regulatory, environmental law, transportation and tax.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
M&A AND CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS | Dr Irmantas Norkus | irmantas.norkus@cobalt.legal | +370 687 81323 |
M&A AND CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS | Elijus Burgis | elijus.burgis@cobalt.legal | +370 687 93933 |
M&A AND CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS | Martin Simovart | martin.simovart@cobalt.legal | +372 511 2020 |
M&A AND CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS | Guntars Zile | guntars.zile@cobalt.legal | +371 2942 7809 |
M&A AND CORPORATE TRANSACTIONS | Peeter Kutman | peeter.kutman@cobalt.legal | +372 502 2426 |
CORPORATE ADVISORY & EMPLOYMENT | Žilvinas Kvietkus | zilvinas.kvietkus@cobalt.legal | +370 699 54702 |
CORPORATE ADVISORY & EMPLOYMENT | Karina Paatsi | karina.paatsi@cobalt.legal | +372 514 6405 |
CORPORATE ADVISORY & EMPLOYMENT | Gatis Flinters | gatis.flinters@cobalt.legal | +371 2655 6592 |
CORPORATE ADVISORY & EMPLOYMENT | Toms Šulmanis | toms.sulmanis@cobalt.legal | +371 2911 0761 |
BANKING, FINANCE & CAPITAL MARKETS | Marina Kotkas | marina.kotkas@cobalt.legal | +372 525 3086 |
BANKING, FINANCE & CAPITAL MARKETS | Lauris Liepa | lauris.liepa@cobalt.legal | +371 2920 6001 |
BANKING, FINANCE & CAPITAL MARKETS | Akvilė Bosaitė | akvile.bosaite@cobalt.legal | +370 698 06964 |
BANKING, FINANCE & CAPITAL MARKETS | Kristel Raidla - Talur | kristel.raidla-talur@cobalt.legal | +372 513 6997 |
BANKING, FINANCE & CAPITAL MARKETS | Eva Suduiko | eva.suduiko@cobalt.legal | +370 610 40646 |
EU & COMPETITION | Elo Tamm | elo.tamm@cobalt.legal | +372 512 0573 |
EU & COMPETITION | Ugis Zeltins | ugis.zeltins@cobalt.legal | +371 2632 8671 |
EU & COMPETITION | Rasa Zaščiurinskaitė | rasa.zasciurinskaite@cobalt.legal | +370 655 38008 |
IP, IT & DATA PROTECTION | Egon Talur | egon.talur@cobalt.legal | +372 518 8579 |
IP, IT & DATA PROTECTION | Indrikis Liepa | indrikis.liepa@cobalt.legal | +371 2928 4852 |
REAL ESTATE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT | Aivar taro | aivar.taro@cobalt.legal | +372 528 8508 |
REAL ESTATE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT | Dace Silava-Tomsone | dace.silava-tomsone@cobalt.legal | +371 2947 7302 |
REAL ESTATE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT | Simona Oliškevičiūtė-Cicėnienė | simona.oliskeviciute@cobalt.legal | +370 698 88460 |
REAL ESTATE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT | Artūras Kojala | arturas.kojala@cobalt.legal | +370 659 20404 |
TAX | Sandija Novicka | sandija.novicka@cobalt.legal | +371 2914 2856 |
TAX | Rokas Daugėla | rokas.daugela@cobalt.legal | +370 688 84503 |
DISPUTE RESOLUTION | Jaanus Mody | jaanus.mody@cobalt.legal | +372 501 5407 |
DISPUTE RESOLUTION | Dr Rimantas Simaitis | rimantas.simaitis@cobalt.legal | +370 652 36366 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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![]() | Julija Beldeninovienė | Julija Beldeninovienė is a Managing Associate, Attorney-at-Law having over 12 years of… | View Profile |
![]() | Akvilė Bosaitė | Akvilė Bosaitė is a Partner and Co-Head of the Banking and Finance… | View Profile |
![]() | Elijus Burgis | Elijus Burgis is a Partner and Head of the firm’s Corporate Transactions… | View Profile |
![]() | Simona Cicėnienė | Simona Oliškevičiūtė-Cicėnienė is a Partner and Head of Real Estate and Infrastructure… | View Profile |
![]() | Rokas Daugėla | Rokas Daugėla is a partner and Head of the Tax Practice Group. Rokas… | View Profile |
![]() | Marius Inta | Marius Inta is a Partner and Head of the Commercial Disputes Practice… | View Profile |
![]() | Žilvinas Kvietkus | Žilvinas Kvietkus is a Partner at COBALT Lithuania and Head of Corporate… | View Profile |
![]() | Irmantas Norkus | Dr Irmantas Norkus is the Managing Partner of COBALT Lithuania. During his career… | View Profile |
![]() | Juozas Rimas | Dr Juozas Rimas is a Partner and the Head of the Mergers and… | View Profile |
![]() | Rimantas Simaitis | Dr Rimantas Simaitis is Partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution Department.… | View Profile |
![]() | Eva Suduiko | Eva Suduiko is a Partner and Co-Head in the Banking and Finance… | View Profile |
![]() | Jovita Valatkaitė | Jovita Valatkaitė has over 9 years’ experience of legal practice in the fields… | View Profile |
![]() | Rasa Zaščiurinskaitė | Rasa Zaščiurinskaitė is a Partner and Head of the Competition Practice Group at COBALT… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of Partners : 40 Number of Lawyers : 203Languages
Estonian English Latvian Lithuanian Finnish German Italian RussianMemberships
GALA (Global Advertising Lawyers Association) Lex Mundi World Services Group (WSG) Ius Laboris INTA - International Trademark Association IBA (International Bar Association) Mindful Business Charter (MBC)Other
:Diversity
We are committed to continuing to build an inclusive culture and to make diversity and inclusion an integral part of our decision-making at every level of the firm.
At Cobalt, we are committed to creating a culture of equality providing an environment within which all employees have equal opportunities for development and progression. All our people are key to our future growth and ongoing success.
Some of our career development, talent acquisition and retention initiatives and principles are mentioned below:
Career development
We don’t have a specific female-focused career development program. These expectations are equal for all moving on their career path. We have 8 main levels in our career plan and these steps are determined by years of experience, level of education and specific expectations that need to be filled in order to move to the next level. All these expectations are discussed when the entry level starts at the office or yearly during the performance reviews.
Seeking new talent
We run a twice a year traineeship programmes (winter and summer) in Estonia. Traineeship program lasts for 4-6 weeks and yearly we hire yearly about 12% from the trainees to our firm. In average applicants are 30-35% male and 65-70% female, and the ratio of successful candidates has been 50% female and 50% male for the past 3 project rounds.
Seeking experienced hires
When seeking experienced talent, we keep a close eye on our market and conduct a wider public hiring campaigns or targeted searched for certain fields. In addition, we campaign and share our vacancies and opportunities always on different marketing channels, to ensure the widest outreach possible.
Fair promotion and appraisal practices
We strongly believe that following fair promotion practices are of critical importance in setting the tone for our internal culture and retaining talent. We promote based on merit, results and ability.
Equal pay and bonus
We remain confident that men and women are paid equally for doing equivalent roles within Cobalt. We continue to monitor our mean and median pay ratios on all the levels in the firm. We are systematically running analysis on the salaries of our associates at different levels, at our partner’s and our business services team to ensure that. We are also closely reviewing our bonus procedures as part of the annual salary review, and we commit to treating men and women equally when considered for a bonus.
Diversity & Inclusion
We value diversity and the benefits diverse teams bring to our clients. While we currently don’t have a formal firm-wide D&I policy just yet, we continue to strive to create an inclusive culture and diverse workforce where our people have a sense of belonging and feel they are equally involved and supported. We are committed to continue creating an inclusive culture and make diversity and inclusion an integral part of our decision-making at every level of the firm. At the moment Estonia has six female and seven male partners, Lithuania has four female and fourteen male partners, Latvia has two female and seven male partners. Meaning 33% of our partners are female.
According to Eurostat, Estonia and Latvia still have the highest gender pay gap compared to other EU Member States, we believe it is our responsibility as a corporate citizen to take a firm action to improve the current situation.
International capabilities
COBALT is a closely integrated alliance of top-tier law offices across the Baltics uniting more than 200 attorneys and lawyers.
Finnish Desk
COBALT’s Finnish Desk, based in our Tallinn office, focuses on legal issues related to cross-border business activities between Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania and Finland. Its main target group consists of the investors, entrepreneurs and companies in the Baltic States having a business interest in the Finnish market and vice versa.
The Finnish Desk consists of a four-member project management team: Martin Simovart, partner, Jesse Kivisaari, specialist counsel, Getter Villmann, junior associate, and Hegle Pärna, assistant lawyer.
In addition, the services of the Finnish Desk provide access to the high-level legal services of COBALT law office in all legal areas in the Baltics, and to an extensive global partner network, including the exclusive membership of the Estonian office in World Services Group which intermediates worldwide recognised legal professionals and high-quality legal services, and in Lex Mundi which is an organisation of the world’s leading independent law firms.
German Desk
Germany is an important trading partner for the Baltic States. Many German and Austrian companies have established subsidiaries in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Likewise, Baltic entrepreneurs expand their business to German speaking countries. Accordingly, the demand for legal services in German language is quite high. We advise both domestic companies that are entering markets in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, as well as investors from German speaking countries.
Our team consists of qualified lawyers who have obtained their master or doctorate degree at German universities and have gained certain working experience in German law offices.
Client testimonials
CLIENT: Flavio Perini, Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board, AS Baltika
COMPANY/FIRM: AS Baltika
TESTIMONIAL: I met with COBALT team for the first time during early spring 2020 when me and the shareholders were evaluating the opportunity to apply for the reorganisation of Baltika, one of the biggest retail companies in Estonia with also a presence all over Baltics, listed on Nasdaq Baltic Stock Exchange market. COBALT team was leading Baltika’s team through this complicated and uncertain procedure with a lot of professionalism, seriousness and preparation and the final result achieved thanks to their help was simply great.
CLIENT: Donatas Aksomitas, Managing Director, AGACAD
COMPANY/FIRM: AGACAD
TESTIMONIAL: AGACAD had worked with Cobalt in the past on a variety of corporate matters and always found them to be highly knowledgeable on both the legal and the business side, as well as proactive and efficient. For M&A work, the reputation of the firm – and in particular that of Juozas Rimas who heads the M&A Practice – preceded them. There was a long track record of deals where they successfully advised both local and international clients. So we knew we could count on them to represent our interests effectively and professionally in this transaction of historic importance to AGACAD and its founders.
CLIENT: Olga Barreto Goncalves, CEO, Latvian Startup Association “Startin.LV”
COMPANY/FIRM: Latvian Startup Association “Startin.LV”
TESTIMONIAL: Our recent experience with Cobalt included work on the new share option regulation in Latvia which took almost a year.
The elaboration on the new share option regulation in Latvia is an excellent example of private-public cooperation, which has resulted in the qualitative, balanced and up-to-date legal framework, embodying the best international practice and respecting essential local requirements.
As the lead voice of the start-up ecosystem in Latvia, we can confirm that the new share option regulation was a long-waited improvement and we already notice its positive impact on industry development.
Together with the start-up community, venture capitalists, parliament representatives (in particular Mr Reinis Znotiņš), Cobalt was one of the key drivers within the legislative process, demonstrating an excellent understanding of the business side and providing crucial legal input throughout all process.
CLIENT: Darius Žakaitis, Founder, Tech Zity UAB
COMPANY/FIRM: Tech Zity UAB
TESTIMONIAL: COBALT has advised our company Techzity UAB on the acquisition of shares in Techfabrikas UAB and the creation of a joint venture for the development of an innovative business park in Klaipėda, Lithuania. COBALT lawyers always find logical and knowledge-based solutions for every problem. I really enjoy working with COBALT and feel they have my back every step of the way. They were agile, pragmatic, bold, consistently level-headed and worked 24/7 to keep the deal on track. The team handles the full spectrum of M&A work and appears to be the first port of call for many of the market’s most high-value and sophisticated matters. Their attention to detail, extensive experience and strategic skills create value for clients.
CLIENT: N/a
COMPANY/FIRM: OP Corporate Bank plc Latvia branch
TESTIMONIAL: COBALT team was reached to provide their service in preparing credit documentation for a project finance case in energy sector. With the team’s professional and elaborative approach, it was possible to reach the goal in rather compressed time schedule. The team was certain not to overlook any details and they were prepared for anything that could come their way during discussions. It was also significant contribution that the involved specialists were following very carefully the set milestones in order to satisfy their fulfilment. Extensive knowledge of the energy sector was essential in supplementing the final documentation with important elements. All in all, ability to work under pressure and find compromises were also important elements to finalize this service, and we are thankful for the team’s contributions in this project.
Interviews
Dr Irmantas Norkus, Managing partner
What do you see as the main points that differentiate COBALT from your competitors?
Over the last 20 years, we have grown from a 1-practitioner firm to an organiztion of more than 100 people in Lithuania. We now count more than 250 team members in the Baltics. Today we are located in three capital cities – Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn. A constant appetite for growth keeps us looking for innovation and development. We are well diversified and specialized; our firms cover the full range of business law as well as provide private services (family law and white-collar crime) to individuals. In terms of the age of our partners, we are one of the youngest partnerships in the market.
Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?
Corporate / M&A will continue to grow in 2022. Post-pandemic recovery and over-liquidity in the market will drive investments in the M&A market. Foreign direct investments should increase in the Baltics too.
Regulatory advice in the markets of financial services will continue to be in demand. A growing ecosystem of fintech companies will require more extensive legal guidance. Data protection and consumer protection are growing areas too. It is very likely that governments will tighten tax regulations to recover part of the state aid distributed to prevent the economic crisis due to COVID.
What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?
We try not to reinvent the bicycle but to adapt it to the new environment. We monitor the evolution of business and aim to provide support to companies that embrace the future. Therefore, there is not one change but a group of regular improvements to our services addressing the changing needs of the client.
Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?
Absolutely. Remote working encouraged us to test various media and communication forms to interact with clients and provide services. In certain instances, to speed up the process, we share the database, document templates and proprietary information with clients, while working on documents simultaneously and drafting without exchanging multiple versions of the same document. This allows us to better engage with the client, understand his needs and produce documents in a more expedient manner. We share our resources (data and people) with clients too.
Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?
Being connected and having partners in all European jurisdictions, we often help clients who are considering entering multiple EU jurisdictions identify showstoppers or potential risks or costs in the early stages. It is not legal advice only but assistance with understanding commercial barriers too. We assist young companies in their expansion by advising on certain aspects of capital raising or making business partnerships.
Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?
Business is all about a long-term partnership. Thus, our clients seek a reliable and trustworthy advisor in us capable of assisting them with long term projects. Our goal is to develop COBALT into a sustainable and ever-adapting and evolving organization able to attract talent and provide quality service. As post-pandemic recovery promises to be steep and active, we need to be well resourced (people) and equipped (technology). Our focus now is people. The transformation of the working method and office organization should not be overlooked.