Cobalt > Vilnius, Lithuania > Firm Profile

Cobalt > The Legal 500 Rankings

Lithuania > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 1

Advising a combination of financial institutions, venture capitalists, and companies, Cobalt advises both lenders and borrowers on large cross-border investments, financings and transactions, with other areas of expertise covering restructuring and bond issues.  The practice is led jointly by M&A and financing expert Eva Suduiko and Akvilė Bosaitė, noted for her experience assisting startups and venture capitalists, among others. They are also joined by well-known M&A, banking, and competition lawyer Elijus Burgis along with managing associate Aurelija Balčiūnė, who brings additional depth in compliance, anti-money laundering and aircraft finance. Senior associate Vytautas Vosylius is also highly active, focusing on regulatory compliance and security transactions. The firm has broad sector experience encompassing companies operating in foods, tech, and aviation.

Lithuania > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

Advising a wide range of local and multinational clients, Cobalt is highly active in a plethora of major M&A spanning from defence and aerospace to maritime, transportation, energy, and IT. The firm is also noted for its strong cross-border capabilities, assisting acquisitions both into and out of Lithuania. A highly experienced team, managing partner Irmantas Norkus has broad transactional, banking, and competition experience, as does partner Elijus Burgis . Heading the M&A practice group is corporate and private equity expert Juozas Rimas , meanwhile life science and EU pharmaceutical expert Zilvinas Kvietkus also supports. Akvilė Bosaitė, co-head of the banking and finance practice, is another notable expert on M&A.

Lithuania > Dispute resolution Tier 1

Cobalt‘s large and comprehensive disputes practice is a prominent force in the region’s litigation and arbitration proceedings, receiving notable engagements in the energy and sport sectors as well as transport and real estate-related cases. As head of the dispute resolution department, Rimantas Simaitis handles a broad range of disputes, mediations, and negotiations, notably in the energy and transport industries. Paulius Markovas focuses on bankruptcy and restructuring work, while Mindaugas Bliuvas adds further breadth, focusing on white-collar crime issues. Marius Inta is experienced in insurance issues, while Rasa Zaščiurinskaitė is a key name for competition disputes. Other integral members include public procurement head Deividas Soloveičik and Milda Markevičiūtė, who leads on administrative and business disputes. The team is further enhanced since Žygimantas Pacevičius joined.

Lithuania > Employment Tier 1

Cobalt assists global household names including Amazon, Google, and FedEx, with compliance with local employment regulations, especially issues relating to recent changes to the Labour Code. The firm has also seen several mandates regarding employee disputes, reorganisations, employee transfers, and migration issues. The employment team is spearheaded by Jovita Valatkaitė, who provides guidance on a broad spectrum of employment and relocation matters, and also has niche expertise in employee data protection work. Eglė Gliaudelytė is central at associate level, while legal counsel Dalia Foigt-Norvaišienė  and Žilvinas Kvietkus also contributing to the practice.

Lithuania > EU and competition Tier 1

Cobalt provides advice on high-value merger clearances, cartel investigations, public tender disputes, and private enforcement proceedings, acting for a broad spectrum of international and local clients. Practice head Rasa Zaščiurinskaitė has extensive experience covering Lithuanian and EU competition and state aid law, with clients also praising her ‘in-depth knowledge’ and ‘ deep sense of business’. Supporting her are senior associates Laura Ryzgelytė, who is experienced in antitrust and state aid issues; Justinas Šileika, who is noted for abuse of dominance work and regulations; and Manvydas Borusas, who brings further breadth on whistleblower protection work, litigation, and EU sanctions. In late 2023, the firm saw the addition of managing associate Simona Liuimienė, who has previous experience at the Competition Council of Lithuania as well as the European Commission.

Lithuania > Fintech Tier 1

Cobalt has experience handling financial institution licensing work, assisting with obtaining regulatory approvals for the establishment of investment funds, and advising on transactions. Local regulatory mandates are also a key area of work, with the firm advising international clients PayPal, Blackrock, and Blockchain.com. Jointly leading the team are banking, finance and M&A experts Akvilė Bosaitė and Eva Suduiko. Senior associate Vytautas Vosylius adds experience in transactions, regulatory compliance work and money laundering preventions, while managing associate Aurelija Balčiūnė has further expertise in e-money and permit work.

Lithuania > Intellectual property Tier 1

Cobalt‘s IP team particularly stands out for its focus on the healthcare, pharmaceuticals and life science sectors, where it regularly represents multinational industry giants in patent protection, infringement, and enforcement cases. Alongside these areas, the IP practice also provides advice in the fields of data protection and IT. The practice is led by Žilvinas Kvietkus, who has extensive experience advising on copyright, trade mark and patent issues in the Lithuanian and EU pharmaceuticals sectors. Managing associate Julija Beldeninovienė is another core member of the team with knowledge of the pharmaceuticals, infotech, and IP spaces.

Lithuania > Real estate and construction Tier 1

Cobalt‘s real estate and infrastructure team is highly skilled in advising on transactions, PPPs, and joint ventures, and has a strong track record in handling a number of high-profile projects in the region. The practice is led by Simona Oliškevičiūtė-Cicėnienė, who brings two decades of experience in assisting with related private equity transactions and M&A and often acts for local and international investors and government entities. Artūras Kojala has expertise in advising on logistics, waste management and retail work in the space, and is adept at handling zoning and planning issues. Vydmantas Grigoravičius is well versed in assisting with leasing work and disputes.

Lithuania > Tax Tier 1

Cobalt‘s 'outstanding' tax practice is sought after by a diverse client base of international and domestic entities, including private individuals, asset management companies, and manufacturers. The team has extensive expertise in advising on matters across a range of sectors, and is adept at handling tax litigation as well as advisory work. The group has seen an uptick in instructions involving double taxation treaties. Practice head Rokas Daugėla has considerable experience in handling cross-border tax and transfer pricing issues, and managing associate Rasa Mikutienė is well versed in advising on VAT matters. Martynas Bielskis is active on cases involving corporate income tax.

Lithuania > Projects and energy Tier 2

Under the leadership of Simona Oliškevičiūtė-Cicėnienė, the team at Cobalt has established strength in representing large domestic and international investors, developers, transmission and distribution companies in mandates. Key sector strengths for the group include real estate, transport, infrastructure, and renewable energy, with a focus on wind and solar power projects. Further key names include Paulius Markovas, Vydmantas Grigoravičius, Artūras Kojala and managing associate Aušrys Šliavas.

Lithuania > Shipping and transport Tier 2

At Cobalt, the team is highly regarded for its expertise in transport law, and is recognised for its strength in handling cross-border transport disputes, often involving customs and delay, damage, or loss of cargo issues. The client base includes transport, logistics and insurance companies. Practice head Vaidas Mackonis brings over 15 years of experience advising on transport and regulatory matters. Managing associate Nerijus Jurkus, who assists with customs and tax issues, is a key name.

Lithuania > TMT Tier 2

Representing major technology giants Huawei and Apple, as well as payment service providers and pharmaceutical companies, Cobalt's team has a solid track record in handling prominent TMT matters in Lithuania. Practice head Zilvinas Kvietkus stands out for his 'exceptional knowledge of pharmaceutical business', and is adept at advising on contentious and non-contentious TMT cases in the sector. Renata Vasiliauskienė focuses on data protection, licensing, and regulatory compliance, and managing associate Julija Beldeninovienė handles contentious mandates. Juras Žymančius is another key contact.