WALLESS > Riga, Latvia > Firm Profile

WALLESS > The Legal 500 Rankings

Latvia > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1

WALLESS fields an experienced and agile team which advises a diverse set of alternative investment funds, commercial banks, and major corporations. In addition to M&As and divestments, the team has considerable experience handling ownership structuring, joint ventures, and state aid compliance issues, across sectors ranging from energy to real estate. The team is led by a trio comprising corporate expert Zane Eglīte-Fogele; Sintija Radionova, who brings banking and finance expertise to the group; and Aivars Lošmanis, who is experienced in both the transactional and disputes spaces. Corporate real estate expert Kristīne Gaigule Šāvēja is another key contact.

Latvia > Dispute resolution Tier 2

Pan-Baltic firm WALLESS remains active in the region’s major litigations and arbitrations. The firm has recently seen key mandates in the construction, transportation and banking spaces. The team is also well versed in debt recovery claims, as well as disputes pertaining to insurance. Practice head Aivars Lošmanis has experience in commercial and civil disputes. Konstantīns Teļakovs is particularly skilled in insurance and liability disputes, and has further expertise in banking and finance, tax, and compliance cases. Zane Bormane is also noted for her work in employment-related disputes, as well as those with a nexus to IT and technology. In early 2024, the practice expanded following the recruitment of Sandis Bertaitis' team from FORT.

Latvia > EU and competition Tier 2

WALLESS’ competition and regulatory team assists with the competition law aspects of mergers and acquisitions, as well as public procurement and tender processes. Clients comprise major banks, corporations, developers and manufacturers. The practice is headed up by Andis Ozoliņš, who has experience spanning EU and state aid matters. Head of real estate, construction and public procurement Kristīne Gaigule Šāvēja is also a key contact for cross-border public procurement matters. Zane Eglīte-Fogele is also recommended.

Latvia > Real estate and construction Tier 2

WALLESS provides clients with full-cycle services ranging from initial land use and contract negotiations, financings, and tax structuring, to the acquisition of large shopping centres and office buildings. Recently, the firm has also seen large mandates in the transportation and energy sectors. With over 20 years of real estate and construction experience, practice head Kristīne Gaigule-Šāvēja handles large-scale transactions, as well as advising on issues concerning landlord-tenant relations, and restructurings. Andis Ozoliņš is noted for his lease work. At the associate level, Sanda Meinarte and Zane Jekimova are recommended.

Latvia > Shipping and transport Tier 2

With clients based across the Baltics and Europe, WALLESS is particularly active in the aviation, automotive and rail sectors. The practice has considerable expertise assisting clients with large public procurements, alongside day-to-day regulatory and contractual matters. Sintija Radionova and Kristīne Gaigule-Šāvēja jointly lead the team; the former has significant disputes expertise, while the latter is noted for her public procurement, real estate and construction knowledge. Competition is a focus for senior associate Andis Ozoliņš, while GDPR and regulatory matters are often handled by associate Zane Bormane.

Latvia > Tax Tier 2

WALLESS excels in cross-border corporate tax structuring and transactions, with further proficiencies encompassing employment and disputes. The team has been particularly active in the energy, real estate, transportation, and the environmental and waste management sectors, to name a few. Described by one client as an ‘experienced, creative professional’, Ingūna Ābele heads up the practice. She has broad experience, with notable specialisms in corporate tax matters involving mergers, acquisitions, and debt exchanges, alongside disputes with tax authorities. Senior associate Tatjana Sinkeviča, who has previous in-house experience with the State Revenue Service, is noted for her expertise on VAT and customs issues.

Latvia > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 3

WALLESS‘ ‘kind, qualified and responsive’ practice is regularly involved in acquisition financings, refinancings and regulatory matters for a range of foreign and domestic investors, spanning banks, consumer lending groups, and corporates. The team has experience covering a large spread of sectors including energy, real estate and fintech. Sintija Radionova acts as co-head alongside corporate expert Zane Eglīte-Fogele. In recent years, the team has seen considerable growth with the notable additions of Aivars Lošmanis from VILGERTS in December 2022, and Valters Diure from Ellex in October 2023.

Latvia > Employment Tier 3

WALLESS handles a range of employment matters, from advising on employment relations and regulatory compliance issues, to representing clients in cases relating to termination policies, to assisting with issues relating to data privacy and trade secrets. Practice head Sintija Radionova has extensive dispute resolution experience. Associate Ieva Gaile is another notable contact.