The EU and competition team at Ellex Valiunas is part of the broader commercial practice group, focusing on merger control, antitrust and state aid matters. The latter is a particular standout for the firm, which handled state aid cases before the highest instance of the EU court system. The firm is also known for its strong record before the Competition Council of the Republic of Lithuania (LCC), often achieving annulment of large fines. Its clients come from a wide range of industries, with healthcare, energy and retail being the most prominent. The team, praised by clients for ‘competence’ and ’trustworthiness’, is led by esteemed professionals: Marius Juonys and Karolis Kačerauskas. Former team co-head Lauras Butkevičius departed in October 2024.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Lawyer & team quality
Client satisfaction: Billing & efficiency
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- ‘Marius Juonys is extremely knowledgeable of our business and the rationale behind certain decisions.’
- ‘Juonys, Keserauskas, Butkevicius – separately are the best competition lawyers in the country. What can I say more.’
- 'A decades-long history of collaboration speaks for itself – they are trustworthy and always setting the bar high.'
- ‘I mostly work with Lauras Butkevicius. I appreciate his responsiveness and professionalism. However, I mostly value his practical approach to matters, good understanding of the business and market.’
- ‘I think that Ellex has a unique competition practice team which consists of many high-level professionals. Therefore, you can address them with any kind of question, and they can manage a large workload. They are agile, responsive, and deeply embedded in the Baltic business ecosystem.’
- ‘As mentioned, we mainly deal with partner Lauras Butkevicius. He has a unique reputation across the market for strategic thinking, proactivity, business mind and academic skills. We value responsiveness, willingness to help, always looking for a solution and a deep understanding of competition law and policy.’
Key clients
- Unit Invest
- NDX Group
- Iglu tech
- Vikonda Grupė
- Urban hub
- Lithuanian Pharmacies Association
- Lithuanian Chamber of Notaries
- Lithuanian Association of Real Estate Agencies
- Cgates
- MV Group
- Ermitažas
- ACME Group
Work highlights
Representation of the Lithuanian Pharmacies Association and its member – the largest pharmacy retailer in Lithuania Eurovaistinė and its related companies – in the largest cartel litigation case in Lithuania against the Lithuanian Competition Council.
Advised ERGO International AG on its acquisition of ADB Gjensidige, a major insurance undertaking in the Baltics, on all merger control matters. The transaction significantly expands ERGO’s presence in the Baltics and stands out as one of the largest Pan-Baltic mergers in 2024/2025.
Represented the Internet Media Association and leading private media companies in challenging the Commission's decision to refuse to initiate an investigation into the legality of funding (state aid) provided to the national broadcaster.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Marius Juonys; Karolis Kačerauskas