Chambers & Partners has published the Chambers Europe Guide 2026, once again recognising Ellex as one of the leading law firms across the Baltics. The latest results highlight our focus on delivering strategic and client-focused legal solutions and reflects the high level of trust our clients place in our pan-Baltic team.
According to the rankings announced on March 19th, Ellex has maintained its Band 1 position in Dispute Resolution across all Baltic jurisdictions. Ellex have also been ranked as Band 1 for Corporate/Commercial (Estonia, Lithuania), Competition/Antitrust (Latvia, Lithuania), Banking & Finance (Estonia, Lithuania), Employment (Latvia, Lithuania), Intellectual Property (Estonia), and Real Estate (Estonia, Latvia).
This year, 65 Ellex professionals were ranked across 8 practice areas. Notably, 5 of our experts were honored with the highest individual distinctions: Filips Kļaviņš nominated as Senior Statespeople (Corporate/Commercial), Jevgēnijs Salims – Senior Statespeople (Dispute Resolution), Valentinas Mikelėnas – Senior Statespeople (Dispute Resolution), Giedrius Stasevičius – Senior Statespeople (Banking & Finance), Rolandas Valiūnas – Eminent Practitioner (Corporate/Commercial).
The Chambers Europe Guide is one of the most prestigious benchmarks in the legal industry, providing an objective analysis of law firms across the continent. These rankings are the summary of independent research, including interviews with clients and peers.
Ellex has maintained its presence in these rankings for two decades. For us, consistently being ranked at the top is not only a reflection of past achievements, but also a proof of our ongoing ambition to set the pace for legal innovation and client-focused excellence in the Baltics.
You may explore the full Chambers Europe Legal Guide 2026 here.
Partner from the Vilnius office, Dr. Robertas Čiočys, has been ranked #3 in the MergerLinks Top FinTech Lawyers in EMEA 2025 rankings.
Published by MergerLinks, the rankings highlight leading dealmakers across the region based on the value and volume of transactions they have advised on.
Robertas has extensive experience advising clients on complex M&A, private capital and cross-border investment transactions, including projects in the fintech and technology sectors.
MergerLinks is an online platform where verified M&A professionals develop their careers, expand their professional networks and originate new business opportunities. The platform unites more than 250,000 dealmakers, including investors, corporate executives, lawyers and investment bankers, and aims to transform the way professionals connect and collaborate in the global M&A community.
As of 9 March, Kevin Gerretz, senior associate, takes on the role of Head of Financial Regulatory at Ellex in Estonia. His work focuses on financial services regulation, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing requirements, and capital markets. Kevin advises clients on complex regulatory matters, helping them navigate decisions that are informed, carefully balanced, and business‑oriented.
Extensive experience across the financial regulatory landscape
Kevin has a long-standing experience interpreting financial services and product regulation, compliance obligations and requirements applicable to market participants. His advisory practice covers financial products, services and critical financial infrastructure. He has assisted clients in areas including:
investment services and products;
credit provision and banking;
payment services;
securities market infrastructure, including central securities depositories and trading venues;
anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing measures, as well as international sanctions.
Kevin also has substantial experience representing clients in supervisory and licensing proceedings and in interactions with regulatory authorities, including situations where regulatory issues directly affect clients’ operational possibilities.
Key role in capital markets transactions
Alongside regulatory work, Kevin has broad experience in capital markets. He has advised on numerous debt and equity offerings and has participated in the issuance and admission-to-trading processes for a wide range of instruments.
Leadership and commitment to develop the next generation
Kevin leads the financial regulatory team at Ellex in Estonia and is actively involved in mentoring junior colleagues and interns. He values creating opportunities for younger lawyers to work on substantive matters and take responsibility early, strengthening both their professional growth and the long-term sustainability of the team.
Balancing detail and the bigger picture
Kevin emphasises that the highly regulated nature of the financial sector requires a precise understanding of detailed rules as well as the ability to see the broader context. Striking the right balance between risk-based compliance and business opportunity is essential, and central to the advice he provides.
On January 5, Associate Partner Ott Aava and Senior Associate Kerli Salu joined Ellex Estonia’s Transactions practice group.
Ott Aava is specialising in M&A and corporate advisory, with over 15 years of experience advising clients on complex domestic and cross-border transactions. He focuses primarily on mergers and acquisitions, strategic corporate advisory, restructurings and shareholder matters, supporting clients throughout the entire transaction lifecycle from initial structuring to successful closing.
Ott has advised both buyers and sellers across a wide range of industries, working closely with founders, management teams, private equity investors and strategic acquirers. He is valued for his pragmatic approach, strong commercial insight and ability to navigate sophisticated deal dynamics while keeping clients’ strategic objectives firmly in focus.
Kerli has extensive experience in mergers and acquisitions as well as contract and corporate law. She has advised clients on complex transactions, helping to resolve both domestic and cross-border matters across many different industry sectors. Her work primarily focuses on corporate mergers and acquisitions, transaction documents, and strategic issues related to corporate governance.
Kerli holds a master’s degree in law from the University of Tartu (cum laude), reflecting her strong academic background and professional commitment.
Ott added, “Joining Ellex as an associate partner is a personally meaningful step for me, and I am grateful for the trust placed in me. Ellex’s values, culture, and long-term vision strongly resonate with me, alongside its strong transactions practice and exceptional people.
With more than 15 years of experience in M&A and corporate advisory, I have seen how rapidly the transactions landscape continues to evolve – shaped by increasingly complex deal structures, cross-border dynamics, and clients’ growing expectations for commercially grounded and pragmatic legal advice. In this role, I look forward to taking on greater responsibility, contributing to the development of our team and practice, and supporting clients through complex and often transformative transactions with clarity, confidence, and commitment. I am genuinely excited to take this next step together with colleagues whose professionalism and collaborative spirit I deeply value.”
We are pleased to announce that Marta Cera has been appointed to Partner at Ellex in Latvia as of 1st January 2026, further strengthening the firm’s management team.
In her new position, Marta will continue to co-lead the firm’s banking and finance practice group with the aim of promoting further development of the practice group and strengthening its position in the Baltics.
Marta has become highly regarded expert in cross-border financing transactions, capital market transactions, and financial regulatory matters. Marta also frequently provides legal assistance in M&A transactions involving significant financing aspects. Marta has developed the firm’s investment fund practice and serves as a member of the board of the Latvian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association.
International legal services market research agencies Legal 500, IFLR 1000 and Chambers & Partners rank Marta Cera among the leading experts in banking and finance law in Latvia.
“Marta’s appointment reflects her exceptional track record and the trust our clients place in her. Her many years of experience in banking and finance, combined with her strategic vision for our firm, make her an invaluable addition to our partnership. I’m excited to see her continued leadership as we strengthen our position across the Baltics.” – Liga Merwin, Managing Partner at Ellex in Latvia.
Congratulations, Marta, on this well-deserved milestone!
Starting January 1, 2026, Ellex in Estonia has its own head of the intellectual property (IP) practice – Mari Must.
Mari Must has more than 20 years of experience handling both contentious and non-contentious IP matters. In Ellex Raidla she manages complex cross-border IP projects, representing clients in IP litigation, revocation and opposition proceedings, and advising both global companies and local businesses on IP rights management, IP due diligence, IP commercialization, and contract negotiations. She is one of the two attorneys in Estonia with dual qualifications: attorney at law and trademark attorney. She was also the first registered representative before the Unified Patent Court from Estonia. Since 2012, Mari Must has served as a member of the Estonian Domain Name Dispute Committee, where she has adjudicated numerous domain name disputes. She contributed to the establishment and launch of the Chamber of Estonian Patent Attorneys in 2019, initially serving as Vice-Chair and now re-elected as a Board Member.
„Our goal is to be there for our customers with IP knowledge and long-term experience to support our clients achieving their goals. As a large firm, we can provide specific IP advice, which is supported by the know-how of transactions, dispute and other practice groups at Ellex Raidla. As IP concerns both international and Estonian small businesses, flexibility is the keyword for us. We are generally reached by IP-aware customers, but according to the latest surveys, the general awareness of IP among Estonian companies is rather low. The state has set the goal of changing this, so we see great potential in the IP field. “
Read more about our intellectual property practice group HERE.
As of 2 January, sustainability and tax expert Ronaldas Kubilius has joined our team in Lithuania. Together with Gintaras Balčius, the new partner will lead the Tax Practice Group and will also head the Sustainability Practice.
“We are strengthening our Tax Practice Group – at the end of last year, tax law expert Alina Gaudutytė joined the team, and as of this year we are welcoming a new partner who will also be responsible for the development of sustainability services. Ronaldas brings an exceptional combination of competencies – he has deep expertise in both tax matters and sustainability requirements. Both areas are particularly relevant for businesses today, as the regulatory environment and sustainability reporting standards are changing rapidly,” says Rolandas Valiūnas, Managing Partner of Ellex in Lithuania.
Ronaldas Kubilius is the 26th partner at the Ellex Lithuanian Office. The new partner holds degrees in law and economics and gained his professional experience while working at one of the Big Four audit and consulting firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“Throughout my career, I have advised 8 out of the 10 largest Lithuanian corporate groups, as well as hundreds of other Lithuanian and international clients. Working with leading businesses, major projects and top professionals is both a great responsibility and a pleasure for me. I am delighted to have received an invitation to join the best law firm in the Baltic States. I believe that the diverse experience and expertise of myself and the Ellex team will enable us to provide clients with the highest-quality advice, offer comprehensive one-stop support, and contribute to the growth of sustainable business and the Lithuanian economy as a whole,” says the new Ellex partner, R. Kubilius.
In the field of Lithuanian and international taxation, Ronaldas has accumulated more than 17 years of experience advising business groups and owners on group reorganisations, investment structuring, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), assessment of tax incentives and risks, and representing clients in disputes with tax authorities.
In the area of sustainability, Ronaldas has assisted companies in preparing and verifying sustainability reports and strategies, assessing impacts, risks and opportunities, advising on taxonomy and greenhouse gas (GHG) calculations, and contributing to the development of sustainability assurance practices. His experience also includes ESG data collection, board-level training, and other services focused on sustainable business development.
The legal profession never stands still, and neither do we. Developments in the legal market, evolving client expectations, and a changing economic and social environment require law firms to adapt over time. At Ellex Estonian office, a new generation of talented lawyers is emerging – professionals we believe will write the next chapters of Estonia’s legal history. Over the past year, we have reviewed and updated both career model and the principles governing our partnership.
Our focus is now even more clearly on people – the experts who represent our greatest value. Our team consists of legal nerds who refuse to settle for mediocrity and for whom there is no such thing as an “ordinary case.” They speak directly, work efficiently, and keep their attention on what truly matters to the client.
According to Managing Partner Martin Mäesalu, leading a law firm also requires constant adaptation: “The environment in which we operate is changing rapidly. Legal services themselves are undergoing the most significant transformation in a generation. Our management approach and working methods must evolve in step with these changes. We are a passionate team united by deep commitment to our field – something we feel instinctively, even without saying it aloud. Yet, to preserve our DNA, we must articulate it, especially in times of change. Our goal is to remain, year after year, a professional home for Estonia’s best lawyers. Ellex is a community of legal enthusiasts. This cannot be just a slogan – it must be a high standard, supported at every stage of a career and, when necessary, by renewing the principles of partnership itself.”
To broaden opportunities, we have updated our partnership model. One of these changes is creating the associate partner position starting from the new year. We see this as the final step for those moving toward full partnership.
Merlin Liis-Toomela, newly appointed associate partner, commented: “I am deeply grateful for this trust. Ellex is Estonia is a leading law firm with a long history, which has successfully evolved over time and is now undergoing a natural generational shift in both management and partnership. Expanding the partnership model demonstrates readiness to look ahead and remain at the forefront in Estonian legal services market. This is particularly important in fast-developing areas such as IT and data protection, where the legal environment, technology, and client expectations are constantly changing.
Such steps send a clear signal to younger colleagues – that through dedication, professionalism, and shared values, it is possible to grow and take on greater responsibility. For me, the role of associate partner primarily means increased responsibility and motivation to set new goals for myself, my team, and the entire firm, so that we can provide clients with clarity and confidence in a complex and rapidly changing legal landscape.”
Rutt Värk added: “I have worked in transactions advisory for over 15 years, a journey marked by both challenges and opportunities. Clients and their trust have made it possible to work on significant matters, but equally important has been the team with whom we achieve more together. At Ellex, there are exceptional people, a supportive culture, and a partnership that encourages development – all of which make the work genuinely enjoyable. Transactions’ work is dynamic, and every project brings something new, keeping the work consistently engaging. The associate partner role gives me the opportunity to contribute even more to client matters as well as to the development of the firm and our team. I am pleased to take this step and see what comes next.”
Alla Kuznetsova: “This new role represents recognition of my work, along with greater responsibility and the opportunity to contribute more actively to Ellex’s strategic development. It allows me to grow alongside people I truly value. I am grateful to my team, colleagues, partners and our clients for their trust and support. Ellex in Estonia is a firm where clients feel secure and where leading lawyers can focus on the practice of law that inspires them. I am pleased to contribute to our shared success.”
Siim Vahtrus has joined Ellex in Estonia as Counsel, contributing to the Regulatory Practice Group with a focus on environmental and planning law.
He brings extensive experience in advising both private and public sector clients, including state authorities and NGOs. He’s worked on projects ranging from commercial real estate to high-voltage transmission lines, from the transposition of EU legal acts to disputes on environmental permits.
Siim is most experienced in administrative and regulatory matters and a seasoned litigator having won several important cases in the Supreme Court of Estonia. At the same time, he also has recent experience with legal due diligence and M&A projects related to manufacturing and infrastructure companies as well as with successfully drafting and negotiating rental and construction agreements.
Siim is a co-author of several publications, including the legal commentary on the General Part of the Environmental Code Act and official guidance on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedures.
In addition to his legal career, Siim has a strong background in argumentation and negotiations. A former Estonian debating champion, he was involved in debate training and public speaking for over a decade. He has trained officials, entrepreneurs, and local communities on topics related to argumentation, such as legal argumentation and rational negotiations as part of the team at SpeakSmart.
Siim sums up his approach to legal work as follows: “To be a great lawyer, you need to have three qualities. First, you must be passionate about your area of law. Second, you must always remain objective and not be carried away by your clients’ wishes or the mood of the moment. Third, know and admit your limitations to improve and overcome them. And to survive all this, a healthy sense of humor and not taking yourself too seriously is essential.”
Siim graduated from the University of Tartu School of Law in 2011 and began his career at the Estonian Environmental Law Center. He has since worked in two other top law firms in Estonia.
The Estonian Bar Association honored Ellex partner and litigation expert Anton Sigal with the prestigious “Diamond of the Bar 2025” award.
The “Diamond of the Bar” represents the highest recognition within the Estonian legal profession, awarded annually to up to three attorneys. This honor celebrates the core values of legal practice – professionalism, ethics, dedication, and humanity – recognizing individuals who embody these principles and whose work has made a meaningful impact both professionally and in society.
Anton has spent years working in international arbitration field that often remains behind the scenes due to confidentiality requirements, yet demands exceptional skills, international experience, and deep legal expertise. The award from the Estonian Bar Association recognized Anton’s work on the Seaplane Harbour case. This dispute arose under the investment protection treaty between Estonia and the United States. The international arbitration proceedings, which concluded in early 2025 with a complete victory for Estonia, involved complex historical and legal issues. Anton Sigal carried the substantive burden of this case, leading the team from Ellex that represented the Estonian state. What makes this achievement particularly noteworthy is that Estonia’s interests were successfully defended solely by Estonian lawyers, without involving major international law firms.
Congratulations to Anton, and our gratitude goes to everyone whose work and dedication brings honor to the legal profession!
Toomas Vaher, a partner at Ellex in Estonia, has been honoured with the Baltics Litigator of the Year award at the Benchmark Litigation Europe Awards 2025, held at the Waldorf Hilton in London on 17 September 2025.
This distinction not only acknowledges Toomas’ exceptional expertise developed over more than two decades but also highlights the commitment of our disputes team throughout the Baltics.
Toomas remarked, “Dispute resolution work is becoming increasingly complex. We see a rise in multi-jurisdictional cases, arbitration proceedings running parallel to court disputes, and an increased demand for strategic, business-focused litigation advice. We are happy to do more than just handling a case or two.”
The Benchmark Litigation Europe Awards celebrate the most outstanding litigators and law firms for their exemplary achievements. Through extensive peer review-based research and analysis of submissions, the Benchmark EU team identifies the most influential cases, the firms that handled them, and the leading litigators who have shaped the industry.
Benchmark Litigation serves as the definitive resource on the world’s leading litigation practices and practitioners. The guide compiles rankings through comprehensive interviews with litigators, dispute resolution experts, and clients, alongside in-depth analysis of significant market cases and firm developments.
See Ellex experts who received individual nominations.
With the arrival of the new administration of US President Donald Trump, attitudes towards the environment and sustainability across the Atlantic are undergoing a significant change, but the European Union (EU), even in the face of the current geo-political situation, has made its green policy one of its priorities. This is reflected in the fact that since 1 May. New restrictions on the free distribution of single-use plastic packaging in catering establishments in Lithuania will come into force on May 1. These changes are part of the EU’s green initiatives to reduce plastic pollution and promote sustainable consumption.
What is changing and who will be exempted? What are the penalties? Simona Bumblauskytė-Kiauleikienė, Associate Partner at law firm Ellex Valiunas, explains more.
What will change and who is exempt?
“As of 1 May, a ban on the free distribution of single-use plastic food and beverage packaging by catering establishments comes into force. However, exemptions will apply to businesses selling on beaches and at mass events. In such cases, single-use plastic food and drink packaging will only be allowed to be sold subject to a deposit, which can be recovered from consumers by returning the used packaging. The ban will also not apply if the food or drink has been delivered to the point of sale already packaged for individual consumption,” says S. Bumblauskytė-Kiauleikienė.
Caterers will have to offer plastic-free alternatives – single-use packaging, reusable packaging, tableware, she says. However, the provision of alternatives will not be compulsory for takeaway food and drink.
The regime will increase demand for sustainable packaging
The lawyer says that around 40 million disposable coffee cups are used every year in Lithuania, most of which are not recycled and become a source of pollution. Stricter regulation will contribute to an increase in the production of more environmentally friendly packaging, which will reduce the amount of plastic waste in the mixed waste stream. The new regulation should also contribute to a more sustainable catering system.
Fines of up to €5,000 for non-compliance
“In order to monitor compliance with the new regulation, the Department of Environmental Protection will start carrying out targeted inspections in Lithuanian catering establishments from the second half of 2025. Fines of between €1,000 and €5,000 will be imposed on those who fail to comply with the new regulation, and between €30 and €200 on natural persons,” says lawyer Simona Bumblauskytė-Kiauleikienė.
With the constant talk in recent weeks that the US is planning to fully promote the development of the fossil fuel industry, it seems that the world’s green policy today is based only on Europe. It is to be welcomed that the EU is very serious about these issues and continues to be successful in implementing its green policy.
Ellex in Lithuania further expands and reinforces its partner team by promoting Neringa Mickevičiūtė from associate partner to partner within its Banking and Finance team. She not only becomes a new partner at the firm but also joins Ieva Dosinaitė as co-head of the Ellex in Lithuania Banking and Finance team.
The change raises Ellex’s total number of partners in the Baltics to 52, securing its market leadership and reinforcing its position as the region’s largest law firm and partnership. Neringa Mickevičiūtė joins Ellex in Lithuania as its 28th partner in Lithuania.
Neringa Mickevičiūtė joined Ellex in Lithuania Banking and Finance team six years ago, focusing on anti-money laundering risk management (AML), international sanctions regulations, anti-corruption, and financial crime prevention. With more than 15 years of legal experience, N. Mickevičiūtė is a certified anti-money laundering and AML audit specialist (CAMS-Audit) with hands-on experience in money laundering risk management for both corporates and financial institutions.
Having around 20 experts, the Ellex in Lithuania Banking and Finance (B&F) team is the biggest B&F team in Lithuania. N. Mickevičiūtė and the team provide advice to a wide range of financial market participants, from systemic banks to leading fintech companies.
“I’m delighted that Neringa, whom I unquestionably consider Lithuania’s best AML expert, has joined our partners’ team. It’s especially rewarding to watch talent develop from within the firm. The Banking and Finance team at Ellex in Lithuania is among the strongest in the Baltics. Until now, it has been led by senior partner Giedrius Stasevičius, one of the market’s most recognized banking and finance experts, together with our banking, finance, and fintech ‘guru’ Ieva Dosinaitė. It’s exciting that this year our team has significantly strengthened, allowing us to start the second quarter with an even stronger team of partners, experts, associate partners, and other legal professionals. This clearly demonstrates that Ellex continues to grow stronger each year in Lithuania,” says Rolandas Valiūnas, Managing Partner at Ellex Valiunas.
From this April, Ellex Valiunas is also increasing its expert and associate partner teams, encouraging internal talent growth.
Joining the team of experts are Ilona Andriušienė, specializing in real estate development, construction, and land use; Arvydas Grušeckas, advising clients on corporate law, mergers and acquisitions; and Nerijus Patlabys, working in employment, migration, and citizenship law.
Associate partners promoted within the firm include Simona Danylė, known for her extensive experience in insolvency, arbitration disputes, and high-value complex litigation; Augustinas Mačionis, recognized for his expertise in corporate law, M&A transactions, inquiry procedure; Jurgita Šamrickienė, experienced in corporate law, bankruptcy, and public procurement litigation; and Dominykas Užkurnys, advising on territorial planning, construction, and real estate law matters.
On Friday, March 7th, Ellex in Estonia Partner Martin Triipan was elected to the new board of the Estonian Bar Association.
The new board consists of diverse experts, who have the same goal – creating a strong, modern, and transparent professional association that supports its members and stands firmly for the rule of law.
For the next three years, the structure of the Bar Association’s board will be as follows:
Chairman Imbi Jürgen
Triin Toom
Dmitri Školjar
Annika Peetsalu
Kadri Matteus
Merit Lind-Tsoganoff
Ramon Rask
Kaspar Lind
Martin Triipan
Martin Triipan is one of the few Estonian lawyers with over 20 years of experience in various fields of public law, particularly in environmental law and planning. He is also a recognized expert in representing clients in litigation. Additionally, Martin has contributed to numerous professional publications and the development of environmental law legislation.
Starting from February 1, 2025, Ellex in Estonia will have its own head of the data protection and IT law practice – Merlin Liis-Toomela.
Merlin has more than 10 years of experience advising clients on matters related to data protection, intellectual property, and IT law. She is an internationally recognized expert in the field of data protection and holds the European Data Protection Professional Certification CIPP/E issued by the IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals).
Additionally, Merlin is a member of the Estonian Bar Association’s Intellectual Property and IT Law Committee, thereby she is actively contributing to issues related to IT legislation and practice, i.e. analysing existing legislation and practice as well as drafting and advising on proposed amendments.
“The field of data protection and IT law is becoming more complex every day. As the head of the practice, my priority is to offer clients practical and effective solutions. I believe that our team’s experience and knowledge will enable clients to navigate the complex legal landscape with confidence.My goal as the head of the practice is to see the big picture and ensure that the law is not an obstacle for businesses, but an opportunity that supports their business model and strategic goals. The key to success lies in flexibility and the ability to adapt quickly to changing regulations and technological developments. Those who consciously and proactively integrate technology into their business operations will remain competitive,” said the new practice head, Merlin Liis-Toomela.
