Ellex: known for expertise, chosen for trust
Trust remains one of the most important factors in choosing a legal adviser. Expertise may open the door, but trust is what earns a recommendation. According to the latest Prospera legal market survey conducted by Swedish research company Kantar, companies across the Baltics ranked Ellex as both the most recommended law firm and the highest-performing law firm overall (Tier 1 Law Firm Review 2026 Baltics).
The results suggest that while legal expertise is expected, long-term trust, strong relationships and consistent delivery are what ultimately shape recommendations. In the survey, respondents gave the Ellex team the highest scores across several key criteria, including lawyers’ skills, reputation, integrity and ethics, experience in large projects, and personal contacts.
“Our clients bring us the complicated work. Deals that don’t fit the mould, disputes without clear answers, and questions where the legal answer is only half the story. This year’s survey ranked us first for strategic partnership, M&A, and large projects. But the result I keep coming back to is integrity. We’d rather tell clients what they need to hear than what they want to hear. So far, that honesty seems to be working. We’ll keep pushing our luck,” says Martin Mäesalu, Managing Partner of Ellex in Estonia.
“Trust is built over time through legal excellence, integrity and a consistent commitment to our clients’ interests. Being recognized once again by Kantar Prospera as the most recommended law firm in the Baltics, and ranked No. 1 in the region, is therefore a particularly meaningful acknowledgement of the confidence our clients place in Ellex. It reflects the strength of our lawyers, our market reputation, integrity, and experience in complex, high-value matters. We are proud of this recognition and remain focused on maintaining the highest standards of legal excellence and client service” says Liga Merwin, Managing Partner of Ellex in Latvia.
“A client recommendation is one of the greatest forms of recognition, especially in the consulting business. Clients often choose us for our legal expertise, but they stay with us and recommend us to others because of the trust we build. Earning that trust and establishing a strong reputation take time. It is through consistent dedication and high-quality work you demonstrate that you and your team are reliable, professional partners who create real value for clients. Such trust and recognition also come with a responsibility – to uphold the high standards expected by both our clients and the market,” says Rolandas Valiūnas, Managing Partner of Ellex in Lithuania.
The “Kantar Prospera Tier 1 Law Firm Review” evaluates law firms across multiple European markets. In the Baltics, it examines Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, before consolidating the findings into a regional ranking. Leading Baltic law firms have been included in the study for over a decade.
The survey involved 330 companies operating in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, including their chief executives, in-house Chief or Corporate lawyers. This year, 100 Estonian, 107 Latvian, and 123 Lithuanian-based organizations participated in the survey.
See all the results HERE.
