Experienced M&A experts Ott Aava and Kerli Salu join Ellex Estonian office

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.”