Siim Vahtrus joined Ellex as counsel in the regulatory practice group

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.