Cobalt — Latvia

Agnese Gerharde

Agnese Gerharde is a Senior Associate at COBALT Latvia office specializing in intellectual property, information technology law, cybersecurity and privacy matters. Agnese is Latvian Trademark Attorney and European Trademark Attorney licensed to represent before the Latvian Patent Office and European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Agnese is a qualified New York (USA) attorney. Agnese is a member of the International Trademark Association (the Internet Committee for the 2022-2023 term, the Trade Secrets Committee for the 2024-2025 term, and the Data Committee for the 2026-2027 term) and the Latvian Patent Attorney Association. As of October 2024 she is appointed to the World Intellectual Property Organization Arbitration and Mediation Center’s (WIPO Centre) List of Domain Name Panelists under the .LV Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. Agnese is a recipient of the 2021 INTA Tomorrow’s Leader Award. She is also a recipient of a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to study law in the United States. · Intellectual Property

Andrejs Lielkalns

Andrejs Lielkalns is a Specialist Counsel at COBALT Latvia. He is is one of the best know Latvian experts in the area of Banking & Finance and Capital Markets. He counts amongst his clients many local and international financial institutions, governmental institutions and companies. Andrejs experience includes advising on Latvian and EU regulatory matters, sale and purchase of banks, other financial institutions and financial institution assets, stock exchange listings (de-listings), financial services, financial transactions, derivatives transactions, payment services, payment cards and e-money matters, credit institution insolvency, EU Structural funds, cross-border finance and lending, as well as on numerous project finance, alternative financing, restructuring and refinancing arrangements. · Banking & Finance

Artūrs Valderšteins

Artūrs Valderšteins is a Senior Associate at COBALT Latvia. He works in the Public Law and Public procurement practice groups and specializes in Energy Law. Artūrs has gained experience in matters relating to Administrative and Constitutional Law issues, and has assisted in large scale public procurement and energy projects. · Public Law

Dace Silava-Tomsone

Dace Silava–Tomsone is the Managing Partner of COBALT Latvia and one of the best known and widely recognized Real Estate and Construction, M&A and Competition experts in the country. During more than 20 years of practice she has advised many governmental institutions, local and international companies on major real estate and investment projects, transactions, as well as in intricate cartel, dominance and merger control cases. Dace is regularly involved in work of professional organizations and legislative development acting as a member of working groups of various NGOs. Dace is appointed a Co-Chair of the Project Execution Subcommittee of the International Construction Projects Committee of the IBA for the period of 2024-2025. · Real Estate

Diāna Zepa

Diāna Zepa is a Senior Associate at COBALT Latvia. She has profound experience in most challenging corporate law matters and M&A projects. She has advised clients in complex local and cross-border corporate reorganization and restructuring projects, share issues in private and public companies, as well as on compliance with regulatory requirements involved in company formation, changes of holding structures across multiple jurisdictions etc. Diāna has also led teams in multiple due diligence assignments on companies across various industry sectors, ranging from retail and manufacturing to transportation, energy, IT, life science and healthcare businesses, and is supporting clients in M&A and PE/VC transactions. · Corporate / M&A

Edgars Lodzins

Edgars Lodziņš is a Partner and Head of the Banking and Finance practice group at COBALT Latvia. He has more than 20 years of professional experience in banking and finance, capital markets and M&A field. During his practice Edgars has successfully advised some of the most significant financing, capital markets and M&A transactions in the region (both Latvian and cross-border) and has earned an excellent reputation for being one of the top specialists in the field. His clients include major international and local credit and financial institutions, private equity and venture capital funds and investors. Edgars is also a member of the Legal Committee of Latvian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association. · Banking & Finance

Edgars Pastars

Edgars Pastars is a Partner and Head of the Financial Regulatory and Compliance Practice. He is an ACAMS Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS), and among the most highly respected public law experts and the co-author of several key books on constitutional law. Edgars has extensive constitutional litigation experience. He is regularly called upon by the Constitutional Court to provide expert opinion on relevant procedural matters. Moreover, he has acted for a range of clients in administrative proceedings, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Transport among them. He has been among the drafters of numerous laws, regulations and legislative amendments (in the area of construction, banking, finances, real estate, employment, anti-money laundering and the responsibility of state officials), being the one to initiate new and non-customary solutions (e.g. regulation of companies important for national security, adjustment of the UK JMLIT regulation to Latvia). Edgars has worked extensively on matters closely related to banking and finances, by advising on legal, compliance (Moneyval evaluation), risk management, capital market (covered bonds, securitization, pension funds), consumer crediting and payments (including PSD2 implementation) and has represented Latvia’s financial sector at the European Banking Federation and Europol working groups. He has continuously participated in legislative drafting work groups at the Ministry of Justice for civil procedure law amendments, commercial law amendments and improved insolvency regulation. · Financial Regulation

Elīna Ločmele

Elīna Ločmele is a Specialist Counsel at COBALT Latvia. She is an expert in Tax, Corporate and Restructuring matters. She is an experienced member of COBALT team and has been involved in numerous complex tax, M&A and restructuring matters, as well as advised clients on lotteries and gambling regulation. Elīna has perfected her skills on a secondment with the law office in Helsinki. · Tax

Gatis Flinters

Gatis Flinters is a Partner and Head of the Corporate & Commercial Law practice group at COBALT Latvia. He advises on M&A transactions and is recognized for his particular expertise in energy and insolvency law. He brings over 15 years of field experience and has a proven record of success in large-scale investment and reconstruction projects while advising local and also foreign companies. Gatis is an active member of the Professional Association for European Restructuring and Insolvency Practitioners (INSOL Europe) and the honorary advisor to the British Ambassador in Latvia on legal issues. · Corporate / M&A

Girts Lejins

Ģirts Lejiņš is a Senior Advisor at COBALT Latvia. His main practice areas are Corporate Advisory and Commercial Law, Banking and Project Finance, Privatization and Dispute Resolution. During more than 20 years in practice he has represented numerous clients ranging from the Government to international banks and multinational enterprises in complex corporate advisory and commercial law related matters and significant capital market cases. He is widely recognized expert in these areas and in the dispute resolution matters. He has successfully represented clients in a number of complex international arbitration proceedings. · Corporate / M&A

Guntars Zile

Guntars Zīle is a Partner and Head of M&A practice group at COBALT Latvia. He has more than 20 years of experience in transactional work and has represented numerous local, as well as multinational companies and PE funds (like Marguerite, East Capital, BaltCap, Stora Enso, AXA Private Equity, Carlsberg, MISC Berhad, etc) in large scale M&A transactions. Guntars also advises on product and service liability and safety matters and performs regulatory work for manufacturers of the pharmaceuticals and healthcare service providers. · Corporate / M&A

Indrikis Liepa

Indriķis Liepa is a Partner and Head of IP, IT and Regulatory practice group at COBALT Latvia. He is among the leading practitioners in pharmacy law. He has a vast track record of over 15 years in consulting the leading local and foreign financial, food production, IT and other companies. Indriķis has substantial skills base in arranging major local M&A deals and significant investment projects. Indriķis has extensive knowledge on pharmacy law and is rendering both – daily legal support to numerous pharmacy undertakings and has also advised on major pharmaceutical industry headline deals. · Intellectual Property

Ivo Maskalāns

Ivo Maskalāns is a Senior Associate at COBALT Latvia. He advises clients on competition law and employment law issues and represents them before the National Competition Authority, State Labour Inspectorate and the courts. Likewise, he advises clients on compliance issues and represents them during negotiations with the authorities and trade unions. Ivo has represented clients in various significant cases when the decisions of the Latvian Competition Council where challenged. Furthermore, he represents clients in cases dealing with discrimination of employees, dismissals and transfer of undertakings. Ivo is a regular speaker at conferences and his articles are frequently published in legal media. His areas of specialization include specific industries (for example, supermarket chains and pharmacy). Before joining COBALT Ivo worked with another law firm and served as the Deputy Head of the Legal Department of the Competition Council of the Republic of Latvia. · Competition

Jūlija Jerņeva

Jūlija Jerņeva is a Co-Head of COBALT Latvia Competition Law practice group, as well as works in Employment and Dispute Resolution practice groups. She has more than 20 years of experience in competition law, European Union law, employment law, and dispute resolution. She has successfully represented clients in both administrative and civil courts in Latvia, as well as before the Court of Justice of the EU and the Constitutional Court of Latvia. She also has significant experience with matters concerning M&A and corporate disputes. A respected academic, Jūlija teaches Competition Law and EU Law at the Riga Graduate School of Law and Public international law at the University of Latvia. She is also the author of numerous publications in these fields. Jūlija regularly participates in working groups established by the Latvian Government and Parliament (Saeima), lobbying clients’ interests in the context of proposed draft laws. She is also engaged in several lobbying projects on a pro bono basis. · Competition

Kristīne Patmalniece

Kristīne Patmalniece is a Specialist Counsel at COBALT Latvia. She is an expert in employment, compliance and regulatory matters. She regularly advises clients operating in regulated industries such as food, health care, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications. Kristine has extensive experience in advising on novel employment law issues. She also represents clients before courts in employment disputes and other civil cases. · Employment

Lauris Liepa

Lauris Liepa is the Managing Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution Practice Group of COBALT Latvia. He is recognized to be a noted practitioner in litigation, constitutional law, banking and finances and M&A. Lauris has a strong track record of significant landmark cases brought before the courts of the Republic of Latvia, the Court of Justice of the European Union and also the European Court of Human Rights and in recent years he has coordinated major M&A and foreign investment deals. In the course of his legal practice extending over 20 years, Lauris has advised major local and international corporate clients and state institutions, including the Cabinet of Ministers and the Parliament. Lauris Liepa is also the author of numerous benchmark legal publications; gives lectures at the Faculty of Law, University of Latvia and the Riga Graduate School of Law and is a member of various NGOs and associations. He takes an active involvement in the Latvian Venture Capital Association, is a member of the Supervisory Committee of NASDAQ OMX Riga and since 2011 is also a member of the supervisory board of the Arbitration Court of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. · Dispute Resolution

Līga Fjodorova

Līga Fjodorova is a Specialist Counsel and Head of Patents, Trademarks and Designs at COBALT Latvia. She specializes in the field of intellectual property law, commercial law, dispute resolution. Līga is a Latvian Trademark Attorney and European Trademark Attorney. Līga represents clients before the Latvian Patent Office, EUIPO. As a leading Latvian expert in intellectual property, she represents client’s interests in complex trademark, patent and copyright disputes. Līga's litigation experience and expertise in trademark law ensure effective representation of the Client's position in litigations. · Intellectual Property

Mārtiņš Aljēns

Mārtiņš Aljēns is a Specialist Counsel at COBALT Latvia office. He has a wide experience in representing clients in complex civil and administrative litigations as well as before the Constitutional Court. He is also an expert in financial and capital markets, and restructuring and insolvency. Before joining COBALT Mārtiņš spent 10 years working for several Latvian banks including as an in-house legal counsel of Societe Generale Riga branch and Nordea Bank Finland Plc Latvia branch. · Litigation

Mārtiņš Tarlaps

Mārtiņš Tarlaps is a Specialist Counsel at COBALT Latvia. He is an expert in the fields of M&A, Energy Law, State Aid, Anti-Money Laundering and PPP. Mārtiņš has significant experience in all legal issues concerning energy markets, including renewable energy matters, and actively participates in various projects by NGOs, including the RES-E Working Groups of the Foreign Investors Council in Latvia and the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. · Corporate / M&A

Sabīne Vuškāne

Sabīne Vuškāne is Head of Tax Advisory at COBALT Latvia. She has more than 17 years of experience in tax planning and evaluating tax risks in Latvian and cross-border transactions and supply chains, especially in VAT matters, for a client base including the region’s largest companies and high net worth individuals. Sabine assists in tax planning, audits, reviews and transactional matters. Prior to joining COBALT Sabīne worked for one of the largest legal offices in Latvia, a professional services firm and at the Ministry of Finance. Sabīne has been actively involved in the development of the Latvian tax system and has drafted several major amendments to the tax laws. Along with being a frequent speaker on taxation in Latvia, she is co-author of the Latvian Tax Handbook and has authored a VAT handbook for Latvia and various publications for IBFD on VAT matters. · Tax

Sandija Novicka

Sandija Novicka is a Partner and Head of the Tax Law practice group at COBALT Latvia. She is an expert in Tax, State Aid, Public Procurement and Insurance matters. Sandija has acted as a lead advisor in large number of complex taxation matters, in particular advising on tax planning and representing clients in tax litigation. Due to her profound knowledge of broader legal framework Sandija is able to offer the most efficient solutions both in transactional and litigation assignments. Sandija has lectured at the Latvian Judicial Training Center, Latvian School of Public Administration and Riga Graduate School of Law on taxation, EU law and state aid topics and has written extensively on those subjects. · Tax

Sergejs Rudāns

Sergejs Rudāns is a Specialist Counsel at COBALT Latvia. While working at COBALT he has collaborated with real estate market participants ranging from developers, banks, builders and building managers to purchasers of apartments and tenants of premises, thus accumulating wide experience in the field. Sergejs has represented clients in courts of all levels and several cases headed by him have influenced case law. He has represented clients in such difficult proceedings as recovery of compensation from a board member, contesting transactions concluded by an insolvent company, invalidating a decision adopted at a shareholders’ meeting. He also deals with general civil and commercial law issues. · Dispute Resolution

Toms Sulmanis

Toms Šulmanis is a Partner and Head of the Employment & Immigration practice group in COBALT Latvia. Toms has more than 15 years of experience in the fields of M&A, Corporate/Commercial, Real Estate and Employment, including representation of clients in acquisition and sale of trade centers, commercial and residential developments, advice on all aspects of construction process, drafting and negotiating of commercial leases. Toms has also represented clients in complex corporate and employment matters, like restructuring of operations, redundancies, dealing with trade unions. · Employment & Immigration

Uģis Zeltiņš

Uģis Zeltiņš is a Partner and Head of the Competition practice group at COBALT Latvia. He has extensive experience acting as a lead advisor in EU & Competition, State Aid and Public Procurement matters. Prior to joining COBALT Uģis was an advisor on European Law with the Constitutional Court of Latvia and currently he is in charge of constitutional law aspects of civil and administrative disputes handled by the office. Uģis has taught competition, EU and international law to undergraduates and has lectured on competition and state aid to judges. · Competition