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Cobalt and Borenius Merge Baltic Operations

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Cobalt has announced that lawyers from the Borenius team in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Belarus will join it from January 1, 2016, turning Cobalt into “the largest full-service business law firm operation in the region.” This follows Borenius’ announcement earlier this week that it is withdrawing from the Baltics, and Sorainen’s announcement that it had picked up former Borenius Lithuania Partners Daivis Svirinas and Zygimantas Pacevicius, along with another eleven lawyers (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on September 21, 2015).

Cobalt was formed in May 2015 when the former Raidla Lejins & Norcous offices in Latvia and Lithuania joined with the former Lawin office in Estonia (reported on by CEE Legal Matters on May 19, 2015).

Cobalt reports that once this merger is concluded, it will consist of 180 lawyers. Its Estonia office will be led by Sten Luiga, Jaanus Mody (both formerly of Borenius), and current MP Martin Simovart. In addition, current Cobalt Partners Elo Tamm, Liina Linsi, Marina Tolmatshova, and Pirkko-Liis Harkmaa will be joined by former Borenius Partners Peeter Kutman, Aivar Taro, Karina Paatsi, Egon Talur, Kristel Raidla-Talur, and Margus Mugu.

In Latvia, the team of 50 lawyers will be led by current MP Dace Silava-Tomsone and Borenius Partner Lauris Liepa. Former Borenius Partners Lauris Liepa, Indrikis Liepa, and Gatis Flinters will join current Cobalt Partners Girts Lejins, Guntars Zile, Ingrida Karina-Berzina, and Toms Sulmanis in the Riga office. 

In Lithuania, Cobalt’s team will grow to 65 lawyers and will continue to be led by Founding Partner Irmantas Norkus. Vaidas Mackonis from Borenius joins current Cobalt Partners Zilvinas Kvietkus, Elijus Burgis, Rimantas Simaitis, and Paulius Markovas. Borenius Lithuania Founding Partner Dalia Foigt joins Cobalt as specialist counsel.

In Belarus, Cobalt’s team of 5 lawyers will be led by current Cobalt Managing Partner Darya Zhuk.

Editorial Note: Although Cobalt initially announced that its merger with Borenius "is expected to be completed across the Baltics by January 1st 2016,” in fact the process in Estonia appears to have moved much more quickly than initially anticipated, as Borenius announced on October 5 that the two firms "have completed their merger in Estonia and, as of today, operate jointly under the name Cobalt.”  In an email to CEE Legal Matters, Cobalt Communications Manager Marika Parn explained that “As of October 1st 2015 Borenius in Estonia does not exist anymore, we are operating jointly as one firm and as one business unit under the name Cobalt.