An in-depth look at Dace Silava-Tomsone of Cobalt covering her career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about her as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.

Lithuania’s tax system underwent a major overhaul in 2004 when the country joined the European Union. For almost two decades, its evolution has been slow-paced – one could even call it cosmetic.

Amendments to the Latvian Taxes and Duties Law came into effect on June 30, 2023. The aim of these amendments was to enhance the efficiency of the tax control system.

It was another strong year for the leading law firms in Central and Eastern Europe, which, combined, worked on over a thousand deals and other client matters across the region reported on by CEE Legal Matters this year. According to the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website, Clifford Chance, which worked on an impressive 95 CEELM-reported CEE client matters in 2023, led the international firms in the region, with Schoenherr, which worked on 90, close behind. Dentons (82), CMS (71), Wolf Theiss (65), Cobalt (66), Kinstellar (50), White & Case (45), and Allen & Overy (42) took notable places on the leaderboard as well.

Cobalt has advised Warmeston on its EUR 32 million acquisition of the Broceni cogeneration plant and pellet factory in Latvia from Enefit Green. TGS Baltic advised Enefit Green.

Squire Patton Boggs and 42Law have advised Inven Capital on co-leading the EUR 8.5 million series A investment round of Hydrogrid, alongside Karma Ventures. Cobalt advised Karma Ventures. Herbst Kinsky advised Hydrogrid.

Cobalt has advised Luxembourg-based investment fund Marguerite on the closed sale of its 28.97% stake in Latvijas Gaze to Energy Investments following the fund's successful divestments of the regulated assets of Latvijas Gaze.

Cobalt has advised Eco Baltia on its second EUR 10 million issuance of three-year bonds, conducted as a private placement with arranger Luminor Bank and distributor Siauliu Bankas. Eversheds Sutherland was the bondholders' trustee.

On November 3, 2023, Cobalt announced that Ignitis Renewables' acquisition of a wind farm in Kelme, Lithuania, from E Energija (reported by CEE Legal Matters on July 4, 2023) had closed.

Cobalt has advised VKG on the sale of the VKG Elektrivorgud electricity distribution company in Estonia to Baltcap. TGS Baltic advised BaltCap.

Cobalt has advised real estate developer and manager Linstow Baltic on its sale of a 3.6-hectare land plot in Riga to Rimi Latvia for EUR 8 million.

Cobalt has advised the Amber Beverage Group Holding on listing the notes from its EUR 30 million April 2023 bond issuance on the Nasdaq Baltic Bond List.

Cobalt has advised Alexela on the acquisition of the remaining 50% stake in Rohe Solution from Finland's Haminan Energia.

Cobalt has helped Tallinn-based Monemon obtain its e-money license from the Estonian Financial Supervision and Resolution Authority.

Wardynski & Partners, working with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, has advised the Bauer Media Group on the merger of its online comparison platform business with that of the Netrisk Group.

Cobalt has advised Interchemie on the court dispute and resulting agreement with competitor Kepro regarding the termination of Interchemie's lease agreement and eviction from their factory.

Did You Know that the ten firms that have worked on the most client matters reported by CEE Legal Matters through Q3 of 2023 are equally divided between international and regional powerhouses? According to the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website, Magic Circle-member Clifford Chance, which has worked on a remarkable 66 deals reported by CEE Legal Matters in the first nine months of 2023, leads the pack, but Vienna-based Schoenherr is close behind with 64.

Cobalt has advised FootonVolt on the sale of an 18-megawatt portfolio including 13 solar parks to KC Energy. Sorainen reportedly advised the buyer.