Competition

Team

A Selection of Recent Deals & Cases

• Advising and representing Samsung Electronics Baltics in the appeal against a decision of the national competition authority alleging market partitioning and resale price maintenance, and imposing a Latvian record fine of EUR 6.6 million; the case is the most high-profile cartel case in the history of Latvian competition law enforcement

• Representing Latvenergo AS, the incumbent producer of electricity in Latvia, in an investigation by the national competition authority of a complaint by a competitor alleging exclusionary pricing practices in the heat sales market; successful negotiation of complex pricing commitments

• Advising 21 banks (via Latvian Commercial Banks Association) in a cartel investigation and 13 banks in an appeal against the competition authority's decision in connection with the payment settlement agreement concluded by the banks and establishing local multilateral interchange fees (MIF). The case is the largest cartel investigation in Latvia to date in terms of the number of parties involved and complexity of data, and one of the first involving engagement of foreign economists

• Obtaining merger clearances for acquisitions in Latvia by First Data, Maxima, Neste Oil, Orkla and Stora Enso group companies

• Representing Neste Latvija in a case of alleged abuse of dominance concerning access to rail infrastructure in the Free Port of Riga

• Representing Neste Latvija in a case of alleged prohibited agreement or concerted practice by the three leading fuel retailers (Statoil, Neste, Lukoil)

• Representing Papyrus in a case of allegedly unlawful exchange of sales information among paper wholesalers.

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Endorsements

• "‘Top law firm’ Raidla Lejins & Norcous ‘always keeps to deadlines and promises’." (The Legal 500 2013)

• "This ‘customer-oriented’ team has several ‘experts in the field’ […]" (The Legal 500 2013)

• “This Baltic powerhouse has an outstanding competition practice and continues to attract major foreign and domestic clients […].” (Chambers Europe 2012)

• “Sources say: 'This firm is consistently excellent at all levels, not only senior partners but also the more junior lawyers. They are practical and provide great client service'." (Chambers Europe 2012)

• "Raidla Lejins & Norcous has a first-class résumé, advising Samsung Electronics Baltics on the appeal of a record €6.6m fine imposed by the national competition authority for alleged market partitioning and resale price maintenance, a major cartel case in Latvia." (The Legal 500 2011)

• "One partner and four associates form this superb team, which attracts instructions from major international clients like Kraft, Samsung, Procter & Gamble and Air Baltic. The group can advise on the whole range of competition matters […]." (Chambers Europe 2011)

• " […] 'well-balanced' six-lawyer team […] The group is a 'good choice for international clients', according to sources". (Chambers Europe 2010)

• "[RLN team] has earned a fabulous reputation for the breadth and depth of its expertise, and is universally regarded as a market leader in this area." (Chambers Europe 2009)

• "This truly quality outfit even provokes recommendation from competitors, who admit they 'regard the firm highly and would be happy to refer work to the lawyers in the event of conflict'. The firm's 'very good name' has been made evident by the impressive volume of merger control mandates handled by the office in recent months." (Chambers Europe 2008)

• "[RLN] handles merger clearance following major transactions in the region." (The Legal 500 2008)

• "…"extremely prompt" turnaround skills." (The Legal 500 2006 ) 

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Newsletters

• Latvian Competition Law News - February 2013 (English)

• Latvian Competition Law News - October 2012 (English)

• Latvian Competition Law News - July 2012 (English)

• Latvian Competition Law News - April 2012 (English)

• Latvian Competition Law News - December 2011 (English)

• Latvian Competition Law News - July 2011 (English)

• ­Latvian Competition Law News - May 2011 (English)

• Latvian Competition Law News - February 2011 (English)

• Latvian Competition Law News - July 2010 (English)

• Latvian Competition Law News - April 2010 (English)

• Konkurences tiesību jaunumi - Decembris 2009 (Latvian)

• Latvijas konkurences tiesību jaunumu apskats - Jūlijs 2009 (Latvian)

• Latvijas konkurences tiesību jaunumu apskats - Aprīlis 2009 (Latvian)

• Latvijas konkurences tiesību jaunumu apskats - Decembris 2008 (Latvian)

• Latvijas konkurences tiesību jaunumu apskats - Augusts 2008 (Latvian)

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Publications

• Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2013. Latvia Chapter (English)

• Piegādātāji pret mazumtirgotājiem: cīņa turpinās (Suppliers vs.Retailers: Fight Goes On) (Latvian)

• TV3 un LNT: atļaut nedrīkst aizliegt (TV3 & LNT: How to Clear Clearly) (Latvian)

• ­Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2012. Latvia chapter (English)

• Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2012. Latvia chapter (English)

• The European Lawyer Reference Series. Merger Control: Jurisdictional comparisons. First edition. Latvia chapter (English)

• Mātessabiedrību atbildība par konkurences tiesību pārkāpumiem (Liability of Parent Companies for Violation of Competition Law) (Latvian)

• Valsts galvojums var izrādīties slazds kreditējošai bankai (State Warranty Could Turn Out to be a Trap for a Lending Bank) (Latvian)

• Ieguldot airBaltic pamatkapitālā, valstij jārīkojas kā privātajam investoram (The State Must Act As a Private Investor When Investing Into AirBaltic) (Latvian)

• Vai Lursoft saņem nelikumīgu valsts atbalstu? (Is Lursoft Receiving an Illegal State Aid?)

• The Impact of the EU Human Rights System on Operations of Private Military and Security Companies, in: Human Rights, Humanitarian Law, and Private Contractors, eds. Francesco Francioni and Natalino Ronzitti, Oxford University Press, 2011 (No text available)

• Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2011. Latvia chapter (English)

• Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2011. Latvia chapter (English)

• Enforcement of EU State Aid Law at National Level 2010. Latvia chapter (English)

• Tiesām jānovērš nelikumīga valsts atbalsta piešķiršana no ES struktūrfondu līdzekļiem (Courts Must Prevent Allocation of Unlawful State Aid from EU Structural Funds) (Latvian)

• Vai ir jāpiepilda Rīgas Dinamo cerības uz valsts atbalsta saņemšanu? (Shall Riga's Dinamo Hopes for State Aid Be Fulfilled?) (Latvian)

• Nelikumīgs valsts atbalsts: bīstama dāvana (Illegal State Aid: a Dangerous Gift) (Latvian)

• Nelikumīgs valsts atbalsts dārgi maksā (Unlawful State Aid Costs High) (Latvian)

• Mergers and Acquisitions: Gun-Jumping Risks (Latvian)

• Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2010. Latvia Chapter (English)

• Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2010. Latvia Chapter (English)

• Nuances of the Legal Regime of State Aid (Latvian)

• State Aid - a Wand or the Sword of Damocles? (Latvian)

• Duty to Compensate Losses in Case of Competition Law Infringements: an Unexplored Opportunity or Mission Impossible? (Latvian)

• Amendements to Competition Law: Do Ends Justify Means? (Latvian)

• Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2009. Latvia Chapter (Latvian)

• EC Commission Aims at Combating Abusive Practices in Pharmaceutical Sector (Latvian)

• Is Protectionism a Cure? (Latvian)

• Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2009. Latvian Chapter (English)

• Mergers: When the Notification to Competition Council is Required? (Latvian)

• Dominant Position in Retail - What to be Expected from the New Regulations? (Latvian)

• Getting the Deal Through. Vertical Agreements 2008. Latvia chapter (English)

• Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2008. Latvia chapter (English)

• Perspectives on the Notion of "Individual Concern": How to Enhance the Non-privileged Applicant's Position Before the European Courts (English)

• Law Practitioner Series. The European Company. Volume II. Latvia chapter (No text available)

• Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2008. Latvia chapter (English)

• Latvian Competition Council's Decision in the Projecta Case Increases Uncertainty in the Application of the Latvian Merger Control Rules in Cases Involving Foreign Entities (English)

• RoschierRaidla Competition Law Handbook for the EU and Nordic-Baltic Area (No text available)

• Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2007. Latvia Chapter (English)

• Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2007. Latvia Chapter (English)

• Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2006. Latvia Chapter (English)

• Cartels: What the Market Participants Know and What They Should Know About It? (Latvian)

• Responsibility of a State for Wrong Application of EU law by courts (Latvian)

• Recent Developments in the Field of EU Cross-border Services and their Influence on the Latvian Entrepreneurs (Latvian)

• Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2005. Latvia Chapter (English)

• Global Counsel Handbooks. Competition Law. Latvia Chapter (English)

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