Cobalt stands out for its breadth of disputes expertise, which extends to extradition proceedings and white-collar crime litigation, and alternate dispute resolution. The group is also able to draw upon its international reach and pan-Baltic office presence to work on cross-border disputes. Jaanus Mody heads up the team and is key for insolvency disputes and other complex economic cases. Rauno Ligi oversees white-collar crime and competition disputes, while Kadri Michelson has a strong amount of experience in administrative proceedings, and Tavo Tiits has been active in spatial planning and building permit disputes in 2024.

In addition to regularly working on administrative disputes and regulatory enquiries, Ellex has extensive international arbitration experience in both the public and private sector. The group, which is praised for its ‘great competence paired with a business-minded approach’, continues to represent the Government of the Republic of Estonia, via the Ministry of Justice, in international arbitration. Arne Ots, who ‘combines strategic thinking with impressive dispute resolution experience‘, leads the team alongside Liis Könn, who was promoted to partner in March 2024. The pair are strong in financial disputes, as is the wider group, which also often handles bankruptcy proceedings. Toomas Vaher and Anton Sigal have strength in international arbitration.

Sorainen fields a large team which often appears before international courts such as the ECHR and is also instructed in complex international arbitration. The group also boasts a sanctions compliance practice, as well as being able to assist clients in defamation and reputation protection matters. In addition, the team is often engaged in patent litigation. Carri Ginter, Allar Jõks, Norman Aas, Maria Pihlak, who is dual-qualified in the USA and skilled in international arbitration, and Kadri Härginen oversee the group. Mari Agarmaa is a key name to note for insolvency disputes, and Triin Toom is a go-to name in the team for corporate and financial disputes.

Eversheds Sutherland Ots & Co is set apart by its capacity to represent both large international corporations such as Turkish Airlines and government agencies, including the food board of Estonia, in a range of commercial disputes. The group has a strong track record of representing clients before the Supreme Court of Estonia; Toomas Pikamäe has appeared in numerous such cases in 2023 and 2024. Pikamäe leads the team alongside Raiko Lipstok, another experienced commercial litigator. Criminal defence also forms a key part of the group’s practice, including criminal proceedings related to economic crimes; Jüri-Karl Leppik is an integral member of the team in this area.

LEADELL Pilv provides Estonian clients with representation in civil, criminal, and administrative procedures, and is also experienced in alternative dispute resolution. The practice also has a strong background in white-collar criminal law due to the expertise of Aivar Pilv. More widely, the group is able to collaborate with other law firms in the Baltics in complex cross-border disputes. Pirkka-Marja Põldvere and Pilv head up the team, the former of whom stands out for her arbitration expertise as well as her ‘sharp analytical skills and ability to craft effective strategies in complex legal matters‘. Marko Pilv is another key name to note in the team.

Magnusson, which is noted for its seamless work with its wider international network, provides a ‘responsive and pragmatic dispute resolution service‘ which spreads across jurisdictions. The department’s workload increasingly covers disputes stemming from cross-border asset recovery, for which the group is often called upon by creditors and trustees. This is a strength of Marek Keiman, who is praised for his ‘substantial experience, especially when dealing with foreign counterparties and international cases‘. Practice head Kaidar Sultson is adept at handling disputes across the industrial, real estate, construction, energy, banking, and finance sectors, among others, as well as shareholder disputes.

NOVE fields a team of ‘subject matter experts with extensive litigation experience‘ and has a focus on complex commercial litigation in both the public sector and private sector, although its expertise extends to civil and administrative disputes. Veikko Puolakainen leads the team alongside Arsi Pavelts, who excels in judicial and extrajudicial proceedings. Mart Parind can be highlighted for his public procurement disputes expertise, while Kristjan Tamm stands out for construction disputes.

TGS Baltic has bolstered its team since its merger with PwC Legal Estonia in February 2024, particularly at associate level. The group has also continued to expand its practice into sports arbitration, building on a core workload of intellectual property, automotive sector, and banking disputes, among other cases. Paul Varul, Martti Peetsalu, and Chirag Mody head up the group. The former is lauded for complex cross-border insolvency disputes, and the latter is praised for his ‘deep expertise in Estonian civil law and dispute resolution‘. Dmitri Teplõhh stands out for criminal cases, while Indrek Leppik is extremely experienced in administrative, civil and commercial disputes. Kedli Anvelt is also noted.

The team at NJORD Law Firm is ‘an excellent choice for anyone looking for local counsel in the Baltic states in matters which involve large local parties‘, according to one client. The team offers broad disputes expertise, including IP, real estate, administrative and bankruptcy disputes nous, and more recently in 2024 the group has seen an uptick in disputes related to environmental permits. Practice head Triinu Hiob has a background in international arbitration, and is well versed in this area, and Katrin Sarap is a prominent employment litigator.

Notable for acting in a range of administrative disputes, the group at RASK Attorneys-at-Law is also skilled at handling large-scale insolvency and white-collar crime cases, and has seen an uptick in energy disputes work in 2024. Tarmo Peterson, Ramon Rask, and administrative disputes expert Villy Lopman head up the team, with Rask being commended for ‘a strong ability to assess and forecast the outcome of a dispute‘. Andrei Svištš is a go-to member of the team for criminal cases.

Praised for its ‘client-centric approach‘, the group at Triniti has a strong background in litigation in fields such as IP, pharmaceuticals and media, the latter of which is an area of strength for Maarja Pild, who has a strong relationship with regulatory authorities. Group practice head Erki Vabamets is a strong corporate litigator. Sandor Elias stands out for representing local governments, while Tanel Kalaus is also a key figure in the team. In addition, the wider group has gradually strengthened its capabilities in criminal proceedings.

WIDEN‘s disputes practice displays a ‘deep and diverse experience in the field of white-collar crime’, and is often instructed on money laundering cases and cases involving fraud. Practice head Magnus Braun stands out for his handling of complex insolvency and insurance litigation, which are also strengths of the group more widely.

Cuesta Law Office established its disputes practice in 2019 and continues to act in a range of civil and commercial cases. Practice head Britta Oltjer is strong in medical and pharmaceutical disputes. Lada Riisna has extensive experience in financial law disputes. Valeria Arsjuta is a key practitioner in the team and is also strong in banking and finance disputes.

HansaLaw OÜ is a boutique firm with a team of civil and commercial dispute specialists whose varied mandates incorporate environmental, bankruptcy and tax disputes. The group’s background in high-profile criminal law cases before the Supreme Court of Estonia, as well as county court criminal cases, leaves it well placed to represent clients in a range of criminal matters. Gerly Kask, who is a go-to practitioner for tax disputes, Vahur Kivistik, Andres Past, Tõnu Tuulas and Jüri Leppik head up the team.

LINKLaw displays an ability to represent some of the largest companies in Estonia, often appearing for clients in cases before the European courts such as the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights. The group also represents state entities, including the Republic of Estonia’s Ministry of Justice. A core part of the group’s work is administrative law disputes and it has strong knowledge of national defence matters. The trio leading the team are Veiko Viisileht, Triin Biesinger, and Reesa Laur.