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Tark Grunte Sutkiene is the latest incarnation of TLS Alliance. The group of formerly independent law firms now operates under the common name of Tark Grunte Sutkiene and hasoffices in Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Rolan Jankelevitsh leads the tax department ... [more]

Tark Grunte Sutkiene is the latest incarnation of TLS Alliance. The group of formerly independent law firms now operates under the common name of Tark Grunte Sutkiene and hasoffices in Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius. Rolan Jankelevitsh leads the tax department and is the sole partner in Tallinn, and is supported by four fee earners in that office. Their operations in Lithuania were bolstered by the addition of Dainius Daugirda, the former deputy head of the state tax inspectorate. The department has been active in corporate tax advisory and M&A work this year but note that tax controversy has been particularly fruitful recently. In Estonia they successfully represented an oil company in a dispute related to double tax treaties and tax avoidance. They were also engaged in a dispute between the Tax and Customs Board in Estonia and an Estonian wholesale and retail group. The firm's tax department also supports the work done by its banking and finance department, as a client list including the European Investment Bank, Swedbank and Hermis Capital attests. Vilius Bernatonis heads their banking and finance department in Lithuania and is commended by his peers for his commercial approach to tax issues in the capital markets and financial services practice area. The firm's ability in M&A is illustrated in its involvement in Thermo Fisher Scientific's acquisition of Fermentas. The tax aspects of the transaction were complicated by the involvement of a private equity house, requiring thorough due diligence and planning by the firm to avoid any unnecessary tax charges.