OUR FIRM & CLIENTS

 Our Firm and Clients

The Gencs Valters Law Firm is full service, general practice international business law firm with offices in Riga (Latvia) and Tallinn (Estonia) focused in tax, litigation, M&A, corporate, immigration, finance and intellectual property law. The firm provides legal, tax, corporate finance, management consulting, evaluation and due diligence services.

The firm now has a team of 14 lawyers and tax consultants and have grown steadily within the last years. The firm has particularly strong ties with Scandinavian clients.

The firm is an active member with the Latvian Bar Association, the International Bar Association, the American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Latvia, the Latvian German Association of Enterprises in Latvia, as well as the Sterling member of the British Chamber of Commerce and Gold member of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in Latvia. The firm is accepted to represent clients in Munich (Germany) in front of the European Patent Office as well in Alicante (Spain) for Community trademarks and designs.

Members of the firm has lectured on tax and commercial law issue with the Stockholm school of Economics in Riga, the Concordia University in Tallinn (Estonia) as well as the American Chamber of Commerce, the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Latvia and the Latvian German Association of Enterprises in Latvia. The firm's is representative clients comprise such multinational companies as well as medium size companies and entrepreneurial growth companies.

As our client, you will be guaranteed unmatched service and commitment as well as access to our full service including counseling and client/attorney partnership.

  Gencs Valters Law Firm brochure.pdf

Our firm is a member in the following trade chambers and organizations:

LATVIA

-Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (www.scc.lv)
-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (www.nccl.lv
)
-British Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (www.bccl.lv)
-Danish Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (www.dcc.lv)
-German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (www.ahk-balt.org)
-Netherlands-Latvian Chamber of Commerce (www.nlcc.lv)
-American Chamber of Commerce in Latvia (www.amcham.lv)

-Estonian Business Chamber in Latvia (www.eesti.lv)

LITHUANIA
-Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania (www.swedish.lt)
-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania (www.nlcc.lt)
-British Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania (www.bccl.lt)
-French Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania (www.cci-fr.lt)
-Latvian Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania (www.lccl.lt)

ESTONIA
-Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Estonia (www.swedishchamber.ee)
-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Estonia (www.necc.ee)
-Danish Chamber of Commerce in Estonia (www.decc.ee)
-German-Baltic Chamber of Commerce in Estonia (www.ahk-balt.org)
-American Chamber of Commerce in Estonia (www.amcham.ee)
-Finish Chamber of Commerce in Estonia (www.fecc.ee)

Professional associations:

MULTILAW, worldwide association of independent law firms with over 6000 lawyers in 150 commercial centers around the world (www.multilaw.com).
EUROJURIS, European association of independent law firms with over 630 different cities/locations covered in more than 40 countries (www.eurojuris.net).
AMERICAN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW ASSOCIATION (AIPLA), a national bar association constituted primarily of lawyers in private and corporate practice, in government service, and in the academic community, with more than 17,000 members (www.aipla.org).
DEFENSE RESEARCH INSTITUTE (DRI), the largest international membership organization of attorneys defending the interests of business and individuals in civil litigation (www.dri.org).
INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION (IBA), the world’s leading organisation of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. It has a membership of more than 40,000 individual lawyers and 197 bar associations and law societies spanning all continents (www.ibanet.org).
INTERNATIONAL TRADE MARK ASSOCIATION (INTA), a not-for-profit membership association of 5,900 trademark owners, professionals and academics, from more than 190 countries (www.inta.org).
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES TRADEMARK ASSOCIATION (ECTA), numbers approximately 1.500 members practicing in the field of trade marks, designs and related IP matters, coming from the Member States of the European Union with associate members from all over the world (www.ecta.org).
CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PATENT ATTORNEYS (CIPA), the professional and examining body for patent attorneys. It represents virtually all the 1,800+ registered patent attorneys in the UK, total membership is over 3,300 (www.cipa.org.uk)
INTERNATIONAL TAX PLANNING ASSOCIATION (ITPA), a multi-disciplined association of over 1000 bankers, trust officers, finance directors, accountants, lawyers and others with a practical interest in the tax aspects of cross-frontier transactions (www.itpa.org).
GERMAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (GRUR), approximately 5,000 members in Germany and abroad, the largest and oldest association in Germany that is devoted to the protection of intellectual property (www.grur.de).
INSTITUTE OF TRADE MARK ATTORNEYS (ITMA), the professional body representing those qualified to act for the owners of trade mark and other intellectual property rights, nationally and internationally. It now represents the vast majority of UK registered trade mark attorneys and all UK trade mark and design litigators (www.itma.org.uk).
LICENSING EXECUTIVES SOCIETY (LES), a professional society with nearly 5,000 members engaged in the development, use, transfer, marketing, and management of intellectual property (www.lesusacanada.org).
INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ATTORNEYS (FICPI), an organisation working for the interests of Patent and Trademark professionals world-wide. Only association whose membership consists solely of intellectual property professionals in private practice (www.ficpi.org)
MARQUES, every single member is encouraged to make a contribution to the development of MARQUES as a global resource center by agreeing to share professional strengths with fellow members. (www.marques.org).
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (AIPPI), a politically neutral, non-profit organization, domiciled in Switzerland which currently has almost 9000 Members representing more than 100 countries.
The world's leading International Organization dedicated to the development and improvement of intellectual property (www.aippi.org).
EUROPEAN PATENT INSTITUTE (EPI), the Institute being an international non-governmental public law corporation has its own by-laws and code of professional conduct. At present, the Institute which represents the first all-European patent profession comprises about 9700 members from 36 European countries, both from industry and free profession. (www.patentepi.com).

Directories:

LEGAL 500,
Within Tax, Gencs Valters Law Firm is a first tier firm -
"The versatile Valters Gencs at Gencs Valters Law Firm’s strong tax expertise was demonstrated at the highest level in representing client Alstom Power Hydro in the ECJ on a €100m VAT refund case. The firm also previously advised the European Commission on Latvian law in reviewing national tax laws amongst member states. New clients include chemicals company Sika, cosmetics company L’OrĂ©al and auction houses Sotheby’s and Christie’s."
(www.legal500.com).
Within Shipping and transport, Gencs Valters Law Firm is a first tier firm -
"Valters Gencs of Gencs Valters Law Firm expanded his shipping and transport practice, with the firm now representing Maersk Moller, the world’s biggest container company in the Baltics, as well as a number of shipping agents and Latvian-flagged shipping companies."
(www.legal500.com)
.
TAX DIRECTORS HANDBOOK, "Another leader in the field is Gencs Valters Law Firm, where tax law is the main area of focus. Valters Gencs, former head of the tax and legal department at Ernst & Young Latvia, leads a weighty team that advises McDonalds, Coco-Cola and Alstrom Power Hydro." (www.taxdirectorshandbook.co.uk).
MARTINDALE-HUBBELL, "In many regards, Latvian lawyer Valters Gencs is the archetypal modern Baltic lawyer – US educated, willing to take a commercial risk with his own firm, and eager to embrace Western business methods. Having established two successive law offices by the age of 34, his practice now boasts a client roster that rival firms would envy:
these include France’s L’Oreal, Sweden’s TeliaSonera, Finland’s Kesko, Norway’s Statoil as well as global brands such as Coca-Cola, McDonalds and General Motors.
" (www.martindale.com).
CHAMBERS AND PARTNERS, "In addition to its strength in corporate tax, expatriate taxation is a significant facet of the practice, with the team regularly advising private individuals from the Nordic countries. The lawyers successfully represented Alstom Hydro France before the ECJ in a case concerning VAT refunds, and have achieved further favourable rulings for Suomen Rehu and Alstom Power Generation. The team offers tax planning and advisory services to other Nordic clients such as Det Norske Veritas and Aldaris. Leading partner Valters Gencs is a well-known tax practitioner who is recommended as “exceptionally knowledgeable.” " (www.chambersandpartners.com).
GLOBAL IP ATTORNEYS, (http://globalipattorneys.com).
PRACTICAL LAW COMPANY/ WHICH LAWYER?, (http://whichlawyer.practicallaw.com).
UNITED TAX NETWORK (www.unitedtaxnetwork.dk).
EU LAWYERS & SOLICITORS DIRECTORY (www.lawfirmslawyers.eu).





                                                              




 

 Our publicly disclosed representative clients comprise:

 USA
Mc'Donalds (restaurants)
General Motors (cars)
Coca-Cola (beverages)
Firebird Republic Funds (investments)
American Cyanamid Company (pharmaceuticals)
Capstone Turbine Corp. (turbines)
Weatherford (oil transport equipment)
Oracle (software)

 SWEDEN
Brax Shipping (Sea transport)
Zublin (construction)
SBE Brikett Energy (wood pellets)
Telia International Carrier (telecomunications)
Wonderland International AB (furniture)
Alstom Generation AB (turbines)
Snickers (clothing)
Korsnas (timber)
Stockholm School of Economics in Latvia

 NORWAY
Statoil ASA (oil products)
DNV  (quality auditors)

 FINLAND                                     
Ensto (electrical products)

Suomen Rehu Oy (chemicals)

Paulig Ltd. (coffee and spices)
Kesko (retail)
K-Rauta (retail)

Suprema (brokerage and financial services)
VR Track (railrouds)
Baltic Group (Shipping and catering)

DENMARK                                                         
Scandlines (shipping)
Broste (candles)
Geopal (production)

THE NETHERLANDS
Dutch Royal (dredging)

Infineon (computer chips)

SWITZERLAND
Nestle SA (food product)
SSI Simex Sport (sport equipment)
Rehau (plastic products)
Hellsin Healthcare SA (pharmaceuticals)

GERMANY
Siemens (energy products)
Beiersdorf (cosmetics)
Baltic kudra and Handels and Production GmbH (peat)
Messe Dussedorf (exibitions)
Merck Patent (pharmaceupticals)

FRANCE
L’Oreal (cosmetics)
Alstom (energy)
Cuisine de France (food)
Glup’s France (candy products)
Lesieur (food)

UNITED KINGDOM
A one Feed (fertilizers)                                            

Glaxo Smitkline (pharmaceuticals)
John Wyeth & Brother Limited (pharmaceuticals)

ITALY
Chiesi Farmacentici (pharmaceuticals)
Instituto nazionale per lo studio e la cura dei tumori (pharmaceuticals)
Labarotorios Menarini (pharmaceuticals)
Monte Research (pharmaceuticals)
Pharmacia & UpJohn Company (pharmaceuticals)
Sigma-Tau (pharmaceuticals)

Carpi Tech Italia (technology)

IRELAND
Irish Distillers Limited (alcoholic beverages)
Old Bushmills Distillery & Co (alcoholic beverages)

POLAND
Kama Foods (food products)
Olvit (food products)

 ESTONIA
TMB Elements (concrete production)
Selver (retail)
Balbino (ice-cream)
Sportland International (sport equipment)
Liviko (beverages)

AUSTRALIA
Exide Australia pty (car products)

JAPAN
Sony Computer Entertainment (entertainment)

Komatsu (machinery)

Yamaha (motorbikes)
Mitsubishi Pharma Corporation (pharmaceuicals)