OREANDA-NEWS. December 03, 2013. SORAINEN is proud to be shortlisted for The Financial Times & Mergermarket European M&A Awards as a leading legal advisor in M&A deals in the Baltics.

These most prestigious Awards for the M&A advisory community recognise the financial and legal advisory expertise of the ‘stand-out’ firms throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The winners will be announced on 12 December 2013 at the Awards ceremony in London. The Award is being given for the Baltic region for the 4th time. SORAINEN has always been shortlisted for the Baltic Legal Award and has received the Award on two out of the previous three occasions.

This year's awards review announced M&A deals from Q4 2012 - Q3 2013 inclusive. SORAINEN was the only law firm advising the three largest deals in this period and half of the top ten deals in total in the Baltics. The biggest and most complex Baltic acquisition deal in the last five years was takeover by Siauliu Bankas of all obligations to insured depositors and the majority of Ukio Bankas assets, including loans, for a total value of EUR 782 million. SORAINEN is the sole advisor to Siauliu Bankas. When announced, this transaction helped to stabilise the situation in the Lithuanian financial sector. This is the first time in Lithuania for the assets and liabilities of an insolvent bank ("good bank") to be transferred to another operating financial institution.

SORAINEN also advised on the acquisition by Baltic Cruises of a stake in Tallink Grupp for EUR 116.6 million – this was the largest deal in Estonia and the only M&A transaction in the Baltic capital markets in the last 12 months – as well as Portek International’s acquisition of an 80% stake in Riga Universal Terminal for approx EUR 21 million, the largest deal in Latvia for the period under review.

For the financial advisory national award in the Baltics the shortlist includes Keystone, Porta Finance and Superia.