Competition

Our lawyers have been acknowledged as leading experts in competition law in Lithuania. Firm’s competition law practice includes both Lithuanian and EC competition law. We advise on all aspects of competition issues, including merger control, cartel investigations, leniency programme, distribution, agency, licensing, abuse of dominant position, compliance programmes, damages claims as well as unfair competition and state aid.

Our law firm is very active in the field of competition law litigation. Dr. Lina Darulienė has more than 10 years practice in this field and have acted in more than 50 cases before courts representing both private parties and the Competition Council in cartel, abuse of dominance, unfair competition and other cases challenging the decisions of the Competition Council as well as private antitrust litigation cases. Aurimas Pauliukevicius and Andrius Bambalas are other members of our competition team dealing with a full range of competition law issues.

We work in cooperation with Europe's best practitioners in competition law and our experts have participated in various advanced competition law programmes in Europe. Our team is a member of Antitrust Alliance, combining specialised competition law teams in the majority of EU Member States which provides access to the information on EC and national competition law developments, training and establishment of direct contacts in many jurisdictions.

We are proud to represent many distinguished clients from across of economic sectors and industries, including MAXIMA LT, UAB, the largest consumer goods retail chain in the Baltic countries, Pieno žvaigždės AB, the largest dairy products manufacturer in Lithuania, Philips Morris Baltic, the largest tobacco company in Lithuania, Clear Channel Lietuva, asubsidiary of one of the world’s-leading outdoor advertising companies, UAB G4S, the largest security firm in Lithuania, BIGBANK AS, one of the largest specialised banks of the Baltic countries in the sector of consumer loans, Lithuanian Chamber of Auditors.

Our resent practice include:

Representation of UAB Clear Channel Lietuva, a branch of one of the world’s-leading outdoor advertising companies, before the Competition Council as well as before courts regarding the legality of contracts concluded between Vilnius City Municipality and the competitor of the client – UAB JCDecaux Lietuva (the total value of contract challenged before the Competition Council and court is approximately EUR 14 million.). The case is based on national competition law rules, which are similar to EC rules on state aid.

Representation of AB Pieno žvaigždės, the largest dairy products manufacturer in Lithuania, and the Association of Manufacturers of Dairy Products in a cartel case involving major Lithuanian dairy products manufacturers that had been investigated by and examined in the Competition Council. The reasoning of the Competition Council was substantiated on the exchange of information between the manufacturers about the prices and quantities of their dairy products through the Association of Manufacturers of Dairy Products.

Representation of BIGBANK AS – one of the largest specialised banks in the sector of consumer loans – before the Competition Council and administrative courts in the dispute regarding misleading advertising.

Representation of G4S, UAB Lietuva, one of the largest security services companies in Lithuania, which is a subsidiary of the world’s leading international security solutions group G4S, in the administrative case at Vilnius County Administrative Court and the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania. The case was initiated by G4S, UAB whereas the Competition Council established that the security divisions of the Lithuanian police forces had enjoyed more extensive rights while competing with other security service providers in the market for the personal and property security services.

Chambers Europe 2009 writes about us:

"Rising to the top tier, this firm is widely admired by interviewers for its role in contentious competition cases. "It’s not afraid to tackle tough cases – in fact it has a real taste for it", peers say."
"Lina Darulienė is admired by clients and peers as "a specialist to be reckoned with – tenacious, dedicated and clearly one of the best on the in the market".

Legal 500: "Lina Darulienė is "one of the best competition experts in the country"". (2009 edition).

Sutkiene, Pilkauskas & Partners is highly recommended by 2009 PLC Which Lawyer? in the competition practice area.

Publications in this area:

L. Darulienė. The cartel prohibition (The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Cartels & Leniency 2009);
Global Legal Group Limited: (The Comparative Legal Guide to Litigation and Dispute Resolution 2008 Lithuania);
L. Darulienė. The cartel prohibition (The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Cartels & Leniency 2008);
L. Darulienė. Antitrust Review: Lithuania (Global Competition Review: The European Antitrust Review 2006);
L. Darulienė. Antitrust Review: Lithuania (Global Competition Review: The European Antitrust Review 2005);
L.Darulienė. Unfair Competition and Unallowable Advertising // Verslo Žinios, 12 May 2006;
L.Darulienė. Cartel Agreements: Arguments against Participating // Verslo Žinios, 15 December 2006;
L.Darulienė. Distribution Agreements can be in Breach of Competition Law // Verslo Žinios, 23 July 2003;
L. Darulienė. Sources of Competition Law of the European Union and Lithuania // Jurisprudencija: The University of Law of Lithuania. Scientific Work. 2002, V.27 (19);
L. Darulienė. Specifics of Application of Competition Law of the European Union and Lithuania in Regulating Activities of Banks // Jurisprudencija: The University of Law of Lithuania. Scientific Work. 2002, V.24 (16);
L. Darulienė. The Competition Council of the Republic of Lithuania about Protection of Freedom of Fair Competition// Verslo Labirintas, 2002 (1);
L. Darulienė. Competition Law: Block Exemption Applicable to Vertical Agreements // Justitia, 2000, No. 3.

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