` Dace Silava-Tomsone | COBALT

Dace Silava-Tomsone

Managing Partner / Latvia

About

Dace Silava–Tomsone is the Managing Partner of COBALT Latvia and one of the best known and widely recognized Real Estate and Construction, M&A and Competition experts in the country. During more than 20 years of practice she has advised many governmental institutions, local and international companies on major real estate and investment projects, transactions, as well as in intricate cartel, dominance and merger control cases.

Dace is regularly involved in work of professional organizations and legislative development acting as a member of working groups of various NGOs.

Dace is appointed a Co-Chair of the Project Execution Subcommittee of the International Construction Projects Committee of the IBA for the period of 2024-2025.

Practice

Recognition
  • Real Estate – Band 1, Chambers Europe 2024
  • Real Estate and Construction – Leading individual, The Legal 500 2024
  • EU and competition – Leading individual, The Legal 500 2024
  • Corporate/Commercial – Band 1, Chambers Global and Europe 2024
  • Commercial, Corporate and M&A – The Legal 500 Hall of Fame 2024
  • Real estate and construction – Market leader, IFLR 1000 2023
  • Construction and materials – Market leader, IFLR 1000 2023
  • Included in the prestigious IFLR 1000 Women Leaders Guide 2023
  • Competition/Antitrust – Band 1, Chambers Europe 2022
CV

Languages

  • Latvian, English, Russian

Membership & education

  • Co-Chair, Project Execution Subcommittee, International Construction Projects Committee, IBA (2024-25)
  • International Bar Association (since 2003)
  • Latvian Bar Association (since 1994)
  • Registered Industrial Design Agent with the Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia (since 1997)
  • Executive Education – Professional Board Member, Baltic Institute of Corporate Governance (2012)
  • LL.M., University of Latvia, Faculty of Law (1998)
  • LL.M., College of William and Mary Marshall-Wythe School of Law, Williamsburg, VA, USA (1996)
  • LL.B., University of Latvia, Faculty of Law (1994)
    Experience

    airBaltic launches the construction of the Baltic Cargo Hub

    Capital Mill sells industrial property in Riga to Proks Capital

    E.R.B. Rail JV signs contract for the construction of Rail Baltica mainline in Latvia

    Linstow Baltic sells major land plot to Rimi Latvia

    Italferr signs the contract for supervision of Rail Baltica mainline construction in Latvia

    Representation of AS Latvenergo in upgrade of Plavinas and Kegums HPP

    Representation of Bensons Auto SIA in construction of a showroom

    COBALT advises AS Latvenergo in thermo-power plant reconstruction

    Representation of AS Latvenergo in reconstruction of Riga TPP-1

    Representation of R.B.Management SIA in sale of a hotel development

    COBALT advises Direct Capital, Prashkovsky Group on Latvian law matters

    COBALT advises Leader Real Estate International Limited in acquiring developers of a residential complex

    COBALT advises AS DnB Nord Banka on construction of the headquarters in Riga

    COBALT advises Norwegian construction company BAU HOW

    Legal advice on reconstruction of Riga TTP-2 second unit

    COBALT respresents Samsung Electronics Baltics in investigation by the competition authority

    COBALT advises banks in a cartel investigation

    Advising the management of SEB Enskilda in the buyout of SEB Enskilda business in Estonia and Latvia to operate under the new brand name Superia

    COBALT advised BaltCap on the investment in the chain of branded coffee shops Coffee Inn

    The Competition Council closes its two-year long investigation into the activities of fuel retailers

    COBALT advises Linas Agro Group in acquisition of shares in AS Putnu fabrika Ķekava, SIA Lielzeltini, SIA Broileks and SIA Cerova

    COBALT represents Neste Latvija in merger clearance

    COBALT represents Latvenergo AS in pricing practices investigation

    COBALT represents AB Linas Agro in merger clearance

    COBALT represents Neste Latvija in obtaining individual exemption

    COBALT advises TV NET in acquistion of the portal Apollo.lv

    COBALT in cooperation with Linklaters advises Latvian Privatization Agency in the sale of Citadele Bank to international investors

    COBALT advises Gjensidige Forsikring ASA in acquisition of PZU Lietuva

    COBALT advises SIA Acme Corporation in sale of its subsidiaries to Hili Properties B.V.

    COBALT Advises TV NET in Acquisition of Recipe Portal Receptes.lv

    COBALT advises ELKO Group in acquisition of DL Distributors OÜ

    COBALT advises BaltCap in acquiring Baltic operations of financial automation company OpusCapita

    COBALT advised AKROPOLIS GROUP in development of trade centre in Latvia

    Legal advice to AS Latvenergo on hydro-power and thermo power plants projects

    COBALT represents AB Linas Agro in acquisition of fertilizer trade business

    COBALT advises DNB upon combining its operations with Nordea in the Baltics

    Advice to AS Latvenergo on Riga Hydro-Power Station reconstruction project

    COBALT advising Latvenergo on reconstruction of Pļaviņu and Ķeguma Hydro-Power Plants

    COBALT advised DNB on the creation of Luminor – largest ever transaction in the Baltic banking market

    COBALT advised on sale of MTG Baltic subsidiaries

    COBALT represents Austrian investment fund in exit from the investment

    COBALT advises AVS Verkehrssicherung GmbH on the Acquisition of KMK Projekts

    COBALT advised Corum Origin in the acquisition of ELKO Group headquarters office

    COBALT represents Reitan Convenience AS in acquiring Caffeine

    AKROPOLE multifunctional shopping and entertainment center commissioned

    COBALT advised Roche Latvia on reconstruction of Roche historic headquarters in Riga

    COBALT advised airBaltic Training on the construction project in Liepaja airport

    COBALT advises Brivibas parks projekti in the acquisition of property for development

    COBALT advised Workland on opening of Workland Telegraph center

    COBALT represents I Asset Management on entering into Design & Build Agreement for hotel development

    COBALT advises Decathlon on lease issues

    COBALT advises airBaltic on EUR 250 million investment in the company’s share capital by the Latvian government

    COBALT assists in sale of two real estates nearby Riga International Airport

    COBALT advised EURION Fund managed by Corum Asset Management in the acquisition of a landmark property in Riga

    COBALT advised Swietelsky AG in connection with the construction project of Rail Baltica station and related infrastructure at the Riga International Airport

    COBALT advises Treeland OÜ in the acquisition of a majority stake in Lido AS

    COBALT advised VPH Latvia on development of a new shopping centre in Riga

    COBALT advised SEB on lease of new office premises for the Group’s business services centre in Riga

    COBALT advised Linstow Baltic on lease of Origo One business centre office spaces

    Hepsor sells multifunctional business complex StokOfiss U30

    COBALT and Linklaters advised EIB and NIB on financing of the Kekava Bypass road project

    COBALT advised ABB on sale of its office and warehouse buildings in Riga

    I Asset Management to develop a private student housing in Riga

    Kapitel to proceed with construction of Elemental Skanste office complex in Riga

    German retailer Lidl opens 15 stores in Latvia

    SEB banka in Latvia signs an agreement for new headquarters in downtown Riga

    COBALT advised Viru Keemia Grupp on buying Stockmann department stores

    COBALT advises Baltic Green Fund in the expansion of its sustainable forest portfolio

    COBALT advised Hili Properties on the EUR 20 million acquisition of Riga shopping centre

    COBALT advised Workland on lease of new green coworking centre space in Riga

    COBALT advises VPH on development of a new shopping complex in the centre of Riga

    COBALT advised Hepsor on acquisition of a commercial property in Riga

    VPH Latvia develops a new retail and service complex in Riga

    Publications

    CEE Legal Matters: Know Your Lawyer

    Transferring project design risk

    COVID-19 in Latvia: Lease payments for the property of public persons and capital companies controlled by public persons

    Colliers Annual Real Estate Market Overview 2020

    CEE Legal Matters: Supreme Court of Latvia Sheds Light on Liability of Building Owners for Accidents on Premises

    Global Counsel Handbooks. Competition Law 2004. Latvia Chapter.

    Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2005. Latvia Chapter.

    International Execution Against Judgement Debtors 2005. Latvia Chapter.

    Global Legal Group. The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Real Estate 2006. Latvia Chapter.

    Global Legal Group. The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Securitisation 2006. Latvia chapter.

    Cartels: what the market participants know and what they should know about it?

    Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2006. Latvia Chapter.

    Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2007. Latvia Chapter.

    Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2007. Latvia Chapter.

    Global Legal Group. The International Comparative Legal Guide to: Real Estate 2007. Latvia Chapter.

    Latvian Competition Council’s decision in the Projecta case increases uncertainty in the application of the Latvian merger control rules in cases involving foreign entities

    Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2008. Latvia Chapter.

    Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2008. Latvia Chapter.

    Dominant position in retail – what to be expected from the new regulations?

    We are not selling our business!

    Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2009. Latvia Chapter.

    Mergers: When the Notification to Competition Council is Required?

    Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2009. Latvia Chapter.

    Why there is no development of production in Latvia?

    Amendments to Competition Law: Do Ends Justify Means?

    Procurement and “Shadow Directors” in the State Companies

    Getting the Deal Through. Cartel Regulation 2010. Latvia Chapter

    Mergers and Acquisitions: Gun-Jumping Risks

    TV3 & LNT: How to Clear Clearly

    Competition Law News – April 2012

    IBA Corporate and M&A Law Committee: Treasury Shares Guide 2012. Latvia chapter

    FICIL: Boards Play a Fundamental Role in Efficient Corporate Governance

    The Littler Mendelson Guide to International Employment and Labor Law, 3rd edition, Volume III. Latvia chapter

    Suppliers vs.Retailers: Fight Goes On

    Know-how in the Court of Arbitration

    Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2013. Latvia Chapter

    The European Lawyer Reference Series. Merger Control: Jurisdictional comparisons 2014. Latvia chapter

    Competition Law in Central and Eastern Europe. Latvia chapter.

    Competition in Latvia: Latvian Courts Rediscover the “Object and Effect” Distinction

    Competition Law News – November 2014

    Competition Council Penalizes Company Over Access to Workers’ E-mail in Inquiry

    Competition Law News – April 2015

    Baltic Competition Law News – July 2015

    Legislation: Two Steps Forward – One Step Back

    Baltic Competition Law News – May 2016

    Baltic Competition Law News – November 2016

    The Buzz in Latvia: Interview with Dace Silava-Tomsone

    Baltic Competition Law News – December 2017

    International Comparative Legal Guide. Merger Control 2019. Latvia Chapter

    New Chapter in Latvian Construction Law?

    COBALT Baltic Competition Law News – December 2019

    FIDIC COVID-19 Guidelines

    COVID-19 in Latvia: Changes in Regulation on Lease Payments for the Property of Public Persons and Capital Companies Controlled by Public Persons

    Real Estate and Project Development News | May 2021, Latvia

    The Bounce in Latvia’s Step: A Buzz Interview with Dace Silava-Tomsone of COBALT

    Latvian Real Estate and Project Development News 2022

    CEE Legal Matters: Commercial Real Estate in Latvia

    We are driven by your recognition

    “Dace Silava-Tomsone is very client and solution-oriented.”
    Chambers Europe 2024, Real Estate
    "Dace has a high reputation in the market for her real estate expertise. She advises on a wide variety of complex matters including property acquisitions, construction agreements, leases, and development projects. Dace works hard, and she is very detailed in her drafts."
    Chambers Europe 2022, Real Estate
    "Dace Silava–Tomsone is held in high regard by market commentators for her expertise in complex competition mandates and M&A transactions, including in relation to real estate assets. Sources note her significant experience and high visibility."
    Chambers Global 2020, Corporate / Commercial