About
Edgars Pastars is Head of the Financial Regulatory and Compliance Practice. He is an ACAMS Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS), and among the most highly respected public law experts and the co-author of several key books on constitutional law.
Edgars has extensive constitutional litigation experience. He is regularly called upon by the Constitutional Court to provide expert opinion on relevant procedural matters. Moreover, he has acted for a range of clients in administrative proceedings, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Transport among them.
He has been among the drafters of numerous laws, regulations and legislative amendments (in the area of construction, banking, finances, real estate, employment, anti-money laundering and the responsibility of state officials), being the one to initiate new and non-customary solutions (e.g. regulation of companies important for national security, adjustment of the UK JMLIT regulation to Latvia).
Edgars has worked extensively on matters closely related to banking and finances, by advising on legal, compliance (Moneyval evaluation), risk management, capital market (covered bonds, securitization, pension funds), consumer crediting and payments (including PSD2 implementation) and has represented Latvia’s financial sector at the European Banking Federation and Europol working groups.
He has continuously participated in legislative drafting work groups at the Ministry of Justice for civil procedure law amendments, commercial law amendments and improved insolvency regulation.
Languages
- Latvian, English, Russian
Membership & education
- ACAMS (largest international membership organization for Anti-Financial Crime professionals) certified anti-money laundering specialist (since 2022)
- Latvian Bar Association (since 2016)
- Member of State Heraldry Commission (since 2015)
- Master’s degree in Law, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia (2006)
- Lawyer’s qualification, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia (2005)
The unified AML regulation – hopes and challenges on the path to effectiveness (2025 - 08 - 01)
COBALT’s LGBTQ+ rights advocacy featured in Chambers DEI Global Report 2024 (2025 - 01 - 10)
Constitutional Law (2022 - 08 - 31)
From zero to hero – a brief overview of AML evolution in Latvia (2021 - 09 - 10)
What is a shared KYC utility? (2019 - 05 - 16)
Legal aspects of the President’s of Latvia health and the public’s need to know (2016 - 01 - 28)