Corporate & M&A · Lithuania
Work with a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Lithuania
A deal in Lithuania brings together a commercial negotiation and a set of formal steps that follow the country’s Civil Code. We introduce you to advocates whose practice covers transactions, and we do it without charge.
- Specialists in Lithuanian corporate and contractual work
- Matched free of charge, usually within 24–48 hours
- Advocates entered on the register kept by the Lithuanian Bar Association
No obligation — you decide whether to instruct the lawyer we introduce.
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Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
Why this page
Finding the right adviser for a Lithuanian transaction
A merger or an acquisition in Lithuania usually means two things at once: a commercial negotiation and a set of formal legal steps that must be respected under Lithuanian law. The Civil Code, in force since 2001, is the core statute for the contracts, property and obligations a deal relies on, while the courts of general jurisdiction — district and regional courts at first instance, and the Supreme Court of Lithuania as the sole court of cassation — interpret that framework. Because the system follows the continental civil-law model, statutes rather than precedent are the primary source of law. Our service introduces you to a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Lithuania who handles transactions in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda and beyond, and we match you free of charge.
Local context
How transactions work under Lithuanian law
Lithuania restored independence in 1990 and rebuilt its legal order on inter-war traditions and on post-1990 reform aligned with EU law after its 2004 accession. A deal therefore sits inside a continental civil-law system in which statutes, not precedent, are the primary source of law. The points below set out the framework an adviser works with.
The Civil Code as the backbone of a deal
The Civil Code (Civilinis kodeksas, Law No VIII-1864 of 18 July 2000) has been in force since 1 July 2001 and is organised into six books covering general provisions, persons, family law, real rights, succession and obligations. Statutes are the primary source of law; the uniform case law of the Supreme Court of Lithuania guides their interpretation rather than binding lower courts.
Who is entitled to practise as an advocate
The title of advocate (advokatas) is reserved to persons entered on the register kept by the Lithuanian Bar Association, a self-governing public-law body established by the Law on the Bar (No IX-2066). An advocate must hold Lithuanian or other EU citizenship, a Master’s degree in law or an equivalent qualification, an impeccable reputation and command of Lithuanian, and must pass the qualification examination and take the oath.
Courts and when representation is compulsory
Civil and commercial cases are heard by twelve district courts and five regional courts, with the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Lithuania above them; the Supreme Court is the sole court of cassation and forms uniform case law. In civil proceedings natural persons may generally act in person at first instance, while representation by an advocate is required for cassation appeals.
Notarial form and the Real Property Register
Where a transaction covers immovable property, Article 6.393 of the Civil Code requires the purchase and sale contract to be concluded in notarial form, failing which it is void. Against third parties it takes effect only once registered in the Real Property Register kept by the Centre of Registers, and ownership passes on transfer of the thing, which must also be registered.
Fees, stamp duty and recovery of costs
Advocates’ fees are freely agreed with the client; there are no binding official tariffs, although the Ministry of Justice and the Bar Council publish non-binding recommendations on the maximum fees recoverable from a losing party. Court fees take the form of a stamp duty under Articles 79-80 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and the losing party generally bears the successful party’s litigation costs.
Owner-level questions: matrimonial property and compulsory shares
Two Civil Code institutions often sit behind a business transaction. The default matrimonial regime is joint community property, so assets acquired during marriage for consideration belong to both spouses unless a notarial marriage contract provides otherwise. Succession law also reserves a compulsory share: dependent children, a spouse and parents inherit half of their intestate share regardless of the will.
Key time limit — Commercial & Corporate Law
Debt recovery (general contractual claims) — 10 years. The general limitation period applies to contractual claims arising around a transaction.
The country information on this page is drawn from official Lithuanian and EU sources — Teismai.lt on the judicial system, the Civil Code and the Law on the Bar as published on the Seimas legal portal, the State Tax Inspectorate on court fees, the Centre of Registers on the Real Property Register and the EU e-Justice Portal on legal aid — consulted in 2025.
- Judicial system of Lithuania — Teismai.lt
- Law on the Bar (Advokatūros įstatymas) — Seimas legal portal
- Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania — Seimas legal portal
- Stamp duty (žyminis mokestis) — State Tax Inspectorate (VMI)
- Real Property Register — Centre of Registers (Registrų centras)
- Labour Dispute Commissions — State Labour Inspectorate
- Legal aid in Lithuania — EU e-Justice Portal
Common situations
What makes a Lithuanian deal different
Most problems start long before a dispute, at the moment documents are drafted for a jurisdiction the parties do not know well.
The rules are not the ones you know
A target company with a factory near Kaunas, a seller resident elsewhere in the EU, a share purchase agreement drafted abroad: the documents look familiar, but the formal steps required in Lithuania follow the Civil Code rather than the model you used last time.
A contract can be void for want of form
Where a deal touches land, buildings or separate premises, the purchase and sale contract must be concluded in notarial form. Without it the contract is void, and it will not affect third parties until it is entered in the Real Property Register.
Costs that are hard to predict
Advocates set their own fees, so quotes differ between firms in Vilnius and Kaunas, and stamp duty is calculated as a percentage of the amount in dispute in pecuniary cases. An adviser who knows how Lithuanian courts treat costs helps you plan before you sign.
How we help
What our matching service gives you
A short brief from you, a shortlist of advocates who actually handle transactions of your kind, and no charge for the introduction.
Matched, not sold to
Tell us what you are buying or selling and where the parties sit. We identify specialists whose practice fits the transaction and pass your brief on; nothing is published and no fee is charged for the match.
Advocates on the Lithuanian register
The lawyers we introduce practise under the Law on the Bar and appear on the register kept by the Lithuanian Bar Association, so you know the person advising you is entitled to act in Lithuania.
Someone who knows the registries
Deals involving Lithuanian real estate need notarial form and entry in the Real Property Register. A local specialist will tell you which documents must be notarised and which entries must be made before completion.
One point of contact across borders
If your counterparty sits in Latvia, Poland or Germany, you can work with an adviser used to cross-border files and to the EU rules that have shaped Lithuanian commercial law since 2004.
Cross-border
Working with counterparties across Europe
Lithuanian transactions frequently involve buyers, sellers or financing from another European country. These are the jurisdictions most often seen alongside Lithuanian files.
Questions
Mergers and acquisitions in Lithuania: frequently asked questions
Do I need a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in Lithuania to complete a deal?
Not for every step. In civil proceedings at first instance, natural persons may generally act in person and legal persons act through their statutory organs or an authorised representative, so representation is not compulsory throughout. Representation by an advocate is, however, required for cassation appeals before the Supreme Court of Lithuania, and many parties instruct a specialist for the whole transaction.
Who is allowed to practise as an advocate in Lithuania?
The title advokatas is reserved to persons entered on the register kept by the Lithuanian Bar Association, a self-governing public-law body created by the Law on the Bar. Applicants must hold Lithuanian or other EU citizenship, a Master’s degree in law or an equivalent qualification, an impeccable reputation and command of Lithuanian, and must pass the qualification examination and take the oath.
Does a property purchase in Lithuania have to be notarised?
Yes. Under Article 6.393 of the Civil Code, a purchase and sale contract for an immovable thing must be concluded in notarial form, otherwise it is void. Against third parties it has effect only once registered in the Real Property Register, maintained by the Centre of Registers. The notary verifies identity, capacity and marital status of the parties.
Which courts decide commercial disputes in Lithuania?
Most first-instance civil cases go to one of twelve district courts, while five regional courts hear others; appeals go to the Court of Appeal of Lithuania and cassation to the Supreme Court, the sole court of cassation, which forms uniform case law. Administrative matters follow a separate route through two regional administrative courts and the Supreme Administrative Court.
How are legal fees and court fees handled?
Advocates’ fees are freely agreed between lawyer and client; there are no binding official tariffs, only non-binding recommendations issued by the Ministry of Justice and the Bar Council on the amounts recoverable from a losing party. Court fees are paid as a stamp duty under Articles 79-80 of the Code of Civil Procedure and, in pecuniary cases, calculated as a percentage of the amount in dispute.
Can an EU-qualified lawyer advise on my Lithuanian transaction?
Yes. Lawyers qualified in another EU Member State may provide services in Lithuania under the rules for temporary or permanent establishment set out in the Law on the Bar. Where a matter also requires filings with Lithuanian registries or court representation, it is often practical to work alongside an advocate enrolled in Lithuania.
Next step
Tell us about the transaction
Describe what you are buying or selling, where the target sits and which law governs the documents. We will suggest an adviser whose practice fits, and you decide whether to instruct.