Having a wide experience in the legal field, our lawyers in Estonia offer a wide range of services to corporate and individual clients.
What areas do you specialize in?
The main legal services offered by our team of attorneys in Estonia are the following:
- litigation services;
- company formation assistance;
- company liquidation services;
- assistance in taxation matters;
- debt collection services;
- assistance for immigration to Estonia.
We are a full-service law firm that specializes in many areas of law.
Our services are detailed below for those interested.
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Litigation assistance by our law firm in Estonia |
We provide advice and representation for various legal disputes for both individuals and businesses. |
|
Company formation services |
– advice on business structure, – company name and address registration, – document preparation, – registration with the Business Register, – tax registration, etc. |
|
Labor Law services |
– drafting and reviewing employment contracts, – dispute resolution, – employee dismissal, – assistance to foreign workers, etc. |
| Assistance in tax matters |
– accounting, – payroll services, – VAT registration, – tax planning, – tax residency assistance, etc. |
| Company liquidation services |
Our attorneys manage voluntary or involuntary liquidation processes. |
| Intellectual property services |
– trademark registration, – patent protection, – copyright enforcement, – infringements, – IP licensing, etc. |
| Debt collection |
We assist businesses or individuals in recovering outstanding debts, negotiating settlements, and even pursuing legal actions. |
| Real estate issues |
– property transactions, – property disputes, – lease agreements, – title examination, – property financing, etc. |
| Family Law services |
– divorce proceedings, – child custody, – child support, – alimony, – property division, – adoption, etc. |
| Services offered by our immigration lawyers in Estonia |
We assist with the preparation and submission of visa applications; We can also help in obtaining residency. |
| Support for licenses and permits (YES/NO) |
YES |
| Assistance in obtaining Estonian citizenship |
Our lawyers will ensure you meet all the requirements and follow the correct procedures to obtain citizenship. |
| Inheritance Law services |
– will drafting, – estate planning, – inheritance disputes, – filing for probate, – will contesting, etc. |
| Mediation/alternative dispute resolution (YES/NO) |
YES |
| When to contact us |
As soon as possible if you have encountered any legal issues. |
Do you offer litigation services in Estonia?
Our experienced attorneys will offer you advice and representation in case of any type of litigation before any Court of Justice in Estonia.
Our law firm provides qualified advice, assistance, and legal representation before the Court and also before public and private institutions in litigation and enforcement procedures.
We can assist in the following cases:
- Commercial litigation or corporate disputes, including but not limited to shareholder disputes, merger and acquisition litigation, or contract law disputes;
- Debt recovery in Estonia, focused on amicable collection when possible, then moving on to litigation for recovering debts;
- Intellectual property litigation, in case of trademark infringement, or others;
- Civil law matters, including labour and family law;
- Criminal law matters, including tax fraud, misdemeanour cases, and others.
Can your lawyers help me open a company in Estonia?
Yes. Any of our lawyers is able to guide you through the entire process, even though setting up a business in Estonia is an easy procedure. Our lawyer in Estonia will offer you support in drafting, obtaining, and putting in order the specific documentation and they will also guide you to perform the registration online.
Opening a company in Estonia takes place according to a set of steps, which are listed below by our lawyers in Estonia:
- Choosing the company name: the first step is to select an available name for the future business; only Latin letters can be used and the name needs to be a unique one, that does not resemble to a high degree or overlap with one that is already registered in the country; checking the name availability with the Business Register will help you prepare;
- Selecting the business activity: the main object of activity is selected from the Estonian classification of economic activities; companies can have a main activity and several secondary ones;
- Determine the registered address: all Estonian companies need to have a registered address; a P.O. box cannot serve for this purpose, however, investors have the option to use a virtual office;
- Submit the capital: this is a step that can take place during the initial phase or once the company has opened a bank account (following the registration with the authorities);
- Register: once every detail is complete and the documents for the company are drawn up, it is time to register the new business with the Business Register.
Depending on the business activities you have selected, you will need to apply for licenses. These are issued for tourism companies, for businesses involved in providing financial services, for those engaged in educational activities or in construction activities, among others.
Working with our lawyers in Estonia during the set-up phase will make it easier to follow the needed steps and apply for the licenses in due time, so that you can start your business activities as fast as possible.
Can you help me with property purchase matters?
Yes. Our team also includes real estate lawyers who assist businesses and individuals interested in acquiring commercial and/or residential real estate in the country.
Generally, there are no restrictions on foreigners in terms of property purchases in Estonia; however, limitations apply for agricultural land, forests, and immovables that are banned for acquisition for national security reasons.
Understanding the legal restrictions is an important step, and one with which our local lawyers in Estonia can help with.
Our team is ready to provide counsel (and legal representation as needed) with the following:
- Property due diligence;
- Sale/purchase agreement drafting and vetting;
- Submissions made to the municipal administration and/or the e-land register.
As previously stated, our team also includes experienced litigators who can help with:
- Rent or lease agreement disputes;
- Boundary disputes;
- Real estate purchase agreement disputes (i.e., property title issues or others).
We invite you to watch a video about our services:
Can you assist with tax matters?
Whether you are interested in tax payments, VAT registration or payroll services, our law firm will offer the best solutions for your business.
The main taxes applicable to companies are the following:
- 20% is the standard corporate income tax rate which also applies to branches in Estonia;
- 7% is the withholding tax on dividends applicable only in some cases, on dividends paid to residents and nonresidents by certain types of companies; in general, there is no withholding tax on dividends;
- 10% technical services fees when these types of services are rendered in the country;
- 20% standard value-added tax, with another, lower rate of 9% applicable to certain types of goods and services and a 0% rate on imports, goods and supplies on aircraft and vessels, and in a number of other cases.
Estonia has a particular taxation regime in which the tax applies to the company’s distributed profits. The earnings are taxed only after the profit distributions are made.
Individuals are subject to the taxation regime presented below:
- 20% individual income tax when the individual is a resident or he/she remains in the country for no less than 183 days in 12 consecutive calendar months;
- for individuals, the types of income that are subject to tax include that from employment, business, property transfer gains, dividends, interest and royalties, pensions, benefits, grants, and other sources of income;
- nonresidents who derive income from the country are subject to a limited list of taxable sources;
- the aforementioned tax rate is a flat one, unless otherwise stated by law (exemptions may apply);
- Estonia has an annual tax exemption of 8,400 euros per year, irrespective of the income amount.
Our team can help you better understand the tax laws, the filing dates, and penalties. With our help, businesses and individuals will be able to observe the current rules so that they can avoid any unwanted penalties due to failure to observe the applicable filing deadlines.
Can you help me if I want to relocate to Estonia?
Our team is also able to provide tailored services to individuals, such as those for foreign nationals interested in immigration to Estonia.
We can assist foreign nationals who want to relocate to Estonia, both from EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA countries.
Estonia’s e-Residency program can be explained in detail by our team, and personalized assistance is available, as becoming an e-resident can be a suitable option for foreign nationals who wish to do business in the country or start a business but are not ready to relocate to the country permanently. For example, this can be a good option for foreign investors who need to register a company, even if they cannot be physically present in the country during the entire incorporation phase.
Our team can help answer questions about:
- Entering Estonia with and without a visa and the right to remain in the country, according to visa type;
- Residency permits and the application timeline including for study, employment, business, or family reunification;
- The digital nomad visa and how it can apply in your case (upon request, a comparison with the e-Residency can also be detailed by our attorneys);
- Permanent residency applications, for those who have been living in Estonia for at least five years;
- Gaining Estonian citizenship by naturalization (after at least 8 years of lawful stay in the country and if compliant with other conditions) and citizenship by descent (for those with at least one parent who is an Estonian national, subject to conditions). Individuals who opt for citizenship by naturalization are not permitted to maintain dual citizenship; however, those who obtain this status by birth may do so. Our lawyers can help you understand the conditions and the requirements.
Contact us for more information about all of our services.