Senior Associate

Andra Bērzkalne

Senior associate specializing in dispute resolution

About

Experience

Andra’s litigation practice involves representing clients in various manners of disputes, including contractual claims, shareholder disputes, employment litigation, procurement issues. Despite civil cases being Andra’s main field of activity, she has also participated in arbitrations and administrative proceedings. Andra succeeds in doing research on complicated cases and making resolutions, in performing legal due diligence and drafting numerous documents to represent clients’ interests.

Industries

Retail and Consumer
Financial services
Energy and Infrastructure
Real estate and Construction

Education

University of Latvia. LL.M.
BA School of Business and Finance. Diploma of the second-level professional higher education in Economics

Career

Before joined SKDZ in 2013 Andra was an individually practicing attorney at law for 5 years.

Publications

Co-author in research “Experience in other countries covering moral damage for unjustly arrested, detained and convicted persons” (2008)

Membership

Latvian Bar Association

Languages

Latvian, English, Russian

Notable cases and deals

Successful Defense in a Case Involving Criminally Obtained Assets

We are pleased to announce that the law firm Skrastiņš & Dzenis, in collaboration with our colleagues from the law firm Rode & Partneri, has successfully represented a client in a case concerning criminally obtained assets.

More than three years after the initiation of civil proceedings, the appellate court’s judgement, favorable to the client, has come into force.

Successfully defended a client in an AML case regarding money laundering and confiscation of funds in the amount of 1 million euros

We are thrilled to announce that Skrastiņš & Dzenis Law Firm has successfully defended a client in a recent AML case where the Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia initiated proceedings regarding money laundering and confiscation of funds in the amount of approximately 1 million euros.

Significant judgement opens a turning point in the Latvian case law regarding termination of statute of limitations

The case in question opens a new turning point in case law in regard to the termination of the statute of limitations.

We successfully represented a client in civil case regarding exercise of rights of first refusal and pre-emption

The case in question opens a new turning point in case law when the integrity and genuine will of a person entitled to rights of first refusal is being assessed.

Represented a client and reached a settlement in a corporate dispute

Skrastiņš & Dzenis dispute resolution team successfully represented the client in a corporate dispute started in 2004.

AS “PNB Banka” Insolvency Proceedings

Vigo Krastiņš, Partner of Skrastiņš & Dzenis, was appointed as an Administrator of insolvency proceedings of AS “PNB Banka”.

Resolving a dispute between an alliance of architects and the contractor

Skrastiņš & Dzenis team has provided assistance to a creative alliance of architects U-R-A Studio (http://www.u-r-a.com) in resolution of complicated dispute with contractor regarding the four U-R-A Studio's prepared designs for a real estate in Jurmala and subsequent unauthorised use of ideas or copyrights of design authors.

Providing assistance necessary for getting a credit granting licence

Skrastiņš & Dzenis team has provided legal assistance to Estonian investor-owned company LandCredit by preparing all required documents necessary for getting special permit/licence for credit granting services, including documents (Internal control system’s rules) complying with GDPR and AML (Anti Money Laundering) requirements.

Skrastiņš & Dzenis has represented AS Latvijas gāze in a damages case against Financial Capital and Market Commission

Skrastiņš & Dzenis team has represented AS Latvijas gāze in a damages case against Financial Capital and Market Commission where our client has taken an action to claim from the FCMC interest from the deposit – the part of damages suffered as a result of insufficient supervision over AS Latvijas Krājbanka.

Skrastiņš & Dzenis has successfully represented a client in a dispute against AS “Rīgas Siltums”

Skrastiņš & Dzenis team has successfully represented a client which designs and manufactures heating, water metering and data management devices, in a dispute against AS “Rīgas Siltums”.

A project for energy performance contracting (EnPC) in Latvia for public sector facilities in cooperation with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has come to a close

Skrastiņš & Dzenis team, headed by senior partner Verners Skrastiņš and including attorney-at-law Andra Bērzkalne, has taken part in a project aimed to the energy performance contracting (EnPC) in Latvia regarding public buildings and street lighting projects.

Legal research and due diligence for operation of Energy Services Companies (ESCO) in Latvia

Along with the colleagues from the UK, Skrastiņš & Dzenis team, headed by the partner Verners Skrastins and including associates Andra Berzkalne, Linda Purenkova and Daina Bukele, has been involved in a legal research and due diligence project aiming to assess the availability of long term financing and legal framework for operation of Energy Services Companies (ESCO) and energy efficiency projects related to deep renovation of the Soviet period residential buildings in Latvia.