` Sandija Novicka | COBALT
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Sandija Novicka

Partner / Latvia

Contacts 

sandija.novicka@cobalt.legal
+371 2914 2856
+371 6720 1800

About

Sandija Novicka is a Partner at COBALT Latvia office and heads the Tax Law practice group. She is an expert in Tax, State Aid, Public Procurement and Insurance matters. Sandija has acted as a lead advisor in large number of complex taxation matters, in particular advising on tax planning and representing clients in tax litigation. Due to her profound knowledge of broader legal framework Sandija is able to offer the most efficient solutions both in transactional and litigation assignments. Sandija has lectured at the Latvian Judicial Training Center, Latvian School of Public Administration and Riga Graduate School of Law on taxation, EU law and state aid topics and has written extensively on those subjects.

Practice

Recognition
  • Tax – Band 1, Chambers Europe 2024
  • Tax – Leading individual, The Legal 500 2024
  • Indirect Tax, General corporate tax – Highly Regarded, World Tax 2025
  • Project finance – Rising star partner, IFLR1000 2024
CV

Languages

  • Latvian, English, Russian

Membership & education

  • Board Member, Latvian Association of Tax Advisors (since 2014)
  • Latvian Bar Association (since 2006)
  • LL.M. in European and International Law, Riga Graduate School of Law (2003)
  • LL.B., University of Latvia, Faculty of Law (2002)
    Experience

    Latvenergo acquires 265 MWp solar park project in Latvia from Danish developer

    Printify and Printful announce merger for accelerated growth in the global market

    The Latvian branch of Gjensidige ADB secures the dismissal of a claim for damages totalling nearly EUR 261,000

    BAUER secures yet another win in a VAT refund dispute with the State Revenue Service

    International freight transport operator secures compensation without resorting to litigation in dispute with insurance company

    Court finds no transfer of business in construction company’s tax dispute with the State Revenue Service

    Poultry producer Putnu fabrika Ķekava completes its reorganisation and rebrands as Ķekava Foods

    Warmeston OÜ acquires Brocēni cogeneration plant and pellet factory in Latvia from Enefit Green

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

    Eco Baltia’s EUR 10 million bond issue attracts high level of investor interest

    Linstow Baltic sells major land plot to Rimi Latvia

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

    BAUER secures a win in a tax dispute with the State Revenue Service

    BaltCap and Draugiem Capital to acquire majority in Pepi Rer, developer of the IGLU brand

    One of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies sells its Latvian business

    Judgment annulling agreements on amendments to public transport service contracts enters into force

    COBALT represents the client in a dispute with the State Revenue Service regarding taxation of the transaction with agricultural land

    COBALT advised Danone group on intra-group restructuring in Latvia

    COBALT advises BaltCap, Imprimatur Capital and other shareholders with exit sale of Blue Bridge Technologies

    COBALT advises BaltCap with exit sale of Vendon SIA

    Landmark case closed after almost 14 years: COBALT succesfully defends airBaltic and Riga International Airport against flyLAL

    COBALT advises BaltCap on sale of Uprent Group

    COBALT advised IBM on reorganization for separation of Kyndryl regarding Baltic jurisdictions

    COBALT advises on issuance of EUR 100 million Augstsprieguma tīkls AS green bond

    I Asset Management to develop a private student housing in Riga

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

    COBALT advised Luminor and Swedbank as joint lead managers in relation to issuance of EUR 50 million green bonds by Latvenergo AS

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

    COBALT advised Swedbank on evaluating structural changes at the Baltic level

    COBALT secures SIA Lielzeltiņi win in the tax dispute with the State Revenue Service

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

    COBALT advised Tilde in sale of Jumis Pro to Visma

    COBALT successfully represents clients, contesting the results of regional public transport service tender

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

    COBALT advises AbbVie in acquisition of Allergan

    COBALT advises Lauma Fabrics on delivery of COVID-19 personal protective equipment to Estonia and Latvia

    COBALT advised SEB life insurance undertakings on cross-border merger in the Baltics

    Representation of UAB Niklita in legal dispute regarding procurement organized by the Prisons Administration of the Ministry of Justice

    COBALT advised Workday, Inc. on the acquisition of Scout RFP

    Representation of passenger transport service companies in legal dispute in relation to procurement organized by VSIA Autotransporta direkcija

    COBALT advised Luminor, Nordea and DNB on closing transaction with Blackstone

    COBALT advises airBaltic on issue of EUR 200 million bonds

    COBALT advised AB SEB bankas on ALTUM bond issue

    COBALT advised joint lead managers on issue of additional 30-year Eurobond by the Republic of Latvia

    COBALT advised AS Latvijas lifts – Šindlers in the procurement organized by the University of Latvia

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

    COBALT advised Printify regarding implementation of Equity Incentive Plan in Latvia

    COBALT advised Luminor on cross-border merger

    COBALT represented Gjensidige ADB Latvian branch in the dispute with the State Revenue Service

    COBALT advised Luminor līzings in VAT disputes with the State Revenue Service

    COBALT advised Luminor on EUR 1 billion majority stake acquisition by Blackstone

    COBALT advises AVS Verkehrssicherung GmbH on the Acquisition of KMK Projekts

    COBALT advised Luminor on obtaining ECB approval for cross-border merger in the Baltics

    COBALT advised joint lead managers on issue of dual-tranche Eurobonds by the Republic of Latvia in a total amount of EUR 650 million

    COBALT advised Kartesia on its investment in Groglass®

    Legal tax advice to Deutsche Bank AG

    COBALT advises Luminor on reorganising its management structure

    COBALT represents SIA Lielzeltiņi in tax dispute with the State Revenue Service

    COBALT advised HUGO BOSS on expanding its business operations in Latvia and Estonia

    COBALT advises managers of the Baltic entities of pharmaceutical wholesale company Oriola in management buy-out

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

    COBALT advises AS Storent Investments on the acquisition of Cramo operations in Latvia and Kaliningrad

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

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

    COBALT provides general legal assistance to Snap Inc.

    COBALT represented Sanofi-aventis Latvia in tax dispute with the State Revenue Service

    COBALT advises AMIC Energy Management GmbH in the acquisition in the Latvian entity of SIA LUKoil Baltija R

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

    Latvian Supreme Court refuses recognition and enforcement of provisional measures against Riga International Airport

    COBALT Defends Pūre Chocolate Trademarks

    COBALT Defends Pūre Chocolate Trademarks

    COBALT advises Gjensidige Forsikring ASA in acquisition of PZU Lietuva

    COBALT represents Neste Latvija in obtaining individual exemption

    Balin Energy starts to drill the very first hydrocarbons exploration well in the Baltic sea

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

    OTKRITIE will acquire GE Money Bank Latvia and its subsidiaries

    Publications

    CEE Legal Matters: Changes to the Tax Control System in Latvia

    New Exclusion Grounds in Latvian Procurements: Fair Play?

    COVID-19 in Latvia: FAQs by taxpayers

    A new regime for taxation of employee stock options in Latvia: what will change?

    Employee Stock Options in Latvia – Spring is in the Air

    COVID-19 in Latvia: Law on measures for the management of national emergency and its consequences, state financial aid

    Colliers Annual Real Estate Market Overview 2020

    Recent amendments to the Latvian CIT Law will have an impact on foreign real estate investors

    Latvian Tax News – October 2018

    Guide to employee share options in the Baltic states – August 2018

    Data protection news – July, 2018

    Latvian tax authority changes its position on the taxation of individual’s income from transactions with cryptocurrencies

    Tax Reform in Latvia Set for Launch in 2018

    Tax Flash News – April 2017

    Recusal of the Justice of the Constitutional Court

    How to write off a debt?

    Input tax for non-received services

    Tax law: when probable becomes possible

    Liability of board members for tax debts

    Competition Law in Central and Eastern Europe. Latvia chapter.

    Cases when the management board member can be engaged without an employment agreement

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

    To purchase business or company…What’s better?

    Fight for the right to compensation of losses caused by illegal decision of the SRS

    Getting the Deal Through. Dominance 2013. Latvia Chapter

    Enforcement of EU State Aid Law at National Level 2010. Latvia chapter

    We are driven by your recognition

    "Sandija Novicka was able to prepare documents for submission to the Latvian tax authority which required an understanding of the gaps in Latvian tax legislation, from the perspective of international law."
    Legal 500 2024, Tax
    "Sandija is rated as one of the top tax lawyers in Latvia thanks to her broad practice spanning VAT and income tax as well as tax matters relating to restructuring and real estate transactions. She is highly reliable, insightful and a pleasure to cooperate with."
    Chambers Europe 2023, Tax
    "Sandija Novicka has a very good grasp of the bigger picture."
    Chambers Europe 2023, Tax
    "Sandija Novicka combines both excellent legal and tax skills and a high level of business thinking. Easily reachable and responsive."
    Legal 500 2022, Tax
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