Founder
Jānis Zaļais, sworn advocate
Jānis Zaļais founded the firm in 2021 after more than a decade in Latvian law firms and, before that, in the court system. He is a sworn advocate and a member of the Latvian Collegium of Sworn Advocates. His work is disputes — civil, criminal and administrative — from the first assessment of whether a case is worth pursuing to the Supreme Court, and ongoing counsel to companies doing business in Latvia: the office works as a single point of contact and, for registered address and accounting, brings in cooperation partners. Since early 2023 he has practised on a daily basis at the law firm BDO Law — litigation, commercial law and "white-collar" criminal defence — and, in parallel, handles cases for his own clients through this office (profile at BDO Law).
Experience
- 2021 – present — Founder, SIA "Jāņa Zaļā zvērinātu advokātu birojs", Riga. Since early 2023, on a daily basis practises at the law firm BDO Law (international BDO network): litigation, commercial law and "white-collar" criminal defence; in parallel, handles cases for his own clients.
- 2019 — Practises at the law firm Spilbridge, Riga, as a sworn advocate: civil litigation, administrative proceedings, criminal defence, cases before the Constitutional Court, anti-money-laundering compliance, defamation.
- 2008 – 2019 — Lawyer, then sworn advocate, law firm Bišers & Partneri, Riga: public procurement, real estate transactions, corporate transactions, civil litigation, administrative proceedings, criminal defence.
- 2007 – 2008 — Judge's assistant, Riga City Latgale District Court: drafting court decisions in civil, criminal and administrative-offence cases.
- 2006 – 2007 — Court clerk, Riga City Latgale District Court.
Education
- Turība University, Riga — Professional Master's degree in Law (LL.M.), 2009.
- Police Academy of Latvia — lawyer's qualification, study programme "Public Law".
Bar membership
Sworn advocate, member of the Latvian Collegium of Sworn Advocates (Latvijas Zvērinātu advokātu kolēģija). Practice is governed by the Advocacy Law and the Collegium's Code of Ethics.
Working languages
Latvian, English, Russian.
Publications and profile
How we approach cases
First — is it worth it
Before any work we say what the chances are, what the risks are and what it could cost. If a case is not worth starting, we say so in the first conversation.
No surprises
Fees are agreed in writing before work starts. We report on the progress of the case regularly, not only when something happens.
Understandable from abroad
We explain Latvian procedure in plain English — which instance, which deadline, whether you need to be here — so that you can make decisions without a background in Latvian law.
Frequently asked questions
Does Jānis Zaļais work at BDO Law?
Yes. Since early 2023 he has practised on a daily basis at the law firm BDO Law in Riga — an associate firm of the international BDO network — as an attorney at law in litigation, commercial law and "white-collar" criminal defence. In parallel, he handles cases for his own clients through SIA "Jāņa Zaļā zvērinātu advokātu birojs".
Is Zaļais Legal part of BDO?
No. SIA "Jāņa Zaļā zvērinātu advokātu birojs" (Zaļais Legal) is an independent law office. It is Jānis Zaļais personally who practises at BDO Law; the two offices are separate legal entities.
What does this mean for a client of Zaļais Legal?
Where a case needs audit, tax or advisory expertise — a tax dispute, money flows in a criminal case, the financial side of a commercial dispute — it can be examined together with specialists of the BDO network rather than by separate advisers. Your case is still conducted by the sworn advocate you engaged.