Lauri Almann specialises primarily in banking, international business transactions, project finance, arbitration and public procurement. Before joining Varul Vilgerts Smaliukas, he served in the civil service for more than 10 years in several senior roles.

While working in the Estonian Ministry of Defence, he implemented numerous large-scale armaments and infrastructure projects. He has also successfully represented the Estonian Government in various international legal disputes. He has served with various government delegations in the course of negotiations with foreign authorities and international organizations, including the Estonian delegation which negotiated the country’s accession to NATO. Lauri Almann has contributed to the drafting of a number of legal acts, including the Public Procurement Act, State Secrets Act, Public Information Act and National Defence Act. From 1995-1998 he served as a diplomat, in the Estonian Embassy in Belgium and in the Consular Department of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He has also contributed to several public sector reform projects in Georgia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

Lauri Almann holds the National Order of the White Star–5th Class (2004) and the Cross of Merits of the Ministry of Defence–2nd Class (2004).

Since 1999, he has lectured on Business Law and International Law at the Estonian Business School. He has also lectured on International Commercial Arbitration at Tartu University Faculty of Law.