2019 CEE Deal of the Year Award Shortlists are Here!

A total of 151 law firms from around the world are on the shortlists, with CMS leading the way with twelve nominations, and with both Schoenherr and White & Case tied for second with ten. The final shortlists can be found here:

Austria

• XXXLutz’s Purchase of Kika’s Furniture Stores in CEE, involving: Cerha Hempel; Noerr; Schoenherr; Wolf Theiss
• Addiko Bank IPO, involving: Dorda; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Goodwin Law; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Weber & Co.; Wolf Theiss
• Steinhoff Restructuring, involving: Allen & Overy; Binder Groesswang; Dorda; Eisenberger & Herzog; Gleiss Lutz; Latham & Watkins; Linklaters; Kirkland & Ellis; Wolf Theiss

Belarus

• Investments of Zubr Capital Fund and EBRD in Mila Group, involving: Bird & Bird; Revera; SBH Law Offices
• Zubr Capital Fund’s Investment in MediaCube, involving: SBH Law Offices
• Creation of the TechMinsk Startup Accelerator, involving: SBH Law Offices

Bosnia & Herzegovina

• Aco Kabanica Sale of Elta-kabel to Telekom Srpske, involving: Dimitrijevic & Partners; Moravcevic, Vojinovic and Partners in cooperation with Schoenherr
• EBRD Financing of Construction of New Combined Heat and Power Plant, involving: Miljkovic & Partners; Karanovic & Partners
• EBRD/UniCredit Bank d.d. Portfolio Risk Sharing Guarantee Agreement, involving: Miljkovic & Partners

Bulgaria

• Eurobank Bulgaria AD/Postbank’s Acquisition of Piraeus Bank Bulgaria, involving: Boyanov & Co; Karatzas & Partners; Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy; White & Case
• United Group’s Acquisition of Vivacom Bulgaria, involving: CMS; Kambourov & Partners; Schoenherr
• PPF Group’s Acquisition of the Bulgarian Assets of Central European Media Enterprises, involving: Allen & Overy; Covington & Burling; Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov; Sullivan & Cromwell; White & Case

Croatia

• Mid Europa Partners' Acquisition of MLINAR Pekarska Industrija, involving: Arthur Cox; Dechert; Hanzekovic & Partners; JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic; Nauta Dutilh; Rojs Peljhan Prelesnik & Partners; Savoric & Partners
• United Group’s Acquisition of Tele2, involving: Divjak, Topic, & Bahtijarevic; Kirkland & Ellis; Schoenherr
• Refinancing of Zagreb International Airport, involving: Kovacevic Prpic Simeunovic; Norton Rose Fulbright; Pinsent Masons; Porobija & Porobija
• Rural Network Project, involving: Ostermann & Partners; Simmons & Simmons

Czech Republic

• Advent International and Zentiva’s Acquisition of Alvogen’s CEE Business, involving: CMS; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; White & Case
• General Atlantic’s Acquisition of Majority Stake in Kiwi.com, involving: CMS; DLA Piper; Weil, Gotshal & Manges
• Pepsico and Karlovarske Mineralni Vody’s Acquisition of Knjaz Milos from Mid-Europa Partners, involving: AP Legal; Cechova & Partners; Clifford Chance; CMS; Jalsovszky; JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic; Karanovic & Partners; Kocian Solc Balastik; Lakatos, Koves & Partners; Loyens & Loeff; White & Case

Estonia

• Luminor’s EMTN Program and Covered Bond and Subordinated Note Program, involving: Allen & Overy; Clifford Chance; Cobalt
• Veho’s Acquisition of Silberauto, involving: Castren & Snellman; Cobalt; Dittmar & Indrenius; Ellex Raidla; Sorainen
• Apax Partners’ Acquisition of Baltic Classifieds Group, involving: Cobalt; Ellex; Eversheds Sutherland Ots & Co; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; TGS Baltic

Greece

• Hellenic Republic’s Bond Issuance, involving: Allen & Overy; Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Karatzas & Partners; Koutalidis Law Firm

Hungary

• E.ON Hungaria’s Public Takeover Offers for ELMU Nyrt. and EMASZ Nyrt. Shares, involving: CMS; Hengeler Mueller; Lakatos, Koves & Partners
• Extreme Digital/eMAG Merger, involving: Allen & Overy; Dentons; DLA Piper
• Indotek Group’s Acquisition of NPL Portfolio from the Hungarian National Deposit Insurance Fund, involving: Deloitte Legal; Gardos Mosonyi Tomori; Lakatos, Koves & Partners

Latvia

• MM Capital Infrastructure Fund 1’s Acquisition of 29.06% Stake in Conexus Baltic Grid from Marguerite Fund, involving: CMS; Cobalt; Herbert Smith Freehills; Sorainen
• Air Baltic’s Debut Eurobond Issuance, involving: Cobalt; Dentons; Linklaters; Sorainen
• Tele2/Bite Partnership, involving: Mannheimer Swartling; Sorainen; TGS Baltic; Vinge

Lithuania

• Idex’s Acquisition of Danpower Baltic UAB from Danpower and Geco Investicijos, involving: Cobalt; DLA Piper; Triniti
• Deka Immobilien’s Acquisition of Quadrum Business Centre from Schage Eiendom, involving: Sorainen; TGS Baltic
• Public Procurement of Vilnius – Klaipeda Electrification, involving: Sorainen; Walless

Moldova

• Duet Private Equity’s Acquisition of Red Union Fenosa and Gas Natural Fenosa Furnizare Energie SRL from Naturgy Inversiones Internacionales, involving: ACI Partners; Bird & Bird; PeliFilip; Simmons & Simmons; Turcan Cazac; Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii
• TransOil Group’s Eurobond Issuance, involving: Arthur Cox; Baker McKenzie; Gladei & Partners; Harneys Aristodemou Loizides Yiolitis; Homburger; Linklaters; Sayenko Kharenko; Turcan Cazac
• OTP Bank’s Acquisition of Majority Stake in Banka Comerciala Mobiasbanca from Groupe Societe Generale, involving: CMS; Jones Day; Kalo & Associates; Schoenherr; Sytnyk & Partners; Turcan Cazac

Montenegro

• Crnogorska Komercijalna Banka’s Acquisition of Majority Stake in Societe Generale Banka Montenegro, involving: CMS; Jones Day; Kalo & Associates; Schoenherr; Sytnyk & Partners
• Pepsico and Karlovarske Mineralne Vody’s Acquisition of Knjaz Milos from Mid Europa Partners, involving: Clifford Chance; Dechert; JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic; Karanovic & Partners; Kocian Solc Balastik; White & Case; Zavisin, Semiz & Partneri
• Masdar’s Acquisition of Stake in Krnovo Green Energy from Akuo Energy, involving: Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Karanovic & Partners; Kinstellar; Radonjic Associates; Shearman & Sterling

North Macedonia

• Financing for Joyson Safety Systems’ Acquisition of Takata Assets, involving: Herbert Smith Freehills; Polenak Law Firm; Karanovic & Partners; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
• Steiermarkische Bank und Sparkassen’s Acquisition of Ohridska Banka AD Skopje, involving: CMS; Jones Day; Schoenherr

Poland

• Accor and AccorInvest’s Acquisition of Orbis’ Service Business and Hotel Business, involving: Clifford Chance; Darrois Villey Maillot Brochier; De Pardieu Brocas Maffei; Dentons; Ellex Valiunas; Gide Loyrette Nouel; Kochanski & Partners; Weil, Gotshal & Manges
• Acquisition of DCT Gdansk S.A. from Global Infrastructure Fund II, involving: Clifford Chance; Dentons; Linklaters; Rymarz Zdort; Stibbe
• Granges’ Acquisition of Impexmetal from Boryszew, involving: SSW Pragmatic Solutions; Vinge; Wardynski & Partners

Romania

• AFI Europe’s Acquisition of NEPI Rockcastle’s Romanian Office Portfolio, involving: CMS; Herbert Smith Freehills; Reff & Associates (Deloitte Legal)
• Transfer of Participating Interest in Midia/Pelican Concession, involving: Colombo Rigano; Herbert Smith Freehills; Ijdelea Mihailescu; Suciu Popa
• Ericsson’s Acquisition of Kathrein’s Antenna and Filters Business, involving: Addleshaw Goddard; Afridi & Angell; Allen & Gledhill; Allen & Overy; Anorco; Basham, Ringe & Correa; Bredin Prat; Eisenberger & Herzog; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Galicia Abogados; Gleiss Lutz; Hengeler Mueller; Jeantet Associes; JunHe; Khaitan & Co.; Kim & Chang; Legance Avvocati; Motta Fernandes Rocha; Noerr; Pestalozzi; Pryor Cashman; Wuersch & Gering; Schoenherr; Zhong Lun; Ziems & Partner
• Blackstone’s Acquisition of Minority Stake in Superbet, involving: Herzog, Fox & Neeman; Jones Day; Kirkland & Ellis; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett; Wolf Theiss

Russia

• Severgroup’s Acquisition of TPG’s 34% Shareholding in Lenta and Subsequent Mandatory Tender Offer, involving: Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Clifford Chance; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer; Ogier
• Creation of AliExpress Russia Joint Venture, involving: Akin Gump; Debevoise & Plimpton; Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton; Linklaters
• Financing of the Amur Gas Processing Plant, involving: Herbert Smith Freehills; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer

Serbia

• Development of Belgrade Industrial park, involving: BDK Advokati; Hunton Andrews Kurth; Prica & Partners
• Public-Private Partnership for Vinca Waste Treatment Facility, involving: Baker McKenzie; BDK Advokati; Clifford Chance; Hogan Lovells; Karanovic & Partners; Wolf Theiss
• Coca Cola HBC’s Acquisition of Bambi from Mid Europa Partners, involving: BDK Advokati; Dechert; Karanovic & Partners; Latham & Watkins; Norton Rose Fulbright; White & Case; Zavisin, Semiz & Partneri
• Pepsico and Karlovarske Mineralne Vody’s Acquisition of Knjaz Milos from Mid Europa Partners, involving: Clifford Chance; Dechert; JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic; Karanovic & Partners; Kocian Solc Balastik; White & Case; Zavisin, Semiz & Partneri

Slovakia

• Prima Banka Covered Bond Issuances, involving: Allen & Overy; White & Case
• AIP Asset Management and The Valesco Group’s Acquisition of Twin City Tower from HB Reavis, involving: Ashurst; Dentons; Kinstellar; White & Case
• PPF Group’s Acquisition of CME, involving: Allen & Overy; Covington & Burling; Sullivan & Cromwell; White & Case

Slovenia

• OTP Bank’s Acquisition of Majority Stake in SKB Banka Ljubljana from Societe Generale, involving: CMS; Jones Day; Kalo & Associates; Schoenherr; Sytnyk & Partners
• Posta Slovenije’s Acquisition of Majority Stake in Intereuropa, involving: Baros, Bicakcic & Partners; BOPA Bojanovic Partners; Dentons; Jadek & Pensa; Kavcic, Bracun & Partners; Madirazza & Partners; ODI Law; Prelevic Law Firm; Schoenherr; Tashko Pustina Law Firm; Tees Law
• Abanka Privatization, involving: Jadek & Pensa; Kavcic, Bracun & Partners; Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Wolf Theiss

Turkey

• Mersin International Port Eurobond Issuance, involving: Akol Law Firm; Latham & Watkins; Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy; Paksoy
• Turkey Wealth Fund's Term Loan Syndication, involving: Esin Attorney Partnership; Clifford Chance
• Sisal’s Successful Bid to Operate Turkish State Lottery, involving: GKC Partners; Lexist Law Firm

Ukraine

• DTEK Renewables’ Green Bond Issuance, involving: Avellum; Latham & Watkins; Linklaters; Sayenko Kharenko; Van Doorne
• EuroCape Financing for Zaporizhzhia Wind Farm, involving: Andreas Th. Sofokleous LLC; Asters; Baker McKenzie; CMS; DLA Piper; Dentons; Elias Neocleous & Co.; Ganado Advocates; M. Partners; Integrites; Jeantet; Sayenko Kharenko; Shearman & Sterling
• NEQSOL’s Acquisition of VF Ukraine, involving: Aequo; Avellum; DLA Piper; Latham & Watkins; Linklaters

The shortlists are already being evaluated by the judges on the Final Selection Committee, and the winners they select will be announced at the third annual CEE Deal of the Year Awards Banquet on April 23, 2020, in London, held in conjunction with that day's 2020 Dealer's Choice International Law Firm Summit. The Dealer's Choice event is co-hosted by Slaughter and May and sponsored by the Adriala and Pontes law firm networks and Avellum, Nagy es Trocsanyi, JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic, Cipcic-Bragadin & Associates, Kolcuoglu Demirkan & Kocakli, Saracevic & Gazibegovic Lawyers, Ijdelea Miihalescu, and the Komnenic Law Office.

More information about the joint events can be found on the event website, here.

Congratulations to all 151 of the firms working on deals shortlisted for Deal of the Year in one or more countries, and we look forward to seeing everyone in London on the 23rd of April.