On April 5, 2022, leading lawyers from across all of CEE will be coming together for the Dealer's Choice Conference and Deals of the Years Awards Banquet. Leading up to the event, we spoke with Gabor Bebok of Pontes Budapest to learn what they are looking forward to the most.
CEELM: To start, it's been quite a while since lawyers in the region have had a chance to get together in person for quite some time. What are you most excited about?
Bebok: Really, two years is a very long time and in this period Pontes never had the chance to organize any event neither in London nor in any of the CEE countries. Our last successful venue was the 2019 London City Break, where we were having really successful meetings with existing and potential future City partner law firms, during a three-day venue. The London City Breaks organized by Pontes now have a history going back to at least ten years and during this decade we always had it organized regularly once a year, usually in springtime. As a result, we have built solid and complex contacts and relations with top-tier London-based firms by now, especially with those who do not have an ongoing presence in the CEE region. These law firms along with Pontes firms have taken on many assignments both directly between them or along with other CEE countries and law firms based there.
For Pontes, the Dealer’s Choice Conference and the DOTY Awards Gala is an excellent event full of challenges for us to make the most of all of the opportunities and to strengthen the existing bonds, but also to find new professional partnerships. All of it is enough to make us at Pontes really excited to have our representatives of seven CEE countries to be able to meet in London.
CEELM: Why did your firm find it important/useful to support this event?
Bebok: Based upon what we’ve just said you can tell that it is extremely important for Pontes to work along with London City firms. The lawyer colleagues we’ve met during our shared work make us realize how important these relationships are when we are building professional or marketing strategies. The DCC and the DOTY Awards have always been labeled as “mandatory” or “never miss” from day one. Our Board at Pontes completely agreed that this is something we need to really focus on and take part in them with maximum effort. You could also say that the Conference and the Gala event was the highlight for our yearly marketing and professional strategy. It is of paramount importance for Pontes to make it a household name in London and that people realize the importance and the amount of work we are doing in the CEE region. On top of our attendance in person, we have also decided to be present as a Regional Sponsor of the event, so we can show important it is for us; both as a professional engagement and as an important emotional bond.
CEELM: Which of the sessions of the Dealer's Choice conference are you looking forward to the most? Why?
Bebok: It is the “Improving the Pipeline: Creating and Expanding ILF-CEE Referral Relationships” panel.
Truly, as I have said before, this is the very talk we were most looking forward to and focusing on. In our work at Pontes for professional and marketing strategy building we always need new input and inspiration. This session seems to be an excellent learning opportunity for us to help us in mastering new techniques in order for Pontes to find even better positions at all of the available markets. We expect that it will be helpful for us to be able to reach more potential clients and to make the best and most successful use of our already existing contacts. We are constantly striving to create value for all affected parties and partners.
CEEELM: Would you like to place a bet on which one deal you believe will win the CEE (regional) DOTY award? Why would you bet on that one?
Bebok: I may not go that far. Considering the high number of potential winners representing deals with high complexity and multidisciplinary nature, it seems fairly impossible even to place a bet on the final winner.
CEELM: On the lighter side, when was the last time you were in London, and what is one thing you'll make sure to tick off while in town?
Bebok: I would definitely visit Tate Modern and its seasonal Beyond Borders exhibition on Surrealism. I was told by friends in Budapest that this is a fascinating and unique experience and worth seeing in London. Also, If it is not too late to catch some tickets, the Hamilton Musical at Victoria Palace Theater is also on my agenda.
