“The measures taken by the Czech Republic’s government during the pandemic were good and quick, but the discipline people have shown helped with the situation as well,” says Jan Spacil, Managing Partner at Deloitte Legal in Prague. “Various other countries that didn’t work as quickly later had to impose much stricter measures.”

Cerha Hempel, working alongside Deloitte Legal in Germany, has advised Germany's GBTEC Software + Consulting AG on the acquisition of all shares in Avedos, a Vienna-based GRC software specialist through direct and indirect share purchases and by means of a contribution by Samuel Brandstatter – the founder, managing director and shareholder of Avedos – who took equity in GBTEC as part payment for the sale of his stake in the company. 42law advised Brandstatter on the deal.

Simina Mut has been promoted to Partner at Reff and Associates, the law firm representing the Deloitte Legal network in Romania.

The move by the Big 4 firms – Deloitte, KPMG, EY, and PwC – to capitalize on their client lists and their multi-disciplinary capabilities by extending the ability of their legal arms to compete with traditional law firms is by now well-established. In Austria, their legal arms have begun competing aggressively for talent as well.

Deloitte Legal has advised Magenta Telekom on structuring cooperation with the City of Vienna regarding broadband coverage. Lumsden and Partners advised the City of Vienna on the deal.

In The Corner Office we ask Managing Partners across Central and Eastern Europe about their unique roles and responsibilities. The question this time around: What major initiative or new plan does your office (or firm) plan – if any – for 2020?

In 2019, amidst the money-laundering scandal of a Latvian bank and the increasing risk that the country would be included in the Financial Action Task Force’s so-called “Grey List,” Latvia’s Financial and Capital Market Commission introduced new regulations on Anti-Money-Laundering and Counter Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) and Sanctions.

The Labor Law of Latvia states that an employer is generally prohibited from dismissing employees with disabilities and has to provide such employees with adequate jobs. Employees with disabilities can be dismissed, however, on these grounds (and only these grounds): a) misbehavior; b) inability to perform the contracted job; or c) the employer’s liquidation. Additionally, until a recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Latvia, employers were unable to bring actions in court seeking the dismissal of employees with disabilities.

According to Sabina Lalaj, the Local Legal Partner of Deloitte Legal in Albania and Kosovo, the current situation in Kosovo revolves around the unfortunate combination of the still-growing Covid-19 pandemic and the political crisis arising from the recent dismissal of Interior Minister Agim Veliu — a member of the Democratic League of Kosovo party, the junior partner leader of the country’s fragile governing coalition — by Prime Minister Albin Kurti, a member of the senior Vetevendosje (“Self-Determination”) party. The combination of the two crises has put the country’s growth on hold, and significantly limited any chance of effective government.

Attendees to the 2019 CEELM Winter Party were cornered, over the course of the evening, and asked, without warning or an opportunity to prepare, what achievement over the past 12 months they were proudest of.

Mateusz Ordyk Moves from PWC Legal to Deloitte Legal in Poland

Former PWC Legal Counsel Mateusz Ordyk has joined Deloitte Legal in Warsaw as Partner.

TGS Baltic and Deloitte Advise CVI on Secured Mezzanine Bonds Transaction for SIA Riga Retail Park

TGS Baltic and Deloitte Legal have advised CVI Dom Maklerski on financing provided to SIA Riga Retail Park for the purposes of co-financing its acquisition of real property as well as the construction and development of the Saga Lifestyle and Shopping Centre in Stopini, a suburb of Riga, by Baltic real estate developer VPH UAB.

Ellex Klavins has advised SIA Verus Praedium on its sale of 14.45 hectares of land to SIA Riga Retail Park for the development of a new Saga shopping center. Riga Retail Park was reportedly advised by Sorainen.

The Lithuanian office of Deloitte Legal has advised Aurora Cannabis Inc. on the merger of its two Lithuanian subsidiaries, Agropro and Borela.

The Lithuanian office of Deloitte Legal has participated in a multi-jurisdictional team advising Enva, a provider of recycling and specialist resource recovery solutions in the UK and Ireland, on its acquisition of SAR Recycling Ltd.

Wolf Theiss worked alongside lead counsel Travers Smith in advising TA Associates on an unspecified investment in Netrisk, a Hungarian online independent insurance marketplace. Netrisk and existing investor MCI Capital were advised by Deloitte Legal.

Deloitte Legal has advised Hungarian web-based insurance broker Netrisk and its majority shareholder, MCI.EuroVentures 1.0., on Netrisk's acquisition of a 100% stake in Biztositas.hu Biztositasi Alkusz Kft., a Hungarian online insurance agent.

Deloitte Legal has helped Iglotex S.A., which is co-owned by Penta Investments, negotiate with a banking consortium for a facilities agreement totaling PLN 160 million.