Despite 2024 being a relatively slow year in terms of real estate transactions, Act Legal Partners Adam Kaplonyi and Gergely Ban see ample signs to be optimistic about the sector's outlook in Hungary.

On November 4, 2024, CEE Legal Matters reported that Greenberg Traurig's Warsaw office has launched a new Project and Structured Finance Practice with the arrival of Partner Piotr Nerwinski and his team, aiming to expand their services across Poland and the CEE region. Nerwinski spoke with CEE Legal Matters about his move as well as the new practice launch.

CMS Partners Daniela Kroemer, Dragana Bajic, Tomasz Sancewicz, and Katalin Horvath discuss the growing role of AI in HR across CEE and delve into its current applications, regulatory challenges, and the broader impact on workplace dynamics.

On June 3, 2023, CEE Legal Matters reported that CMS helped Global Biomet obtain a license for a photovoltaic plant in its portfolio – the 100-megawatt AC capacity Aratiden project – before the Bulgarian State Energy and Water Regulatory Commission. With it now successfully completed, CMS Sofia Partner Kostadin Sirleshtov reflects on the project.

DLA Piper Partner Marta Frackowiak discusses the current slowdown in the Polish market, driven by geopolitical uncertainty, economic challenges, and hesitance among investors, while also highlighting key trends in M&A, employment, and regional expansion efforts by Polish businesses.

On 19 September 2024, BDK Advokati celebrated 20 years since its establishment. BDK Advokati Managing Partner Tijana Kojovic and Senior Partner and Head of the Montenegrin office Luka Popovic reflect on this milestone and discuss the journey of the firm, its evolution, achievements, and aspirations for the future.

Earlier in 2024, DLA Piper published its Medical Devices Advertising: CEE Comparison Guide, which reviews advertising regulations for medical devices in Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Life sciences team members who worked on the guide spoke with CEE Legal Matters about some of the regulatory differences across CEE and the practical implications for businesses.

Croatia is undergoing significant legal changes, particularly with the introduction of a real estate tax aimed at addressing housing shortages and regulating property use as well as a new lobbying law, according to Ilej & Partners in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners Senior Partner Goran Ilej.

Slovenia is witnessing high levels of deal activity, particularly in M&A and corporate finance, according to Schoenherr Partner Vid Kobe, with banking sector consolidation leading the charge.

In our Looking In series, we talk to Partners from outside CEE who are keeping an eye on the region (and often pop up in our deal ticker) to learn how they perceive CEE markets and their evolution. For this issue, we sat down with Marc van Campen, Partner at Van Campen Liem in Amsterdam.

An in-depth look at George Zohios of AKL Law Firm covering his career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about him as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.

As Pfizer’s Legal Director overseeing Greece, Cyprus, Malta, and Israel, Stathis Mihos explores EU health policy advancements and the complexities arising from the pandemic and examines how artificial intelligence is dynamically influencing lawyers’ work.

Overseeing diverse sectors across multiple countries, Petrol Group Director of Legal Affairs Mojca Logar discusses the challenges and strategies in managing the group’s legal affairs and navigating complex regulatory landscapes, while emphasizing internal legal expertise and collaborating with external firms for specialized projects and new legislation.

Moldova is in the process of implementing substantive legislative changes, according to PwC Legal Head in Moldova, Ilona Panurco, who outlines the country’s efforts to align with EU acquis, including updates in digital, environmental, and financial regulations.

With a growing economy but significant structural deficits, Romania’s healthcare system struggles with underfunding, slow approval processes, and high taxes, making access to new therapies a slow and challenging endeavor, according to Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Managing Associate and Head of Pharma and Medical Devices Dominic Morega.

From an uptick in mergers and acquisitions to complex public procurement projects, regulatory changes, and the impact of geopolitical factors on the legal market, Ellex Partner Ilga Gudrenika-Krebs, looks forward to a busier second half of the year than the first.

Croatia seems to be brink of significant legislative changes that could reshape its real estate and financial landscapes, according to Peterka & Partners Zagreb Senior Associate Anja Haramija, who reports on a new real estate tax targeting property owners and regulations aimed at protecting senior citizens.

As the war in Ukraine reshapes the country's economic landscape, the antitrust sector faces significant challenges and transformations, according to Integrites Senior Partner Vyacheslav Korchev, who highlights a growing trend of domestic M&A activity and a push toward aligning with European regulatory standards.