It’s January 3 and the CEELM team is at it again. We’re all back in the metaphorical office. And most of us are back in our literal offices too. Ready to deliver a new issue of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine, in print (hence the black) and online, for those of you eager to get a head start on the new year.
This issue has been a joy to work on, despite the tight deadlines and the looming holidays. As always, a couple more days in the month would have been a big help. But we got it done. A huge thanks to the team and to all those who contributed their thoughts and insights to the issue.
Throughout this number, we tried to put a more positive spin on a painful 2022. And hopefully, we achieved just that. As much of the issue is focused on the Baltics, it actually wasn’t that hard. Despite not having had the pleasure of visiting either Estonia, Lithuania, or Latvia – and not having any close friends based there – I get the sense, working with local law firms and lawyers, that those countries kept a stiff upper lip through what was, by all accounts, a very difficult year.
And it wasn’t just lawyers trying to stay optimistic – the markets proved resilient and the authorities demonstrated responsiveness. I was not at all surprised by the solid contributions we got for our articles – especially for those on the workplace adapting and on the evolution of legal services – in fact, I was quite expecting them. Which is why we reached out on those topics in the first place. Still, it was a good confirmation to get. If you want to keep your finger on the pulse of what’s to come in CEE – for all intents and purposes – look to the Baltics. Through that lens, 2023 starts to look a lot more encouraging. And my need to go on holiday for the next (roughly) six months starts to abate.
Which is just a long-winded way of saying that Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have all jumped to the very top of my countries-to-visit list. Anyone got a couch I can crash on? I bring homemade palinka. Or, to strike a more professional tone, any smart events or conferences you recommend attending? My 2023 dance card still has some openings.
Speaking of dance cards, be sure to save the date on yours for what looks to be CEELM’s biggest event ever (don’t quote me on that): our annual Deal of the Year Awards and a CEELM GC Summit all rolled into one, to happen in Istanbul, sometime in April. Meanwhile, stay tuned for our other news and announcements regarding the 2022 DOTY submissions and shortlists, the 2022 Table of Deals (codename CEELM1545 – hint: it’s a big one), the next special issue, and the 2023 Editorial Calendar. So, I guess you might want to save more of those dates – it’s looking like quite the busy first quarter.
Finally, to all our readers, wherever they are: I wish all of us a most Baltic 2023! It’s obviously not about the size of the market, but just how resilient, responsive, and adaptable we all can be.
This article was originally published in Issue 9.12 of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the magazine, you can subscribe here.
