On January 25, 2018, CEE Legal Matters reported on the split of Polish powerhouse Kochanski Zieba & Partners into two new firms: Zieba & Partners and Kochanski & Partners. CEELM sat down with Zieba & Partners founders Rafal Zieba, Adam Piwakowski, and Przemyslaw Kordel to learn more about the new firm’s plans for the future. 

Greenberg Traurig has represented Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust, acting through its subsidiaries, on the acquisition of 16 predominantly freehold office properties in Poland, the Netherlands, and Finland. The sellers, reportedly represented by White & Case in London and Finland and Wolf Theiss in Warsaw, were entities related to Goldman Sachs. Allen & Overy reportedly acted as a legal counsel to the financing banks.

Gide Warsaw has advised KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. on a USD 450 million financing granted the Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego. White & Case advised BGK on the deal.

The Warsaw office of Greenberg Traurig has represented the Manila's ISOC Group in the acquisition of the Argon building in the Alchemia office complex in Gdansk.

SPCG has successfully represented former shareholders of PGE Elektrownia Belchatow SA and other companies from the PGE group in a dispute with PGE GiEK SA before the Supreme Court of Poland involving payment of interest due to delays in dividend payment.

Zieba & Partners is advising mBank on its lease of office space at the Warsaw complex from Golub GetHouse and Mennica Polska S.A. Greenberg Traurig reportedly advised Golub GetHouse and Mennica Polska.

Michal Pawlowski has assumed the position of Managing Partner at K&L Gates in Warsaw, taking over from former Managing Partner Maciej Jamka, who managed the firm since its launch in Poland in March, 2010, and who now becomes Senior Partner and will focus on further development of the dispute resolution and arbitration practice.

K&L Gates has advised Inovo Venture Partners – a Series A fund focused on Poland and CEE – in connection with its investment in Slovakian startup Eyerim.

Chajec, Don-Siemion & Zyto has promoted Piotr Zapalski to Partner. He will co-head the Real Estate and Construction Practice Area.

NGL Legal has launched a German Desk, led by Counsel Anne-Marie Weber-Elzanowska.

Former Wierzbowski Eversheds Sutherland Head of IP and TMT Pawel Lipski has become a partner at Bird & Bird in Warsaw.

DLA Piper has represented TDJ Pitango Ventures in its EUR 3.5 million investment in Custom Sp z o.o. Kondracki Celej advised Custom and its founders on the deal.

WKB Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr has advised Centrum Rozliczen Elektronicznych Polskie ePlatnosci S.A. on its acquisition of 100% of shares in Billbird S.A. from International Game Technology. Wierzbowski Eversheds Sutherland reportedly advised International Game Technology on the sale.

Simplifications for Taxpayers in Exchange for Effective Tools for Examining and Estimating Income in Intra-Group Transactions

Clifford Chance Warsaw has advised Czech Media Invest on the sale of the Polish radio company Eurozet sp. z o.o. to Prague-based SFS Ventures s.r.o. and its partner, Polish media group Agora S.A. Weil, Gotshal, Manges advised SFS Ventures and Greenberg Traurig represented Agora S.A. in the acquisition.

CMS Warsaw is advising Aberdeen Standard European Logistics Income PLC on the acquisition of a logistics warehouse in Krakow from global real estate developers Panattoni Development Co and Marvipol SA.

“It has been a good economic year,” says Jaroslaw Iwanicki, Partner at Allen & Overy in Warsaw, referring to 2018 and the beginning of 2019. “The market has been surprisingly good both for business professionals and lawyers.”

Dentons Warsaw has advised Mitsui High-tec on it construction of a plant to manufacture generator and motor parts for electric and hybrid vehicles in Invest-Park, the Walbrzych Special Economic Zone in Poland.