The recent modifications to Law 17/2014 regarding on the regulation of sale of extramuros agricultural land („Law 17”) came into force through the modifications brought by Law 116/2024, adopted on 29 April 2024 and published a day later.

Starting with May 16, 2024, the Law no. 126/2024 on some measures to strengthen the capacity to combat tax evasion, as well as to amend and supplement some normative acts, enters into force.

Buzescu Ca has promoted Lawyer Adrian Tomescu to a Managing Partner position, with the firm also changing its name to Buzescu & Tomescu.

Schoenherr has advised Piraeus Bank on the sale of its participation in a EUR 400 million primarily non-performing exposures portfolio to APS. Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised APS.

Kinstellar and Rymarz Zdort Maruta have advised the Smyk Group and its Romanian Smyk All 4 Kids subsidiary on the amendment and extension of their group financing.

Filip & Company has advised the Centrokinetic orthopedics and medical rehabilitation network together with its shareholder, the Agista investment fund, on their acquisition of a 70% stake in the Socrates clinic in Timisoara, Romania. Timisoara-based sole practitioner Diana Pavel Cios reportedly advised the sellers.

Kinstellar has advised BIG Mega Renewable Energy on a EUR 92 million financing agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and OTP Bank to build and operate the 102-megawatt Urleasca wind farm in Braila county, Romania. Clifford Chance reportedly advised the banks.

Wolf Theiss has advised Airsol on its acquisition of MedAir Oxygen Solutions.

Across Europe, defense sectors are experiencing significant transformations and budgetary escalations, driven by a need for enhanced military readiness and modernization. Avellum Partner Andriy Romanchuk, Cobalt Partner Deividas Soloveicik, Nagy es Trocsanyi Partner Gyorgy Kiszely, and Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Partner Serban Paslaru take a closer look at defense spending in their respective countries.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. Given the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the legal profession, we asked: What is the one critical skill that you’re investing time and energy in to develop within your team, and why?

CMS has advised energy company Iberdrola on the sale of Eolica Dobrogea One – an 80-megawatt wind energy production facility – to Premier Energy Group, for EUR 88 million.

Taylor Wessing has advised the shareholders of the international Denkstatt Group on its integration with EY in Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia. EY Law reportedly advised EY.

Schoenherr, working with Dorsey & Whitney, has advised building software provider Eleco on the full acquisition of Vertical Digital.

Domokos Neagu Sarbu has successfully represented Alpiq in a tax dispute with the Romanian tax authority in a case that ultimately required the input of the Romanian Supreme Court.

Former Bondoc si Asociatii Managing Counsel Daniela Gladunea has been appointed to a Partner position with the Bucharest firm in a recent promotion round.

Recently, Law No 414/2023 on the conduct of representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers (hereinafter Law 414/2023 or the Law), transposing Directive 2020/1828/EU on representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers and repealing Directive 2009/22/EC (hereinafter Directive 2020/1828), entered into force.

MPR Partners has advised Bucharest-based mining company Verde Magnesium on its successful bid in the public tender organized by the National Agency for Mineral Resources of Romania for concession rights on a magnesium mining perimeter in Western Romania.

On the evening of April 25, 2024, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms in the region in Warsaw.