The Legal 500

The ‘best all-round TMT practice in the country’, Borislav Boyanov & Co provides overarching expertise on regulatory and transactional matters for an array of media, telecoms and IT clients. Able to tap into its ‘impressive’ corporate capability, the firm is regularly the first choice for clients engaged in big-ticket transactions within the media sector. Perhaps most notably, it advised News Corporation on the $400m sale of bTV – its Bulgarian terrestrial TV business – to Central European Media Enterprises. Damian Simeonov is a ‘clear leader’ in the field and heads a four-partner team that also includes the ‘excellent’ Peter Petrov.

Headed by Miroslav Ognyanov, Dimitrov, Petrov & Co provides a ‘proactive and value for money service’ to domestic and regional telecoms and IT companies. Led by George Dimitrov, the firm acts for Cosmo Bulgaria Mobile across a raft of telecoms and regulatory matters, including lobbying work for it in relation to proposed legislative changes. A leader in the market in the field of privacy and data protection, as well as regularly advising clients on contractual clauses, the firm is at the vanguard of changes in the law and recently took part in a study assigned by the European Commission on counterfeiting and privacy within Bulgaria. George Dimitrov is recommended.

Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov is able to call upon the resources of separate IP, competition, corporate and litigation groups to provide an ‘all-encompassing’ service to clients across regulatory, transactional and competition-related concerns. The team, headed by the ‘very good and reliable’ Violetta Kunze, is regularly involved in some of the highest-profile mandates in the market and recently represented Magyar Telekom on the sale of Orbitel, and advised Mid Europa Partners’ acquisition of Interactive Technologies, following a successful debt restructuring. Clients include Nokia, Magyar Telekom, Central Europe Media Enterprise and Turner Broadcasting System Europe.

Georgiev, Todorov & Co has an excellent track record advising telecoms companies and continues to handle a significant amount of work for BTC, including advising it on the sale of its radio and TV systems division. Other highlights included representing Balkan News Corporation (owner of BTV) before the CPC regarding an alleged abuse of a dominant position. Alexander Pachamanov has an excellent reputation and is ‘exceptional in the field of electronic communications law’.

Kambourov & Partners shows ‘impeccable attention to detail and displays a solution-focused approach’ to clients engaged in the TMT sector. Particularly accomplished within the media industry, the team has been advising Global Films and Global Vision – one of the country’s leading TV production companies – on the regulatory, contractual, advertising, IP and other issues associated with a number of its shows broadcast on TV stations in Bulgaria. Mitko Karushkov heads a team that includes ‘innovative and very knowledgeable’ senior associate Elena Kandeva and senior associate Margarita Guigova, who is ‘very experienced in regulatory, licensing and copyright issues, and is an ardent litigator with a meticulous attention to detail’.

Benefiting from strong ties with the key domestic regulators in Bulgaria, Penev LLP is able to provide ‘an excellent service’ to high-profile clients such as AT&T, Avaya and T-Mobile. In addition to longstanding clients such as Walt Disney, the firm has also cultivated new relationships with CSC, who it advised on establishing template agreements with subcontractors and freelancers for the development of specialised software. The ‘responsive, accurate and to the point’ Sergey Penev heads the team.

Perhaps best known for its role in the Siemens/Nokia merger of 2006, Penkov, Markov & Partners still picks up a considerable amount of work from the merged entity. It assisted the company in its bid for outsourcing of maintenance activities for a major domestic telecommunications company. The group is also at the vanguard of developments in the sphere of e-commerce in Bulgaria and regularly participates and liaises with industry organisations such as the Bulgarian Association for Electronic Commerce and the Association of the Independent Internet Providers. Svetoslav Dimitrov is the main TMT contact.

Andrey Delchev and Partners – Eurolex Bulgaria has a ‘very strong practice’ advising radio operators across a range of regulatory and transactional matters. The team advised the Association of Bulgarian Broadcasters on drafting the latest amendments to the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Act. Often working in close co-operation with its M&A practice, the practice recently advised Communicorp Group on the acquisition of the remaining shares in Radio City.

While it lacks the regulatory and IP expertise of some of its competitor firms, CMS Cameron McKenna in cooperation with Petkova & Sirleshtov Law Office has a ‘very strong’ corporate-based TMT practice. Led by the ‘excellent’ David Butts, the practice regularly handles major M&A transactions involving telecoms and life sciences clients, such as its recent representation of Central European Media Enterprises on the $400m acquisition of shares in both bTV, the country’s largest TV station, and CJ radio company.

At Dinova & Rusev, the ‘superb’ Milen Rusev heads a team that provides ‘accessible and professional advice’ to an impressive roster of clients, predominantly within the telecoms sector. ‘Very professional, responsive, co-operative and efficient’ associate Iliya Grozdanov advises IT solutions company Bynet Bulgaria on a range of ongoing commercial matters including public procurement and IP advice. Clients include Sony Ericsson, Grecotel and Procter & Gamble.

Leveraging off its ‘excellent’ corporate capability, Schoenherr has a superb track record for advising TMT clients engaged in significant M&A mandates. It recently advised Pro7 Sat1 as a bidder in the tender process for the acquisition of major domestic TV broadcaster bTV.

TLC – Cheresheva Mileva Tsankova has excellent market recognition as a result of its work advising prominent domestic companies such as Vestitel, BulgarTel and Spectrum.

Tsvetkova Bebov & Partners (Landwell) provides an ‘excellent and professional service’ to TMT clients engaged in corporate and M&A transactions. The practice assisted IT company C3i on establishing itself in the country, and now advises it on an ongoing basis on corporate and commercial matters. The ‘supportive, compassionate and understanding’ Galina Bunkova is recommended.

Frequently involved in significant TMT-related acquisitions, Arsov Natchev Ganeva combines corporate transactional strength allied with regulatory, IP and industry knowledge to a number of leading media players. It advised Radio France International on the sale of its Bulgarian subsidiary. The firm also continues to provide an ongoing service to TUI Travel on a range of commercial issues including certain IP matters. Svetlana Ganeva heads the team.

While TMT is not a core area of focus of the firm, Atanassov & Ivanov Law Firm often handles corporate work for telecoms clients such as Germanos Telecom Bulgaria, who it is currently advising on matters relating to the post-closing restructuring of its activity.

Borissov & Partners has placed increased emphasis on work in the TMT sector, a fact that is illustrated by the deepening of its recent strategic alliance with IP Consulting – a leading IP consultancy boutique. It is particularly accomplished at advising clients on the enforcement and protection of their trade marks, and Lenso Wheel, Ralcorp Holdings, Bella Bulgaria, CSC Pharmaceuticals and the H D Lee Company are all clients of the firm. The practice also has e-commerce expertise and recently advised Shazam Entertainment on compliance, data protection and consumer protection issues.

Danailov, Mihaleva, Nedelchev & Co/Lex Locus is defending leading domestic communication holding Publicis before the CPC against claims that it took part in the misleading advertisement of one of its products. Dimitar Danailov is the main contact for TMT-related work.

Headed by the ‘experienced and reliable’ Grozdan Dobrev, Dobrev, Kinkin & Lyutskanov Law Firm provides an ‘effective’ service to clients seeking the enforcement and protection of their IP rights. Led by Vladimir Kinkin, the team advised Unix Solutions before the Patent Office on the registration of two trade marks. Not limited to purely domestic work, the practice has also represented clients such as Bulgarconserv, Sprinter and Sparky on the registration of their trade marks internationally. On the contentious side, the team is currently representing Ital Food Industry before the Supreme Administrative court in a high-profile misleading advertising case.

Law Firm Kolcheva, Smilenov, Koev and Partners’ managing partner Petya Kolcheva advises clients on telecoms-related matters.

Able to tap into the considerable skills of 20 specialist IP attorneys, lawyers and patent specialists, IP boutique Patent Universe provides broad ranging IPR expertise across a raft of highly technical sectors including organic and non-organic chemistry, pharmaceutics, biotechnology, mechanical and electrical engineering, electronics and telecommunications.

Popov & Partners provides a high level of ‘strategic and analytical thinking’ to TMT clients on regulatory and commercial matters. As well as continuing to advise Amotera, the practice recently secured work from domestic telecoms operator Global Communication Net. Iskra Kishkova is the main contact.

Teralex Consult has an excellent reputation for media law. Since its foundation in 2001, the firm has acted for more than 20 TV and radio broadcasters across all facets of their business from obtaining licenses and contract drafting to litigation and representation before the local authorities. Co-founders Katya Glushkova and Alexander Ivanov are recommended.

Varadinov & Co Attorneys-at-Law represents telecoms, television and radio operators across a myriad regulatory and contractual matters. The practice also has significant experience of appearing before the Commission for Regulation of Communications and Electronic Media Council.

The arrival in January 2011 of the Rizova & Partners Law Firm (part of DLA Piper) team is a good fit with the TMT group at Wolf Theiss that has a transactional focus to its practice. Led by Richard Clegg, the team advised Mancelord on the acquisition of Bulgaria Telecommunications Company’s television and radio business (NURTS) and acquisition of a broadcasting licence holder. The ‘best-prepared lawyer in the country’, former Rizova & Partners Law Firm (part of DLA Piper) managing partner Anna Rizova-Clegg has expertise in IT laws and data protection, as well as telecoms regulation.

While it is by no means a core area of focus for the firm, Andonov & Radinska has handled IP matters, often as a concomitant element of a larger transaction, frequently within the real estate sector. It handled IP matters as part of its work for the project company on the development of the Mall of Sofia.

Georgieva, Petrov, Nenkov, Georgiev Law Firm excels at the nexus between competition and IP law and recently represented TNC before the CPC alleging that an infringement of its IP rights resulted in a distortion of the competition in its industry sector.

Ilieva, Voutcheva & Co Law Firm has a developing reputation for media law and recently defended Endemol in a trade mark infringement case relating to Big Brother.

Kalaidjiev and Georgiev has successfully widened the scope of its expertise from its roots in banking and finance to include a raft of different practice areas including TMT. The firm has a particular niche in advising on copyright matters including contractual work in relation to production and co-production of films and TV programmes. Clients include Chapp Media, Media Group and Zenith Advertising and Communication.

Sabev & Partners Law Firm provides niche expertise advising online electronic payment companies.

Yonev Valkov Nenov’s IP practice handles all aspects of the protection, administration and enforcement of IP rights. The practice has an excellent track record appearing before the relevant authorities such as the Bulgarian Patent Office. The firm also has strength advising domestic publishing companies on contentious and non-contentious copyright matters.