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"The firm was founded and joined the central and eastern European multinational law firm bnt in 2005. The three founding partners, Malgorzata Zamorska, Dominika Wagrodzka and Martin Neupert, had already been advising international investors in Poland for over ten years in leading positions at..." read more
"Squire Sanders has been providing quality legal services since its founding in 1890, making its wealth of resources available to all firm clients whenever and wherever needed. The firm’s 32 offices in 15 countries constitute one of the strongest integrated legal services platforms in the wor..." read more

Overview

Poland has been less critically affected by the global crisis than certain other European jurisdictions, the economy remaining predominantly agricultural and not so badly hit by stock exchange turmoil. Yet Poland has witnessed a marked slowdown. Although the Polish banks have a small percentage of assets at risk, most banks are foreign-owned and exposure to the international markets has caused lending problems.

Opportunistic property buyers are playing a waiting game, hoping that real estate will pick up again towards the end of 2009’s second quarter. For the moment, real estate and the necessary financing have stagnated since 15th September. Aside from ENEA’s €528m WSE listing, IPOs are indefinitely on hold (although the IPO of PGE, the country’s largest energy group, is expected in 2009) and securitisation work has all but disappeared. As for the banking sector, further consolidation is expected in 2009. Already, Unicredit has disposed of Bank BPH (Poland’s third-largest bank) to GE Money for €625.5m, a deal that necessitated the involvement of international law firms Dewey & LeBoeuf Grzesiak SP.K., CMS Cameron McKenna Dariusz Greszta Spólka Komandytowa and Allen & Overy, A. Pedzich sp. k..

Meanwhile, Poland’s commercial litigators and labour lawyers have never been so busy. More insolvency and restructuring work are expected throughout 2009 while, on the M&A side, energy remains one of the few buoyant sectors. Poland’s energy capabilities are in a desperate situation and EU funds are available for the development of the country’s transmission grids. In anticipation of Poland’s joint hosting (with Ukraine) of the 2012 UEFA European Championships, the construction of the sports stadiums appear to be running to schedule, but Poland’s highways remain in a dire state. When the successful bidders are announced, infrastructure lawyers will have their work cut out.

The legal market remains fluid and rumours have circulated about large domestic and international firms firing lawyers and fee dumping. Although the market conditions may appear far from ripe for critical lateral hires, the year did not pass without some significant partner moves. After years of gentle growth in Warsaw, Norton Rose Piotr Strawa and Partners LP took energy partner Rafal Hajduk from CMS Cameron McKenna Dariusz Greszta Spólka Komandytowa and real estate experts David Dixon and Agnieszka Stankiewicz from Chadbourne & Parke LLP. Chadbourne & Parke LLP itself raided a four-strong infrastructure and PPP team from Wierzbowski Eversheds. In late 2008, international firm Bird & Bird Maciej Gawronski sp.k made a concerted drive into the CE region, opening four new offices, including one in Warsaw headed by ex- M. Furtek i Wspolnicy Kancelaria Prawnicza IT expert Maciej Gawronski. Additionally, an alliance was formed with Telco regulatory experts Grynhoff Wozny Malinski. The year saw Linklaters close its Bucharest, Prague and Budapest offices and rumours abounded about Warsaw likewise shutting. The office remains very much open for business but has endured significant departures affecting its tax, employment, IP and capital markets teams. Meanwhile, Gleiss Lutz pulled out of the whole CEE region and Austrian law firm Schönherr took over the German outfit’s Warsaw office as of January 2009.

Press releases

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Legal Developments in Poland

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • Towards uniform European standards – changes in Polish capital market law

    DZP is pleased to present an article written for the IBA newsletter and prepared by partners from DZP - Professor Grzegorz Domański and Paweł Halwa.
    - Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Department

    Mergers and Acquisitions Department advises in a wide range of transactions in Poland as well as in eastern Europe. Our lawyers have experience in assisting in sophisticated transactions.
    - Chalas & Partners Law Office
  • The Lawsuit Department

    The Lawsuit Department provides all-round legal assistance in the scope of broadly understood settling disputes. The legal assistance covers both legal representation before common courts of all instances, arbitration courts as well as the Client’s representation in settling disputes on a pre-litigation stage.
    - Chalas & Partners Law Office
  • The Real Estate Department

    The Real Estate Department renders advisory in all aspects of real estate transaction law, investment and infrastructure projects. The Department consist of experienced lawyers ensuring legal help in all kinds of investment projects.
    - Chalas & Partners Law Office
  • Departament of Energy

    Department droves full, current legal attendance in aid of enterprises from energy sector. Particular feature differing this Department is knowledge and experiences in service constant and current legal equipment for entrepreneur with specialized knowledge to the point specific posed that require businesses by reason of their specificity of activities, these activities of controls of regulators of markets relying on subjecting.
    - Chalas & Partners Law Office
  • The Mergers & Acquisitions Review

    DZP is pleased to present The European Mergers &Acquisitions Review (Polish Section) published by Law Business Research. The book contains a collection of reports on M&A transactions carried out in selected European countries in the years 2006 – 2007. It was drawn up by renowned lawyers at European law firms one of which was Domański Zakrzewski Palinka. The chapter on the Polish market was prepared by two partners from DZP: Krzysztof Zakrzewski and Remco van der Kroft.
    - Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka
  • Redundancy Law in Europe

    DZP is pleased topresent a Polish section of the „RedundancyLaw in Europe” book published by Wolters Kluwer Law & Business. The Polish chapterwas prepared by a lawyer from DZP - Łukasz Kuczkowski.
    - Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka

Press releases

The latest news direct from law firms. If you would like to submit press releases for your firm, send an email request to