The Legal 500

CMS Cameron McKenna Dariusz Greszta Spólka Komandytowa recently advised Stanley Black & Decker on employment issues resulting from the integration of two businesses. Katarzyna Dulewicz is Warsaw employment team head and labour practice co-ordinator for CEE.

Raczkowski i Wspólnicy specialises in labour and employment law including all aspects of HR management. It is a member of Ius Laboris, a leading association of labour law firms. Bartlomiej Raczkowski and Patrycja Zawirska are very experienced practitioners.

A Sobczyk i Wspólpracownicy Law Offices is recognised for its employment law services to companies across many sectors including telecoms, construction, food, chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Arkadiusz Sobczyk is recommended.

Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak advises on individual and collective labour law practice, including contentious and non-contentious matters relating to individual and group redundancies, workplace restructuring and transfers, employment contracts and non-competition agreements. It also advises on issues such as mobbing and discrimination, foreign employees, employee share schemes, and wage and benefits systems. Slawomir Paruch is well regarded.

Wardynski & Partners’ ‘client-friendly and responsive’ team acted for Polish railway company PKP Cargo in one of Europe’s largest employment restructurings of recent years. Agnieszka Lisiecka is recommended.

Baker & McKenzie Krzyzowski i Wspolnicy sp.k.’s Piotr Rawski acts on the employment aspects of mergers and reorganisations. The team advised VF Polska on mass lay-offs as part of restructuring.

DLA Piper Wiater sp.k. advised Banco Santander on employment issues concerning the acquisition of Poland’s third-largest bank, BZ WBK. Agnieszka Lechman-Filipiak has ‘good communication and analytical skills’.

Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka won the first of several employment cases brought against SEWS Polska for additional severance pay for group redundancies and compensation for discrimination, in a line of disputes with approximately 2,000 potential claimants. Boguslaw Kaplon is recommended.

Gujski, Zdebiak Kancelaria adwokacko radcowska spolka partnerska is highly regarded for its employee-side advice in labour law disputes.

Sylwia Puzynowska Kancelaria Prawa Pracy/Labor Law Office is an employment law boutique run by Sylwia Puzynowska, formerly head of labour law at Baker & McKenzie Krzyzowski i Wspolnicy sp.k. Puzynowska acts on employee lay-offs and individual dismissals, as well as transfers of employees, stock option plans, pension programmes and outsourcing projects.

WKB Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr advised EDF Group on employment matters concerning the restructuring and merger of three companies. Agnieszka Fedor heads the team.

Wojewodka i Wspolnicy Sp.k. advised an employer on a new collective bargaining agreement with over 1,500 employees. Managing partner Marcin Wojewódka’s ‘answers are always practical’.

Clifford Chance advised Poland’s largest insurance company, PZU, on the second stage of its employment restructuring, involving approximately 4,700 employees. Counsel Anna Halas has ‘vast knowledge of legal regulations’.

Iwona Jaroszewska – Ignatowska represents clients in state labour inspections, supports relationships between HR departments and managerial staff, and advises on compliance.

Kraków-based firm Ksiazek & Bigaj Law Firm works exclusively on labour law matters. It represented PGE KWB Belchatów at the Supreme Court in successfully dismissing employee claims. Daniel Ksiazek and Wojciech Bigaj ‘focus on achieving the best results’.

kancelaria adwokacka Magdalena Kruk’s Magdalena Kruk is a well-regarded employment law expert.

Salans advised on the implementation of internal employment by-laws and the setting up of the entire employment structure for an international mining company. The team’s ‘industry knowledge and appropriateness of advice’ impresses clients, and Arek Krasnodebski is particularly recommended.

Wierzbowski Eversheds recently assisted with a restructuring exercise that involved the transfer of employees. Ewa Lachowska-Brol is recommended.