The Legal 500

CMS’ ‘outstanding’ team provides ‘professional’ service and advice that is ‘comprehensive and sufficiently detailed’. The ‘skilful’ Karolina Siedlik heads the practice, and is leading the team’s advice to various Polish power generation companies with regard to over 30 court disputes with the President of the Polish Energy Regulatory Office over compensation costs. Energy expert Tomasz Minkiewicz has ‘thorough knowledge of the industry’, and is ‘well regarded’.

Chadbourne & Parke LLP is valued for its ‘responsiveness’ and ‘outstanding quality’ at a ‘very good price’. The team is advising on various wind farm projects as well as on energy trading and price control issues. Department head Igor Muszyński is ‘an outstanding specialist in energy-related issues’; ‘his broad knowledge and experience leads to flexible and creative solutions’. European counsel Joanna Nowak-Paradowska is also recommended, and international partner Przemysław Kałek joined the firm from Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak in March 2012.

The renowned Arek Krasnodębski leads Dentons’ ‘excellent’ team, which is currently advising PGE Group on restructuring and unifying the management framework for a power generation and trading portfolio. Other clients include Gazprom, SFW Energia and Vattenfall Poland. Associate Agnieszka Skorupińska joined the firm from WKB Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr in September 2011.

Allen & Overy, A. Pedzich sp. k. provides ‘highly professional and effective service’, and its team has ‘in-depth knowledge’. Recent highlights include advising GDF Suez Trading on obtaining membership of the Polish Power Exchange and a Polish trading licence, and the commencement of trading activities. Jacek Michalski and senior associate Kamil Jankielewicz are ‘competent, experienced and reliable lawyers’.

Baker & McKenzie Krzyzowski i Wspolnicy sp.k.’s ‘high-quality’ team continues to advise Fortum on a 400MW gas-fired, combined heat-and-power plant in Wrocław, including the negotiation of gas supply agreements with foreign suppliers. Practice head Kamila Tarnacka is ‘a very good lawyer’ with ‘a creative and entrepreneurial approach’, and senior associate Oskar Waluśkiewicz is ‘a very experienced and intelligent lawyer’.

K&L Gates LLP’s team of ‘prestigious experts’ advises clients including Dong Energy, EDP Renewables Polska and EnBW AG. Practice co-head Tomasz Dobrowolski, who has ‘vast knowledge of the energy industry and ancillary issues’, is leading the team’s advice to Exelon Energy with regard to a contract engineering tender. The team was strengthened in 2012 by the arrivals of new partner and practice co-head Karol Lasocki, a ‘top legal expert in the renewable sector’, and associate Marcin Trepka, who both joined from Chadbourne & Parke LLP. Senior associate Karol Orzechowski left the firm in September 2012.

Norton Rose Piotr Strawa and Partners LP’s ‘highly motivated’ team has ‘excellent sector knowledge and a strong level of commitment’. Key highlights included advising Tauron on compliance with EU regulations governing wholesale energy market integrity and transparency. New clients of the firm include Keppel Seghers and Nordex, while established clients include Vattenfall and Nexen. Practice head Rafał Hajduk is ‘one of Poland’s leading energy lawyers’.

WKB Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr’s ‘focused’, ‘business-oriented’ practice has ‘a strong presence in the industry’. Key mandates included providing regulatory and legislative advice to EDF in Poland, including advising on the development of the Polish nuclear programme, as well as advising Petrolot on air fuel supply agreement templates. Practice head Jerzy Baehr is ‘smart’, and has ‘a large and valuable network’.

Clifford Chance’s ‘very good’ practice advises clients including Gamesa Corporación Tecnológica and GPDH. Corporate department head Agnieszka Janicka oversees the practice and counsel Tomasz Janas, who has ‘a vast knowledge and network in the renewable area’, co-ordinates the energy team.

Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka’s ‘experienced’ and ‘well-prepared’ team advises clients including energy corporations, services companies and construction groups. The firm advised Total Polska on regulations and contracts, and advised new client Shanghai Electric Group Company on negotiating an EPC contract. Practice head Paweł Grzejszczak is ‘very professional’, and counsel Wojciech Hartung is ‘an excellent and creative public procurement expert’.

Robert Jędrzejczyk heads Gide Loyrette Nouel’s nine-lawyer team, which advised KGHM Polska Miedź on signing a five-year contract with China Minmetals to deliver copper to China, and advised PGE EJ on preparing the public procurement procedure for the construction of a nuclear power plant in Poland.

Greenberg Traurig Grzesiak provides ‘very good’ service. It recently advised on privatisation in the Polish mining industry, acting for ZE PAK on its acquisition of 85% of Kopalnia Węgla Brunatnego Adamów’s share capital, as well as 85% of Kopalnia Węgla Brunatego Konin w Kleczewie, both of which were purchased from the state treasury. Local partner Michał Bień has ‘the ability to make quick decisions in difficult times’.

Linklaters advises clients including DONG Energy, Marguerite Adviser and AES Corporation. Jarosław Miller led the team’s advice to Eolos Polska on the financing of two wind farms in Czarnożyły and Szadek. Head of real estate Artur Kulawski also leads the energy team.

Weil, Gotshal & Manges advises clients in the electricity, renewable energy, nuclear energy, coal, liquid fuels, gas and shale gas sectors. The firm is advising KGHM on a shale gas exploration project and also advised Tauron Polska Energia on its acquisition of Gornoslaski Zaklad Elektroenergetyczny from Vattenfall. Managing partner Paweł Rymarz heads the team and is recommended, as is senior associate Łukasz Szatkowski.

White & Case P. Pietkiewicz, M. Studniarek i Wspólnicy – Kancelaria Prawna sp.k. provides an ‘excellent’ service and advises clients including Eurowind and the Vortex Group. The team also advised Marathon Oil Company on the sale of a 40% working interest in ten of Marathon’s concessions in Poland, and also provided advice on restructuring and geological, mining and environmental law. Practice head Tomasz Chmal provides ‘good legal analysis and knowledge of local laws and government’.

DLA Piper Wiater sp.k. recently advised on a public procurement procedure, the restructuring of an investment project and the acquisition of wind farm projects, and also advises on regulatory work relating to offshore wind farms. ‘Respected’ managing partner Krzysztof Wiater heads this cross-practice team, and senior associate Andrzej Balicki is also recommended.

GWW Wozny i Wspolnicy Sp. K.’s ‘professional’ team advises clients including PGE EJ 1, Litpol Link and PKN Orlen. Piotr Woźny and Wacław Knopkiewicz are praised for their experience.

Energy law ‘expert’ Paweł Łącki heads the seven-lawyer practice at Sojka & Maciak, which has ‘exceptional business acumen and acuity’. The team’s experience includes renewable energy matters.

Krzysztof Cichocki’s team at Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak advised RWE Group on regulatory, antitrust and power grid issues and has represented the client before the Polish Energy Regulatory Authority. Other clients include Eurowind, Iberdrola and ENEA SA Group. Of counsel Przemysław Kałek joined Chadbourne & Parke LLP.

Squire Sanders Swieçicki Krzesniak sp. k.’s recent highlights include advising Acciona Energia SA on wind farm acquisitions and advising Nalco on construction and restructuring matters. The ‘excellent’ Eligiusz Krześniak heads the practice.

Wardynski & Partners provides ‘professional and thorough’ analysis, legal opinions, contractual advice and representation before the Energy Regulatory Office. Practice head Weronika Pelc is ‘a skilled lawyer’, and is ‘respected for her professional technical knowledge’.