WKB Lawyers > Poznan, Poland > Firm Profile
WKB Lawyers Offices
7 PADEREWSKIEGO STREET
61-770 POZNAN
l
Poland
WKB Lawyers > The Legal 500 Rankings
Poland > Competition/antitrust Tier 1
Praised by one client as the ‘strongest team in Poland’, the competition and consumer law group at WKB Lawyers assists clients with a wide variety of mandates, including cartels matters, leniency programmes, and distribution agreements, as well as abuse of dominant position cases, merger control proceedings, and consumer protection issues. It also undertakes private enforcement cases, and its clients are often active in the energy, luxury goods, financial services, pharmaceuticals, e-commerce, insurance, sport and construction sectors. Aleksander Stawicki leads the practice, and he is ably supported by Bartosz Turno, who has expertise in representing clients undergoing investigation before the Polish Competition Authority, and Dorota Karczewska, who is a go-to for clients in the financial services and FMCG industries.Practice head(s):
Aleksander Stawicki
Other key lawyers:
Bartosz Turno; Dorota Karczewska; Wojciech Kulczyk; Aleksandra Dziurkowska
Testimonials
‘Bartosz Turno and Dorota Karczewska stand out as reliable, intelligent, smooth to work with, and helpful all the way.’
‘Aleksansder Stawicki and Bartosz Turno make a great team; they are quick, know every detail of the law and practice, they are very responsive and provide great value for money.’
‘Very professional support based on wide experience and deep knowledge of both competition law and clients’ businesses. Extremely good collaboration skills. Client-oriented lawyers.’
‘Aleksander Stawicki and Aleksandra Dziurkowska are both very professional and experienced with very good communication skills.’
‘Strongest team in Poland, and Aleksander Stawicki is number one in Poland.’
‘Dorota Karczewska’s significant role in predicting the direction of government interpretations is very evident.’
‘The team takes extra care to get practical experience with our products and in-depth understanding of our business. This makes it easy for us to explain our needs and their advice is always on point. WKB’s team combines legal expertise with economic analysis, which gives their advice a practical dimension.’
‘Aleksander Stawicki shines with his in-depth knowledge that allows him to participate in internal business discussions. Under his leadership the team at WKB understands that appreciation for the client’s products and business environment allows the team to advise on a higher level.’
Key clients
Agora S.A.
Cemex Polska S.A.
DNB Bank Polska
DBK Group
Pfeifer & Langen
Lidl Polska
Lisner Polska
PKO BP
Pekao S.A.
Jeronimo Martins
Polska Liga Koszykówki S.A.
Glovo
Warner Bros. Discovery TVN
Lagardere Travel Retail
Stock Spirits
Ekstraklasa S.A.
Tauron Polska Energia
Enea
Work highlights
- Handling various competition law issues on behalf of Lisner, including merger control obligations, preparation of merger control notifications, representation in the course of proceedings before the Polish authority, mitigation of the risks of potential anti-competitive agreements, and the anticipated acquisition of certain Polish assets of Graal capital group.
- Representing DBK Group, as well as a number of its managers, in novel proceedings before the Polish Competition Authority and the courts related to an alleged cartel in the commercial vehicle sales market.
- Representing Goldman Sachs and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China in the course of merger control proceedings concerning the formation of a joint venture aimed at the joint distribution of wealth management products.
Poland > Construction Tier 1
WKB Lawyers' construction team sits within the firm’s infrastructure and public procurement practice, and supports contractors and relevant authorities with the full lifecycle of their projects, from the initial planning and preparation of tenders, to award of contracts and investment execution. The team also works closely with the firm’s dispute resolution practice, advising on potential disputes and handling the gamut of contentious issues. The team is co-lead by Anna Flaga-Martynek in Warsaw, who specialises in infrastructure-related matters, and Poznan-based Marta Midloch, who is skilled in advising on key investments in the energy, renewable energy, road, and oil and gas sectors. Rafał Woźniak and Aneta Citko, who were recently promoted to managing associates, are also of note.Practice head(s):
Anna Flaga-Martynek; Marta Midloch
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Knowledge of the laws and the legal structure in the RES field, ability to deliver exceptional result in due time, agility when working under pressure, characters anyone would like to work with.’
‘Politeness, perfect knowledge of the field, ability to adjust, ‘on time’ behavior, concrete skills.’
‘Always ready to pick up the phone , managing the case from start to end, proactive work, rounded advice not just a simple answer, deep knowledge of topics.’
‘WKB offers comprehensive services, which makes the implementation of even complex investment projects smooth, and you can expect the immediate resolution of legal problems. The lawyers have a business approach, they do not create problems but solve them. They are characterised by openness and building long-term relationships with clients.’
‘Professional in every way, they give a great sense of security in implemented projects.’
‘Available, always well prepared with extensive knowledge, dedicated to the work, they feel like they are co-creators of the project and not just advisors, they have knowledge that is not limited to one field of law, which means that they are able to identify legal risks in the implemented projects on time.’
‘Anna Flaga-Martynek is not only a high-class specialist, but also has excellent managerial skills, and her business perspective on investment, knowledge of the industry and understanding of financial issues of projects make her a very effective advisor with whom it is a pleasure to work.’
Key clients
Tauron Wytwarzanie
Afcon
Eurowind Energy Sp. z o.o
Miejskie Wodociągi i Kanalizacja W Bydgoszczy sp. z o.o.
Chemwik sp. z o.o.
Neo Investments
European Energy
KGAL GmbH & Co.KG
Work highlights
- Advising Miejskie Wodociągi i Kanalizacja w Bydgoszczy sp. z o. o. on the EU-funded Smart Management System for water and sewage facilities.
- Assisting Afcon Renewable Energy with a contract for the simultaneous construction of two solar power plants.
- Advising ENWIND sp. z o. o. the construction of Wind Farm Głuchów II, which consists of ten wind turbine generators.
Poland > Insurance Tier 1
WKB Lawyers boasts ‘excellent understanding of market practice and trends in insurance and reinsurance areas’, and frequently undertakes M&A transactions in the sector, as well as representing clients in disputes and relevant competition law cases. Domestic and foreign insurers form a significant part of the team’s client roster, in addition to brokers and distributors. Business insurance specialist Jakub Pokrzywniak, who is praised by one client as ‘the best insurance lawyer in Poland’, solely leads the team following previous co-head Tomasz Kwieciński ’s retirement in December 2022. Managing associate Marek Prętki is another notable member of the team, with significant expertise in the non-life insurance sector, and he often advises clients on regulatory matters.Practice head(s):
Jakub Pokrzywniak
Other key lawyers:
Marek Prętki; Anna Urbańczyk
Testimonials
‘Great market knowledge, extensive insurance experience, attention to detail, and responsiveness.’
‘Great team of outstanding insurance and competition lawyers. They can perfecly combine theoretical background with commercial awareness.’
‘Jakub Pokrzywniak is the best insurance lawyer in Poland. He perfectly combines deep legal knowledge with commercial awareness. He is extremely responsive.’
‘A well-built team of lawyers from various areas of law. High professionalism and knowledge of the market and business.’
‘Jakub Pokrzywniak is a very good and professional lawyer. Open to business relations. Active support in finding the best solutions for clients. High involvement in the market. The highest ethical level.’
‘Excellent understanding of market practice and trends in insurance and reinsurance areas. Looking for and finding solutions, connecting legal requirements with daily insurance and reinsurance business.’
‘Very deep knowledge of insurance and reinsurance rules and practice. Excellent experience in areas of corporate, energy and public procurement legal regulations. The best personal example of this is Jakub Pokrzywniak.’
Key clients
Baloise Vie Luxemburg S.A
Chubb European Group SE Branch in Poland
ČSOB Pojišťovna, a. s.
Generali Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń S.A.
InterRisk TU S.A. VIG
Korporacja Ubezpieczeń Kredytów Eksportowych S.A.
Open Life TU Życie S.A.
Polska Izba Ubezpieczeń
Powszechny Zakład Ubezpieczeń S.A.
Powszechny Zakład Ubezpieczeń na Życie S.A.
PZU Pomoc S.A.
PWS Konstanta S.A.
Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń i Reasekuracji Allianz Polska S.A.
Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń Allianz Życie Polska S.A.
Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń na Życie Europa S.A
Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń Europa S. A.
Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń i Reasekuracji Warta SA
TUW Polski Zakład Ubezpieczeń Wzajemnych
Vienna Life Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń na Życie S.A.
Work highlights
- Advised Tu Europa S.A. and TUnŻ Europa S.A. on a strategic bancassurance transaction involving the acquisition of 80% of the shares in Millennium Financial Services by two Talanx Group companies of Bank Millennium.
- Advised Chubb European Group SE Branch in Poland on the adaptation of several common law general terms of insurance to the requirements of Polish law and market practice.
- Acted on behalf of Uniqa TU S.A. in lodging a cassation appeal to the Supreme Court regarding MTPL insurance.
Poland > Public procurement Tier 1
The public procurement practice at WKB Lawyers supports both local and international clients with procurement law issues across various sectors, including energy, construction, infrastructure and defence. The December 2022 merger of the firm’s infrastructure, projects and public procurement teams bolstered its capabilities in complicated mandates, and as a result the team is increasingly active in advising on procurement matters encompassing energy, road construction, and the oil and gas sectors. The team is jointly led by Jan Roliński in Warsaw and Agnieszka Chwiałkowska in Poznan; the former is a key contact for major corporates operating in the energy and construction sectors, while the latter frequently advises clients on their applications for EU funding, in addition to advising on matters related to the disclosure of public information. Other key names within the team include newly promoted counsel Jarosław Kola and Piotr Wojdak.Practice head(s):
Jan Roliński; Agnieszka Chwiałkowska
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very good command of English. Excellent availability of practitioners. Quick reactions.’
‘Excellent knowledge of the specialist area of work we needed. Very quick in understanding the needs of the company.’
Key clients
Tramwaje Warszawskie sp. z o.o. (Warsaw Trams)
Centralny Port Komunikacyjny sp. z o.o. (Central Transport Hub)
Cellnex Poland sp. z o.o.
Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe sp. z o.o. (Polish Nuclear Plant)
GE Power sp. z o.o.
Operator Gazociągów Przesyłowych Gaz-System S.A. (National Gas Transmission Operator)
Alstal Grupa Budowlana sp. z o.o. sp.k.
WeBuild S.p.A. Oddział w Polsce
Poczta Polska S.A. (national mail operator)
Enea Group (Enea Operator sp. z o.o., Enea Trading sp. z o.o.)
Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Komunikacyjne w Poznaniu sp. z o.o. (Municipal Transportation Company in Poznan)
Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo S.A. (Polish Oil and Gas Company)
Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne S.A. (Polish Power Grid)
Grifols Polska sp. z o.o.
Miejskie Wodociągi i Kanalizacja w Bydgoszczy sp. z o.o. (Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage in Bydgoszcz)
Tauron Group (Tauron Polska Energia S.A., Tauron Dystrybucja S.A., Tauron Wydobycie S.A., Tauron Obsługa Klienta sp. z o.o., Nowe Jaworzno Grupa Tauron sp. z o.o.)
Solaris Bus & Coach sp. z o.o.
Nexera sp. z o.o.
PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna S.A. (Polish Energy Group)
Ground Transportation Systems Polska sp. z o.o. (former Thales Polska sp. z o.o.)
Work highlights
- Representing Nexera sp z o.o., as an appellant, in over 40 administrative procedures aimed at reclaiming unduly imposed financial corrections by the Polish Digital Projects Centre.
- Advising Centralny Port Komunikacyjny sp. z o.o. on investment processes related to the construction of an interchange hub in Central and Eastern Europe.
- Advising ENEA Operator sp z o.o. on the process of purchasing electricity balancing meters.
Poland > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2
WKB Lawyers‘ multi-disciplinary approach to M&A transactions allows clients to benefit from the firm’s wider teams, including its banking and finance, competition, labour, and energy departments, among others. Jakub Jedrzejak leads the broader group, while Anna Wojciechowska spearheads the corporate law and corporate governance practice. Co-founding partner Andrzej Wierciński is another key name, in addition to senior partner Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska, who has a particular focus on start-ups, and the TMT and IP industries. Anna Wyrzykowska heads up the real estate offering and assists with corporate mandates in that field, while Marta Midloch splits her time between M&A transactions, infrastructure projects, and capital markets work.Practice head(s):
Jakub Jędrzejak; Anna Wojciechowska
Other key lawyers:
Andrzej Wierciński; Ben Davey; Grzegorz Godlewski; Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska; Anna Wyrzykowska; Marta Midloch
Testimonials
‘Experienced business-oriented lawyers and responsive to client’s needs.’
‘WKB has an excellent team. They have outstanding experience in the real estate and M&A sector. Their partners’ and associates’ availability and competence is excellent. They are quick, and provide valuable, pragmatic advice.’
‘Jakub Jędrzejak was excellent; always available and provided pragmatic advice and easy to use responses to our questions.’
‘We could always rely on them.’
‘Widespread experience and knowledge, good project management.’
‘Grzegorz Godlewski has good M&A experience, approach, and project management.’
‘The members of the team are very communicative and responsive. They provide legal advice with extraordinary diligence and explain the issues with a high level of detail. They have a thorough knowledge of EU case law, and expertise allowing them to deal with complex legal matters.’
‘They are highly efficient, join the meetings well prepared, having considered the matters thoroughly. We value time efficiency, communication, and meticulous case management.’
Key clients
Neo Energy Group
Avallon
MB Aerospace
Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń Europa S.A,
Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń na Życie Europa S.A.
KGAL ESPF 5 Holding SARL
Polskie ePłatności
CVI Dom Maklerski
ČEZ a.s.
Lisner Holding
GreenVolt Energy
Afcon Renewable Energy
PZU Group
Shareholders of Health Labs Care SA
Schneider Electric
Ministry of State Assets
Work highlights
- Advising Lisner Holding, a member of the German Müller group, on its acquisition of Graal S.A., a major Polish fish processing and canning company, and a number of its subsidiaries.
- Advising ENEA S.A. on the sale ENEA Wytwarzanie sp. z o.o., ENEA Elektrownia Połaniec S.A., and ENEA Trading from ENEA S.A. to the Polish State to create the National Energy Security Agency, a special national agency created by the government to ensure Poland’s safety in relation to energy.
- Advising Accel-KKR on the acquisition of the majority of shares in Symfonia sp. z o.o. and its subsidiary.
Poland > Dispute resolution Tier 2
WKB Lawyers, lauded by a client as ‘one of the best independent firms in Poland’, represents clients in both domestic and international litigation and arbitration proceedings. The group is especially skilled in handling post-M&A, construction, and corporate disputes, as well as contentious mandates in the energy, infrastructure, banking and insurance, FMCG, and transport sectors. Certified arbitrator Bartłomiej Jankowski leads the dispute resolution team. Jordan Zafirow is another key senior contact, with expertise in disputes regarding infrastructure projects. Wiktor Iwański, Natalia Kabacińska and Piotr Gajek were all promoted to counsels at the beginning of 2023. Tomasz Kwieciński retired in 2023.Practice head(s):
Bartłomiej Jankowski
Other key lawyers:
Jordan Zafirow; Natalia Kabacińska; Wiktor Iwański; Anita Garnuszek; Piotr Gajek; Maciej Gniewosz
Testimonials
‘Great direct contact, very good knowledge of the construction business, transparency in settlements, experience and substantive knowledge – these are the elements that make cooperation with WKB effective and very pleasant.’
‘Jordan Zafirow and Natalia Kabacińska are recommended.’
‘One of the best independent firms in Poland with a large and strong dispute resolution practice. The team is entrepreneurial and more interested in claimant work than many other firms its size.’
Key clients
The State of Ukraine/Quinn Emanuell
Allegro
Allianz
CEZ Skawina
Tauron Dystrybucja
Master Management Group
FORBUILD SA
Webuild
DNB Bank Polska
Ryanair
BNP Paribas Bank Polska
ORBICO d.o.o.
Bilfinger Tebodin Poland
MZK Gorzów Wlkp.
Miejskie Wodociągi i Kanalizacja w Bydgoszczy sp. z o.o.
Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.
Ekstraklasa S.A.
Zakład Unieszkodliwiania Odpadów
PUT Intercor
PKO Bank Polski S.A.
PORR S.A.
CEMEX Polska Sp. z o.o.
GE Power Sp. z o.o.
Aldesa Construcciones
Västkustens Skogs AB
Poczta Polska
Jeronimo Martins
GE Power Sp. z o.o.
Aldesa Construcciones
Work highlights
- Representing the state of Ukraine in a dispute concerning bonds issued by Ukraine for the benefit of a Russian trust.
- Representing Ryanair in a dispute with a group of companies involved in screen scraping.
- Representing PORR S.A. in two disputes against the General Director for National Roads and Highways, regarding claims for price adjustment due to an extraordinary increase in prices on the construction market in 2018-2020.
Poland > Employment Tier 2
The employment practice at WKB Lawyers is experienced in advising on the HR aspects of domestic and cross-border M&A transactions, restructuring, and collective redundancies, as well as being ‘very experienced in employment disputes‘. The team is a popular choice among entities financed with public funds, including state-owned energy and fuel companies. Practice head Wioleta Polak is well regarded for her expertise in individual and collective labour law issues, employment restructurings, and pay and retention structures.Practice head(s):
Wioleta Polak
Other key lawyers:
Mateusz Gadja; Magda Kurowicka; Agata Miętek
Testimonials
‘The team is always very helpful, they share the issue and provide one person to contact the company they cooperate with.’
‘They answer all the client’s questions very quickly, using understable language. They are always ready to meet and help in any matter.’
‘The team did an outstanding job and is very experienced in employment disputes. They have a very good understanding of our business and its challenges. Highly effective.’
‘Agata Miętek is an advisor who can be fully trusted. Excellent knowledge of employment law. Good commercial awareness and very proactive.’
‘Very high professional expertise, customer focus, speed, suggestion of proactive solutions, and communication.’
‘Wioleta Polak – unbelivable ability to understand the client’s needs and work out optimal solutions balancing opportunities and risks.’
‘We value WKB for its very professional approach to solving our cases. The cases we turn to them are always analysed very thoroughly, various approaches are taken into account, and as a result we receive information about all available options for solving the problem.’
‘Our cooperation with Wioleta Polak is excellent, she is a great lawyer with huge experience. During our long-standing cooperation, we have noticed that she has a an extensive knowledge of the law, and also great research and analytical skills. We can always count on her professional assistance, even when we are acting under time pressure, and need help very quickly.’
Key clients
Warsaw Aviation sp. z o.o.
Ryanair Sun S.A.
PZU Zdrowie S.A.
Centrum Rozliczeń ElektronicznychPolskie ePłatności S.A
BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.
Accolade sp. z o.o.
Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociągów i Kanalizacji w m.st. Warszawie Spółka Akcyjna
ADP Polska sp. z o.o.
Specialized Poland Spółka z o.o.
Ralph Lauren Poland sp. z o.o.
Games Workshop Limited (sp. z o.o.) Oddział w Polsce
Aviva plc.
Energix Group
Iyuno Sweden AB
OLX
Premier Research Poland Sp. z o.o.
Poland > Energy and natural resources Tier 2
WKB Lawyers leverages its ‘great knowledge of the energy market’ to advise on the full spectrum of issues affecting the gamut of energy sub-sectors, including electricity, oil and gas, renewables, nuclear, and mining; this is often done in collaboration with the firm’s infrastructure, environment, litigation, real estate, and M&A teams. The client roster includes major domestic and international energy groups, regulatory offices, and Polish ministries. Veteran lawyer Jerzy Baehr co-heads the practice alongside the ‘solution-oriented’ Maciej Szambelańczyk, who advises on regulatory issues and the acquisition and development of renewable projects. Counsel Krzysztof Sikorski is also of note.Practice head(s):
Jerzy Baehr; Maciej Szambelańczyk
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Their team has a very good understanding of the business, they are capable of providing concrete advice even upon very short notice.’
‘Maciej Szambelańczyk – very good understanding of the business, personal engagement in the cases, exceptional availability, solution-oriented.’
‘They stand out for their great knowledge of the energy market, very good service quality, very good communication with the client and promptness.’
‘In particular, I work with Maciej Szambelańczyk. He has unique knowledge in many areas. He works very efficiently, quickly and can solve any legal problem.’
Key clients
A+Tech
ABEI ENERGY
ABO Wind AG
Afcon Renewable Energy
Baltic Green
Biowatt
Carrtomil Investments
Dalkia Group
Danske Commodities
Decora
Dino
EDF
E.ON.
EDP Renewables
Enea Operator
Enea Połaniec
Enea SA
Enea Trading
Energa Group
Energix Renewable Energies Ltd.
ENERSYSTEM
Elsen
Engie
Esso Deutschland
Eurowind Energy
Farmutil
Fortum
FCA Poland (Stellantis)
European Energy
Gas Storage Poland
GE Power
Generation Capital
Greenevo Tech
GreenGenius Sp. z o.o.
Hyderus
ib vogt
IGNITIS Poland
Industrial Services
IP Innovative Power
IKEA RETAIL
Ingka Investments B.V.
Izba Gospodarcza Gazownictwa (Polish Chamber of Commerce of Gas Industry)
Kaufland Polska
KGAL
Koehler Renewable
Lidl
LERTA
Longyuan
Luneos
OGP Gaz System S.A.
Northland Power
PGE Baltica sp. z o.o.
PGE Energia Odnawialna
PGE Obrót
PGE S.A.
PGNiG S.A.
PKP Energetyka
Polish Wind Energy Association (PSEW)
Polskie Elektrownie Jądrowe
Polsun Development Ltd
R.Power
Q-Energy Aguda
SEC (Szczecinska Energetyka Cieplna)
Solarpack
Stadtwerke München
Statkraft
TAURON Group
Veolia
Viessmann
VisaVento
WEX Europe
Yevulei Shemesh
YVS Nozdrzec
Zabrzańskie PEC
Work highlights
- Advised KGAL ESPF 5 Holding SARL on establishing a joint venture with Lasuno sp. zo.o. in order to develop renewable energy projects, including photovoltaic farms with a capacity exceeding 200MWp.
- Advising a client on the negotiation of a set of agreements covering the direct sale of electricity from several wind farms in Poland, belonging to EDF Group.
- Assisting Statkraft with its entry into the Polish market, including advising on the preparation of a development agreement template to be used in the development of new renewable energy installations.
Poland > Restructuring and insolvency Tier 2
WKB Lawyers‘s client base includes local and international parties, and spans financial institutions, debtors, and acquirers of distressed assets. One client notes the ‘great depth of the team and understanding of difficulties in restructuring proceedings‘. The group’s offering spans the gamut of domestic and cross-border restructurings and insolvencies, including debt restructurings, standstills, out-of-court restructurings, and pre-bankruptcy arrangements, as well as contentious mandates. Licensed restructuring advisor Klaudia Frątczak-Kospin, and banking and finance expert Piotr Grabarczyk, jointly lead the department.Practice head(s):
Klaudia Frątczak-Kospin; Piotr Grabarczyk
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Piotr Grabarczyk is recommended.’
‘Great depth of the team and understanding of difficulties in restructuring proceedings.’
‘Andrzej Wierciński and Piotr Grabarczyk work around the clock doing exceptional work.’
Key clients
BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.
Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski S.A.
CVI Dom Maklerski S.A.
Davidson Kempner Capital Management S.A.
Bank of America
UNIQA Towarzystwo Ubezpieczeń S.A.
Salini Polska
Zetland Capital
Schur Flexibles
TVN S.A.
Paan Capital
Nowe Jaworzno Grupa TAURON sp. z o.o.
Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne S.A.
Barter S.A.
A group of commercial creditors of BM Kobylin sp. z o.o.
Port Lotniczy Gdańsk sp. z o.o.
Court receiver of Elsen S.A.
Teren Operations Poland sp. z o.o.
Work highlights
- Advised a consortium of banks on the out-of-court financial restructuring of a major steel producer.
- Represented a major Polish bank in two parallel court restructuring proceedings of a major Polish agriculture groups.
- Representing a major Canadian medical company in the restructuring proceedings of a Polish medical entity.
Poland > Banking and finance Tier 3
At the beginning of 2023, WKB Lawyers‘ banking, debt capital markets, and financial regulations teams were merged into one practice; the strengthened group is now well placed to handle an even wider range of mandates, from multi-jurisdictional restructurings and high-yield bond issuance, to large-scale project, energy and real estate financings, to matters affecting the payments service industry. Securitisation and non-performing loans also fall within the group’s advisory work. Since previous practice head Marcin Smolarek left the firm in December 2022, Agata Szczepańczyk-Piwek has taken over leadership of the team, and she is praised as ‘one of the best banking lawyers in CEE’.Practice head(s):
Agata Szczepańczyk-Piwek
Other key lawyers:
Michał Kalicki; Augustyn Wróbel
Testimonials
‘Good team with good understanding of business.’
‘The biggest strength of WKB is its people.’
‘WKB lawyers are always in line with all our requirements. They keep the agreed time schedule and most of all they have an outstanding sense of business.’
‘I have to single out Agata Szczepańczyk-Piwek, who is the most engaged partner I have ever worked with. Her team is the team I work with with the greatest pleasure.’
‘Great B&F team. Can always rely on WKB no matter how complicated the transaction is.’
‘Agata Szczepańczyk-Piwek is one of the best banking lawyers in the CEE.’
Key clients
Accolade Group
Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.
Panattoni Europe
BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.
mBank Group
Alior Bank
Societe Generale
Polish Development Fund
Miejskie Przedsiębiorstwo Wodociągów i Kanalizacji
Work highlights
- Assisted Accolade Group and its SPVs with the process of obtaining financings from major Polish banks for logistics centres in Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Gorzow, Elbląg, Jelenia Góra, Legnica, Konin, Koszalin, Piła and Szczecin.
- Advised Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A. on several financings of logistics centre developments by Panattoni Group.
- Advised mBank and mBank Hipoteczny on financings in the form of mortgage-covered bonds.
Poland > Capital markets Tier 3
WKB Lawyers‘ ECM team frequently advises clients on tender offers for the acquisition of majority stakes in listed companies, as well as take-private processes. The DCM side of the practice undertakes matters regarding bond issues and securitisations, in addition to routine legal services to stock exchange listed companies and investment firms conducting brokerage activity. Marta Midloch in Poznań and Agata Szczepańczyk-Piwek in Warsaw jointly lead the team.Practice head(s):
Marta Midloch; Agata Szczepańczyk-Piwek
Other key lawyers:
Jakub Jędrzejak; Monika Obiegło
Testimonials
‘WKB is well placed to provide a very wide range of legal services of excellent quality. They think out of the box and pay attention to details, not losing the general objective from their sight. It is a pleasure to work with them! Will be coming back with further projects.’
‘Jakub Jędrzejak is an exceptionally good lawyer, a very hands-on partner, with exceptional business approach. His consciousness of the business goals is evident at all stages of the process.’
Key clients
mBank S.A.
mBank Hipoteczny S.A.
LCM Partners Limited
Bank Ochrony Środowiska S.A.
Accolade Group
Bank Pocztowy S.A.
Work highlights
- Advised mBank and mBank Hipoteczny on the issues of covered bonds and bonds with an aggregate nominal value of PLN2.5bn.
- Advised LCM Partners Limited on a few securitisation transactions where the client acquired receivables portfolios through its non-standardised securitisation closed-end investment fund.
Poland > Intellectual property Tier 3
The IP practice at WKB Lawyers has ample experience advising clients on trade mark, design and copyright law issues. The team has particular expertise in mandates with a nexus to fintech, technology, media and data protection. Its roster of clients features players in the media, online services and life sciences sectors. The practice is jointly led by Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska, Paulina Maślak-Stępnikowska and Ewa Jaroszyńska-Kozłowska.Practice head(s):
Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska; Ewa Jaroszyńska-Kozłowska; Paulina Maślak-Stępnikowska
Testimonials
‘Paulina Maślak-Stępnikowska delivers an outstanding level of understanding of complex legal matters. Also, she shows a depth of knowledge in her field of expertise. Her responsiveness also should be acknowledged as quick and on point.’
‘The WKB team in the intellectual property practice is highly specialised and has the ability of a deep understanding of both legal and technical aspects of the case. The team’s knowledge in patents, trade marks, copyrights, and trade secrets makes them unique. This includes experience in litigation, patent prosecution, trade mark registration, and more – which provides WKB clients’ with successful protection of their IP rights.’
‘One of the individuals I worked with is Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska who combines legal expertise with knowledge in business strategy, market dynamics, and competitive intelligence. Such a set of skills enables Agnieszka to deliver highly comprehensive advice to clients.’
Key clients
Chubb Limited
Orkla Care S.A.
Ryanair
Lidl Sp. z o.o. sp. k
Jerónimo Martins SGPS, S.A.
Wolters Kluwer Polska
HBO Europe s.r.o.
Avia Capitals
Innova Capital sp. z o.o. sp. k.
Allegro (part of Naspers Group)
Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego S.A. (Polish State Bank)
Helios Energy Investments 5 LP
Generation Capital LTD
Bandwidth Inc (Voxbone Inc)
Centrum Rozliczeń Elektronicznych Polskie ePłatności S.A.
Cludo sp. z o.o.
Work highlights
- Represented TVN in litigation brought by an individual who claims that her story was used as a plot for a drama movie without valid consent.
- Advising Fremantle Media Poland on various acquisitions of rights to fiction and non-fiction book screenings.
- Represented X-Trade Brokers S.A. in litigation before EUIPO and the CJEU related to trade mark invalidation proceedings against a company from Cyprus.
Poland > Private equity Tier 3
Jakub Jędrzejak and Ben Davey co-head the private equity practice at WKB Lawyers, which sits within the firm’s corporate and M&A practice. The group is typically instructed by local and international institutional investors, private equity funds, and alternative asset funds. Industries in which the group is especially active include food, fintech and manufacturing. Corporate lawyer Andrzej Wierciński is another notable name in this space.Practice head(s):
Jakub Jędrzejak; Ben Davey
Other key lawyers:
Dominik Kulpa; Andrzej Wierciński; Grzegorz Godlewski; Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska; Małgorzata Studniarek
Key clients
Avallon
MB Aerospace
Centrum Rozliczeń Polskie ePłatności S.A.
CVI
Neo Energy
KGAL ESPF 5 Holding SARL
Lisner Holding
Alpinvest
DPE Deutsche Private Equity Holding
Work highlights
- Advising Lisner Holding, a member of the German Müller group, on its proposed acquisition of Graal S.A., a major Polish fish processing and canning company, and a number of its subsidiaries.
- Advising Accel-KKR on the acquisition of a majority of shares in Symfonia sp. z o.o. and its subsidiary.
- Advised MB Aerospace on the Polish aspects of the sale of the operational group to Barnes Group for an enterprise value of approximately $740m.
Poland > Real estate Tier 3
The real estate team at WKB Lawyers assists some of the largest global corporates, as well as domestic entities who seek advice in relation to a variety of real estate asset classes, including commercial, retail, hotel, logistics and office spaces. Its offering includes advice on all stages of property development, in addition to representation of clients in civil and administrative courts in matters relating to real estate and construction. Anna Wyrzykowska leads the team and is adept at advising on real estate trading law, spatial planning, construction, and land development. Bartosz Łaski is also recommended.Practice head(s):
Anna Wyrzykowska
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Anna Wyrzykowska – experienced real estate lawyer, good at negotiations, has great ownership of the cases she manages.’
‘Professional knowledge and advice in the area in which they supported our project. Flexibility and openness.’
Key clients
BNP Paribas Bank Polska
Panattoni
Accolade
Karl Lagerfeld
Thales Polska
New Port Logistic Fund
Miele
Ryanair
Marc O’Polo
REB Group
ING Lease
Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable
Lincoln Properties
Beiersdorf AG / Nivea Polska
Siemens
Work highlights
- Advised PKO BP, as a tenant, on a long-term lease agreement for the entire area of the new SKYSAWA complex.
- Advising Panattoni on various matters, including the acquisition of greenfield and brownfield investments, negotiations of commercial lease agreements, and transactions with capital investors.
- Advised Karl Lagerfeld on the process of entering the Polish market and negotiations of four lease agreements for commercial space in shopping centres in Poland.
Poland > TMT Tier 3
WKB Lawyers has a broad-ranging TMT offering, and it provides clients with advice on software development contracts, technology transfers, and e-commerce matters, in addition to handling licensing disputes, media competition cases, and regulatory and public procurement-related issues. A large proportion of its client base consists of developers, publishers, and producers. Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska and Paulina Maślak-Stępnikowska are the two senior names to note.Practice head(s):
Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska; Paulina Maślak-Stępnikowska
Key clients
FremantleMedia Polska Sp. z o.o.
TVN S.A.
Ekstraklasa S.A.
11 bit studios
Stavka sp. Z o.o.
Orkla Care S.A.
Global Message Services Worldwide
OLX
Wolters Kluwer Polska
HBO Europe s.r.o.
Allegro
Axel Springer National Media & Tech GmbH & Co. KG
Cludo sp. z o.o.
Work highlights
- Represented TVN in litigation against a press publisher in a case concerning the right to claim press correction.
- Advised Fremantle Media Polska, as external production counsel, on the first season of Love Never Lies for Netflix.
Poland > Data privacy and data protection Tier 4
WKB Lawyers‘s multi-disciplinary team includes experts from the firm’s IT, life sciences, competition, banking, and IP groups, and it supports clients on large projects regarding data processing and the migration of data. Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska sits at the helm of the department and she regularly supports TV content producers and broadcasters with day-to-day and contractual matters.Practice head(s):
Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska
Other key lawyers:
Małgorzata Skórska; Paulina Maślak
Testimonials
‘The associates as well as the partners are very attentive and responsive. The knowledge is up-to-date.’
‘Paulina Maślak is a stand-out. She guided us during the whole process.’
‘The firm is very professional and provides comprehensive client service. It uses various forms of communication in dealing with clients.’
‘All the employees with whom I have had contact have a high personal culture. They are competent and focused on helping the client. They often offer additional services and facilities to companies.’
‘WKB is the best firm we have worked with. They are responsive, diligent, practical and thorough. They provide excellent and timely advice.’
‘Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska was a huge help in navigating Poland’s complex legal system. To an outsider, she was able to explain things clearly and give us really pragmatic advice. She went above and beyond, proactively checking in with us to see if we needed any additional assistance.’
Key clients
Polski Bank Komórek Macierzystych
Work highlights
- Advising Polski Bank Komórek Macierzystych as its Data Protection Officer.
WKB Lawyers > Firm Profile
The firm: WKB Lawyers is a leading Polish independent law firm with a strong team of solution-oriented lawyers advising domestic and international clients on the most complex transactions and cases, helping them achieve their goals in a rapidly changing world.
WKB’s international outlook and many years of experience in cross-border work, combined with its deep understanding of the Polish market, make the firm a reliable partner to seamlessly handle a vast array of matters.
Founded in 2004, WKB has been growing steadily both in team size and in its offering. In recent years the firm has invested significantly in strengthening, in particular, its banking and finance practice, which has demonstrated capabilities in various forms and aspects of domestic and cross-border financing transactions, as well as its foreign desk offering.
The firm, responding to global trends and anticipating the needs of entrepreneurs, has established, as one of the first in Poland, a multidisciplinary ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) practice. The team consists of lawyers representing a variety of specializations and industries, including banking and finance, environmental protection, consumer prtection, real estate, energy, infrastructure and public procurement to provide comprehensive advice to entrepreneurs, local governments and organizations.
Having adopted an industry-focused approach from the outset, the firm offers business-oriented and knowledgeable advice to clients from across many other sectors, including energy, infrastructure, construction and real estate, retail and FMCG, financial institutions, IT, telecommunication, technology, water and waste, municipal, chemical and defence.
The firm’s key clients in recent years include Ryanair, Santander, Uber, IKEA, EBRD, EDF, BNP Paribas, Naspers, ALLIANZ, PKN ORLEN, Panattoni, PGNiG, ENEA, Aviva, MB Aerospace, TAURON, Poczta Polska, GE Power, Harley Davidson, and AEGON.
Areas of practice: WKB Lawyers advises clients across all areas of business law. Its hands-on partners offer full support in M&A and corporate matters and have been increasingly active in high-profile cross-border and domestic transactions, with a number of recent deals involving private equity funds and blue-chip companies, including in the energy and insurance sectors.
The firm also has a long-established reputation for its capabilities in, among others, competition law, intellectual property and TMT (including data protection), company restructurings and insolvency proceedings, public procurement and state aid matters, as well as EU funding.
Strong in dispute resolution, WKB boasts a team of experienced litigators with particular expertise in intellectual property, construction, public procurement, and EU funding-related disputes, who are also well-known for advising major Polish cities and utilities, as well as representing financial institution clients in complex and innovative multi-million-złoty cases (including in competition and consumer law matters).
WKB is also instructed to advise on an increasing number of strategic infrastructure investments (energy and gas facilities, public utilities, road infrastructure) as well as real estate projects (including major real estate transactions and property development processes for various types of markets). The firm is involved in the biggest energy projects in Poland, crucial for the country’s energy security.
The firm also boasts three foreign desks where experienced lawyers team up to provide French, German and Italian-speaking businesses with the assistance that is tailored to their needs and compatible with their business culture. WKB’s foreign experts advise on all sorts of matters (including M&A, as well as day-to-day operations and disputes) and draw in expertise from various practice areas such as company law, real estate, banking and finance, intellectual property, competition law and others.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Aviation | Aleksander Stawicki | aleksander.stawicki@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Banking and finance | Marcin Smolarek | marcin.smolarek@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Business Criminal Law | Aleksandra Stępniewska | aleksandra.stepniewska@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Capital markets | Agata Szczepańczyk-Piwek | agata.szczepanczyk-piwek@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Company law/corporate governance | Anna Wojciechowska | anna.wojciechowska@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Competition | Aleksander Stawicki | aleksander.stawicki@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Consumer protection | Dorota Karczewska | dorota.karczewska@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Data protection | Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska | agnieszka.wiercinska@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Employment | Wioleta Polak | wioleta.polak@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Energy | Jerzy Baehr | jerzy.baehr@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Environment and natural resources | Sergiusz Urban | sergiusz.urban@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
French Desk | Anna Wyrzykowska | anna.wyrzykowska@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Food Law | Aleksander Stawicki | aleksander.stawicki@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
German Desk | Anna Wojciechowska | anna.wojciechowska@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Infrastructure projects | Anna Flaga-Martynek | anna.flaga@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Infrastructure projects | Marta Midloch | marta.midloch@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Insurance | Jakub Pokrzywniak | jakub.pokrzywniak@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Italian Desk | Jan Roliński | jan.rolinski@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Intellectual property and TMT | Agnieszka Wiercińska-Krużewska | agnieszka.wiercinska@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Litigation and dispute resolution | Bartłomiej Jankowski | bartlomiej.jankowski@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
M&A | Jakub Jędrzejak | jakub.jedrzejak@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Public Procurement | Jan Roliński | jan.rolinski@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Real Estate | Anna Wyrzykowska | anna.wyrzykowska@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Restructuring and insolvency | Andrzej Wierciński | andrzej.wiercinski@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
State aid and EU funds | Łukasz Czekański | lukasz.czekanski@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Tax | Łukasz Czekański | lukasz.czekanski@wkb.pl | +48 22 201 00 00 |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Aleksander Stawicki | Managing Partner at WKB, head of the Competition Law practice | View Profile |
Staff Figures
No. of lawyers : 130Languages
Polish English German French Italian UkrainianMemberships
AIJA IBA Multilaw AEL AEECDiversity
For us, at WKB, adopting the Diversity & Inclusion policy manifests itself in specific daily activities. Since the beginning of its operations, WKB has been employing and working with experts, regardless of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, age, social origin, religious belief, or political opinions. We believe that bringing together people from different backgrounds and different perspectives provides them with the environment to develop their skills. We strongly feel that the creation of such an inclusive environment is of great value for individuals and the company.
WKB Lawyers brand emphasizes that we all create one team of different people, regardless of their official position and background. work together on an equal basis for the success of our law firm.
Below we present selected examples of our activities and their effects:
- The WKB team is gender-balanced (half of our employees/lawyers are women). This year we have promoted five female lawyers – four of them joined the ranks of WKB’s equity partners, one joined the ranks of WKB’s partners. Moreover, we do not discriminate based on age (we work with colleagues from the age of 20 to 70), nationality (employing international lawyers) or disability (one of our longest-employed lawyers is a person with disabilities).
- We have established a multidisciplinary ESG team, as we put great importance on running our business in the spirit of ESG. We also want to effectively support our clients in their efforts towards sustainable development.
- We encourage our people from different levels of the organization to implement their fresh ideas – e.g. for several years our colleague has been conducting educational projects for the Foundation operating for disabled persons
- All employees have equal development opportunities – we organize trainings for all employees daily –in different fields: law, management, organization or communication. Experts with relevant experience share their knowledge with the less experienced ones. Each employee has a dedicated yearly training budget, which can be used for professional development
- We’re implementing „Work-life balance” strategies. We have implemented flexible, individually tailor-made working patterns (e.g. for chronically ill people or those with special personal or family situations). We are a parental-leave-friendly organisation. We have also introduced numerous well-being benefits, including extensive medical care and sports packages.
- We provided our staff with the opportunity to consult a psychologist during working hours. We know how much our life ( especially in the pandemic) was challenging and disrupting and we wanted to mitigate this change.
- When each employee signs a contract with WKB, she/he also signs a book of procedures in which he/she commits to apply the principles of equal treatment and counteracting mobbing.
- Competition/antitrust
- Construction
- Insurance
- Public procurement