The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Oppenheim is a second tier firm,

Oppenheim’s role as local counsel for international law firms continues to provide some instructions, despite the market downturn: it recently acted for Reynolds Group on the financing of its acquisition of Evergreen Packaging Inc and Whakatane Paper Mill. CIB remains a source of banking litigation instructions, and Porsche Bank Group instructed Mihály Barcza to advise on restructuring its Hungarian division.

Within Capital markets, Oppenheim is a second tier firm,

Oppenheim ‘combines a thorough, analytical approach with commerciality’. While its involvement in key deals has somewhat depleted, Milhály Barcza’s team did handle a public purchase offer for Linmar and continues to provide regulatory advice to Citibank.

Within Competition, Oppenheim is a first tier firm,

Oppenheim’s ‘client-oriented’ practice operates with ‘maximum competence, thoroughness and flexibility’. Cartels expert Gábor Fejes recently defended CooperVision in antitrust investigations before the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) and is advising Generali-Providencia in preliminary reference proceedings before the ECJ. This ‘pragmatic and business-minded’ team has also handled state aid complaints, private enforcement litigation and the development of compliance programmes. Other clients include Visa Europe, TV2 Hungary and Holcim Hungary.

Within Dispute resolution, Oppenheim is a first tier firm,

Oppenheim’s ‘insightful’ team acts for a number of large European construction companies including KÉSZ Group and Hochtief. Tamás Éless is ‘determined’ and a ‘highly effective’ litigator. He recently defended Porr Technobau und Umwelt in a €16m damages claim and continues to represent CIB Bank in multibillion-forint disputes.

Within Employment, Oppenheim is a third tier firm,

Oppenheim advises the Hungarian arms of British American Tobacco and GE on labour law and related litigation. Zsolt Cselédi’s team also handled transfers of undertakings, respectively for Nissan Service Centre and Allianz.

Within Energy, Oppenheim is a first tier firm,

Oppenheim attracted a number of new clients, including China Longyuan Power Group and OMV Exploration. Gergely Légrádi advised another new client, TIGÁZ, on gas procurement, and the team represented Korlea Group in a number of disputes. The practice demonstrated significant regulatory aptitude when it advised OMV Trading and Interenergo on their respective entries into the Hungarian energy trading market.

Within Intellectual property , Oppenheim is a second tier firm,

Oppenheim’s bailiwick is IT-related IP advice, such as advising clients on their software, email and internet activities. Ivan Bartal leads the four-strong team, which counts OTP Bank and Sinoma Budapest as key clients. In addition, the group represents Mars in trade mark litigation and recently advised new client The Reader’s Digest Association Inc on complex licensing agreements.

Within Legal market overview,

A sluggish year for real estate saw the suspension of a number of retail and office development projects, leaving the modicum of significant deals to be handled by leading firms such as CMS Cameron McKenna LLP and Andrékó Kinstellar. Local powerhouses Nagy és Trócsányi and Szecskay Attorneys at Law continued to lead the way in dispute resolution, which has been one of the buoyant practice areas during the financial crisis. The departure of some foreign businesses has produced challenges and opportunities for key independent firms including Oppenheim, which has been working to build its group and international client base since the departure of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and Lakatos, Köves and Partners, which has seen a drop-off since Clifford Chance left Hungary. Simándi Bird & Bird was renamed Eördögh Bird & Bird after Richárd Eördögh was appointed as the new managing partner to replace Andrea Simándi, who joined Microsoft in January 2012.

Within Mergers and acquisitions, Oppenheim is a first tier firm,

Oppenheim’s ‘innovative’, ‘business-minded’ and ‘professional’ M&A team ‘strives hard to stay at the top of the market’. It recently advised Allianz Hungaria Insurance on the sale of Allianz Bank Hungary to FHB Bank Penta Investments, and represented TEVA Pharmaceuticals and Tengelmannon in respective pursuits of targets in Hungary. Mihály Barcza is the key contact. The firm retains close ties to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP.

Within Project finance, Oppenheim is a second tier firm,

Oppenheim has a strong record in project finance, having advised construction companies on transport infrastructure projects, although a quiet year in terms of PPP-related work meant the team focused more on acquisition finance and restructuring.

Within Real estate and construction, Oppenheim is a third tier firm,

Oppenheim represents a number of international real estate agencies. It acted for Azora Europe on a €35m office purchase, and advised new client Mundial Investment on a €34m hotel development. Márk Pintér leads the practice.

Within TMT, Oppenheim is a second tier firm,

Oppenheim advised Upstream SA on a gaming venture with Vodafone Hungary, and Sanoma Digital Media on IP issues. Ivan Bartal heads the two-lawyer team.