The Legal 500

Within Banking and finance, Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s recent highlights include advising a bank syndicate, including the mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners, on a PLN2bn loan to Telekomunikacja Polska. Grzegorz Namiotkiewicz and Jan Zdzienicki jointly head the team, in which counsels Andrzej Stosio and Rafal Zakrzewski are also key contacts. There was significant turnaround in the team as Nicholas Coddington and Tomasz Ostrowski joined White & Case – W. Danilowicz, W. Jurcewicz i Wspólnicy Kancelaria Prawna sp.K; Pawel Turek become a senior associate at DLA Piper Wiater sp.k.; Agnieszka Kozikowska joined Salans; and Tomasz Jedwabny went to CMS Cameron McKenna Dariusz Greszta Spólka Komandytowa.

Within Capital markets: Debt, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance assisted the joint lead arrangers with updating PKO Finance’s €3bn loan participation notes programme. Warsaw managing partner Grzegorz Namiotkiewicz and counsel Andrzej Stosio are the key practitioners.

Within Capital markets: Equity, Clifford Chance is a third tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s recently promoted counsel Jaroslaw Lorenc co-ordinates the equity practice, and ‘knows Polish securities law extremely well’. Key matters included advising on a significant WSE listing. Warburg Pincus is a regular client.

Within Competition/antitrust, Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s Iwona Terlecka specialises in Polish and European competition law. Terlecka’s team represents some of the largest foreign corporations operating in Poland, and has acted in cartels, state aid matters and merger clearances.

Within Corporate and M&A, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance ‘adds value to the negotiation process through out-of-the-box thinking’. It advised PKN Orlen on selling its shares in Polkomtel, and Advent International on the acquisition of a 34% stake in American Heart of Poland, a provider of cardiovascular medical services. The practice also assisted Poland-based private equity fund Innova Capital on co-investing with Montagu into TP Emitel, Poland’s terrestrial radio and TV broadcasting infrastructure operator. Corporate head Agnieszka Janicka is ‘not only a competent lawyer but provides highly commercial and practical advice’. Nick Fletcher is ‘good at articulating the important points around issues and highlighting the more relevant commercial aspects’. Counsels Marcin Bartnicki and the hardworking Tomasz Derda are also recommended.

Within Dispute resolution, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance represented the Polish government in arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty, marking the third-largest claim ever launched against Poland by an investor. Counsel Marcin Ciemiński is noted for regulatory investigations, fraud, and healthcare and life sciences disputes. Ciemiński’s ‘knowledge of Polish law is deeply impressive’. Head of litigation Bartosz Kruzewski ‘provides clear, effective advice’. Joanna Mlot joined CMS Cameron McKenna Dariusz Greszta Spólka Komandytowa.

Within Employment, tier 4

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’.

Within Energy and natural resources, Clifford Chance is a third tier firm,

Clifford Chance’s corporate head Agnieszka Janicka and counsel Tomasz Janas mainly deal with M&A and regulatory work in the conventional and renewable energy sectors, whereas Marcin Bejm specialises in infrastructure, public procurement and project finance work. The team advised a consortium in the procurement process to select a private investor who will finance, build and maintain an incineration plant in Poznań. Daniel Kopania leads the real estate, construction and infrastructure side, and specialises in structuring projects and EPC contracts.

Within Real estate, Clifford Chance is a second tier firm,

Clifford Chance advised Manchester Securities on one of the biggest single property disposals in Poland in recent years. Daniel Kopania has ‘a steady hand and works hard at building new relationships’. Counsel Marcin Bejm specialises in infrastructure work, and counsel Bartosz Kaniasty is ‘a good transactional lawyer’. The firm is rebuilding the strength of its practice following the departure of former group head Pawel Debowski and a team to Salans in late 2010.

Within Tax, Clifford Chance is a third tier firm,

Wojciech Dmoch and Tomasz Szymura are Clifford Chance’s principal tax contacts. Ghelamco Poland was assisted on tax aspects of its acquisition of a majority stake in publishing house Bellona.