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Firms in the Spotlight Transport (including shipping)

Vladimirov Law Office

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Vladimirov Law Office is a leading law office located in Sofia, Bulgaria. It was established in 1992 by lawyer and founder Vladimir Vladimirov and has managed to become a leading international law firm in Bulgaria.

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Transport (including shipping) in Bulgaria

Andrey Delchev and Partners - Eurolex Bulgaria

Andrey Delchev and Partners - Eurolex Bulgaria is the preferred adviser of numerous municipalities and governmental departments, including the Ministry of Transport and Communications and the Council of Ministers, for which the team provides advisory services on concessions, operations and financing matters in the transport sector. The core of the practice is the team’s extensive track record in port infrastructure matters, where it is active in advising on inland shipping issues and the implementation of relevant legislation. Specialist advice on air transport infrastructure, city transport infrastructure and metro extensions also comprise much of the team’s practice. Stoyan Barzakov heads the practice group alongside Magdalena Valova.

Practice head(s):

Magdalena Valova; Stoyan Barzakov


Key clients

Council of Ministers


Ministry of Transport and Communications


Trace Group Hold


Work highlights


  • Advised Trace Group Hold on the legal aspects of a wide variety of infrastructure projects and represented the client in court.
  • Assisted the Ministry of Transport and Communications with an analysis of the relevant legal aspects of opening a concession procedure for the Varna Ferry Complex.
  • Assisted the Ministry of Transport and Communications with the task of analysing the possibility of terminating the concession contract for construction works on Plovdiv Central railway station.

Boyanov & Co.

The well-established transport practice group at Boyanov & Co. is noted for being ‘commercially minded and well versed’ in all aspects of the sector, offering a diverse range of services. The team excels in the aviation sector, where it advises foreign lessors on acquisition projects, in addition to related financing and security transactions. Regulatory, public procurement and infrastructure issues regarding railway and road transport projects are other core areas of focus for the team, alongside assisting overseas law firms with shipping issues. Team leader Raina Dimitrova is praised by clients as an ‘excellent lawyer’ and a ‘tremendous local resource. Also the head of the firm’s commercial practice, she handles aircraft financing, tourism and procurement matters, among others. Senior associate Trayan Targov is also a key contact.

Practice head(s):

Raina Dimitrova


Other key lawyers:

Trayan Targov


Testimonials

‘Raina Dimitrova and Trayan Targov did an amazing job of making the muddy waters crystal clear in a cost-effective manner. Quite simply, it was the best experience we have had with local counsel.’

‘Raina Dimitrova and Trayan Targov were absolute stars, providing timely, clear, descriptive and cost-effective advice.’

‘Raina is very knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with cross-border aircraft leasing to Bulgarian airlines. Always willing to make herself available to get the deal over the line.’

‘Knowledge and capability to advise the London insurance market.’

‘Very clear advice and commercial, practical recommendations.’

‘I have worked with the Boyanov & Co. team on aircraft finance matters. The team is commercially minded and well versed in serving the needs of foreign leasing companies.’

‘Raina Dimitrova is an excellent lawyer and well versed in aircraft finance transactions in Bulgaria. She is a tremendous local resource for us.’

Key clients

GA Telesis


Dubai Aerospace Enterprise


Macquarie Aircraft Leasing Services (Ireland)


Nordic Aviation Capital


Wizz Air


Aurick One Limited


Avolon


British Airways


Aircastle


Carlyle Aviation


Engine Lease Finance Corporation


Aero Capital Solutions


Oaktree Capital Management


Airwork Holdings Limited


Work highlights


  • Represented WIZZ Air in a series of landmark legal battles against the unification of airport passenger charges collected at the different passenger terminals of Sofia Airport, which gave rise to reimbursement claims of over €1m.
  • Advised Nordic Aviation Capital on the sale of four aircraft to Bulgarian flag carrier Bulgaria Air against the background of an ongoing financial restructuring procedure under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code from which Nordic Aviation Capital successfully exited in June 2022.
  • Advised British Airways in respect of liability claims related to a serious ground handling incident which occurred at the ramp of Sofia Airport.

Georgiev, Todorov & Co

Home to a team of ‘experienced and capable lawyers’ in the transport sector, Georgiev, Todorov & Co advises a host of domestic and international clients on the full range of matters emanating from the sector; the team counts BalkanTel, BMF Port Burgas and Port of Burgas among its core clients. Advising on implementing policy, project development, public procurement and concessions are among the team’s other specialisms, as is litigation. Recently, the team successfully represented Hemus Motorways in appealing the opening of the public procurement procedure for a high-value road maintenance project. Singled out as an ‘expert in the transport field’, Alexander Pachamanov leads the team, focusing on regulatory, competition and corporate issues in the sector. Tsvetelina Dimitrova is active on the shipping side of the practice, and is another key point of contact.

Practice head(s):

Alexander Pachamanov


Other key lawyers:

Tsvetelina Dimitrova


Testimonials

‘The transport sector is very specific and requires legal support from experienced and capable lawyers. Georgiev, Todorov & Co. demonstrate that they have the full capacity, qualities and knowledge to meet all our requirements and expectations. The lawyers from the team are familiar with all the developments in the market and impress us with their in-depth knowledge, great negotiation skills and positive attitude to clients. The team is always ready to support the client and find the best possible solutions to each case and issue.’

‘The practice is unique due to its multidisciplinary expertise, including in specific sectors such as real estate, construction and transport, as well as offering brilliant legal assistance both in court and in relation to public procurement contracts. The lawyers are very well prepared, very persuasive, and have sound judgement. These are among the reasons why we chose to work with them on our complex, high-profile and high-value matter.’

‘Georgiev, Todorov & Co. has been our legal adviser for over five years. We have chosen their legal services due to their expertise in multiple fields and jurisdictions. The law firm was excellent in drafting its strategy, analysing all the relevant issues and negotiating the best solutions to our claims.’

‘Our team highly values the work of Alexander Pachamanov, an expert in the transport field who has industry-specific knowledge and a passion for his work. In addition, Tsvetelina Dimitrova has strong communication skills, creativity and is very responsive to various enquiries.’

Key clients

Advance Properties


Alfred C. Toepfer International


BALKANTEL


BMF Port Burgas


Bulgarian Branch Chamber “Roads”


Bulgarian Posts


DUVENBECK LOGISTICA


Fleet Services


Galchev Engineering


G.P. GROUP


Hemus Motorways AD


INGSTROYENGINEERING


KG Maritime Shipping


LIEL Construction


Metroreklama


MTK Trans


Port of Burgas


Solaris Bus & Coach


Sofia Bikes Association


OBONATO BUILD


Work highlights


  • Represented Hemus Motorways in appealing the opening of the public procurement procedure for the maintenance of the roads in the northwestern region of Bulgaria.
  • Advised MTK Trans on agreements with the municipality of Sofia for the carriage of passengers by several city bus lines and assisted the client with collecting unpaid remuneration for the transport services performed.
  • Assisted Duvenbeck Logistica with the execution in Bulgaria of a foreign court decision on the grounds of EU Regulation No. 1215/2012 on the collection of the purchase price for trucks.

Kambourov & Partners

Kambourov & Partners covers the full spectrum of matters in the transport sector, including corporate and financial transactions, tax, employment, competition, health and safety, IT and environmental issues. Advising clients on participation in large-scale projects is another core component of the team’s caseload, including the development of metro lines and highways and port concessions. The practice also has a growing specialism in mobility and connected car technologies; Audi is a key client in this area. The ‘strategic and methodicalStefan Tzakov co-leads the team with Atanas Shopov, who specialises in infrastructure matters in the rail, aviation, port and automotive industries. Associate Elena Apostolova is also a name to note.

Practice head(s):

Stefan Tzakov; Atanas Shopov


Other key lawyers:

Elena Apostolova


Testimonials

‘The team combines expertise from all the relevant practices, including regulatory, corporate, public procurement, dispute resolution and construction, and provides seamless advice on all legal aspects of the transport sector. We have worked with them for many years and in terms of road infrastructure, underground construction and pipeline issues they have proven to be exceptional experts. Our long-term working relationship testifies to the quality of the work and the team members.’

‘The team stands out for its knowledge, true expertise and versatility. Stefan Tzakov and Atanas Shopov are the lawyers we mostly work with on transport matters. Stefan brilliantly handles public procurement and concession matters, and in addition to being a top-notch adviser, he is also an extraordinary litigator. Atanas handles the real estate and construction matters and his expertise, commercial approach, determination and negotiation skills really make him stand out among competitors.’

‘Kambourov’s transport practice draws in proven experts from multiple areas to create a powerful integrated team with the capacity to cover every possible aspect of the sector, including construction, corporate, concessions, public procurement, regulatory and litigation matters. They possess extensive knowledge of current and emerging legal issues and provide highly expert advice in a very efficient and comprehensive way.’

Key clients

Consortium HSS-Monolit Sofia


Leo Aerial Systems


Kapsch Trafficcom


Audi


Wizz Air


ICBCIL Aviation Company Limited (ICBC)


Euroengineering


First Investment Bank


Alstom Transport


Cloud Investment Partners


Patni Nastilki


Valeo


Strabag


Witte Automotive


ITA


Deutsche Bank


Elica Yard


Work highlights


  • Advised the HSS-Monolit Sofia consortium on the design and construction of a new section of the third line of the Sofia Metro.
  • Advised ICBCIL Aviation Company Limited in respect of the leasing of three Airbus A320-214 aircraft from Bulgaria Air AD.
  • Assisted Kapsch with the implementation a toll system in Bulgaria, including advising on the multiple real estate, regulatory, construction, infrastructure, corporate and tax aspects.

Arsov Natchev Ganeva

Arsov Natchev Ganeva is most notable for its work in the aviation field, carving out specialist expertise in regulatory and compliance issues and litigation in the sector. One of the oldest aviation practices in the domestic market, the team regularly acts on behalf of a multinational client roster that includes major airlines, airports, aircraft leasing companies, manufacturers and private investors, among others. Fellow co-founders and managing partners Vladimir Natchev, a financing specialist, and Svetlana Ganeva, who handles a wide variety of complex litigation for ground handling operators, jointly lead the practice group.

Practice head(s):

Svetlana Ganeva; Vladimir Natchev


Key clients

Italia Trasporto Aereo


First State Investments


Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria


AS 24


Alitalia Società Aerea Italiana


S.p.A


International Air Transport Association


Swissport Bulgaria


Kontron Transportation


Work highlights


  • Acted as legal consultant to Italia Trasporto Aereo, the state-owned flag carrier of Italy and legal successor to Alitalia Società Aerea Italiana.
  • Advised First State Investments International Limited and AENA on preparing their joint bid for the Sofia Airport concession.
  • Advised the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications regarding the proposed concession for the state-owned Balchik Airport.

Danailova, Todorov & Partners

Danailova, Todorov & Partners frequently advises public transport operators on matters spanning project work, disputes and concessions. Of late, the group advised a transport sector client on the process of splitting up the company following a dispute between its owners. Name partner and public transport specialist Kaloyan Todorov leads the ‘very well organised’ team alongside fellow name partner Maria Danailova, who is knowledgeable about public procurement and tender offers.

Practice head(s):

Kaloyan Todorov; Maria Danailova


Testimonials

‘The team work very well together and cover plenty of diverse ground. They are very well organised, provide quick feedback and take very good care of their clients. The law firm has adopted legal tech and customer feedback tools that are used by professional IT companies. I enjoy the fact that my lawyers are up to date with the latest tech.’

‘Maria Danailova has deep theoretical knowledge while Kaloyan Todorov takes care of the business side of things.’

‘What sets them apart is that they are a reliable team, with flexible pricing and quick replies, and are helpful beyond what law firms typically do.’

Key clients

SkyRefund


Work highlights


  • Advised a client in the transport sector on the process of splitting up the company.
  • Advised a client regarding several significant and high-value transport projects.
  • Advised a client on the amendment of a public services contract in one of Bulgaria’s bigger cities.

Dimitrov, Petrov & Co

Advice on day-to-day issues in the transport sector, assitance with new transport projects, and representation in administrative and litigation proceedings are among the chief offerings of the team of ‘exceptional professionals’ at Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. The caseload of the team also regularly includes handling contract of carriage and bill of lading disputes, complex cases relating to EU law violations, and antitrust and unfair competition proceedings in the space. Practice leader Donka Stoyanova specialises in competition, dispute resolution, public procurement and administrative law, combining these areas of expertise to good effect when handling the full range of transport matters.

Practice head(s):

Donka Stoyanova


Other key lawyers:

Boyana Milcheva; Ivan Manev


Testimonials

‘I was impressed by the depth of legal knowledge from different practices – tax, commercial and regulatory. The full-scope service that you can get from DPC is something very valuable for my business.’

‘DPC have been our trusted advisers for years and we can recommend them as exceptional professionals in the area of transport, as well as many other areas of law. The team are young and very friendly. They know the industry well and try to speak our language instead of using complex legal concepts. The lawyers not only answer our questions but have also given us some very good ideas on how to improve our processes.’

‘Boyana Milcheva is a top lawyer who has provided us with invaluable support in terms of tax matters. Lately, we have also been working with Ivan Manev; he is still in a junior position but I think he is very competent and in my opinion he is going to advance quickly and deservedly in his career.’

Key clients

Most 81


Alex 96


Inekon Group


VM Petroleum


Mega Trucking Bulgaria


Work highlights


  • Advised Alex 96 on the sale of a Gulfstream G150 business jet.
  • Represented Bulgaria Air in a complex case regarding the delayed payment of airport fees alleged to be unlawful state aid.
  • Represented Inekon Group A.S. in a case for the recovery of receivables from the municipality of Sofia.

Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov

The large transport team at Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov brings together the firm’s across-the-board expertise to adopt an inter-disciplinary approach to transport matters. New practice head Anton Krustev was promoted to partner in January 2022 and leads much of the team’s work on large-scale projects, concessions, public procurement and complex litigation in the area of transport. M&A practice co-head Zdravka Ugrinova is another key name at partner level, advising on acquisitions, re-organisations and concessions in the sector, alongside Milan Pandev, who is noted for his acumen in projects and public procurement.

Practice head(s):

Anton Krustev


Other key lawyers:

Zdravka Ugrinova; Milan Pandev


Key clients

Vinted Group


Emma Capital Group


BalkanTel


Multi Service Private Label


ERG Insaat Ticaret ve Sanayi


International Air Transport Association (IATA)


Ryanair DAC


Turkish Airlines


Daimler Chrysler


Wizz Air Hungary Kft


ASL Airlines Belgium


ICBC International Finance Limited


MAN SE, MAN Truck & Bus


MAN Truck & Bus Deutschland


Skoda Auto


Toto Costruzioni Generali


Cargotec Oyj


Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles


The Export Import Bank of China (CEXIM)


Zim Israel Navigation Company


Sojitz Corporation of America


JMAC Air, LLC


Karsan Otomotiv Sanayii ve Tic


Patria Land Oy


Ford Otomotiv Sanayi


Chariot Motors


CK Holdings


Alstom Transport


ITS Bulgaria


Rail Cargo Austria


Ekol Lojistik


XOP Logistics


ZUE


Work highlights


  • Advised ICBC International Finance Limited as Bulgarian law counsel on ship financing provided to the Navibulgar group.
  • Advised Chariot Motors AD and Consortium Chariot Motors in relation to their participation in numerous domestic and international public procurement tenders for the supply of electric buses.
  • Provided corporate, regulatory, employment and litigation support to Turkish Airlines.

Schoenherr

Major transport infrastructure projects form the bulk of the workload at Schoenherr, although the team frequently handles the full suite of transport-related issues on behalf of a client list that includes BlackPeak Capital, Siemens Mobility and OMV Bulgaria. Stefana Tsekova heads the firm’s regulatory practice group and advises on acquisitions, project finance, public procurement, regulatory and corporate matters in the transport and logistics space. Dimitar Kairakov provides support at associate level and is another key name in the team.

Practice head(s):

Stefana Tsekova


Other key lawyers:

Dimitar Kairakov


Testimonials

‘Their team is responsive, professional and always keeps to deadlines.’

‘Dimitar Kairakov is prompt, focused and delivers straightforward solutions.’

‘Schoenherr has a well-trained team and all of the attorneys are dedicated and accessible at all times. What sets them apart is the fact that they know us quite well and keep our corporate strategy in mind when dealing with our daily legal challenges. The personal touch and the amount of trust we have in them makes our work extremely efficient. Moreover, we are happy with the legal tech they provide and the flexible billing policy which further enhance workflows.’

‘Stefana Tsekova has huge experience and market insight.’

Key clients

EBRD


Siemens Mobility


Yunex Traffic Austria


Flixbus


Euro Pool System


BlackPeak Capital


VA Intertrading


Leoni


Alstom


Thales


OMV Bulgaria


Car-Data


Work highlights


  • Advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, as guarantor under a syndicated facility granted by three of Bulgaria’s largest banks (Unicredit Bulbank, DSK Bank and United Bulgarian Bank), in relation to the financing of MAXCOM, Chipolino and MAXBIKE.
  • Advised BlackPeak Capital on an equity investment in EUShipments.com.
  • Acted as exclusive legal adviser to Thales on public procurement projects for the modernisation of the Bulgarian state-owned railway infrastructure.