Employment in Hungary

Szecskay Attorneys at Law demonstrates extensive capabilities in both day-to-day advice and litigated matters, and it acts for a broad cross-section of Hungarian and multinational clients. It has attracted new instructions from the Hungarian Outsourcing Association, Teleperformance Portugal and Bristol Meyer Squibb. Practice head Hédi Bozsonyik is increasingly in-demand for advice on home working policies and other matters connected with Covid-19. TMT, manufacturing and automotive sectors are key areas of activity. Katalin Grósz acts for clients in cases of breaches of contract, damages claims and many other labour disputes. Corporate lawyer Adrienn Tar also has a significant employment law practice.

VJT & Partners has a strong track record acting for high-profile domestic and international clients on sensitive and complex employment matters, both in an advisory and contentious context. Highly regarded Zoltán Csernus and János Tamás Varga are both recognised for their breadth and depth of expertise. Krisztina Lakner left the firm.

Andrékó Kinstellar‘s full-service labour practice maintains its reputation as a market-leader, with it advising on matters ranging from employee transfers and collective agreements to labour settlements and disputes. Leveraging its established corporate and investment practice, the team has been increasingly busy assisting foreign investors and employers with the establishment of their employment structures, as well as advising on day-to-day operations. Highlights included advising on employment issues associated with SK Innovation’s Hungarian greenfield investment project to establish one of Hungary’s largest electric vehicle component production site. Ákos Nagy specialises in the outsourcing of services, restructuring schemes and developing complex senior management employment contracts.

DLA Piper‘s employment team is able to leverage being part of an extensive international network, as well as the strength of its Budapest corporate practice, to handle the cross-border employment aspects of acquisitions and corporate restructurings. It has a notable list of clients in the aviation, manufacturing, IT, retail and consumer goods sectors, including Emirates, WIZZ Air and the Zara/Inditex Group. Helga Fehér spearheads the practice. Another key individual is senior associate Dóra Bocskov-Szabó, who is a key adviser on termination cases, internal HR policies, contract drafting and data protection, as well as employment litigation.

Gábor Damjanovic is the lead employment partner at Forgó, Damjanovic & Partners Law Firm, which acts for a mix of international recruitment agencies, multinational corporates, Hungarian enterprises and senior executives on the full spectrum of employment law matters. The practice is highlighted for its particular expertise in the pharmaceutical sector, and has received significant instructions from new clients such as Tavanta Therapeutics, and Haema Plasma/Grifols Group. Ákos Balázs is highly recommended for business immigration matters.

KCG Partners Law Firm provides ‘thorough employment advice which balances the requirements of the law with the realities of business.’ The practice has been exceptionally active in supporting clients on day-day changes resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, including on matters such as data privacy, preparation of home office policies, modifying employment contracts, business immigration and redundancies. Dual qualified to practise in Hungary and the US, Levente Csengery is the go-to counsel for many international entities. He jointly leads the practice with Rita Párkányi.

Lakatos, Köves and Partners regularly receives employment-related referrals from international law firms, in addition to winning work in its own right. The varied workload covers matters such as the preparation of employment agreements and policies, TUPE work, data protection, employee relations, restructuring and disputes. Éva Bognár is the main partner for all labour mandates.

Oppenheim Ugyvedi Iroda is active in transactional employment work and in the handling of collective labour issues, particularly for banking, construction, retail and telecoms sector clients. Managing partner Zsolt Cselédi provides ‘timely and high-value legal advice’; his clients include CIB Bank, UniCredit Bank, Continental Automotive and Vodafone.

Noerr has notable strengths in handling employment matters for clients in the manufacturing, automotive and car parts manufacturing sectors. It has been increasingly busy supporting clients on Covid-related issues, such as the introduction of new working time models, remote work, mass redundancies and employment-related data protection law inquiries. Viktor Füzi has expertise in handling contentious employment matters and collective labour issues. He works with Edina Czeglédy, who is knowledgeable about restructurings, data protection and employee transfers.

Schoenherr Hetényi Ügyvédi Iroda is noted for its ‘commercial, pragmatic and client-focused approach’ to a diverse range of employment law matters. It provides support on M&A, restructurings and general HR issues. Counsel Dániel Gera has more than 16 years of experience in the field and is the primary figure for all employment law mandates.

Utilising its wide network of offices, Siegler Bird & Bird Ügyvédi Iroda is noted for its involvement in multijurisdictional M&A and business immigration employment matters. It also advises on benefits and share incentive schemes. Pál Szabó is the main contact for employment law instructions and contentious proceedings.

Szabó Kelemen & Partners Andersen Attorneys largely operates within the manufacturing, agriculture, energy, retail and financial services sectors. The main contact is Szilvia Fehérvári, who handles standard employment contracts, internal policies, terminations, data compliance and litigation.

Sándor Szegedi Szent-Ivány Komáromi Eversheds Sutherland‘s ‘friendly, helpful and technically very well prepared team’ advise a mix of Hungarian clients, and local subsidiaries of multinational groups, on matters ranging from day-to-day HR support, TUPE, mass redundancies, data collecting and disputes. The Budapest practice also works closely with other offices to coordinate multijurisdictional projects, such as restructuring and outsourcing. Agnes Szent-Ivány and Katalin Varga  are the main contacts. 

Taylor Wessing Hungary‘s employment practice is led by ‘stand out partner’, Torsten Braner, who regularly coordinates employment projects throughout the CEE and SEE regions. He also advises on Hungarian employment law in relation to employee contracts and flexible working solutions, collective bargaining, reorganisations and restructurings and cross-border transfers of undertaking.

Wolf Theiss Faludi Erős Ügyvédi Iroda‘s Budapest team works on cross-border employment matters with practitioners located in the firm’s other offices in the CEE region. It is able to advise on matters such as employee transfers, internal HR policies, cross-border restructurings and labour disputes. László Kenyeres and Barnabás Buzási are the main points of contact.