Iwona Terlecka leads the department at Clifford Chance, which has expertise in all aspects of cartel and antitrust law, including litigation, compliance, economic analysis and state aid matters. The group also has significant experience in high-level consumer protection investigations Highlights for team head Iwona Terlecka included representing Lafarge at the Court of Appeal, following success in proceedings before the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection and the Competition Court in a major cement cartel case. In another stand-out matter (in conjunction with Luke Tolaini and Samantha Ward from the London office), Terlecka is acting for a bank in an ongoing investigation before the European Commission following accusations of a cartel arrangement relating to e-payment systems. Bartosz Targański is recommended for his expertise in merger issues, while Piotr Bogdanowicz specialises in state aid cases.

Dentons has experience providing antitrust advice to corporates across a number of sectors, including power, utilities, TMT, real estate and banking. The group is also often called upon to assist clients facing dawn raids. Agnieszka Stefanowicz-Barańska leads the team and also serves as chair of the Polish Competition Law Association. Highlights included successfully obtaining unconditional clearance from the Office for Compeition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) for Berry Global in relation to its takeover of Clopay Plastic Products Company. Anna Gulińska is another key name; she advised the Polish government on the implementation of the EU Private Enforcement Directive in 2017.

Greenberg Traurig Grzesiak sp. k.'s team is noted as 'professional and reliable' and particularly stands out for its 'international experience'. Department head Robert Gago, who clients rate for his 'deep insight, confidence and empathy', was promoted to partner in January 2018 and specialises in representing clients in administrative antitrust proceedings before competition enforcement authorities. Alongside Lejb Fogelman, Łukasz Pawlak and London's Stephen Horvath, Gago advised BNP Paribas Group on competition and antitrust matters regarding the structuring of its acquisition of the core banking business of Raiffeisen Bank Polska. Ewa Tabor-Maciejewska and Radosław Pawluk are other key contacts.

According to one client, the 'very commercial' team at WKB Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr delivers 'concise expert advice, with no irritating disclaimers or lengthy citations', putting 'risk at the centre' of everything it does. It is jointly led by Aleksander Stawicki, who 'has a business mindset and broad perspective', and 'excellent communicator' Bartosz Turno, who is noted for his expertise in disputes. In one stand-out matter, Stawicki successfully represented Goldman Sachs in merger control proceedings before the Polish Competition Authority (PCA) concerning its takeover of Robyg. Turno is defending ING Bank before the European Commission against allegations that it entered into an agreement restricting competition.

In addition to merger control and antitrust services, the team at CMS is also experienced in consumer protection, unfair competition, state aid and public procurement issues. The group also handles all aspects of PCA investigations into suspected anti-competitive activities, including in dawn raids and antimonopoly proceedings. Highlights for team leader Małgorzata Urbańska included successfully representing Bombardier Transportation in an appeal against the PCA's anti-competitive conduct decision pertaining to the client's participation in a public tender. She also advised Medtronic on a variety of competition compliance matters regarding the sale of its medical device products on the Polish market. Senior associate Agnieszka Starzyńska is also recommended for merger control and compliance matters, while Izabela Biernat is noted for her expertise in the competition aspects of distribution contracts and e-commerce.

Hansberry Tomkiel's 'efficient' team stands out for its 'ability to understand the specificities of a given market', drawing on 'diversified expertise in competition rules', which includes Polish, European and US competition law. Dorothy Hansberry-Bieguńska and Małgorzata Krasnodębska-Tomkiel have significant government experience having worked as a senior litigator at the Department of Justice and chaired the UOKiK respectively before founding the firm in 2014. Hansberry-Bieguńska represented a healthcare company in an investigation by the PCA into allegations of vertical price fixing. Antoni Bolecki is also recommended, and has experience representing claimants and defendants in competition litigation. Clients include Precon Polska, Veolia Energy Poland and CEE Equity.

Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak provides the spectrum of competition advisory services to domestic and foreign clients in relation to Polish and EU law. The team is led by competition law expert Krzysztof Kanton, who represented Swiss Krono in antitrust proceedings before the PCA over collusion allegations regarding wood products; a matter which concluded with a successful leniency application. He is also defending the Polish subsidiary of The Swatch Group in an appeal against a fine for alleged price-fixing before the PCA. Senior counsels Jarosław Łukawski and Marta Kupczak-Strzelecka are also recommended.

The 'business-oriented' team at Hogan Lovells (Warszawa) LLP consists of 'real experts in their area, with comprehensive experience'. 'Exceptional' team leader Piotr Skurzyński is 'distinguished by his vast knowledge in the field of competition law' and 'always focuses on creating solutions rather than just identifying the risk'. Alongside Washington's Logan Breed and Beijing's Adrian Emch, Skurzyński successfully represented Marvell in global merger control proceedings before the PCA, following its $6.1bn acquisition of its rival Cavium.

White & Case M. Studniarek i Wspólnicy - Kancelaria Prawna sp.k.'s team advises clients on the spectrum of competition law issues, particularly in relation to antitrust, mergers and state aid. The team is co-led by counsel Jakub Gubański and Katarzyna Czapracka, who divides her time between Warsaw and Brussels and was promoted to partner in January 2019. Gubański advised Coast2Coast Capital on the competition aspects of its acquisition of joint control over Stella Pack.

DLA Piper's department is led by Andrzej Balicki, who is representing Saltex Europa in appeal proceedings before the Competition Court against the decision by the UOKiK concerning alleged bid-rigging practices. The group has a strong competition advisory practice and handles compliance work for Philips Polska, Zakłady Farmaceutyczne Polpharma and Kesko Corporation.

Gide Loyrette Nouel handles competition matters that arise out of business operations, proceedings before the authorities and compliance issues. Practice head Dariusz Tokarczuk is advising Auchan Polska on supply policy issues. Szymon Chwaliński is recommended for his expertise in competition, consumer protection and distribution law.