The Legal 500 > Europe, Middle East & Africa > Poland > Employment

CMS's 'professional and efficient' team is noted for its ability to 'think ahead'; drawing on its offices across the CEE region to advise on multi-jurisdictional matters. Department head Katarzyna Dulewicz is instructed by Goldman Sachs on a variety of employment issues, including working time and contract management. She is also assisting Budimex with a project related to a staff outsourcing project. Senior associate Maciej Andrzejewski stands out for his 'attention to detail' and regularly handles employment restructuring issues. Counsel Tomasz Sancewicz is another key name.

Dentons leverages its international presence and 'a pragmatic approach' to handle multi-jurisdictional employment and labour matters for a variety of corporate clients. Department head Aleksandra Minkowicz-Flanek has experience negotiating with employee representatives and cross-border employment relations. Managing counsel Agnieszka Fedor is another key contact.

Agnieszka Lechman-Filipiak leads the team at DLA Piper, which advises local corporates and internationals on all areas of contentious and non-contentious employment law, including tax-related issues. Lechman-Filipiak advises the Polish subsidiary of Credit Suisse on matters including policy implementation, benefit schemes, working-time issues, terminations and equality issues. She also assisted Netflix with matters related to its entry onto the Polish market. Counsel Michał Synowiec and senior associate Dominika Nowak are also recommended. Weronika Papucewicz was a new arrival from Chajec, Don-Siemion & Zyto Legal Advisors in January 2019.

Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka's employment team benefits from the firm's wider specialisms, including tax, competition and criminal law.  The group has particular expertise in collective work relations, health and safety matters, discrimination and business immigration. The team is jointly headed by experienced employment lawyer Boguslaw Kaplon and social security and labour law expert Agata Mierzwa.

Baker & McKenzie Krzyżowski i Wspólnicy Spółka Komandytowa supports the firm's wider offering, advising clients on general employment matters, restructuring, lay-offs, immigration matters and litigation. Managing partner Piotr Rawski leads the team, and is advising Amazon on employment matters relating to the establishment of an entity in Poland, as well as representing the client in a court proceeding. Senior associate Paulina Łabęcka is another key name.

Chajec, Don-Siemion & Zyto Legal Advisors' Ewa Don-Siemion advises a range of international clients, with a particular emphasis on the financial services and TMT sectors. She is advising AON on all aspects of the creation and implementation of a new hiring strategy for its employees in Kraków. She is also assisting Ocado Polska with a new hiring model for its IT employees in the context of new IP regulations. Piotr Kryczek is another contact of note.

Clifford Chance is noted for handling employment matters relating to the professional services, including advising on the capital requirements directive as it applies to variable remuneration of managerial staff in Polish banks; in relation to which department head Tomasz Derda is advising Bank Handlowy. In another highllight, he also assisted Grupa Allegro.pl with the employment termination of the CEO and head of the legal department, and the employment of a new CEO. Grzegorz Nowaczek is also recommended for expertise in bonus schemes and tax-efficient employment structures.

Eversheds Sutherland Wierzbowski is particularly noted for its experience in handling labour disputes and employment restructuring. Team head Ewa Łachowska-Brol is assisting eMag with a large project involving restructuring, reassignment and redundancies. Adam Nierzwicki was promoted to counsel in May 2018.

Gide Loyrette Nouel has a niche in transport sector-related employment issues, including litigation related to social dumping and posting of workers. It also handles collective bargaining agreements, restructurings and lay-offs. The team is led by Paweł Grześkowiak, who is coordinating a number of litigation cases in relation to benefits to international drivers, including night-time allowances, EU minimum wages, as well as collective and individual labour law issues. Associate Joanna Jasiewicz is another name to note.

Greenberg Traurig Grzesiak sp. k.'s team has 'unique holistic know-how' in relation to senior management matters and transactional employment advice. Department head Anna Hałas-Krawczyk is separately advising Alior Bank and BGŻ BNP Paribas on the practical application of different incentive schemes.

In addition to general employment advice, Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak's team is often called upon to advise corporates on employee investigations, dismissals and litigation. Roch Pałubicki, who leads the team, assisted Solaris Bus & Coach with the employment aspects of an investment in the client by Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles. Other clients include Caterpillar, Hollister and Intel. Associate Agata Miętek  is another key name.

Wiewiórski Legal's team stands out for its 'can-do attitude' and 'solution-oriented approach'. It is experienced in advising foreign companies on the employment aspects of starting or acquiring businesses in Poland and businesses process outsourcing. The team is led by Magdalena Szeptycka, who handles contentious and non-contentious work. Managing partner Marek Maciej Wiewiórski assisted Axiom Global with residence legalisation and employment of foreign employees in Wrocław. Marcin Wojtasik advised ABS Bonifer on compliance with regulations concerning the reimbursement of its drivers.

Bird & Bird Szepietowski i wspólnicy sp. k.'s Karolina Stawicka leads the team and has 'a professional attitude'. Together with Katarzyna Piechocka, she is advising Skanska on matters pertaining to collective and individual employment law, with a focus on global mobility and immigration. Also recommended are  Paulina Grotkowska-Harrington and Katarzyna Magnuska.

EY Law's team welcomed Konstanty Dobiejewski from Deloitte Legal, Pasternak, Korba, Moskwa, Jarmul i Wspólnicy Kancelaria Prawnicza sp.k. in October 2017 as group head. The group works alongside the firm's wider tax, accounting, financial advisory and human capital departments, handling the full range of non-contentious employment matters. Zuzanna Zakrzewska is another key name.

'Client-oriented' Noerr's 'responsive and flexible' team is led by Radosław Biedecki, who advised Fiskars on local HR and payroll matters related to its cross-border merger with companies in Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary. Senior associate Marta Walędziak-Skowrońska is recommended for contentious matters.

Sadkowski I Wspólnicy advises on individual and collective labour law issues for employers in a range of sectors, including transport, logistics, construction and energy. The group also has experience in employee immigration matters. Team head Marzena Łabędź is recommended together with senior associate Monika Kolasińska, who handles litigation.

The team at Squire Patton Boggs Swiecicki Krzesniak sp. k. works closely with the firm's pan-European office network to advise clients on international employment issues. Practice head Malgorzata Grzelak is advising Bemix Packaging Polska on its cross-border reorganisation across Europe. She is also assisting Elekta Limited, Elekta AB and their subsidiaries with the establishment of a business services centre in Poland.

WKB Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr's team has experience in all HR aspects of domestic and international M&A, restructuring, collective redundancies and employment disputes. Team leader Wioleta Polak, who was promoted to counsel in January 2018, specialises in employment issues relating to public procurement. Clients include Ryanair, Salini Impreglio and Premier Research.

The 'pro-active' team at Wolf Theiss is noted for its expertise in outsourcing matters, particularly for German and Austrian clients. 'Outstanding' Agnieszka Nowak-Błaszczak assisted HedgeServ with the employment aspects of the establishment of a branch in Poland. Co-managing partner Peter Daszkowski leads the department and has experience in employment litigation.