Lakatos, Köves and Partners > Budapest, Hungary > Firm Profile
Lakatos, Köves and Partners Offices
MADÁCH IMRE ÚT 14
1075 BUDAPEST
Hungary
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Lakatos, Köves and Partners > The Legal 500 Rankings
Hungary > Banking, finance and capital markets Tier 1
Lakatos, Köves and Partners is a highly regarded for its ability to handle complex, cross-border transactional and advisory work. The firm is especially experienced in sovereign bond issuances, financial regulation, infrastructure project financing, securitisation transactions, and asset-backed capital markets transactions in the aviation space. Szabolcs Mestyán and UK-qualified John Fenemore jointly lead the team. Counsel Pál Rahóty focuses on financial regulation, while Gabriella Szabó is impressive in her handling of energy and infrastructure projects with a public financing aspect. Péter Köves
, Gergely Kántor and Botond Horváth are also key contacts. At the associate level, Balázs Rokob is noted.Practice head(s):
Szabolcs Mestyán; John Fenemore
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very sophisticated team with detailed knowledge of LMA standards and relevant practice.’
‘Szabolcs Mestyán is the most reliable and experienced finance lawyer I know.’
Key clients
ING Bank N.V.
Deutsche Bank
Erste Group
Goldman Sachs
JP Morgan
OTP Bank
UniCredit Bank
Hungarian Development Bank
BNP Paribas
STX Group
Mid Europa
Bayerische Landesbank
Indotek
Rothschild Bank
Work highlights
- Instructed as Hungarian legal advisers to the joint lead managers – BNP Paribas, Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE, ING Bank, JP Morgan, and Deutsche Bank – on the €2bn bond issue by the Hungarian state.
Hungary > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 1
With a strong international presence and leading transactional and advisory capabilities, Lakatos, Köves and Partners is regularly trusted by clients in the energy, financial services, telecoms and FMCG sectors. The vast majority of its client base is made up of foreign-owned entities. Iván Sólyom was recently promoted to department head, with 20 years’ experience handling some of the firm’s most complex corporate and M&A work across a wide range of industries. Alongside Sólyom, the key contacts at leadership level are Ádám Máttyus and Richard Lock. Máttyus has notable expertise in non-regulated sectors such as IT and FMCG, as well as in the heavily regulated energy sector. Richard Lock, Viktória Szilágyi, Pál Rahóty, György Tóth and Kornél Dirner are also recommended.
Practice head(s):
Iván Sólyom; Richard Lock; Ádám Máttyus
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very professional, solution oriented, dynamic.’
‘Their practice is extremely helpful and responds really quickly. All tasks have been done in the given time frame and their quality is really high.’
‘György Tóth and Iván Sólyom are a great team and are very hard working and always quick to react.’
‘Iván Sólyom is very business oriented, engaged in the work and understanding the particularities as well as the bigger picture.’
‘György Tóth is great contact, brilliant understanding of various issues and specifics.’
‘A professional and business-oriented team experienced in sophisticated cross-border transactions.’
‘Very friendly and communicative practitioners.’
Key clients
STX Group
Indotek Group
PPF Group
Mid Europa (Waberer’s)
Nomad Food Group
Norbit ASA
Allegro
Green Power Investment s.r.o. (Solidsun Group)
Arctic Green
KS Orka
Tencent
Shinhan Bank
Soulbrain
Samyang
Mars
Vodafone
Fitesa Hungary Kft.
Egeria Capital Behar BV
Legrand SA
Snap Inc.
Hitachi
Hydro Aluminium AS
Work highlights
- Advising STX Group on its proposed acquisition of Vertis Environmental.
- Advised Indotek Group on the acquisition of 11 office buildings in five business parks in Belgrade from Globe Trade Centre.
- Advised Czech investment group PPF on the Hungarian aspects of selling a 30% stake in its telecoms infrastructure group CETIN to Singapore’s GIC investment fund.
Hungary > Competition Tier 1
Lakatos, Köves and Partners is particularly valued for its industry-specific knowledge in the finance, telecoms, life sciences, real estate and construction sectors. With recent efforts to broaden the diversity of the team and its ability to cater to international clients, the team now has members fluent in English, French, Italian, Spanish and German, as well as Chinese and Japanese. Eszter Ritter co-leads the department with a focus on antirust, merger control, consumer protection and unfair competition cases, most notably representing Meta Ireland in its highly publicised case against the Hungarian Competition Authority. Iván Sólyom acts alongside Ritter, with clients benefitting from his multidisciplinary cross-border experience. Associate Adrienn Mándoki has significant experience in competition law, including consumer protection and cartel cases. Ádám Máttyus is also a key asset for the firm.Practice head(s):
Eszter Ritter; Iván Sólyom
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Iván Sólyom’s name is a guarantee for quality and wide-ranging legal support.’
‘The accessibility of the partners is outstanding.’
‘Iván Sólyom is very reactive and client oriented.’
‘Detailed knowledge of international case law and practices.’
Key clients
Meta Platforms Ireland
VODAFONE
GE Healthcare
Mastercard Europe SA
Mattoni Group (formerly Karlovarské mineralní vodi a.s.)
Spectrum Brands
Indotek
COLAS S.A.
Diófa Alapkezelő Zrt.
Waterland Group
Waberer’s International Nyrt. („Waberer’s”)
Hitachi Rail
Work highlights
- Represented Meta Ireland in an unfair commercial practices investigation by the Hungarian Competition Authority, with the Supreme Court annulling the Authority’s decision.
- Maintains a longstanding relationship with Mastercard, regularly advising on all aspects of Hungarian and European competition law.
- Represented GE Healthcare in various cartel investigations involving its GE Healthcare business unit relating to alleged collusions relating to public procurements.
Hungary > Data privacy and data protection Tier 1
Operating as an extension of the firm’s corporate wing, Lakatos, Köves and Partners‘ data protection team has longstanding relationships with leading clients in the finance, telecoms and energy sectors across Central and Eastern Europe. More recently, the firm has attracted a growing client base in the automotive and tech sectors. Iván Sólyom leads the team with a strong corporate stance and extensive experience in intellectual property, data protection and GDPR. Alekszej Dubalár focuses on data protection related to M&A transactions, particularly in the energy sector. Éva Bognár is another key name.Practice head(s):
Ivan Sólyom
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Vodafone
Allegro
American International School of Budapest
Mastercard
Mars
Indotek
Szentkirályi Kékkúti Ásványvíz, subsidiary of Karlovarské minerální vody
NORBIT ASA
DEGIRO
Schaeffler
Gunnebo
Work highlights
- Advised Vodafone on the data protection implications of its acquisition of Liberty Global’s operations in Hungary.
- Advising Mars Group in relation to marketing and promotions, as well as other consumer-facing programs.
Hungary > Dispute resolution Tier 1
Lakatos, Köves and Partners‘ is well versed in representing clients before domestic and international governing bodies, with notable capabilities in international arbitration, investment treaty arbitration, commercial and M&A-related disputes, tax litigation and employment disputes, and follow-on damages litigation. Recently, the firm achieved a successful outcome for TVOT in a high-impact competition and monopoly case before the ECHR. Balázs Fazakas heads up the team with considerable experience in corporate governance and related disputes. Founding partner Péter Lakatos and seasoned litigator Péter Köves are also key senior contacts. Gabriella Szabó, Adrienn Mándoki and Sára Darnót complete the roster of core team members.Practice head(s):
Balázs Fazakas; Péter Lakatos; Péter Köves
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very professional litigators, outstanding compared to other firms.’
‘Balázs Fazakas is exceptional in litigating both in person and in writing, presenting the case, understanding the crux thereof, and managing proactively.’
‘Péter Köves’ huge experience adds further value.’
Key clients
TVOT (National Organization of School Book Distributors)
MARS
Colas
Indotek Group
Facebook Ireland
LG
Mid Europa
Work highlights
- Representing TVOT in a competition and antitrust challenge to Hungarian legislation before the ECHR .
- Defending Mars Group in a damages claim relating to a fatal incident during plant maintenance works involving an unauthorised subcontractor.
- Successfully representing several Hungarian subsidiaries of the Colas Group in follow-on cartel damages claims launched by the Hungarian State and the Municipality of Budapest in relation to several road construction cartels.
Hungary > Projects and energy Tier 1
Lakatos, Köves and Partners has historically been involved in some of the highest impact infrastructure projects in Hungary, namely motorway concession projects. The firm has recently seen an uptick in mandates concerning logistics and industrial property for the automotive sector, as major players seek to diversify into electric vehicle production. The team has a growing renewable energy client base, and also continues to advise on social infrastructure projects including healthcare and education, as well as numerous transport and aviation mandates. The team is led by industry heavyweights Péter Köves, Péter Lakatos and Ádám Máttyus. Partners Attila Ungár and Viktória Szilágyi, and associates Kornél Dirner and Ágnes Hegyi round out the team.Practice head(s):
Péter Köves; Péter Lakatos; Ádám Máttyus
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Soulbrain
Toyo Ink
Z-Group
Green Power Investment s.r.o. (Solidsun Group)
KS ORKA
GLP
Mannvit
Mattoni (Szentkirályi Magyarország Kft.)
Arctic Green Energy Corporation
CTP Invest, spol. s.r.o.
VGP
ROSATOM / JSC ASE EC (SC Rosatom Group)
Duna Medical
Camfield Kft.
Singapore’s GIC
American International School of Budapest
AC Cars England Ltd.
Work highlights
- Advised Soulbrain on the acquisition of a development site from the state-owned National Industrial Park Management and Development Company.
- Advising KS ORKA on a geothermal power plant development in Hungary and the CEE, located at Tura.
- Advising GLP on the multi-phased construction of a logistics centre in Szigetszentmiklós, including assisting with drafting and negotiation of the related EPC agreement and payment trustee agreement, archeology contracts and lease agreements.
Hungary > Real estate and construction Tier 1
Lakatos, Köves and Partners’ sizeable team of dedicated property lawyers continues its highly regarded work in the real estate sector, with a strong focus on development, finance, acquisitions and portfolio management. The team is known for its diverse client list, comprising both domestic and international names. Attila Ungár leads the team with a focus on sales, acquisitions and leases, as well as considerable corporate and regulatory experience. Tamás Balogh is another key contact. The group also fields a large bench of associates with significant corporate, tax and M&A expertise.Practice head(s):
Attila Ungár
Other key lawyers:
Ágnes Hegyi; Zsuzsanna Ilyés; Katalin Losonci; Júlia Várkonyi; Tamás Balogh; Kata Molnár; Lilla Szepsi Szűcs
Testimonials
‘Professional and dedicated team with broad experience.’
Key clients
DVM
Horizon Development
Indotek Group
GLP
Fidelidade – Companhia de Seguros, S.A.
VGP
Vodafone
Dual Asset
GLL Real Estate Partners GmbH (Macquarie Group)
Convergence
American International School of Budapest
Soulbrain
Toyo Ink
Samyang
Care Park
Duna Medical Center Kft.
TEKA Unternehmensberatungs- und Grundstücksverwertungs GmbH
Wizz Air
MLP Group S.A.
PL SGA Management Sp. z o.o.
Mars
Mogotel
Work highlights
- Advised Horizon Development on the sale of the commercial part of its LEED Platinum certified premium mixed-use property Szervita Square Building to Union Investment for one of its institutional real estate funds.
- Advised Indotek Group on the acquisition of 11 office buildings in five business parks in Belgrade from Globe Trade Centre.
- Advised GLP on the lease of 43,000 square metres of warehouse space and offices within the Sziget Logistics Center by the German Fiege Group.
Hungary > TMT Tier 1
With a strong background in radio, print media, online media and television, the longstanding TMT team at Lakatos, Köves and Partners has recently enjoyed growing mandates in the technology space, representing notable clients such as Vodafone. The team often advises clients from a regulatory, GDPR, and consumer protection point of view, as well as offering multidisciplinary transactional support. Iván Sólyom leads the department, advising clients in the telecoms, media and technology sectors on IP, data protection, M&A and competition law. Seasoned litigator Péter Lakatos is a core member of the team, with nearly 30 years’ experience in the field. György Tóth and Nóra Szigeti are noted at the associate level.
Practice head(s):
Péter Lakatos; Iván Sólyom
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘A team experienced in sophisticated and complex cross-border transactions.’
‘Very approachable and communicative.’
Key clients
Tencent
Netease
Allegro
PPF
Vodafone
Norbit ASA
Soulbrain
Szentkirályi és Kékkúti Ásványvíz
Mars/Royal Canin
Gunnebo
Work highlights
- Advised Tencent on the acquisition of 1C Entertainment and Cenega.
- Advised NetEase on its acquisition of a minority holding in Gaijin Entertainment.
- Assisted Allegro with buy-side due diligence in relation to the purchase of the Mall Group.
Hungary > Employment Tier 2
Lakatos, Köves and Partners offers clients broad employment law capabilities across employment framework, data protection, restructuring, and employee relations issues, as well as employment-related litigation, and labour issues arising from mergers and acquisitions. Counsel Éva Bognár, who 'knows all there is to know about employment', heads up the practice. Katalin Losonci and Petra Rózsahegyi are noted at the associate level.Practice head(s):
Éva Bognár
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘They are one of the top employment teams in Hungary when it comes to efficiency and service excellence.’
‘Éva Bognár knows all there is to know about employment. Efficient, experienced and focused on giving to the point advice for the clients. Eva is often assisted by Katalin Losonci whose expertise and advise is also excellent. Efficient and timely service, also outside of business hours.’
‘We appreciate their timelines, availability and seamless engagement also of specialists from related areas like data protection or personal taxation.’
Key clients
Mattoni 1873 a.s.
Norbit ASA
Toyo INK
Flowserve
VGP Parks
MARS Multisales and Manufacturing entities
Tencent
Netease and Bytedance
Xiaomi
ThreeBond
American International School of Budapest (AISB)
JOST WERKE SA
Work highlights
- Advising Viterra headquarters on the implementation of a sensitive management change in Hungary, including the various options of executive termination and removals from corporate positions.
Hungary > Intellectual property Tier 2
Lakatos, Köves and Partners specialises in brand protection, IP dispute resolution, trade mark filings and renewals, and due diligence in the context of IP acquisitions. The firm sports a growing client base in the tech space. Corporate expert Iván Sólyom leads the team with a focus on data protection. Alekszej Dubalár is noted for his IP work related to mergers and acquisitions, and his sector-specific experience in the utilities and energy sector.Practice head(s):
Iván Sólyom
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is very diligent and responsive to client queries and the quality of service is high.’
‘LKP is a team experienced in sophisticated and complex cross-border work.’
‘Very approachable and communicative.’
Key clients
Nomad Food
Smithfield
Allegro
Vodafone
Indotek
Philip Morris international (PMI)
Novartis
Foundation for the Protection of the Traditional Cheese of Cyprus named Halloumi
Mars
Szentkirályi Kékkúti Ásványvíz, subsidiary of Karlovarské minerální vody (Mattoni Group)
Norbit ASA
Work highlights
- Advised Nomad Food on its acquisition of the Ledo frozen food business, as part of Nomad’s wider acquisition of the Croatian Fortenova Group’s frozen food business.
- Providing ongoing advice to Philip Morris International on trade mark and brand integrity, including civil and criminal actions against counterfeiting and contrabanding.
Hungary > Tax Tier 2
With considerable cross-border capabilities, Lakatos, Köves and Partners regularly advises clients on the tax implications of complex and multijurisdictional corporate, finance and M&A transactions. The team is also well versed in VAT planning issues and assessment of tax risks. The diverse client base spans the energy, financial services, automotive and telecoms sectors. Balázs Kántor leads the team with a decade of tax-specific experience. Associate Petra Rózsahegyi focuses on issues at the intersection of tax and employment law.Practice head(s):
Balázs Kántor
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Soulbrain
Fitesa Group
Deutsche Bank Hungary
Indotek
Aviation financings
BNP Paribas
Goldman Sachs Bank Europe SE
J.P Morgan AG
Erste Group
OTP Bank
UniCredit Bank
Hungarian Development Bank
BPW-Hungária Kft.
DVM-Horizon
Fidelidade
Work highlights
- Advised Soulbrain on the tax aspects of the acquisition of development sites and assisted with the analysis of potential tax liabilities on the acquisitions.
- Representing Fitesa Hungary before the Hungarian Investment Promotion Agency in relation to the negotiation of state grants in connection with the investment into building a new manufacturing line in Hungary.
- Advising Deutsche Bank Hungary on transactional duty liability with regard to foreign investment service providers of the bank, tax implications of employee loans and withholding tax guidelines from clients.
Hungary > Legal market overview
Lakatos, Köves and Partners > Firm Profile
Firm overview: Lakatos, Köves and Partners (LKT) is an independent internationally focused full service commercial law firm based in Budapest. It has a predominantly international client base, offering cutting-edge know-how and matching innovative legal solutions to business needs. The firm has been independent since 2009 having been Clifford Chance’s office in Budapest from 1993 to 2009. LKT’s market standing is reflected in top tier rankings in many areas including banking and finance, capital markets, corporate/M&A, competition, dispute resolution, real estate, and TMT. The firm works with leading law firms from around the world, in relation to their Hungarian activities and issues. LKT is a member of the Budapest Bar Association, International Bar Association, Multilaw, Interlaw, INSOL and the Loan Market Association.
Practice areas: Aviation, banking and finance, capital markets, competition/antitrust, consumer protection, corporate/M&A, dispute resolution, employment, energy, GDPR/IP, life sciences, real estate, tax advisory, telecommunication/media/technology
Main areas of practice
M&A: The firm advises on the full range of M&A transactions, representing foreign investors both in relation to Hungary specific transactions and also regional or global transactions, on which the firm assists in relation to the Hungarian aspects of such deals.
Corporate/regulatory/compliance: The firm advises many corporates, in particular the subsidiaries of international companies on the issues facing them in their operations in Hungary, ranging from general corporate establishment and maintenance through their compliance with all local regulatory requirements (eg sectoral regulation, investigations, competition law). Notably active sectors in the firm’s practice are financial services, real estate, automotive, aviation, energy, life sciences and TMT/IT/technology.
Contact: Iván Sólyom Tel: +36 20 344 8089
Email: ivan.solyom@lakatoskoves.hu
Banking and finance and capital markets: The firm’s banking and finance practice includes asset financing, structured financing, real estate projects, corporate and aviation financing, both on the lender and the borrower side, banking regulation, M&A in the banking sector, banking products, NPL, restructuring, insolvency and banking litigation. Capital market mandates include securitizations, share and bond issuance (including sovereign bonds), complex equity and debt securities offerings, dual-listings, IPOs, derivatives, structured products, structured finance and asset management issues, as well as regulatory matters (Brexit, Prospectus Directive, MiFID, EMIR, etc.)
Contact: Szabolcs Mestyán Tel: +36 20 938 0395
Email: szabolcs.mestyan@lakatoskoves.hu
Contact: John Fenemore Tel: +36 20 921 5034
Email: john.fenemore@lakatoskoves.hu
Competition/antitrust: The firm has longstanding expertise on all types of matters in this area, including merger filings, competition/anti-trust issues, cartel proceedings, abuse of dominant position and representation during investigations by the Hungarian Competition Office and court litigation procedures. LKT’s consumer law practice is outstanding, including dealing with Unfair Commercial Practices (UCP).
Contact: Iván Sólyom Tel: +36 20 344 8089
Email: ivan.solyom@lakatoskoves.hu
Contact: Eszter Ritter Tel: +36 20 228 2552
Email: eszter.ritter@lakatoskoves.hu
Aviation: LKT has an aviation group, which is unique in Hungary and market leader in the CEE region. LKT acts on aircraft finance, JOLCO transactions, securitisation of aircraft lease receivables, aviation regulatory, financial and operating leases, sale and leaseback transactions, pooling of engines, security interests, insurance and reinsurance liability, litigation and dispute resolution with strong trial capability, repossession of aircraft and tax issues.
Contact: Szabolcs Mestyán Tel: +36 20 938 0395
Email: szabolcs.mestyan@lakatoskoves.hu
Real estate: LKT’s real estate team is the largest and has a dominant position in the real estate market in Hungary. The firm advises on the entire spectrum of real estate matters, including acquisition and structuring, construction and development, asset and property management with a special expertise on logistic properties and project development.
Contact: Attila Ungár Tel: +36 20 9725 878
Email: attila.ungar@lakatoskoves.hu
Dispute resolution: LKT successfully represents clients in international arbitration proceedings before the ECHR, ECJ, and ICSID and in litigation proceedings at ordinary courts.
Contact: Balázs Fazakas Tel: +36 20 482 4133
Email: balazs.fazakas@lakatoskoves.hu
Employment: LKT advises clients in relation to employment and executive contracts, pension schemes and benefit programs, employment disputes, HR aspects of M&A transactions, works council and trade union relations. The firm has extensive experience in managing international restructuring and redundancy projects, mobility and remote/hybrid work schemes. The team is increasingly involved in IT related issues i.e. GDPR, employee surveillance practices, employment aspects of AI etc.
Contact: Éva Bognár Tel: +36 1 429 1300
Email: eva.bognar@lakatoskoves.hu
Energy: LKT’s energy practice includes involvement in the full range of energy sources from nuclear through conventional power to renewables, with broad experience in regulatory issues, project development, financing and M&A. In the renewables field, the activities are mainly in solar and thermal projects.
Contact: Ádám Máttyus Tel: +36 20 461 5095
Email: adam.mattyus@lakatoskoves.hu
Contact: Viktória Szilágyi Tel: +36 30 417 7989
Email: viktoria.szilagyi@lakatoskoves.hu
IP/GDPR: Advising in brand protection, trade mark filings, renewals and due diligence, IP litigation and disputes, Tech related matters, GDPR and data protection, including full GDPR audits.
Contact: Iván Sólyom Tel: +36 20 344 8089
Email: ivan.solyom@lakatoskoves.hu
Tax advisory: LKT fully integrates tax advice into its legal work. The tax practice head is a certified tax advisor and a qualified lawyer. LKT’s tax team advises on the full range of tax issues connected to the clients’ businesses, in particular in corporate, real estate and employment matters.
Contact: Balázs Kántor Tel: +36 20 929 4549
Email: balazs.kantor@lakatoskoves.hu
Telecommunication/media/technology: LKT works on ground-breaking transactions in the telecommunications, media and technology sectors in Hungary with a broad base of expertise in regulatory aspects of market liberalization and consolidation, including M&A transactions and frequency tenders. LKT advises on all aspects of telecommunication law, internet and e-commerce (i.e. data protection, M&A, corporate, competition and regulatory).
Contact: Péter Lakatos Tel: +36 20 952 8799
Email: peter.lakatos@lakatoskoves.hu
Contact: Iván Sólyom Tel: +36 20 344 8089
Email: ivan.solyom@lakatoskoves.hu
Managing partner: Dr Péter Lakatos LL.M.
Number of partners: 10
Number of lawyers: 50, including tax advisors
Languages: English, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Hungarian, Romanian, Serbian, Spanish
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| M&A, Corporate/Regulatory/Compliance | Richard Lock | richard.lock@lakatoskoves.hu | +3614291300 |
| Business Development | Andrea Spisák | andrea.spisak@lakatoskoves.hu | +3614291300 |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Tamás Balogh | Senior Lawyer | View Profile |
 | Dr Éva Bognár | Counsel, Head of Employment | View Profile |
 | Dr Balázs Fazakas | Partner | View Profile |
 | Dr Balázs Kántor | Dr. Balázs Kántor is the Head of the Tax Group at Lakatos,… | View Profile |
 | Péter Köves | Senior Partner | View Profile |
 | Péter Lakatos | Managing Partner | View Profile |
 | Richard Lock | Founding Partner | View Profile |
 | Dr Adrienn Mándoki | Lawyer | View Profile |
 | Ádám Máttyus | Partner | View Profile |
 | Szabolcs Mestyán | Partner | View Profile |
 | Balázs Rokob | Banking Lawyer | View Profile |
 | Iván Sólyom | Partner | View Profile |
 | Attila Ungár | Founding Partner | View Profile |
Languages
English Hungarian Russian Romanian Spanish French German SerbianMemberships
International Bar Association (IBA) Budapest Bar Multilaw Interlaw Loan Market Association INSOL Hungarian Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (HVCA)Client Testimonials
COMPANY/FIRM: Lakatos, Köves & Partners (“LKT”) M&A, TMT and Competition Group (Iván Sólyom)
TESTIMONIAL: “Thank you for all of your hard work – your dedication and responsiveness was very much appreciated during a process which certainly had its challenges” and “cannot tell you how grateful we are for your enormous effort in helping the company reach this point. We put great demands on your team and you responded amazingly”.
COMPANY/FIRM: LKT Competition Group (Eszter Ritter)
TESTIMONIAL: “Yes well done team! Very good news… Thanks for all the hard work on this!”
“Thanks again for having managed this proceeding so well!”
COMPANY/FIRM: LKT Employment Group (Éva Bognár)
TESTIMONIAL: „Eva has been invaluable in assisting us with any and all labor relations challenges that have (or will) face our Budapest facility.”
COMPANY/FIRM: LKT Employment Group (Éva Bognár)
TESTIMONIAL: “We have always appreciated your quick and reliable advice.”
COMPANY/FIRM: LKT M&A and Capital Markets (Péter Lakatos, Pál Rahóty)
TESTIMONIAL: “Thanks again for all your help and support throughout, which has been fantastic. Hope to work with you again on something soon.”
COMPANY/FIRM: LKT
TESTIMONIAL: “Want to thank you for the good cooperation, and your responsiveness and prudent advice.”
COMPANY/FIRM: LKT banking team (Szabolcs Mestyán, Pál Rahóty)
TESTIMONIAL: “Many thanks for making this happen and for the sacrifices made over the last year or so.”
COMPANY/FIRM: LKT (Pál Rahóty)
TESTIMONIAL: “Your assistance in this challenging and complex process has been much appreciated. Quite an intense ride!”
COMPANY/FIRM: LKT (Richard Lock, Pál Rahóty)
TESTIMONIAL: “Words can’t express my gratitude for your effort.”
Interviews
Péter Lakatos LL.M., Managing Partner
Dr. Péter Lakatos LL.M., Managing Partner of Hungarian leading law firm, Lakatos Köves and Partners (LKT) gives an impression how the firm is combining business solution with an innovative approach and local market knowledge with global expertise adapting to clients’ changing needs.What do you see as the main points that differentiate LKT from your competitors?
We believe that we occupy a small niche between the international network firms and local firms, and combine the best of each of those groups. Most of us trained in the international firms and work principally for international client and yet we have the flexibility and independence of a local firm and have been established in the local market for as long as anyone.
Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?
We have been expanding for several years and see that continuing, not necessarily specific to particular practice areas. However we anticipate increased demand in a number of areas, for example, in our M&A team with a particular focus on certain sectors e.g. energy, telecoms and healthcare. In finance we anticipate the fallout from the financial distress caused by the pandemic. The amount of work handled by our litigation practice continues to grow. Tax, labour law and consumer protection are also growth areas for us. The drivers behind most of that growth will be a mixture of positive and negative trends in the economy – on the positive side, the continuing attractiveness of Hungary as a relatively low cost base close to the main European markets, in particular for Asian companies as they review their supply chains. On a more negative side the stresses and strains caused by the pandemic and trends such as digitalization will be important.
What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?
I would highlight two changes, one specific to our firm and one relevant to all firms but which we believe we have handled well. This specific development is the continuing refinement of our Time Mind practice management system which unlike many such systems is tailored specifically to the needs of law firm. This system is a comprehensive “integrated” system embracing client and BD data base, time recording, document and e-mail management, multicurrency billing, and financial reporting system, which operates on a real time base information. Attesting to its value is the fact that several firms in Hungary and around the region have adopted this system. The more general change is the switch to online working which went extremely smoothly.
Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?
I generally believe that the tech capabilities determines the competitiveness of all industries nowadays, and the legal business is not exempted from that. Our efficiency and profitability are very much depends on the successful implementation and application of the information technologies in our practice, and it is also a requirement of most of the clients even during the day to day interactions. We must follow the latest trends as well.
Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?
In the last couple of years we have had several examples of introducing clients to transaction, which goes beyond the service normally expected of lawyers. Our creative thinking has often helped our clients find innovative solutions in groundbreaking transactions. Life in Hungary over the last thirty years has been interesting and often challenging, and it certainly continues to be so. Feedback from our clients confirms that our firm is seen as one of the leading law firms in Hungary. Using the knowledge and experience we have gained during the past three decades we look forward to continuing to respond to these challenges and working together with our current and new clients.
Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?
We certainly believe that our clients appreciate our track record and the fact that we have been active in this market on the highest level for many years. Equally I believe our clients appreciate our focus on assisting foreign investors in relation to their investments and activities in Hungary. We see that foreign investment into Hungary is continuing and we aim to be advising those new investors in addition to those already here.
Comparative Guides
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Hungary: Aviation Finance & Leasing
Published: July 2022
Authors: Szabolcs Mestyán John Fenemore Balázs Rokob Nóra Kertai
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview to Aviation Finance & Leasing laws and regulations that may occur in Hungary.
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Hungary: Real Estate
Published: November 2022
Authors: Attila Ungár Júlia Várkonyi Ágnes Hegyi
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview to Real Estate laws and regulations that may occur in Hungary.