Kochanski & Partners > Warsaw, Poland > Firm Profile

Kochanski & Partners > Firm Profile

We are a full-scope, business-oriented law firm dedicat­ed to delivering innovative, on-point legal solutions tailored to your needs. We operate in 7 key sectors to give us a holistic view over business and an in-depth understanding of industry specifics. Our team works in interdisciplinary groups, fusing expertise with a business approach. We combine technological progress, experience and expertise to create innovative legal solutions and offer our clients top quality services.

We never rest in the face of the challenges of an ever-changing world – but take steady steps into the future.

Meet Kochański & Partners – the law firm of tomorrow.

Press Releases

KOCHAŃSKI & PARTNERS JOINS THE UN’S LARGEST SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS INITIATIVE – THE UN GLOBAL COMPACT

30th January 2023 Kochański & Partners has joined the United Nations Global Compact – the world's largest initiative bringing together businesses working for sustainable development, and forming an integral part of the UN system based in New York. In advising clients on environmental issues, energy transition, sustainable finance, human rights, labour law and corporate governance, Kochański & Partners also implements ESG best practices into its day-to-day operations.

Deadlock clauses in shareholders’ agreements

19th January 2023 Disagreements between shareholders can be a healthy thing, leading to creative solutions through the reaching of compromises. Differences can involve issues as diverse as how a company should be managed and controlled, and the direction and strategy it is taking. However, if differences become entrenched, the result can be potential deadlock and the loss of the ability to make important decisions, which can be severely damaging to a company and its shareholders.

New liability rules for artificial intelligence in the European Union

7th December 2022 There’s a lot going on in the EU about Artificial Intelligence - Artificial Intelligence (AI) is at the heart of the EU’s strategy for creating a digital single market, and too this end, a number of EU legal documents have seen the light of day over the last several years. However, in April 2021, the European Commission presented a revolutionary proposal for a regulation on AI (Artificial Intelligence Act), laying the foundations for a legal framework for the use of AI within the European Union. Legislative work on the AI Act is already at an advanced stage and the document is expected to come into force at any moment.

Kochański & Partners advised Savills on the acquisition of Knight Frank’s property management division

25th November 2022 We advised Savills, the international property advisory firm and leader in the commercial property industry, on the acquisition of a part of Knight Frank’s business, including its property management division. Following the transaction, Savills now manages more than 1,200,000 m² of office space.

Piotr Kochański’s business advisory vision

21st November 2022 Kochański & Partners is the coherent, consistently and effectively built business advisory concept of Piotr Kochański. Lawyer, entrepreneur and manager, Piotr has set trends on the legal market in Poland for nearly 37 years, and fiercely promoted legal talent.

The roots of the current ESG revolution

21st November 2022 As a new business trend, ESG is of growing interest to an increasing number of markets. More and more businesses are publishing ESG strategies and with good reason. According to PwC’s 2021 U.S. survey, 83% of consumers indicated a preference for companies to implement ESG best practices, and 86% of employees prefer to work for companies that care about ESG values.

Trends in the regulation and taxation of crypto – a summary of the Kochański & Partners debate

15th November 2022 Kochański & Partners, the authors of the first metaverse report in Poland, published a follow-up tax themed report on 27 October. “Taxation of Cryptocurrencies and NFTs, and Challenges in the Metaverse” is a comprehensive overview of the tax consequences of events and transactions involving cryptocurrencies and NFTs. The publication was coupled with presentation of the report and an expert debate featuring the participation of representatives of business, new technology market practitioners who deal on a daily basis with crypto, NFTs and the Metaverse, and lawyers specialising in digital economics and taxes.

Kochański & Partners Has Advised on the Strategic Baltic Pipe Energy Project

15th November 2022 On 27 September this year, the Baltic Pipe - the first ever offshore gas pipeline connecting Poland with the European energy system - was officially opened and symbolically launched. This is the first such large-scale project in the Polish area of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Pipe is of strategic importance for energy security, as it has enabled the creating of a new gas supply corridor in Europe, allowing gas to be transported from Norway to the Danish and Polish markets, and also to end-users in neighbouring countries. The pipeline also enables the transmission of gas from Poland to Denmark. The investment is being carried out by the Polish gas transmission pipeline operator Gaz-System in cooperation with the Danish operator Energinet.

The Work-life balance directive — Changes to the Labour Code and new rights for employees

15th November 2022 Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the work-life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU, commonly referred to as the work-life balance directive, is due to be implemented into the Labour Code by the Polish government.

We are ready to change the world – step by step

15th November 2022 Making the world a better place is the key to our vision for building a new future. For nearly 25 years, we have been creating and initiating change, and not only when it comes to the legal market. We believe that we also have a responsibility to set benchmarks and trends in the wider social area, outside of our day to day legal service to which our Clients and colleagues have become accustomed.

We advised Klima Energy, supporting the development of green energy

15th November 2022 Our M&A team, led by Pawel Mardas, assisted Klima Energy, the Spanish Alantra Group VC fund, in their PLN 70 million investment into SunRoof. Sunroof is a Polish-Swedish start-up, offering pholtovoltaic roof panels to produce green energy for powering homes, in countries including Poland, Germany, Sweden and Norway.

SLAPP – a global legal problem that, if unchecked, could stifle freedom of expression

15th November 2022 History shows that the last bastion of freedom of speech, which guarantees these values, is the free press. But it’s no secret that since 2015, key constitutional values have been in crisis. Over the past three years, there have been repeated legal actions by state institutions, state-owned companies, businessmen and other lobbying organizations aimed at stifling the work of journalists, publishers and NGOs.

Paweł Cholewiński heads up Kochański & Partners’ Transactional Practices Group

15th November 2022 Paweł Cholewiński has been appointed Partner in charge of Kochanski & Partners Transactional Practices Group, with both the Sectorial Real Estate and Mergers & Acquisitions Practices now falling under his remit.

Polish Tech Pitches to Private Capital – the event organized in cooperation with the London Stock Exchange

20th July 2022

Polish Tech Pitches to Private Capital | Access to International Finance

he access to international finance is an aspiration for many growing companies, especially in Poland, where the quantum and complexity of the finance needed requires other forms of investment and markets than can generally be found in Poland, and this is where London becomes such an important centre.

Publication of the PolishCloud 2.0 Standard

20th July 2022 The Polish Bank Association has just published the PolishCloud 2.0 Standard, i.e. a standard for the implementation of public and hybrid cloud computing services. This is the most recent and comprehensive set of practices and solutions guiding banks smoothly through the cloud migration process, with the highest security standards applied.

We are expanding FinTech and strengthening the Capital Markets and Banking & Finance Practices

20th July 2022 We are delighted to announce that David Thomas, a renowned expert in financial markets and banking, the former Chairman of the British Polish Chamber of Commerce and CEO in many financial institutions in London and Warsaw, i.a. HSBC Polska, has joined Kochański & Partners as Head of International Finance.

Promotions at Kochański & Partners

20th July 2022 Following our continuing dynamic growth, and in response to the talent, experience and hard work of our Team, we are delighted to announce the promotion of 12 of our Colleagues, including 10 lawyers.

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Aleksandra Ryżkowska, Head of International Practice Development and Head of the Chinese Business Desk, has been appointed as Partner.Weronika Duda from the Real Estate Practice, Aneta Serowik from the Corporate Practice, Szymon Ciach and Piotr Kaniewski from the Technology Practice, and Jakub Jach from the Disputes of Financial Institutions Practice have been promoted to Counsel.Dominik Karkoszka from the Corporate Practice and Patryk Lisiecki from the Disputes of Financial Institutions Practice, have been promoted to Senior Associate, and Paulina Perkowska from the Technology Practice and Dominik Gryś from the Real Estate Practice, have been promoted to Junior Associate.Pola Trzęsicka has been promoted to Executive Managing Partner Assistant/Office Manager, and Artur Ziejewski to Junior System Administrator.“I would like to congratulate everyone in their new positions and thank them for their commitment, professionalism and effort they have put into building client relationships and maintaining our position on the market. These promotions demonstrate the excellence and drive of Our Team, which is made up of seasoned advisers and a new, young generation of lawyers. The enormous potential of this Team is recognised by the business community and the market, who continue to entrust us with innovative domestic and international projects. We also recognize and appreciate this potential within Our Firm” – said Piotr Kochański, Managing Partner.Aleksandra Ryżkowska is responsible for developing a network of international contacts, particularly within the European Network of Pinsent Masons. She coordinates the growth of cooperation in foreign markets and strengthening of Kochański & Partners’ position as a firm serving clients operating globally. After graduating from law school at the University of Warsaw, Aleksandra completed her LL.M. in Political Science and Law at the China University of Political Science and Law. Prior to joining Kochański & Partners, she worked i.a. at the Polish Embassy in Beijing, where she supported Polish-Chinese economic cooperation.Weronika Duda advises on real estate projects on the Polish market and also on complex, cross-border transactions. Furthermore, she also supports German-speaking clients on the Polish market as Co-Head of the German Desk.Aneta Serowik specialises in commercial and capital markets law. She conducts multi-thread litigation concerning civil, commercial, criminal and capital markets law matters. Aneta advises companies on day-to-day corporate matters and M&A transactions. She is recommended by The Legal 500 in Commercial, Corporate and M&A, and also Restructuring and Insolvency.Szymon Ciach advises on the implementation of IT projects and innovative digital solutions and supports financial institutions in the field of outsourcing regulations (cloud services) and also specialises in blockchain technology. Szymon was involved in the development of the PolishCloud 2.0 Standard published in February 2022.Piotr Kaniewski specialises in drafting and negotiating IT contracts, in particular those involving Agile and DevOps. He advises on building agile contract and purchasing models and implementing IT solutions based on cloud computing, AI and robotic process automation (RPA). Piotr is a frequent speaker at the Digital Banking Academy organised by the Polish Bank Association (ZBP) and the Banking Law Centre.Jakub Jach advises and represents clients in civil law litigation regarding claims arising out of foreign currency loan agreements and foreign currency-indexed loan agreements. Jakub also participated in developing the litigation strategy for one of Poland’s largest commercial banks with regard to claims arising from Swiss franc loan agreements, regarding remuneration for the non-contractual use of capital due to a loan agreement being cancelled.It is our aim and ambition to foster talent and the development of Our Team. We congratulate all those promoted and wish them success in their new roles!

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17 March 2022

Publication of METAVERSE REPORT KOCHAŃSKI & PARTNERS

20th July 2022 We are the authors of the first extensive report on the metaverse in Poland.

Jakub Krysa – Head of Public Procurement Practice and Spanish Desk

20th July 2022 Jakub Krysa, PhD has joined Kochański & Partners to head up the Public Procurement Practice and the Spanish Desk.

Markiyan Malskyy – New Partner and Head of Ukrainian Desk

20th July 2022 As a sign of our new strategy and solidarity with Ukraine, we have decided to establish a Ukrainian Practice (Ukrainian Desk).

Rebuilding Ukraine in practice – financing sources and investment perspectives

20th July 2022 Nearly 24,000 kilometres of roads, end to end measuring ca. 60% of the Earth’s equator in length, hundreds of bridges, thousands of buildings and tens of thousands of cars – this is only a partial account of the destruction inflicted so far on Ukraine by Russian forces. But although the war in Ukraine has not stopped since 24 February 2022, the prospect of a post-war reality cannot be ignored, and so ways of rebuilding the country should be considered.

Sale & Leaseback as an alternative form of financing

20th July 2022 In a Sale & Leaseback transaction, a property used for business purposes is sold and simultaneously made available for use by the seller under a lease or rental agreement.

Tenders for Ukraine | Current status, rules of participation and prospects

20th July 2022 Rebuilding infrastructure and meeting the current needs of citizens are among the most important tasks facing Ukraine today.

Kochański & Partners has advised Inovo Venture Partners on its acquisition of shares in SunRoof

7th May 2021 Kochański & Partners has advised Inovo Venture Partners VC fund on a transaction involving the acquisition of shares in technology company SunRoof. The investment was made as part of the seed round extension, with Inovo being the lead investor. Other investors participating in the round included other VC funds: SMOK Ventures, LT Capital, EIT InnoEnergy, FD Growth Capital and KnowledgeHub, and also local and international business angels.

Kochański & Partners Expand Financial Institutions Disputes Practice with 2 Partner Promotions

1st April 2021

The issue of Swiss franc loans remains a key challenge for the financial sector in Poland. Banks' uncertainty over the options for regulating this problem is casting a shadow over development of the banking sector in Poland. The coming weeks and months will therefore be crucial for the development of business and litigation strategies by financial institutions. 

New Infrastructure & Environment Practice Leader at Kochański & Partners

3rd February 2021 Kochański & Partners is expanding its energy and infrastructure practice with the addition of a new partner, Katarzyna Barańska Ph.D., to head up the Infrastructure & Environment team. Her extensive experience covers legal advisory on major infrastructure projects, renewable energy sources, environmental law and municipal investments.

Beyond.pl and Kochanski & Partners join forces

2nd February 2021 Beyond.pl, the provider of the most secure data center services in Europe, is joining forces with the law firm Kochanski & Partners. Their partnership offers customers further confidence that colocation and cloud implementation projects will be technologically superior and compliant with legal requirements. The cooperation is international in scope. 

Kochański & Partners Strengthen Their Tax Team

1st February 2021 Kochański & Partners entered the new year with an expanded team. Wojciech Śliż, the former Director of the VAT Department at the Ministry of Finance, has joined the tax law practice as counsel.

Kochański & Partners named “Law firm of the year: Central Europe” by The Lawyer

1st December 2020

It is our great pleasure to inform you that the Kochanski & Partners law firm has received the title of “Law Firm of the Year: Central Europe” in the prestigious “Lawyer Awards 2020” competition.

Kochanski & Partners strengthens the Technologies Team

24th November 2020 To reflect the new technological ecosystem, from 1 November 2020, Kochański & Partners have consolidated their Technologies team by introducing a group of specialists: Szymon Ciach (Senior Associate), Piotr Kaniewski (Senior Associate), Piotr Gałka (Counsel), and Łukasz Węgrzyn (Partner).

Idea Bank paves the way for financial sector in obtaining cloud computing certification

18th November 2020 Idea Bank is the first Polish financial service sector entity to obtain the ISO 27017 and ISO 27001 certifications, confirming that its cloud computing solutions meet the highest international standards, and that customer data is processed in the cloud with full respect to security standards. Kochański & Partners advised the bank throughout the certification application process.

Kochański & Partners shortlisted for the Lawyer Awards 2020

16th November 2020 This is the eleventh edition of the Lawyer Awards already. The awards scheme attracts entries from over 120 independent law firms headquartered in Europe and global firms across the Continent. This is the highest distinction for independent law firms and the culmination of many years of hard work consistently spent on building the brand, strength and effectiveness of the Kochański & Partners law firm. The nomination constitutes an occasion to appreciate, with great satisfaction, the stage and the position currently held by the firm.

Świtalski family mansion and grounds in Sowiniec seized by Forteam Investments Ltd.

30th October 2020 The Regional Court in Poznań granted the fourth successive injunction in favour of Forteam Investments Ltd., an investment company belonging to Delta Capital Partners Management – a U.S. private equity fund, in the pending dispute with Mariusz Świtalski. This time, all assets of Druga – Sowiniec Capital, including a mansion in Sowiniec, surrounding grounds and a polo club with horses, have been seized as a result of seizure of shares under the court decision.

Arbitral Tribunal: Slovakia’s actions against Muszynianka showed “willful disregard for the law”

9th October 2020 On 7 October 2020, the arbitral tribunal conducting proceedings under the UNCITRAL rules issued an award in the case of our Client “Muszynianka” sp. z o.o. against the Slovak Republic. The Tribunal decided that Slovakia violated international law to the detriment of the Polish company.

Change in Leadership in the Kochański & Partners Capital Markets Practice

1st October 2020 The Warsaw Stock Exchange attracts ever more foreign investors, with their share in WSE turnover reaching 58% in H1 2020. In response to these accelerating business trends, Kochański & Partners is reinforcing its Capital Markets Practice, with the appointment from October of Jarosław Grzywiński, Partner, former President of the WSE Management Board, as its new leader.

Kochański & Partners acting as legal counsel to Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne

28th August 2020 Kochański & Partners has been awarded a tender for legal services to PSE S.A. – the sole Polish electricity transmission system operator. The Firm will assist PSE in addressing the formal and legal aspects of the company’s electricity infrastructure. As part of the project, Kochański & Partners lawyers will represent the client before public administration bodies, common and administrative courts, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court, in addition to advising on preparation for and conduct of proceedings, as well as drafting of relevant legal opinions.

Another litigation win for Kochański & Partners: Onet journalist walks free from court

29th July 2020 The District Court for Kraków-Śródmieście has discontinued criminal proceedings against an Onet journalist who wrote about paedophilia in the Tricity area (Gdansk, Gdynia and Sopot). Mr Podolski was represented by advocate Mateusz Ostrowski, Partner and Head of Litigation at Kochański & Partners.

Kochański & Partners’ Litigation Success Before the Supreme Court – Royalties

27th July 2020 Co-authors of films accompanying newspapers are entitled to additional royalties,  however only on copies actually sold, and not on the entire published run. Moreover, the amount of royalties may not be arbitrarily imposed by copyright collecting societies. This is the conclusion stemming from a judgment of the Supreme Court, which endorsed the arguments of Kochański & Partners lawyers representing our Client – Ringier Axel Springer Polska.

POLISHCLOUD ACADEMY: Cooperation with leading consulting and technology companies brings banks closer to the cloud

1st June 2020 The Polish Bank Association, Microsoft, Google Poland, the National Cloud Operator, Accenture and Kochański & Partners have established a joint group to promote cloud computing solutions in the Polish banking sector, creating the PolishCloud Academy project, providing free training and workshops relating to cloud implementation for representatives of financial institutions.

New Kochanski & Partners business strategy and marketing team

22nd May 2020 Kochański & Partners (K&P) is implementing a new business strategy to rapidly accelerate its penetration of international markets via strategic alliances with key foreign law firms. This strategy involves a reformulation of the business model and closer, comprehensive cooperation with clients. Kochański & Partners also plans to remodel its internal structures and processes, in particular in the BDM area. This transformation process will be managed by the new Business Development & Marketing Director – Barbara Lenarcik, formerly Marketing Director at SSW Pragmatic Solutions, with two more former SSW employees joining the department: Marcin Woliński (Manager) and – from July – Paulina Berska (Specialist).

K&P acts as legal counsel on cloud computing implementation standard for banks

13th September 2019

Kochanski & Partners is the exclusive legal partner of the working group on a standard for cloud computing implementation in banks, established by the Polish Bank Association (ZBP) and the Banking Technology Forum.

Ringier Axel Springer Poland consolidates dispute resolution services by choosing K&P

13th September 2019 Ringier Axel Springer Poland (RASP), a part of the leading CEE multimedia Ringier Axel Springer AG group, has consolidated its dispute resolution services by choosing Kochański & Partners as its legal advisor in Poland.

K&P Authors a Report on M&A Market Structure in Poland

13th September 2019

The K&P Transaction Advisory and Analysis team has prepared a report on the structure of the M&A market in Poland. The report presents an in-depth analysis of current trends in the M&A market and phenomena affecting its structure in the first half of 2019.

Kochanski & Partners advised Groupe Beneteau on the acquisition of Delphia Yachts

25th July 2019

Kochanski & Partners (K&P) advised Groupe Beneteau (France), one of the two largest sailing and power boat manufacturers globally, on its transaction with Delphia Yachts – Poland’s leading boatbuilder. As a result of this transaction, the rights to sailing and power boat designs, and the building and marketing activities of the Delphia and Maxi Yacht brands were acquired.

Kochanski & Partners has advised Coca–Cola HBC Polska on the lease of new headquarters

25th July 2019

Kochanski & Partners Law Firm has advised Coca-Cola HBC Polska sp. z o.o. in the negotiations and execution of a lease agreement for office and warehouse space in the Business Garden office complex in Warsaw.

K&P has successfully advised on the sale of an office building located in the centre of Warsaw

25th July 2019 Kochański & Partners has advised an investment fund managed by the Griffin Estate Group on the sale of the office building located in the centre of Warsaw.

New opportunities for Japanese capital in Poland

25th July 2019 Report authored by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH) and Kochański & Partners Business Law Firm shows the opportunities for Japanese investors in Poland.

Kochański & Partners – special sponsor of GC Summit Central & Eastern Europe Legal500

25th July 2019

GC Summit – Central & Eastern Europe invites the most esteemed in-house counsel from the CEE’s most prolific companies to discuss their changing roles as in-house leaders and the challenges, issues and opportunities they are facing in 2019 and beyond. Between comprehensive panel discussions and the opportunity to meet and engage with fellow in-house counsel, GC Summit – Central & Eastern Europe promises to be a practical, forward-looking event bringing together the region’s top legal minds.

Kochański & Partners – Founder of the Anti-Fraud Association

25th July 2019

For many years now, we have observed with great concern the growing level of economic crime and abuse affecting Polish companies. This has made us aware not only of the inherent weakness of the system, but also of the limited effectiveness of ad hoc actions, which do not significantly reduce the problem while consuming large amounts of money.

K&P has advised EPP on the acquisition of the O3 Business Campus II

25th July 2019

Echo Polska Properties N.V. (EPP) has acquired from Echo Investment S.A. another building of the O3 Business Campus office complex in Krakow under the right of first offer (ROFO) contract. The office building, constituting the second stage of the O3 Business Campus office was valued at EUR 49.2 million.

K&P advised Davidson Kempner Capital Management on the high profile GBP 180 million financing

25th July 2019

We advised US investment firm Davidson Kempner Capital Management on the high profile GBP 180 million financing granted to Pepkor Europe of the Steinhoff Group

K&P has advised EPP on the acquisition of King Cross Marcelin shopping centre

25th July 2019

Kochański & Partners law firm (K&P) advises EPP on its EUR 91.1 million acquisition of King Cross Marcelin shopping centre in Poznan – EPP’s first entry into Poznan.

Legal Developments

A difficult time for cryptocurrencies

30th January 2023 The year 2022 will not be remembered fondly in the cryptocurrency market. The progressive decline in the value of coins, the problems of the FTX exchange and the collapse of trust are all raising questions about the future of crypto. Can regulating the crypto-asset market be a panacea for the market’s ills?