Firm Profile > CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang Posniak i Bejm sp.k. > Warsaw, Poland

Construction Tier 1

The dedicated construction team at CMS advises clients on construction projects, and represents them in construction disputes. The group advises on all aspects of the construction process, including at the implementation phase and at the completion of the investment. In disputes, lawyers act in mediation proceedings, litigation, arbitration, and in settlement hearings. The team is led by Lidia Dziurzyńska-Leipert, who also heads the firm's German desk. Counsel Michał Bork is noted for construction and design contracts and development agreements.

Data privacy and data protection Tier 1

CMS is able to assist clients with the spectrum of data protection and GDPR advisory services, as well as representation before the Data Protection Authority and the courts. The group is led by Tomasz Koryzma, who is an established technology lawyer, who focuses on data privacy issues relating to internet and e-commerce businesses, and has substantial experience in cross-border data-protection projects.

Dispute resolution Tier 1

CMS utilities the expertise of the entire Warsaw office to handle disputes in the financial sectors, as well as the construction industry (representing contractors and employers. It is also instructed in disputes involving energy, aviation, life sciences, automotives and TMT.  Department head Małgorzata Surdek  has a strong track-record in arbitration, acting as counsel and arbitrator; and she is a member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration. Anna Cudna-Wagner is another key name, and specialises in acting for financial institutions and corporates involved in banking-sector litigation. Senior associate Adam Jodkowski is developing a practice in a variety of civil and commercial disputes.

Employment Tier 1

The 'first-class' team at CMS, which is led by Katarzyna Dulewicz, handles the full spectrum of employment matters, with particular strength in the financial sector. The group's experience covers employment-related immigration issues, harassment cases including internal investigations, team moves and restructurings, sensitive dismissals and collective employment law. The practice also leverages the firm's strong international presence on cross-border projects. Pensions law is another area of expertise, where the team acts for pension schemes. Senior associate Maciej Andrzejewski has expertise in personnel issues, while counsel Tomasz Sancewicz is noted for his ability to handle advisory and contentious work.

Energy and natural resources Tier 1

The team at CMS shows 'a great level of drive and enthusiasm' with experience in all aspects of energy and heavy industry projects. Particular specialisms include industrial investments, resource exploration and production work, M&A transactions (especially in the renewables sector), environmental permitting, emissions trading and regulatory issues. In 2020, Marcin Bejm took over leadership of the department from oil and gas industry expert Tomasz Minkiewicz. Agnieszka Skorupińska, who was promoted to the partnership in May 2020, is a specialist in environmental law at a Polish and EU level. Łukasz Szatkowski primarily handles energy projects and joined the group from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in 2019.

Insurance Tier 1

The standalone insurance group at CMS is led by counsel Ewa Świderska, and covers all areas of insurance law. The team's clients include insurers, banks, investment and pension funds, as well as companies with insurance programmes, re-insurers and insurance intermediaries. An area of particular expertise is insurance claims and disputes, but it also handles non-contentious issues in relation to insurance products and corporate transactions in the insurance sector. Małgorzata Surdek is a name to note with regulatory and licensing expertise, which she applies regularly in relation to the establishment of insurance businesses in Poland.

Investment funds Tier 1

Investment funds are a core area of expertise for CMS; an area that is handled by an interdisciplinary team comprising lawyers from the corporate and M&A, tax, project finance and banking departments. The group advises on amendments to fund structures, fund establishments and liquidations, regulatory compliance and fund management structures. In addition, it regularly assists investors in relation to their investments and lenders on the development of fund structures. Błażej Zagórski and Rafał Zwierz jointly lead the team. Although the firm lost Marek Sawicki and Jakub Marcinkowski to DLA Piper in June 2019, and Ireneusz Piecuch left to found his own firm in December 2018,  the team gained counsel Marek Trzos-Rastawiecki from Dentons in July 2019 along with senior associate Katarzyna Grodziewicz from White & Case M. Studniarek i Wspólnicy - Kancelaria Prawna sp.k..

Public procurement Tier 1

The group at CMS has a high level of knowledge of public procurement work, with an additional niche in the competition aspects of procurement contracts in the public sector. The group has expertise in domestic and EU-level procurement law, and assists clients throughout the tender process, providing public finance law advice, civil and commercial law services, as well as advice on state aid and contentious matters. Małgorzata Urbańska heads up the public procurement and competition groups, while Marcin Bejm leads on infrastructure and project finance issues.

Real estate Tier 1

The team at CMS is noted for assisting property funds with the acquisition and sale of real estate assets, and advising developers, banks, lessors and occupiers on every stage of the investment process. The department is jointly led by experienced transactional lawyer Anna Brzoza-Ostrowska, who is a specialist in the industrial and logistics sectors; and Lidia Dziurzyńska-Leipert, who also leads the firm's German desk. In 2019, Katarzyna Dębińska-Pietrzyk left the firm for DWF Poland Jamka Sp.k. Since publication, Wojciech Koczara left the firm.

Tax Tier 1

CMS' main areas of expertise comprise tax structuring, transactional tax, transfer pricing and tax disputes; it also handles warranty and indemnity insurance transactions. The group also handles cross-border tax advice, drawing on the firm's strong presence across Europe. The client roster includes private equity funds and corporates in the real estate and construction, financial services, energy and consumer goods industries. Appointed managing partner in 2019, Andrzej Pośniak leads the department and the firm's CEE tax offering, and co-leads the global tax group. Newly promoted partner Łukasz Dynysiuk specialises in tax planning and structures, as well as the tax aspects of M&A. Senior associate Paulina Karpińska-Huzior has experience representing clients in tax proceedings before administrative authorities, and in penal fiscal proceedings before state enforcement authorities.

TMT Tier 1

The team at CMS is noted for its expertise in IT implementation projects, data protection and GDPR advisory services, as well as advising digital businesses on their operations in Poland. The group is led by IT and data protection specialist Tomasz Koryzma and advises a range of multinational and Polish clients, including ZTE, HP and ING Alea. It is also able to draw on the firm's strong international presence, often coordinating matters across the CEE region.

White-collar crime Tier 1

CMS' team is well versed in business criminal law, with particular experience in anti-bribery and corruption issues, anti-money laundering and criminal proceedings. It also regularly represents companies in international and local investigations, in addition to providing internal investigation services. Crisis management is another key area for the group, as is assisting with the implementation of compliance programmes and training. Arkadiusz Korzeniewski leads the department, as well as heading up the CEE white-collar crime initiative for the firm. Senior associates Maciej Kópczyński and Mariusz Minkiewicz are experts in anti-bribery and corruption cases.

Banking and finance Tier 2

The team at CMS is led by transactional finance expert Michał Mężykowski. The group advises financial institutions and corporate borrowers on financing arrangements for acquisitions, real estate, projects and exports, as well as advising on bond issuances, restructurings and structured finance. Alongside the transactional practice, the group also assists clients with financial regulatory issues - a capability cemented by the arrival from Dentons of counsel Marek Trzos Rastawiecki in June 2019, who now leads the regulatory sub-team.

Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2

CMS' transactional team works closely with the firm's busy private equity and capital markets teams to advise clients across areas including the energy, life sciences, transport and logistics, retail, consumer products, financial services and insurance sectors. The group also has a particular strength in joint venture projects. Rafał Zwierz leads the team, which includes Błażej Zagórski and senior associate Olga Czyżycka, whom clients rate for her 'professional, yet down-to-earth, approach'. Sławomir Czerwiński was a new arrival in 2020.

Competition/antitrust Tier 2

CMS is noted for its expertise in merger control and antitrust issues, in addition to the team's experience in handling consumer protection, unfair competition and state aid issues. Investigations and litigation are key components of the group's practice, and it is regularly called upon to support clients in investigations into anti-competitive activities, including in relation to dawn raids and antimonopoly proceedings. Małgrzata Urbańska heads the team, while also leading the consumer products group for the CEE region. Senior associate Agnieszka Starzyńska is another key practitioner, with a particular focus on issues arising from M&A transactions.

Intellectual property Tier 2

Core sectors for CMS span the fashion and luxury goods, chemicals, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, technology and media industries. The team, which is led by Tomasz Koryzma, focuses on IP enforcement work, with particular expertise in trade mark and patent cases and portfolio protection issues. The Warsaw office acts as a hub for the CEE, and lawyers regularly coordinate matters across the region. Promoted to partner in 2019, Marek Oleksyn is an expert in trade marks and unfair competition cases.

Private equity Tier 2

CMS' team regularly handles significant private equity-backed M&A transactions in the Polish market, while also assisting clients with the Polish aspects of multi-jurisdictional transactions. Its strong client roster comprises regional and global private equity houses, including Advent International and Mid Europa Partners. The group also draws on the firm's wider areas of expertise and is able to draw on the firm's solid tax and capital markets departments. Transaction expert Rafał Zwierz leads the group, which includes senior associate Olga Czyżycka, who has experience in cross-border deals and capital group restructuring and reorganisation. In June 2019, the team lost Marek Sawicki and Jakub Marcinkowski to DLA Piper.

Capital markets Tier 3

Areas of expertise for CMS' group includes investment structurings, IPOs, development strategies for listed companies, public and private placements, exits from public markets and securitisation projects. The group's strength also lies in its regulatory services, which covers shareholder relations, corporate governance and the regulatory aspects of public trading. Rafał Zwierz leads the department from the corporate and M&A department. Senior associate Katarzyna Grodziewicz is another name to note, with experience in a variety of major equity transactions.