Team size: 10

Key projects over the past twelve months

Over the past year, I have led Echo Investment’s legal function through a series of large-scale, strategically important transactions and corporate initiatives that have reshaped our platform. As General Counsel, I oversee a team supporting complex real estate, M&A, and financing transactions with institutional investors, while maintaining robust corporate governance and regulatory compliance across the group.

A key highlight was overseeing the legal workstream for the creation of a JV between Echo Investment S.A., Signal Capital Partners, and Griffin Capital Partners (the Student Space platform), as well as the real estate development of a purpose-built student accommodation portfolio in Kraków and Warsaw.

On the investment and asset rotation side, I represented Echo Investment in the divestment of the Office House asset in Warsaw to AFI Europe, continuing the group’s strategy of crystallising value on stabilised assets and redeploying capital into new development opportunities.

What are the key trends that in-house counsel should be monitoring in 2026?

For in-house counsel in the real estate and investment sectors, 2026 will be defined by regulatory intensity and capital markets volatility, with growing interest from global players. ESG will remain a critical factor—particularly in the context of EU requirements and financial institutions’ preference for sustainable assets. This will require legal teams to move from reactive compliance to proactive, business-integrated risk management and planning.

At the same time, shifting investor appetite is reshaping deal structures across the development, PRS, and PBSA segments. Joint ventures and platform transactions will continue to grow in importance, demanding strong internal capability in complex shareholder arrangements and long-term governance frameworks.

AI is increasingly being integrated into legal teams to maximise efficiency. How can in-house counsel ensure the successful incorporation of these tools without compromising the human element?

Successful AI integration starts with a clear vision of which parts of the legal value chain can safely be systematised, and which require human judgement. In my experience, leading a high-volume transaction pipeline, AI-enhanced tools excel in document review, clause comparison, knowledge management, and first-draft generation, while strategic advice, negotiation, and risk calibration remain firmly with experienced counsel.

Governance is critical. Legal teams should define policies on data protection and confidentiality, and establish mandatory human review for any AI-assisted outputs used in decision-making.

What do you think are the most important attributes for a modern in-house counsel to possess?

The modern in-house counsel must combine deep legal expertise with business acumen, leadership, and resilience. In a role that spans multi-hundred-million-euro transactions, capital markets deals, and long-term partnerships with institutional investors, understanding the commercial rationale of each project is as important as technical precision.

Equally, the role requires strong people leadership: setting a clear vision, building a culture of accountability and collaboration, and developing talent that can operate seamlessly with both the C-suite and external advisers. Finally, integrity and sound judgement are non-negotiable—particularly in real estate and investment markets where long-term relationships and reputation are key drivers of value.