CEE Legal Matters

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  • Karanovic & Partners Advises SEF on Partnership Programs with Swiss SDC and ProCredit Bank

    Karanovic & Partners has advised the Serbian Entrepreneurship Foundation on partnership programs with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and ProCredit Bank.

    According to Karanovic & Partners, the new initiatives are designed to strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises in Serbia. “The first initiative involves SEF’s collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, which has provided funding of CHF 2 million for SEF’s programs. The second is a partnership agreement between SEF and ProCredit Bank, which has joined the credit guarantee scheme to support selected manufacturing SMEs in Serbia. Both projects are part of the SME Hub initiative, funded by the Swiss Government which helps Serbian micro and SME businesses gain access to the financial resources and expertise needed to meet international standards and integrate into global supply chains.”

    The Karanovic & Partners team included Partner Maja Jovancevic Setka and Associate Dimitrije Ilic.

  • Taylor Wessing Advises on Sale of Kleczew Solar & Wind Farm to Energa Wytwarzanie

    Taylor Wessing has advised the Polish Development Fund-managed FIZAN fund as the lender to the sale of the Kleczew Solar & Wind farm by Lewandpol Holding to Energa Wytwarzanie, part of the Orlen Group.

    According to Taylor Wessing, the “current capacity of the Kleczew Solar & Wind farm is 244.5 megawatts. This includes a 225.3-megawatt photovoltaic farm and a wind farm with an installed capacity of 19.2 megawatts. However, the project is being further developed and the construction of the next phase will expand the photovoltaic installation by a further 25.4 megawatts.”

    The Taylor Wessing team included Partner Zbigniew Korba and Counsel Michal Kulig.

    Taylor Wessing did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.

  • TGS Baltic Advises Nala Renewables on EUR 25 Million Loan from Luminor Bank

    TGS Baltic has advised Nala Renewables on a EUR 25 million loan from Luminor Bank.

    Nala Renewables is an energy and renewable energy investment platform and independent power producer. It has recently acquired a number of solar power plants in Lithuania from Green Genius (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on September 11, 2024).

    Luminor is an independent bank operating in the Baltic States.

    The TGS Baltic team included Partners Zygimantas Stankevicius and Dalia Tamasauskaite-Ziliene, Associate Partner Sebastian Okinczyc, Senior Associate Simas Paukstys, Associates Evelina Savickaite and Deividas Joksas, and Legal Assistants Samanta Sluoksnaityte and Meda Stankute.

    TGS Baltic did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.

  • Tomasz Zak Joins Eversheds Sutherland with Team

    Former Hogan Lovells Counsel and Head of the Warsaw M&A Practice Tomasz Zak has joined Eversheds Sutherland as a Partner.

    Joining with him is his team including Counsel Tomasz Pietrzak, Senior Associate Leonart Szanajca-Kossakowski, and Lawyers Aleksandra Filipiak and Hubert Jurczyk.

    According to Eversheds Sutherland, Zak’s arrival “enhances the firm’s corporate transactional capabilities in Warsaw, whilst adding further depth to client offerings in Europe and on cross-border transactions.”

    Before the move, Zak spent almost 21 years with Hogan Lovells before the firm announced it was shutting down its Warsaw operations (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on September 20, 2024). He joined Hogan Lovells as an Associate in 2004, becoming a Senior Associate in 2010, and a Counsel in 2010.

    “We very warmly welcome a group of excellent lawyers led by Tomasz Zak to our team,” commented Managing Partner Ewa Lachowska-Brol. “This is an experienced, knowledgeable team, which will not only enable us to expand our law firm’s transactional and corporate service but will also allow us to better adapt to an ever-changing market.”

    “I am delighted to join the Polish office of Eversheds Sutherland,” Zak added. “I believe this is the right place where both I and my team will be able to continue providing the highest quality comprehensive services to our clients.”

  • Gessel and Kambourov & Partners Advise on MS Galleon’s Acquisition of Corab

    Gessel and Kambourov & Partners have advised MS Galleon on its acquisition of Corab. TGS Baltic reportedly advised MS Galleon as well.

    According to Gessel, the transaction’s completion required clearance from multiple competition authorities, including those in Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Germany, and Bulgaria.

    In 2021, Gessel advised the Black Forest Fund on an investment in Corab (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 13, 2021).

    The Gessel team included Partners Christian Schmidt and Bernadeta Kasztelan-Swietlik, Senior Associate Natalia Lesna, and Attorney at Law Agnieszka Kolenda-Kuchcicka.

    The Kambourov & Partners team included Managing Partner Stefan Tzakov and Senior Associates Plamen Yotov and Ivan Raykov.

    Editor’s Note: After this article was published, TGS Baltic confirmed its involvement on behalf of MS Galleon. The firm’s team included Estonia-based Associate Partner Triinu Jarviste and Senior Associate Mari Anne Rohtla and Lithuania-based Senior Associate Jonas Salna.

  • Dentons Advises Electrica on CfD Renewables Auction Bid

    Dentons has advised Electrica on the successful bid of its subsidiary Crucea Power Park SRL in the first round of the Contracts for Difference auction as part of Romania’s state aid scheme for renewables.

    According to Dentons, “CPP, which is developing the Crucea Est wind farm, is 60% owned by Electrica. It was designated among the winners in the inaugural round of the auction for its onshore wind power generation project, with an allocated installed capacity of 54.0 megawatts, at a price of EUR 77.325 per megawatt-hour.”

    In 2021, Dentons advised on a RON 750 million facility for Electrica (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on November 16, 2021).

    The Dentons team included Partner Claudiu Munteanu-Jipescu, Counsel Elena Vlasceanu, and Senior Associate Angelica Pintilie.

    Dentons did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.

  • CCAO and Tunc Firat Dereli Advise on USD 95 Million Syndicated Loan to Tekfen Holding

    CCAO has advised Yapi Kredi, Akbank, Aktif Bank, and Alternatif Bank on a USD 95 million syndicated loan for Tekfen Holding. Tunc Firat Dereli advised Tekfen Holding.

    Tekfen Holding is a Turkiye-based holding company involved in engineering and construction, textile, food processing, and other industrial sectors.

    According to CCAO, Tekfen Holding borrowed USD 95 million in order to “develop its sustainable-oriented investments and support them with new financial instruments.”

    The CCAO team included Partner Candemir Baltali and Associates Berfin Avag and Can Demirkan.

    The Tunc Firat Dereli team included Partner Zeynel Tunc, and Associates Solen Arbak, Dilem Kabil, and Tuana Kurt.

  • Greenberg Traurig and Deloitte Legal Advise on Generali Investments CEE’s Logistics Park Acquisition from Panattoni

    Greenberg Traurig has advised Generali Investments CEE on its acquisition of a logistics park in Zabrze, Poland, from Panattoni. Deloitte Legal advised Panattoni.

    Generali Investments CEE is an investment company providing collective investment and asset management services.

    According to Greenberg Traurig, located within the Katowice special economic zone, the 45,000-square-meter logistics facility is largely occupied by one of Europe’s largest suppliers of medical equipment. 

    The Greenberg Traurig team included Deputy Managing Partner Radomil Charzynski, Counsels Olga Durawa and Anna Kokeli, Senior Associates Alicja Flis and Iga Czerniak, Associates Bruno Jasic and Patrycja Wakuluk, and Junior Associate Weronika Kopec

    The Deloitte Legal team included Partners Marta Bijak-Haiduk and Dominika Sulak-Seyfried and Senior Managing Associate Patrycja Czarnecka.

  • bpv Huegel advises RWA eGen on the purchase of the shares in RWA AG held by BayWa AG

    A transaction team of bpv Huegel advised RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Handel und Vermögensverwaltung eGen (RWA eGen) on the acquisition of shares in RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Aktiengesellschaft (RWA AG) from BayWa Aktiengesellschaft (BayWa AG).

    BayWa AG is selling its international shareholding in RWA AG to co-shareholder RWA eGen as part of its transformation concept.

    08 January 2025. A transaction team of bpv Huegel advised RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Handel und Vermögensverwaltung eGen (RWA eGen) on the acquisition of shares in RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria Aktiengesellschaft (RWA AG) from BayWa Aktiengesellschaft (BayWa AG). The sale of key international holdings such as RWA AG is part of the transformation concept of stock-listed BayWa AG.

    RWA eGen is acquiring the approximately 47.53% stake in RWA AG at a purchase price of EUR 176 million, thereby increasing its current stake of around 49.99% in RWA AG. On 27 December 2024, the share purchase agreement was concluded between BayWa AG, its wholly owned subsidiaries BayWa Austria Holding GmbH and BayWa Pensionsverwaltung GmbH on the one hand, and a holding company of RWA eGen on the other. RWA eGen also holds the majority stake in Raiffeisen Agrar Invest AG, which is the second-largest shareholder in BayWa AG with a stake of around 28.3%. The closing of the share purchase agreement is subject to, inter alia, merger control approvals.

    RWA AG operates as a producer, service provider and retailer in the business areas of agriculture, technology, energy, building materials and home & garden. As the umbrella organisation of the Austrian Lagerhaus cooperatives, RWA AG provides them with a comprehensive range of services in the aforementioned areas. In addition, RWA AG holds a wide range of participations and subsidiaries in Austria and selected Eastern European countries.

    The transaction team at bpv Huegel, led by partners Christoph Nauer (Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets), Thomas Lettau (Corporate/M&A) and Astrid Ablasser-Neuhuber (Merger Control), included Nico Wolski (Tax), Johannes Mitterecker (Corporate/M&A), Ingo Braun (Finance & Regulatory), Roland Juill (Corporate/M&A, Capital Markets), Barbara Valente, Anna Zirkler, Daniel Maurer, Patrick Nutz-Fallheier (all Corporate/M&A), Stefan Holzweber and Philipp Stengg (both Merger Control).

    RWA eGen was advised on German law by FPS Rechtsanwälte, Frankfurt (Daniel Herper). BayWa AG was advised by a team from Jones Day, Munich (Maximilian P. Krause, Alexander Ballmann, Jürgen Beninca).

  • Pawel Stykowski Legal Studio Opens For Business in Warsaw

    Former DWF Local Partner and Head of Insurance Pawl Stykowski has his eponymous Pawel Stykowski Legal Studio.

    According to Stykowski, the Pawel Stykowski Legal Studio’s primary area of focus will include “everything related to insurance and AML activities – from advising on regulatory and civil law issues, through conducting training, to handling court cases.”

    Before the move, Stykowski spent more than five years with DWF as a Local Partner and Head of Insurance (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on September 19, 2019). Earlier, he was a Counsel with Eversheds Sutherland between 2018 and 2019 and, the Head of Legal with InterRisk between 2014 and 2018. Earlier still, he was with CMS as a Senior Associate between 2011 and 2014 as well as an Associate between 2007 and 2009. Between 2009 and 2011, he was a Legal Specialist with AXA Group.