Category: On the Move

Serbia’s MIM Law has announced that former Karanovic & Nikolic Partner Tanja Unguran has joined the firm as a Partner.

According to MIM Law, at Karanovic & Nikolic Unguran “was in charge [of the] firm’s Corporate & Tax Department [and] was also a founder and member of the firm’s Energy & Infrastructure Group.” She also also worked with Gide Loyrette Nouel, CMS, and Deloitte.

MIM Law describes Unguran as “among [the] top tax and corporate lawyers in the country, [with] extensive experience advising clients on both tax and legal aspects of some of the biggest commercial transactions in the region, from general commercial contracts, [to] large corporate mergers and acquisitions, as well as real estate deals, lending operations, project finance, and PPP Projects. Her tax expertise covers all areas of tax, in Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition to her specialization in tax and commercial matters, Tanja developed a specific expertise in energy projects, and was among the first lawyers to participate in projects dealing with renewable energy sources in Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

At MIM Law, the firm reports, “Tanja will be a Partner in charge of general tax advisory services, transactional and M&A, commercial and energy projects.”

Tark Grunte Sutkiene has announced that it has rebranded and will operate henceforth as TGS Baltic.

The TGS Baltic follows Tark Grunte Sutkiene’s 2016 merger with the Estonian office of Varul (reported by CEE Legal Matters on April 14, 2016). According to TGS Baltic, “the identity change marks the final integration stage of the internationally awarded pan-Baltic law teams.”

“We have relentlessly aspired to justify high expectations of our clients and our promise to them goes beyond providing legal advice – we help them to achieve business success thus creating the ultimate value,” said Eugenija Sutkiene, Managing Partner of TGS Baltic in Lithuania. “Our new identity – TGS Baltic –  represents our enduring promise to provide innovative solutions based on our deep business understanding and outstanding legal competences.” 

“TGS Baltic marks a new significant chapter in our firm’s history,” added Latvia Managing Partner Ivars Grunte, “which will allow us to consolidate our position in the market, further maintaining productive relationships with our clients and focusing on their business needs and challenges.”

The TGS Baltic team includes 22 Partners and over 140 lawyers operating across the three Baltic countries. According to a TGS Baltic press release, “the firm has the most collective experience in business law in the Baltics and it has been advising international and local clients since early 1990s, offering an unparalleled level of expertise for present and prospective customers.” 

The firm also reports that as “a true leader in commercial law, TGS Baltic has served over 1,500 local and international clients in the three Baltic countries and has successfully completed around 3,000 projects during the period of 2015 – 2016. During the last decade, [the offices making up] TGS Baltic have advised in 80% of all IPOs or listings in the Baltics, [and] advised on over 200 mergers and acquisitions with the total value of EUR 5 billion. During the last five years alone, TGS Baltic has advised on financing transactions with the total value of EUR 20 billion. For comparison, this amount makes up around 20% of the yearly GDP of all the three Baltic countries combined.”

“Our new common identity TGS Baltic reiterates our shared value of team spirit among all the three offices,” said Martin Tamme, the Managing Partner of TGS Baltic in Estonia. “We believe that great things begin with an exceptional team and this is what our clients have always expected from us. Leveraging everyone’s strength and extensive knowledge of different markets, we are prepared to take bold, non-standard decisions in each specific case for the best result possible.” 

TGS Baltic also has an established long-term partnership with the largest law firm in Belarus, Vlasova Mikhel & Partners.

Marcell Szonyi in Budapest, Stanislava Valientova in Bratislava, Georgy Pchelintsev in St. Petersburg, and Bartlomiej Kordeczka in Warsaw are among the 54 lawyers worldwide promoted to Partner in the firm’s most recent promotion round.

“Elevating any one of our talented practitioners to partner is an incredibly important milestone in their career and in the longevity of our firm,” said Elliott Portnoy, Global Chief Executive Officer. “This year’s fantastically diverse class strengthens our global partnership and will ensure Dentons continues to meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. Congratulations to all our new partners.”

“As a leading law firm, Dentons goal is to attract and retain top tier talent wherever our clients’ need it and in whatever discipline our clients’ demand dictates,” said Joe Andrew, Global Chairman. “The breadth of geographic diversity and practice/sector experience within our new partner class is impressive and can only be found at a truly global firm like Dentons.”

Szonyi, who is a member of Dentons Real Estate practice, joined the firm (then Salans, before its 2013 merger with SNR Dentons) in January 2007, after spending the first six years of his career with Clifford Chance. He graduated from Budapest’s Eotvos Lorand University. According to Dentons, “he focuses primarily on the areas of corporate and M&A, real estate, commercial contracts, competition law, litigation, and intellectual property, [and] he has advised on numerous corporate and real estate transactions, commercial contracts, litigations, as well as IP contracts and anti-counterfeiting matters.”

Stanislava Valientova, who specializes in Banking & Finance, started her career in 2005 with White & Case in Bratislava, and moved to Dentons in March of 2015. According to Dentons, “in her practice, she has assisted major Slovak banks and various multinational and domestic companies with the structuring, negotiation, and documentation of bilateral and syndicated financing, project financing, and real estate financing. Stanislava also has considerable experience in capital markets, financial restructuring, real estate transactions, and mergers and acquisitions.” 

Georgy Pchelintsev, who works in the firm’s IP/IT practice in St. Petersburg, obtained his law degree in 2003 from St. Petersburg State University, then followed that up with an LL.M. from King’s College in London in 2014. He worked for two years in the legal department of Ernst & Young, then another two and half years with DLA Piper. In February 2006 he moved to Beiten Burkhardt, then a little more than two and a half years before moving to legacy Salans in May 2008. According to Dentons, he “specializes in Russian corporate and IP/IT law and has broad experience advising on mergers and acquisitions and the establishment of joint ventures in Russia, [and he] also works on transactions involving the creation of intellectual property and the disposal of IP rights and advises on personal data protection and defenses against unfair competition.”

Bartlomiej Kordeczka, who like Szonyi is on Dentons’ Real Estate team, joined Dentons in 2011 after spending four years with Linklaters. According to Dentons, he “advises clients on complex real estate law matters including civil, administrative and commercial law. He has negotiated numerous real estate transactions related to greenfield projects, office buildings, warehouses, and hotels.”

CMS has announced that Budapest-based lawyer Jozsef Varady and Bucharest-based lawyer Horia Draghici have been promoted to the firm’s partnership.

According to CMS, “the appointments are part of the joint partner promotions of CMS, Nabarro, and Olswang, involving 48 partners in 26 offices. The three firms completed their merger on the 1st of May, creating the world’s sixth largest law firm by lawyer headcount, which is present in 39 countries with 70 offices.”

Varady has been working at CMS Budapest for over 14 years, and the firm reports that “he has been involved in several real estate transactions and advised major Hungarian and international clients on real estate projects and litigation matters related to the sector.” According to CMS, “he also has significant experience in corporate and financing transactions and tax matters. Recently he advised Futureal Group on the sale of its Skypark office building located in the center of Budapest to the OTP Prime Property Investment Fund, which was one of the largest office market transactions in the last 12 months in Budapest. He also advised the Belgian real estate developer Atenor on the sale of building A and B in the Vaci Greens complex in Budapest” (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on February 20, 2017).

Draghici specializes in commercial and tax litigation and international disputes. According to CMS, “he is currently advising a public multinational energy company in several disputes related to real estate taxes in Romania and has previously successfully advised same client in various high profile, multimillion EUR tax disputes. [He] is also highly involved in the white collar defense practice of the CMS Bucharest office and has assisted clients in internal compliance investigations, as well as investigations of OLAF and the Romanian National Anticorruption Directorate. He has also experience in investment treaty disputes, being part of the team that successfully defended Romania from a USD 147 million ICSID claim brought by Greek investor Spyridon Roussalis. The claim was dismissed in 2011. Recently, he helped an international reinsurance group settling a dispute with a Romanian insurer by international mediation in accordance with CEDR rules.”

Alexandru Reff, Founding Partner of Reff & Associates, the law firm representing Deloitte Legal in Romania, will become Country Managing Partner Deloitte Romania and Moldova on June 1st, 2017. He will succeed Ahmed Hassan, who takes on a regional leadership position.

Reff started his career in Deloitte in 1997 and has served in various executive roles, including Tax and Legal Partner in Charge for four years. He described himself as “excited to assume the leadership of the firm where I started my career,” and said that “I look forward to continuing our journey to become an exceptional firm, driven by purpose, outstanding in the careers we offer and the contribution we make to business and society. 25 years into our presence in Romania, Deloitte is a large, diverse team of outstanding professionals who serve with passion and distinction many of the greatest companies in our market. One of my main goals is to ensure that ours is a firm where everyone finds meaning in supporting clients and colleagues excel.”

Hassan commented that: “I am sure that under Alex’s leadership the firm will continue to build on the strong position it currently holds. He is a talented and energetic professional who will lead Deloitte with passion and integrity.”

Reff & Associates will be led by Partner Andrei Burz-Pinzaru, who already heads the firm’s banking and securities practice and remains Central European Leader at Deloitte Legal, while Reff continues to support clients in M&A and real estate. 

Allen & Overy has announced the promotion of Prague-based Corporate lawyer Prokop Verner and Istanbul-based Projects and Energy lawyer Joe Clinton to Partner, both effective as of May 1, 2017.

Verner, who joined Allen & Overy in 2004, has been leading the firm’s Corporate practice in Prague since May 2015. He focuses on domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and corporate law. According to Allen & Overy, “Prokop is also an acknowledged specialist in the sectors of telecommunications, media and technologies and in the area of personal data protection, including regulatory matters. According to Allen & Overy, “he has been instrumental in cementing our position of a leading adviser for strategic industry buyers and sellers on high-value and cross-border M&A transactions.” Among the deals Verner worked on was Asahi’s acquisition of the former SABMiller businesses and operations in CEE (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on December 15, 2017).

Commenting on Verner’s promotion, Vaclav Valvoda, Managing Partner of Allen & Overy Prague office, said: “I would like to congratulate Prokop on his promotion and thank him for his contribution to the development of the Corporate/M&A and practice in Prague. He is an excellent addition to our team of corporate partners operating in the CEE region and I am very proud to have him on board.”

Istanbul-based Joe Clinton, who works in Allen & Overy’s Project, Energy and Infrastructure Group, has previously been based in Dubai, Moscow, and London. According to the firm, he “advises sponsors, borrowers, and lenders on a range of transactions, including project development and financing as well as real estate, leveraged and structured financing transactions and general lending, with particular emphasis in the Middle East and Eastern European energy and infrastructure sectors.”

Verner and Clinton are among 24 new partners at the firm, which Allen & Overy claims is the largest number made in any one year since 2008.

The Adriatic Legal Network has announced that Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Sajic and Macedonia’s Pepeljugoski law firms have joined the alliance formed in June of last year by Serbia’s Joksovic, Stojanovic and Partners, Slovenia’s Miro Senica and Attorneys, and Croatia’s Kallay and Partners law firms.

The new members were welcomed into the ALN alliance at its annual meeting in late December in Zagreb.

According to ALN, “with accession of two new members finally is covered the entire territory of the former Yugoslavia, so that ALN network can successfully provide legal services in all these countries, provided that it still plans to expand in the future.”

The news comes a month after rival alliance SELA announced that it too had added another member, giving it similar geographic coverage (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on February 14, 2017). The growing phenomenon of Balkan networks and alliances will be covered at length in the upcoming March 2017 issue of the CEE Legal Matters magazine.

Konecna & Zacha has announced the launch of a new section for German speaking clients both in Prague and Bratislava with other offices to follow soon. The German Desk will be led by Partner Achim Jahnke, who joins from Dvorak Hager & Partners.

Jahnka began his career with Noerr Stiefernhofer & Lutz (now Noerr) in 1988 and worked there until moving to Kocian Solc Balastik in 2004. In 2011 he split off from KSB to start his own office, and in January 2014 he joined Dvorak Hager & Partners to lead its German Desk. 

According to Konecna & Zacha, “Achim provides services especially to German speaking clients in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, real estate and contract law.”

Former PeliFilip Partner Monica Iancu has joined Bondoc si Asociatii in Bucharest.

Iancu has over 14 years of practice and focuses on energy and IT&C as well as corporate/commercial matters. She graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Bucharest and the College Juridique Franco-Roumain d’Etudes Europeennes in 2002 and holds an LL.M. in business law from the University of Bucharest. She worked at NNDKP from 2005-2008, then joined PeliFilip, where she made Partner in 2011.

Lucian Bondoc, Managing Partner of Bondoc si Asociatii, said that “Monica is one of the best energy and IT&C/commercial lawyers in the market and I am sure that she will be a great complement to the existing leadership team and our practices.”

Iancu added that: “Bondoc si Asociatii is one of the fastest growing large firms on the market and one of the very few capable of covering complex projects in all law areas. I am glad to join such an excellent and very active team, and I am confident that we will do outstanding things together.”

Norton Rose Fulbright and Chadbourne & Parke have announced that they will combine in the second quarter of 2017, operating under the Norton Rose Fulbright name. The combined firm reports more than 4,000 lawyers in 58 offices across 32 countries. 

According to a statement released by the firms, “the combination significantly strengthens both firms’ client offerings and practice capabilities, particularly in the areas of energy and infrastructure, banking and corporate finance, project finance, bankruptcy and financial restructuring, litigation, dispute resolution and regulatory law.”

In that statement, Peter Martyr, Norton Rose Fulbright’s Global Chief Executive, is quoted as saying: “We are delighted to unite Norton Rose Fulbright with Chadbourne & Parke to create a global law firm that few can match. Chadbourne has a proud history, and is known for its world class practices in energy, infrastructure, banking and finance. Joining forces with our new colleagues, we can offer our clients significant new capabilities in New York and Washington, DC. We will benefit from new offices in Mexico City, Sao Paulo, and Istanbul, and we will be able to offer our clients expanded capabilities in London, Dubai, Latin America, and other key markets.”

Andrew Giaccia, Chadbourne & Parke’s Managing Partner, is quoted as saying: “Coming together will give us the ultimate advantage of offering superior legal service in virtually all of the world’s key business and financial centers. Our firms share a strategic vision and client focus, and we have highly complementary practice and industry strengths. Following the combination, our global offerings will be virtually unrivaled in many areas, from energy and infrastructure to finance, bankruptcy and restructuring, litigation and regulatory work.”

In CEE, Chadbourne & Parke has offices in Turkey and Russia, though it withdrew in 2014 from Ukraine (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on August 4, 2014) and last year from Poland (as reported on June 24, 2016). Norton Rose Fulbright, which was also in the Czech Republic until the spring of 2014, still has CEE offices in Poland and Greece.

More information to follow.