Category: On the Move

  • Walless Incorporates Entire Fort Estonia Team and Fort Latvian Litigation Team

    Walless and Fort have announced their agreement to merge their Estonian operations under the Walless brand, while Walless will also strengthen its operational capacities in Latvia with the addition of the Fort Latvia litigation team.

    “The merger of two experienced and ambitious teams is a significant step towards providing even better legal service to our clients,” Walless Estonia Managing Partner Piret Kergandberg said.

    The Fort Latvia litigation team joining the Walless Latvia operation has been and will continue to be led by Partner Sandis Bertaitis. “We are pleased to announce the expansion of our team with the addition of highly recognized dispute resolution expert Sandis Bertaitis and his team,” Walless Latvia Managing Partner Kristine Gaigule-Saveja commented. “He will provide Walless’ clients with a service that is truly exceptional, characterized by a deep commitment to addressing their needs and concerns.”

    According to Walless, “the changes regarding the Fort brand in Estonia and Latvia will not include Fort Lithuania. The firms in Estonia and Latvia will now embark on a period of active integration planning, working together toward the final closing of the transaction.”

    “We welcome this merger as Walless continuously seeks to become the top choice for both local and international clients for projects in the Baltics,” Walless Board Chairperson and Lithuania Managing Partner Dovile Burgiene added.

  • Noerr’s Bratislava, Bucharest, Budapest, and Prague Offices To Transfer to Kinstellar

    Noerr has announced it is taking “a new direction in its business in the markets of Central and Eastern Europe,” with its Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, and Slovak offices to be transferred to Kinstellar.

    “Noerr and Kinstellar have agreed to transfer these practices after the details of the integration are fully worked out,” Kinstellar reported, with the firm adding: “Several important operational and technical aspects, including investments in IT systems, leasehold premises are being worked out and the deal will complete after all necessary regulatory consents and internal approvals have been obtained.” Noerr and Kinstellar will also cooperate on a non-exclusive basis to serve their clients across these jurisdictions following the closing of the transaction.

    “As part of our regular review of the firm’s positioning, we have concluded that forming a strategic partnership in the Central and Eastern European markets is the best approach for enhancing the quality of our advisory services moving forward,” Noerr Co-Managing Partner Alexander Ritvay commented, adding: “We have been pursuing a strategy of qualitative growth for many years. While this strategy is working very well in Germany, we have to recognize that the CEE markets have not developed in a comparable way.” Noerr’s release also stated that “all of Noerr’s staff will be offered the opportunity to work for Kinstellar in [the] future.”

    “This is an exciting chapter in Kinstellar’s journey,” Kinstellar Senior Partner Jason Mogg commented. “We will be welcoming the Noerr teams in Budapest, Bratislava, Bucharest, and Prague and this enhances Kinstellar’s strength and capabilities and diversifies our expertise and clientele. Kinstellar and Noerr share similar values and culture, which will make the integration very smooth. Both firms are highly regarded for their commitment, teamwork approach, strong work ethic, and their excellent service to clients. We are confident that this project will benefit the Noerr team in these cities, all our people, and, most importantly, our clients.”

    “We see the deal and future cooperation with Kinstellar as very positive and a win-win for our clients, people, and firms,” Ritvay added. “It will give Noerr both the possibility to concentrate on achieving its goals in Germany and other Western markets and a reliable and committed first-class partner firm in the region.”

    While the Polish office was not included in the announcements, when asked if the office there is staying with the firm, a Noerr spokesperson told CEE Legal Matters: “We are exploring other options for our Warsaw office.”

    This is the latest in a series of expansions of Kinstellar in CEE, after the addition of the former DLA Piper office in Ukraine (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on June 14, 2021), the integration of the Zuric i Partneri (ZiP) law firm in Croatia (as reported on January 26, 2022), and its strategic partnership in Serbia with the local SOG Law Firm (as reported on July 4, 2023). A recent March 2024 interview on the Serbian move is available here.

  • Nlaw Appoints Martin Hren as Managing Partner in Croatia and Katya Mezek To Lead Newly Opened US Office

    Nlaw Partner Martin Hren has become the new Managing Partner of the firm’s Croatian office. At the same time, Nlaw announced the opening of its US office with Of Counsel Katya Mezek at the helm.

    Originally from Slovenia, Nlaw has been present in the Croatian market since 2020 (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on April 7, 2020).

    According to the firm, Hren “brings years of experience in corporate and commercial deals. He has worked both with larger enterprises and with young entrepreneurs. Notably, he is recognized for his work in the tech segment.” He has been with the firm since 2023. Before that, he spent four years with Savoric & Partners.

    As for the new US office, Nlaw reports that it will “focus on serving clients rooted in Central and Eastern Europe. We will be providing various corporate and commercial legal services. We expect to focus on assisting with relocating HQs to the US, raising funds from US-based VC investors, investing in US entities, and providing all the legal support required for companies to offer their services and products to customers in the US.”

    Mezek, the new office head, has previously spent six years as the Managing Attorney of LEKS Law. Before that, she spent two years with the Structure Law Group and seven years with Shaub & Williams.

  • Austria’s Mariella Kapoun and Georg Gutfleisch and Slovenia’s Amela Zrt and Ivan Kranjec Make Partner at CMS

    Mariella Kapoun and Georg Gutfleisch have become Partners at CMS in Austria, while Amela Zrt and Ivan Kranjec have become Partners at CMS in Slovenia, as part of the firm’s latest promotion round.

    Kapoun and Gutfleisch both focus on real estate, construction, and transactions. Kapoun has been with CMS since 2016. Before that, she spent a year with Cerha Hempel.

    Gutfleisch has been with CMS since 2020. Before that, he spent four and a half years with Brandl Talos and, earlier, two years with DLA Piper.

    According to CMS, Zrt is a labor and data protection law expert. She has been with CMS’s Ljubljana office for seven and a half years. Before that, she spent two years with Kraljic and, earlier, over a year and a half with Rojs Peljhan Prelesnik & Partners.

    Kranjec is the Head of Tax at CMS in Slovenia. He has been with the firm since 2014. Before that, he spent two years with PwC, four years with BDO, and just under a year with Vonda.

    “Each new partner has demonstrated a strong commitment to the interests of our clients and the legal profession,” Managing Partners Guenther Hanslik and Johannes Juranek commented. “The current promotions reflect not only professional achievement, but also the firm’s continued investment in our team members. We look forward to the next steps in the careers of Mariella, Georg, Amela, and Ivan. Their dedication, expertise, and innovative thinking embody the values we cherish at CMS.”

  • Schoenherr Appoints Seven New Partners in Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia

    Poland’s Weronika Kapica and Daria Rutecka, Romania’s Adina Damaschin and Mara Moga-Paler, Serbia’s Zoran Soljaga, Slovakia’s Michal Lucivjansky, and Slovenia’s Peter Gorse have all been appointed to Partner positions with Schoenherr.

    Kapica is a specialist in the banking and financial services regulatory, finance, and corporate finance areas. She has been with the firm since 2016, when she joined as an Associate.

    Rutecka focuses on intellectual property and technology, corporate and M&A, data protection, and unfair competition. She has been with the firm since 2015, starting off as an Intern.

    Damaschin primarily deals with finance. A former Counsel, she joined Schoenherr in 2014. Before that, she spent three and a half years with Noerr, a year in-house with OMV Petrom, three years with Wolf Theiss, and two years in-house with HVB Bank Romania.

    Employment expert Moga-Paler has been with Schoenherr since 2018. Head of Employment at the Bucharest office, she previously spent over five years in private practice as well as over eight years with Clifford Chance.

    Soljaga focuses his expertise on EU and competition areas of law. He has been with the firm since 2016, having previously spent seven and a half years with Serbia’s Commission for the Protection of Competition.

    Lucivjansky specializes in regulatory, competition, and EU & foreign trade. He has been with Schoenherr since 2009 when he joined as a Paralegal.

    Gorse is a corporate and M&A expert. He has been with the firm since 2019. Before that, he spent four years with Ulcar & Partners.

    “These appointments stand as a testimony to our strong ability to develop and grow exceptional talent,” Managing Partner Alexander Popp commented.

  • Kinstellar Announces New Firm-Wide Practice and Sector Leadership Appointments

    Kinstellar has announced several appointments to firm-wide practice and sector leadership positions, including Partner Csilla Andreko in Budapest, Partner Iustinian Captariu and Special Counsel Magda Raducanu in Bucharest, Managing Partner Milos Velimirovic in Belgrade, Managing Partner Lukas Sevcik and Counsel Jan Lehky in Prague, and Managing Associate Lukas Mrazik in Bratislava.

    Andreko and Raducanu have been appointed Co-Heads of the firm-wide Banking & Finance service line. Andreko has been with Kinstellar for over 15 years, after spending nine years with Linklaters, and over five years with Clifford Chance. Raducanu has been with Kinstellar since 2021, after spending almost 22 years with Dentons.

    Captariu will be the new firm-wide Head of the Energy & Natural Resources sector. He made Partner at Kinstellar in 2017 (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on June 23, 2017), back when he was already leading the firm’s local Competition and Energy practices.

    Velimirovic has been appointed the Co-Head of the firm-wide Financial Institutions sector, alongside Sofia-based Managing Partner Diana Dimova. Velimirovic has been with Kinstellar since its merger with SOG in 2023. Earlier, he spent almost eight years with SOG and over eight years in-house with the Hypo Alpe-Adria Bank.

    Sevcik will be the new firm-wide Head of the Defense & Security sector and has been appointed to lead the firm’s German desk. Sevcik has been with Kinstellar since 2008. Before that, he spent six years with Linklaters and, earlier, six years with Noerr.

    Lehky has been appointed the Co-Head of the firm-wide Environmental, Social, and Governance service line, alongside Kyiv-based Managing Partner Olena Kuchynska. Lehky has been with the firm since 2014. Earlier, he spent over two years with Hogan Lovells and three and a half years with Glatzova & Co.

    Mrazik has been appointed the Co-Head of the firm-wide Data & Cybersecurity service line and will also Co-Head the TMT sector, alongside Partner Viliam Mysicka. Mrazik has been with the firm since 2015. Earlier, he spent two and a half years in-house with eGoc Systems.

  • Drakopoulos Joins South East Legal Alliance

    Drakopoulos has become a part of the South East Legal Alliance, thus expanding the network’s reach to Athens, Bucharest, and Nicosia.

    Drakopoulos has been providing consulting and legal advice to businesses since 1992.

    SELA is a regional network of independent law firms advising clients on their operations across South East Europe. Its members are located across eleven jurisdictions including Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, and Slovenia.

    According to SELA, “the inclusion of Drakopoulos further enhances the diversity and depth of expertise within SELA. With a proven track record in providing legal services in three jurisdictions, Drakopoulos brings a wealth of experience and a commitment to the highest professional standards, aligning seamlessly with the network’s values.”

  • Istanbul’s Tolga Tezel and Prague’s Radek Kraus and David Wilhelm Make Local Partner at White & Case

    Senior Associate Tolga Tezel and Associates Radek Kraus and David Wilhelm have been appointed as Local Partners at White & Case in Istanbul and Prague respectively. The appointments were part of a broader round – including 23 Local Partners and 22 Counsels – and followed the firm’s earlier Global Partner round, which included Prague’s Vaclav Zaloudek (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on November 20, 2023).

    Tezel focuses on commercial, corporate, and M&A as well as capital markets matters and was appointed a Local Partner in the Global Mergers & Acquisitions practice. He started his career with GKC Partners, the Turkish affiliate of White & Case, back in 2011 as an Intern. He returned a year later and spent 13 months with the team, before a one-year stint in the Armed Forces, to finally take up a permanent position with GKC in 2015.

    Kraus specializes in banking & finance and insolvency as well as corporate and commercial law and was named a Local Partner in the Global Debt Finance practice. He joined White & Case back in 2017. Before that, he spent two years with Wolf Theiss as an Associate and two more with KPMG Legal. He started out with NSG Morison in 2010, where he spent three years and made Associate in 2011.

    Wilhelm focuses on energy, construction, and general corporate law matters and became a Local Partner in the Global Project Development and Finance practice. He joined White & Case in 2011, the same year he received his LLM degree from Masaryk University in Brno.

    Prague’s Vladimir Ivanco was also appointed a Counsel in the firm’s Project Development and Finance practice as part of the same promotion round. The promotions will become effective on January 1, 2024.

  • Iustin Armasu, Christoph Cudlik, Michael Marschall, and Teresa Waidmann Make Partner at Schoenherr

    Schoenherr has announced it is promoting Iustin Armasu, Christoph Cudlik, Michael Marschall, and Teresa Waidmann to Partners, as of February 2024. 

    Marina Stanisavljevic is to become Counsel within the same promotion round.

    New Bucharest-based Partner Iustin Armasu specializes in dispute resolution. Part of Schoenherr since 2015, Armasu previously spent almost seven years with SCA Piperea & Asociatii.

    Vienna-based Christoph Cudlik specializes in energy and environmental law. He has been a part of Schoenherr since 2014, first joining as an Associate before making Attorney at Law in 2019 and Counsel in 2022.

    Michael Marschall, also based in Vienna, is an M&A specialist. Before joining Schoenherr in 2019, he spent eight years with Deloitte Legal Jank Weiler Operenyi.

    Former Counsel Teresa Waidmann, also Vienna-based, is a labor and employment law specialist. Before joining Schoenherr in 2014, she spent a year and a half as an Associate with Hausmaninger Kletter.

    “With this promotion round we are not only strengthening our Partner and Counsel ranks, but are again sending a strong signal to the market that we want to grow and develop strategically,” said Schoenherr Managing Partner Alexander Popp. “I am immensely proud of the vast and growing pool of talent within our ‘people development company,’ one that is becoming younger and ever more diverse.”

  • Ioana Knoll-Tudor Joins Addleshaw Goddard as Partner in Paris

    Former Jeantet Global Partner Ioana Knoll-Tudor has joined Addleshaw Goddard as a Partner in its Paris office to develop its International Arbitration team.

    Knoll-Tudor has over 15 years of experience with arbitral practice and procedure, both in commercial and investment arbitration. Before moving to Addleshaw Goddard, she spent eight years with Jeantet, starting as a Local Partner in Budapest in 2015 (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on November 3, 2015). She worked out of both Budapest and Paris starting in 2017 (as reported on September 20, 2017) and made Global Partner with Jeantet in 2020 (as reported on September 2, 2020). Before that, she spent over eight years with Gide, starting as an Associate in Warsaw in 2007 and moving as a Senior Associate to Budapest in 2012.

    “Ioana brings impressive international experience – whether in France, Spain, Central and Eastern Europe, or further afield – to better serve existing and future clients,” Addleshaw Goddard Co-Head of International Arbitration Simon Kamstra said. “There are many synergies between Ioana’s practice and our ambitions to broaden our capabilities to support clients wherever they might need us, and we are delighted to welcome Ioana to our rapidly growing team in Paris.”

    “Addleshaw Goddard’s Paris office is quickly expanding and taking part in this thrilling adventure with partners who are keen to work together is a particularly stimulating challenge,” Knoll-Tudor commented. “For our clients, the firm’s international platform also means that we are now represented in all the major arbitration centers around the world, such as London, Singapore, Paris, and Dubai, which is growing rapidly. It also gives us the opportunity to tap into new markets such as Latin America and Africa.”