Category: On the Move

  • 360Competition Opens Doors in Romania

    Clifford Chance Badea Of Counsel Diana Crangasu and Former D&B David & Baias Partner Adrian Ster have founded 360Competition, a boutique competition law firm.

    Both Ster and Crangasu specialize in competition law and state aid. The new firm’s services will cover antitrust, merger control, state aid, and unfair competition.

    Ster has spent the past two years as Partner in charge of Competition Law and State Aid at D&B David and Baias, which he joined in May 2019 after spending the previous three years at Wolf Theiss (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on May 8, 2019). He graduated from the Babes-Bolyai University Law School in 2005.

    Crangasu will continue to supervise the competition practice at Clifford Chance Badea, overseeing its local competition team, and working with the antitrust teams of other Clifford Chance offices. She graduated from the University of Bucharest Law School in 2004.

    “The opening of a specialized boutique reflects both the confidence we have in our capabilities and the maturity of the Romanian legal services market,” commented Ster. “Our experience and the portfolio of clients we set out with confirm that we are taking this step not only with the best team, but also at the right time,” added Crangasu.

  • JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic Creates Special Partnership with Vukmirovic Misic in Montenegro

    Serbia’s JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic has entered into a special partnership with the Vukmirovic Misic law firm in Montenegro.

    According to an article on the JPM website, “for JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic, [which] has a long tradition of working closely with first-rate firms throughout the region and around the world, this partnership will enable us to provide top-notch legal advice on the Montenegrin market with strong local lawyers’ expertise.”

    A JPM representative explained that, while local bar regulations preclude formal integration of firms in Serbia and Montenegro, its relationship with Vukmirovic Misic “means a bit less then exclusivity and more then best friends, with joint market development and marketing efforts. With the law firm of Lana Vukmirovic Misic we have found a trustworthy partner who speaks the same professional language and shares the same values we at JPM have been abiding for 30 years. We look forward to developing this partnership as much as possible …. For the time being we want to show this partnership for what it really is, and that is two independent firms from two jurisdictions working hand in hand in close partnership while remaining independent.”

  • New Partner Promotions at Nazali Tax & Legal in Turkey and Ukraine

    Murat Demir has been promoted to Regional Partner and Dogus Gulpinar to Partner at Nazali Tax & Legal in Turkey and Ukraine, respectively.

    Murat Demir began his career at EY in Izmir, Turkey, in 2003. After 15 years with the firm, he joined Nazali Tax & Legal in 2018. He obtained his Master of Laws in Public Law from the Bahcesehir University in 2014.

    Before joining Nazali Tax & Legal Services in the spring of last year (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on March 26, 2020), Dogus Gulpinar practiced with the D&M law firm from 2015 to 2019 and with GoLaw from 2019 to 2020. He received his Bachelor of Laws from the Odessa I.I. Mechnikov National University in 2015.

  • Adriatic Firms Form New Rivet:Net Law Firm Alliance

    A new law firm alliance has appeared in the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

    Rivet:net — which its members describes as “a network of leading independent law firms in the Adriatic region, providing comprehensive legal support across the region” — was founded by North Macedonia’s Bona Fide, Slovenia’s Fatur Menard, Kosovo’s Hodaj & Partners, Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Milanovic-Lalic and Suljovic, Croatia’s Vukmir and Associates, and Serbia’s Zivkovic Samardzic (which will also cover Montenegro).

    According to a story on the Zivkovic Samardzic website, “the main purpose of Rivet:net is to enhance the regional capabilities of members of the network, and to enable their clients to approach high-quality, uniform, and efficient legal support throughout the entire Adriatic region.”

  • Lucia Raimanova and Adam Fadian in Allen & Overy’s Global Partnership Round

    Counsels Lucia Raimanova in Bratislava and Adam Fadian in Istanbul are among the 30 lawyers promoted to partner by Allen & Overy as part of the firm’s global round, effective on May 1, 2021.

    Raimanova is a solicitor-advocate of England & Wales and a Partner in Allen & Overy’s International Arbitration Group. Before relocating to Bratislava in 2016 to lead the firm’s Arbitration practice within Central and Eastern Europe, she practiced with the firm for ten years in London and was also seconded to the firm’s Hong Kong and Moscow offices. Prior to joining Allen & Overy, Lucia was engaged by the World Bank as an advisor to the Slovak Government.

    Adam Fadian advises on debt restructurings, structured trade and commodity finance, project and infrastructure finance, leveraged acquisition finance, real estate finance and margin lending. According to Allen & Overy, “he has particular experience in developing markets and regularly advises clients on debt restructurings and financing transactions in Turkey, the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine, the CIS, and CEE.” Before joining A&O in 2018 he spent twelve years with Clifford Chance in London and Moscow and one year with Gilbert + Tobin in Sydney, Australia. 

    “Congratulations to all of our new partners,” commented A&O Global Managing Partner Gareth Price. “We are committed to bringing through new generations of diverse leaders that cover a broad geographic spread, as well as practice and product specialisms. This is an incredibly talented group who we know will add to the future success of our firm.”

  • Nikolai Kurmashev and Patryk Figiel Promoted to Partner at Linklaters

    Counsels Nikolai Kurmashev in Moscow and Patryk Figiel in Warsaw have been promoted to Partner as part of Linklaters global round, which included a total of 35 new partners worldwide. 

    All 35 promotions take effect on May 1, 2021. 

    “We are confident that our newly elected partners will live the firm’s culture and values and continue to provide legal certainty in a changing world to our clients,” said Charlie Jacobs, Senior Partner and Chairman at Linklaters. “These promotions acknowledge hard work, excellent legal skills, and service to our clients [and] I congratulate all those who have been promoted and wish them every success as they continue their career with us.”

    Nikolai Kurmashev, who heads the Moscow office’s Banking practice, specializes in cross-border syndicated lending, structured financing and restructuring in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine and the CEE region. He joined the firm in 2005 and was promoted to Counsel in 2016.

    Patryk Figiel helms Linklaters Warsaw’s Energy and Infrastructure practice. His areas of expertise are investments and transactions in energy, infrastructure, natural resources, and environmental protection sectors in Poland and Central Europe. He also joined Linklaters in 2005.

    “Patryk is an extremely professional lawyer, with great competence and many years of experience,” commented Artur Kulawski, Managing Partner at Linklaters Warsaw. “He is also extremely engaged in the projects he runs, thanks to which he successfully achieves his clients’ goals.”

  • Act Legal Announces Common Brand

    The Act Legal alliance has announced that all of its offices are being integrated under a new common brand.

    According to an Act Legal press release, “with a unified brand and corporate style for all ten law firms and a new modern joint website, the rebranding marks the logical next step in the evolution of the alliance.” 

    In recent years, Act Legal has established itself as a first-class alternative to large international law firms, both on a national level and in international transactional business,” commented Sven Tischendorf, the Managing Partner of AC Tischendorf Rechtsanwalte/Act Legal Germany. “The combination of the service profile of a large international law firm and the efficient structures of a boutique is unique in Europe.”

    The alliance, launched in 2017 (reported by CEE Legal Matters on May 16, 2017), includes CEE firms in Austria (WMWP Rechtsanwalte/Act Legal Austria), the Czech Republic (Randa Havel Legal/Act Legal Czech Republic), Hungary (Ban & Karika/Act Legal Hungary, which joined in 2018 (reported by CEE Legal Matters on March 9, 2018)), Poland (BSWW Legal & Tax/Act Legal Poland), Romania (Botezatu Estrade Partners/Act Legal Romania, which joined the alliance in 2020 (reported by CEE Legal Matters on January 14, 2020)), and Slovakia (MPH Advocates/Act Legal Slovakia).

  • Former Nagy & Trocsanyi Partner Viktoria Szilagyi Moves to Lakatos, Koves & Partners in Budapest

    Former Nagy & Trocsanyi Partner Viktoria Szilagyi has joined Lakatos Koves & Partners in Budapest.

    According to LKT Szilagyi, who joins the firm as Counsel, specializes in providing “general commercial law advice to some of the larger foreign corporates active in Hungary and  transactional work with a special focus on  the renewable energy and healthcare sectors.” According to the firm, “Viktoria is Chair of the CEE Sub-Regional Group  of the International Bar Association’s European Regional Forum, was a consultant on corporate law matters at the Lawyer’s Academy organized by the Budapest Bar Association, and is a member of the Professional Committee of the Hungarian Bar Association.

    “We are pleased to welcome Viktoria to our team,” commented LKT Partner Richard Lock, who heads the firm’s Corporate/M&A practice. “At a time when good news may be in short supply, we are pleased to have some good news. We remain busy  in our Corporate/M&A practice and this expansion reflects the current position, potential, and ambitions of the firm in this area. Among the areas in which Viktoria will help the development of our practice is through her active role in the IBA, which plays an important role in our relationships with law firms around the world.”

    “I am pleased and excited to be joining what is widely seen as the leading Corporate /M&A team in Hungary,” commented Szilagyi. “LKT’s profile as an independent internationally focused firm gives me a great platform to develop my practice and I look forward to working with my new colleagues.”

  • New Equity, Contract, and Local Partners at Schoenherr

    Arabella Eichinger, Andreas Natterer, and Michael Woller have been promoted to Equity Partner, Marcin Aslanowicz, Bojan Brezan, Vid Kobe, and Maximilian Lang have been promoted to Contract Partner, and Marko Frantar has been promoted to Local Partner as part of Schoenherr’s recent promotion round.

    Austrian lawyer Arabella Eichinger, who joined the firm in 2013, specializes in real estate and construction law. She was promoted to Contract Partner at the beginning of 2019 (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on August 15, 2019). She has a Magister’s degree in law from the University of Vienna. Prior to joining Schoenherr, she spent two years with Hohne & In der Maur, five years with Saxinger Chalupsky Weber and Partners, three years with UBM, and five years with Asamer Holding AG.

    Schoenherr describes Andreas Natterer, who joined the firm in 1993, as “one of Austria’s leading experts in health care and life science matters, especially in food and pharma law.” According to the firm, “he [also] brings more than 25 years of experience in several areas of litigation, representing Austrian and international corporates both in and out of court.” He Natterer has a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. from the University of Vienna.

    Austrian lawyer Michael Woller co-heads Schoenherr’s IP & Tech practice. According to the firm, he has a strong CEE focus and handles large international trademark portfolios as well as complex cross-border IP-projects.” He has an LL.M. and an MBA from the Donau-Universitat Krems and a Ph.D. from the University of Vienna. Before joining Schoenherr in 2008, he spent almost six years with IBM.

    Marcin Aslanowicz is the Head of Schoenherr’s Dispute Resolution practice in Poland. According to the firm, “he specializes in arbitration, as well as in civil law, commercial law and company law, representing clients in various disputes pending before Polish state courts, as well as Polish and international arbitration courts.” He has an LL.M. from the University of Warsaw and a J.D. from the Polska Akademia Nauk. Prior to joining Schoenherr in 2019 from Wolf Theiss (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on February 19, 2019), he spent three and a half years with that firm, and over nine years with Clifford Chance.

    Bojan Brezan manages Schoenherr’s Slovenia office and, according to the firm, “specializes in corporate/m&a and real estate acquisitions and is widely recognized as a top litigator.” He is a graduate of Heidelberg University and the University of Ljubljana. Prior to joining Schoenherr in 2012, he spent two and a half years with Kozinc and Partners.

    Vid Kobe, who joined Schonherr Slovenia in 2007, is a transaction lawyer who, according to the firm “played a central role in establishing the Slovenian office’s highly regarded corporate finance practice.” According to the firm, “he is recognized for his high-profile M&A and financing track record as well as his expertise in restructurings and distressed situations.” He has an LL.B. from the University of Ljubljana and an LL.M. from LSE. 

    Austrian lawyer Maximilian Lang specializes in Corporate/M&A. He joined Schoenherr in 2013 after two and a half years with Binder Groesswang, and has a Magister’s degree in Law from the University of Vienna and an LL.M. from Georgetown. 

    According to Schoenherr, Slovenian lawyer Marko Frantar has “built-up a strong transactional practice specializing in real estate, and has accumulated extensive experience advising on non-transactional matters restructuring, regulatory, [and] dispute resolution.” He has an LL.B. from the University of Ljubljana and an LL.M. from NYU. Prior to joining Schoenherr in 2013, he spent two years with the Court of Appeals of Ljubljana.

    “Each one of these outstanding lawyers has played an important role in positioning Schoenherr as the go-to legal advisor for complex commercial matters in Austria and CEE,” said Schoenherr Managing Partner Michael Lagler. “The promotion of this exceptional group of lawyers also proves that we have remained strong and adaptable in the face of the particularly demanding circumstances that the past year brought. I am proud of welcoming them into their new positions.”

  • Three New Partners at Ellex in Lithuania and Estonia

    Giedre Aukstuoliene at Ellex Valiunas in Lithuania and Martin Maesalu at Ellex Raidla in Estonia have made Partner, and Olga Petroseviciene has joined Ellex Valiunas as a Partner.

    Giedre Aukstuoliene, who co-heads the Dispute Resolution practice of the firm’s Vilnius office with Partner Ramunas Petravicius, joined Ellex in 2011, after working for a year and a half with Smaliukas, Juodka, Beniusis & Parnets and two and a half years with Varul Vilgerts Smaliukas. She received her Master’s degree in Law from Vilnius University in 2008.

    Olga Petroseviciene joins Ellex Valiunas from Wint, where she spent the previous two years. She began her career in a previous iteration of Ellex Valiunas – Lawin – where she worked from 2007-2010. In 2010 she left Lawin to join Raidla, Lejins & Norcous, and in July of 2013 she moved to Sorainen. In 2014 she left to open her own firm, and five years later joined Wint. At Ellex Valiunas she will co-head the Real Estate and Environmental practice with Audrius Petkevicius.

    New Partner Martin Maesalu will take charge of Ellex Raidla’s Competition Law and State Aid practice. He joined Ellex legacy firm Raidla, Lejins & Norcous in 2011. He obtained his first Master’s in Law from the University of Tartu in 2010, then obtained additional Master’s in Law degrees from WHU – Otto Beisheim Graduate School of Management and the Bucerius Law School.

    “I am glad that the young generation of lawyers is taking an increasingly active lead in the law firm,” commented Rolandas Valiunas, Managing Partner of Ellex Valiunas in Lithuania.