CEE Legal Matters

Category: News

  • 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.”

  • JSK and Majernik & Mihalikova Advise Genesis Private Equity on PFX Investment

    JSK and Majernik & Mihalikova have advised the Genesis Private Equity Fund IV on its investment in the PFX visual effects, advertising, animation, and post-production studio based in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Peyton Legal reportedly advised PFX.

    According to JSK, PFX employs an international team of more than 160 talented artists and has been providing cutting-edge services for more than a decade, during which it has transformed from a small boutique studio into a major and trusted company in Central and Eastern Europe.

    The Genesis Private Equity Fund IV is a private equity fund belonging to Genesis Capital. It offers financing for growth and development to small and medium companies in Central Europe. Since its foundation in 1999, Genesis Capital has advised six private equity funds with a total volume exceeding EUR 350 million. These funds have supported more than 60 companies.

    “The investment in PFX is the culmination of our efforts to date to find the ideal platform for GPEF IV to enter this dynamic industry,” Genesis Capital Equity Partner Martin Vilis commented. “PFX has demonstrated its exceptional quality and sustainable organic growth in recent years. In addition, we have found highly experienced and passionate growth partners in the founders of the company who fit perfectly with Genesis Capital’s investment strategy.”

    “We enjoy projects in less traditional fields,” JSK Partner Tomas Dolezil said. “This was one of them. It’s interesting to look behind the scenes of a post-production studio and think about some of the legal issues in this context.”

    The JSK team was led by Dolezil and Senior Associate Daniel Pospisil and included Senior Associates Klara Smidova and Hana Cislerova and Junior Associate Lukas Tomanek.

  • Gecic Law and RPHS Law Successful for MTS in Telecommunications Dispute in Kosovo

    Gecic Law, working with Deloitte Legal and RPHS Law, has advised MTS on a dispute with Pristina authorities stemming from the decision to revoke MTS’s operating license in Kosovo.

    MTS d.o.o. is a subsidiary of Telekom Srbija.

    According to Gecic Law, “the contentious decision threatened to halt MTS’s operations within Kosovo, wiping out its registration from the business registry. These actions by the authorities were predicated on claims that MTS’s official documents clashed with local constitutional provisions and regulations.” In September 2023, the “Commission for Reviewing Business Registration Complaints of the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Trade in Pristina redacted its former decision, thereby reinstating MTS’s registration in the business registry.”

    The Gecic Law team included Founding Partner Bogdan Gecic, Partner Ognjen Colic, Senior Associate Vuk Lekovic, and Counsel Branko Gabric.

    The RPHS Law team included Partner Kushtrim Palushi.

  • Cerha Hempel Advises DiscoverIE Group on 2J Antennas Group Acquisition

    Cerha Hempel, working with Snell & Wilmer and Burges Salmon, has advised customized electronics manufacturer DiscoverIE Group on its acquisition of Slovakia-based antennas manufacturer 2J Antennas Group.

    The transaction closed on September 12, 2023, and was valued at approximately EUR 52.5 million.

    DiscoverIE is an international group of businesses that designs and manufactures innovative electronic components for industrial applications. It provides application-specific components to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) internationally and employs approximately 4,700 people across 20 countries, with its principal operating units located in Continental Europe, the UK, China, Sri Lanka, India, and North America.

    Founded in 2002, 2J is a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance antennas for industrial electronic connectivity applications, according to Cerha Hempel. 2J is based in Bardejov, Slovakia, with subsidiaries in the US and UK, and sells in more than 50 countries.

    The Cerha Hempel team included Austria-based Partner Albert Birkner and of Counsel Sergei Makarchuk and Slovakia-based Partner Jozef Bannert and Senior Associates Dusan Hrnciar, Andrej Bartakovic, Lucia Lalikova, and Roman Grigel.

    The firm did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.

    Editor’s Note: After this article was published, PwC Legal announced it had worked with Majernik & Mihalikova to advise the sellers.

    The PwC Legal team included PwC CEE Head of Legal Hugh Owen, Senior Attorney Jana Borska, and Lawyers Ladislav Haladej, Ondrej Suriak, and Anna Pospisilova.

    The Majernik & Mihalikova team included Partner Katarina Mihalikova.

  • Wolf Theiss Appoints Six New Partners in Vienna, Bucharest, Warsaw, Bratislava, and Belgrade

    Former Counsels Zeno Grabmayr, Adelina Iftime-Blagean, Maciej Olszewski, Aleksandar Ristic, Bruno Stefanik, and Stefan Wartinger have all become Partners in Wolf Theiss’ respective offices across CEE.

    Grabmayr is a member of the Banking & Finance team in Vienna. According to the firm, he has “a particular focus on transactions in the financial sector, distressed M&A, restructuring, and financing.” Grabmayr joined Wolf Theiss in 2013 and has been with the firm since, save for a six-month secondment with Slaughter and May in London. “I appreciate the trust Wolf Theiss has placed in me and the recognition of my work so far,” Grabmayr said. “With this promotion, the next chapter of an exciting professional journey begins for me and my colleagues.”

    Iftime-Blagean is a labor law and IP&IT expert in Wolf Theiss’ Bucharest office. Before joining the firm in 2006, Iftime-Blagean spent three years with Popovici, Nitu, Stoica & Asociatii and a year in-house with SSIF Broker. “I am delighted and grateful to be appointed as a Partner at Wolf Theiss,” Iftime-Blagean commented. “From this position, I aim to contribute to the future growth of the firm. This promotion not only represents personal appreciation but also honors the collective effort of our team.”

    Olszewski is a member of the Corporate/M&A team at Wolf Theiss in Warsaw. According to the firm, he has “specialized in corporate transactions, including share and asset deals, equity investments, corporate restructurings, joint ventures, and regulatory advice.” Before joining Wolf Theiss in 2019, he spent 11 years with Allen & Overy and, earlier, over three years with Salans. “I am excited about this professional milestone and looking forward to further developing our Corporate/M&A practice with my colleagues,” Olszewski stated.

    Stefanik is a member of the Corporate/M&A team at Wolf Theiss in Bratislava. According to the firm, “for over ten years, Bruno has advised clients on various corporate law matters, including M&A, restructurings, and regulatory issues.” Before his career at Wolf Theiss, Stefaniak spent almost five years in-house as Lead Counsel with Audia Plastics, and, earlier, almost six years with Kinstellar. “Being appointed Partner greatly motivates me to further expand our office in Bratislava and to achieve many more successes for Wolf Theiss with my colleagues,” Stefanik added.

    Wartinger is a member of the Competition and Antitrust Law team at Wolf Theiss in Vienna. According to the firm, his activities encompass “complex cartel and abuse proceedings before the European Commission and Austrian courts as well as leniency applications at national and EU levels.” Before joining Wolf Theiss in 2021, he spent eight and a half years with E+H. “In my new role, I aim to further contribute to Wolf Theiss’s strengths in terms of expertise and solution-oriented action on an international level,” Wartinger commented.

    Aleksandar Ristic is a member of the Corporate and Disputes team at Wolf Theiss in Belgrade. Ristic began his legal career with Wolf Theiss in 2015, joining as an Associate and becoming a Senior Associate in 2019 and Counsel in 2021.

    “We are delighted to welcome six exceptional colleagues to the circle of Partners, further expanding our market presence and service portfolio in the CEE/SEE region,” Managing Partner Sebastian Oberzaucher said. “Promoting excellence and talents within the firm is of great significance to Wolf Theiss.”

  • Dentons Advises on Combination of Wavestone and Q-Perior

    Dentons has advised Wavestone on its combination with Q-Perior. Taylor Wessing advised Q-Perior.

    The transaction remains contingent on regulatory approval.

    Wavestone is a French consultancy group listed on Euronext Paris.

    Q-Perior is a consulting company operating in the Germany-Switzerland-Austria region.

    According to Dentons, “the combination of the two firms will create a European champion in the consulting market with over 5,500 employees.”

    The Dentons team included Warsaw-based Partner Piotr Dulewicz, Senior Associate Bartosz Juszczak, and Associate Aleksandra Redzisz, Bucharest-based Partner Cristina Daianu and Counsel Cristina Marcu, as well as further team members in Paris, Berlin, Duesseldorf, London, New York, and Ottawa.

    Taylor Wessing fielded teams from its offices in Germany and France.

  • Clifford Chance Advises Banks on Financing for Moravia Containers

    Clifford Chance has advised Ceska Sporitelna and UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia on their financing for the Oriens holding’s Moravia Containers in relation to the acquisition of Steelmart. Havel & Partners advised the borrower.

    Moravia Containers is a European manufacturer in the field of modular buildings and residential, sanitary, and technological containers. It is owned by Oriens, an industrial investment holding active in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, and Germany. According to Clifford Chance, the acquisition “will allow Moravia Containers to establish a new production facility for its business.”

    According to the firm, the cooperation between Moravia and the lending banks has been ongoing since 2019 and covers several acquisitions in the relevant sector, including the acquisition of Contimade in 2021 (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on March 21, 2021).

    The Clifford Chance team was led by Partner Milos Felgr and Counsel Dominik Vojta and included Associate Bara Mika and Junior Lawyer Pavlina Tomeckova.

  • Wolf Theiss and Ozog Tomczykowski Advise on Sale of 70% Stake in Metal-Plast to INVL and Eco Baltia

    Wolf Theiss has advised Latvian private equity fund INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund and its portfolio company Eco Baltia on the acquisition of a 70% stake in Polish PVC recycler Metal-Plast. Ozog Tomczykowski advised the target’s shareholders on the sale. Sorainen reportedly advised INVL and Eco Baltia as well.

    Metal-Plast Founder Sebastian Fedorowicz remains on board with a 30% stake in the business. Metal-Plast is a European player in the recycling of PVC from the production waste of window and door systems and old plastic windows.

    Eco Baltia specializes in environmental management and waste processing in the Baltic countries.

    “Metal-Plast represents the eighth portfolio investment of the INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund. The circular economy remains one of our core investment pillars and we are delighted to again partner with one of the most successful portfolio companies to date in Eco Baltia and [Sebastian] Fedorowicz to further drive Metal-Plast’s exciting growth journey.” INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund Partner and Eco Baltia Supervisory Board Chairman Vytautas Plunksnis commented.

    The Wolf Theiss team was led by Counsel Maciej Olszewski and included Partner Jacek Michalski, Counsels Marcin Rudnik and Adrian Krzyzanowski, Senior Associate Marcin Zak, and Associate Dominika Getka.

    The Ozog Tomczykowski team included Partner Karol Sowa, Managing Associate Adam Trawinski, Senior Associates Roksana Barysz, Renata Sobocinska, and Jedrzej Figurski, and Associates Oliwia Rudzinska, Szymon Rozum, and Agnieszka Karczewska.

  • From Sea to Sea to Shining Sea: 12 CEE Law Firms Band Together To Launch the Three Seas Legal Alliance

    During the Three Seas Initiative annual general meeting in Bucharest in September 2023, Austria’s Dorda, Bulgaria’s Boyanov & Co., Croatia’s Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka, the Czech Republic’s Kocian Solc Balastik, Estonia’s Ellex Raidla, Hungary’s Lakatos Koves & Partners, Latvia’s Ellex Klavins, Lithuania’s Ellex Valiunas, Poland’s Wardynski and Partners, Romania’s Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen, Slovakia’s Barger Prekop, and Slovenia’s Selih & Partnerji announced they formed the Three Seas Legal Alliance, in recognition of the progress made by the Three Seas Initiative.

    According to the press statements, the Three Seas Legal Alliance’s core goals will include supporting the development of the Three Seas Initiative in each member country; raising awareness amongst the client community of the Three Seas Initiative and the legal environment and support for investments arising thereof; and offering clients “the best legal advice if they are considering investments in any of the member countries which may form part of the Three Seas Initiative.”

    The Three Seas Initiative describes itself as a politically inspired, commercially driven platform for improving connectivity between twelve EU member states located between the Baltic, Adriatic, and Black seas. The initiative was born out of a shared interest in developing transport, energy, and digital infrastructure connections on the EU’s north-south axis.

    Several members of the new Three Seas Legal Alliance – Boyanov & Co., Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka, Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen, Selih & Partnerji – were working together within SEE Legal, which will continue to run in parallel.

  • Ostermann & Partners Advises Osijek-Koteks on Acquisition of Romic-Promet

    Ostermann & Partners has advised Croatia’s Osijek-Koteks on the acquisition of river and sand mining company Romic-Promet.

    According to Ostermann & Partners, Osijek-Koteks is a regional construction and sand mining company and one of the oldest construction companies in Croatia. “As part of company consolidation and expansion, Osijek-Koteks has acquired Romic-Promet, active in the sectors of river and sand mining, construction, and transport.”

    The Ostermann & Partners team included Managing Partner Mojmir Ostermann and Attorney at Law Janko Havas. 

    Ostermann & Partners did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.