CEE Legal Matters

Category: News

  • Brandl Talos and Herbst Kinsky Advise on Xund’s EUR 6 Million Pre-Series A Financing Round

    Brandl Talos has advised Xund on a EUR 6 million pre-series A financing round led by Lead Ventures with participation from J&T Ventures and existing investors MassMutual Ventures, TBA network, and Lana Ventures. Herbst Kinsky, and reportedly Erdos Partners, advised Lead Ventures.

    Xund is an Austrian healthtech start-up specializing in AI-powered medical software to digitize the patient journey.

    The Brandl Talos team included Partner Adrian Zuschmann and Senior Associate Elena Ciresa.

    The Herbst Kinsky team included Partners Sonja Hebenstreit and Wolfgang Schwackhoefer and Attorney at Law Alexander Lotz.

  • Dentons and Schoenherr Advise on Komercni Banka’s Acquisition of SG Equipment Finance Czech Republic

    Dentons has advised Komercni Banka on acquiring a 49.9% stake in SG Equipment Finance Czech Republic from Societe Generale Equipment Finance. Jones Day and Schoenherr advised Societe Generale. White & Case reportedly advised SGEF owner BPCE.

    According to Dentons, combined with KB’s existing 51.1% stake, this transaction makes KB the 100% owner of SGEF CR. The parties have chosen not to disclose the transaction value.

    Moreover, Dentons reports that the deal closed in parallel with Societe Generale’s sale of its equipment financing activities – excluding those in the Czech Republic and Slovakia – to BPCE, a French financial group.

    SGEF CR provides finance leases, operating leases, and loans (including subsidized support) to finance investments in industrial equipment, modern technologies, transport, agricultural equipment, and healthcare.

    The Dentons team included Prague-based Partners David Simek and Petr Zakoucky, Senior Associate Tomas Pavelka, Associate Anna Kolodrubcova, and Junior Associates Krystof Vrtek, Dusan Korbel, and Robert Kveton as well as Paris-based Partner Olivier Genevois.

    The Schoenherr team included Warsaw-based Partners Pawel Halwa and Weronika Kapica and Prague-based Partner Vladimir Cizek and Attorneys at Law Jiri Marek, Jan Kupcik, Kristyna Tupa, and Natalie Dubska.

  • CMS Advises Romanian Commodities Exchange on Acquisition of Majority Stake in Bulgarian Energy Trading Platform

    CMS has advised the Romanian Commodities Exchange on its acquisition of a 75% stake in the Bulgarian Energy Trading Platform.

    The Bulgarian Energy Trading Platform is Bulgaria’s second gas exchange market and the first privately owned.

    The CMS team included Partner Atanas Bangachev, Senior Associates Denitsa Dudevska, Alexander Rangelov, and Katya Todorova, and Associates Nikola Naydenov and Nadya Chukova.

     

  • Walless Advises ICA Gruppen on Sale of Rimi Baltic Group to Salling Group

    Walless, working with Gernandt & Danielsson, has advised ICA Gruppen on the sale of Rimi Baltic Group to Salling Group for EUR 1.3 billion. Sorainen reportedly advised Salling Group on the deal.

    Rimi Baltic Group operates 314 grocery stores across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and employs 11,000 people.

    According to Walless, the deal allows ICA Gruppen to sharpen its focus on the Swedish market while positioning Rimi Baltic Group for growth under new ownership.

    The Walless team included Managing Partner Dovile Burgiene, Partners Arturas Grimaila, Indre Jonaityte-Grice, Minni-Triin Park, Sintija Radionova, Kuldar-Jaan Torokoff, Joana Baublyte-Kulviete, Alina Makovska, Darius Miniotas, Andres Siigur, Hannes Vallikivi, Toomas Taube, Renata Jatuzyte-Muleviciene, and Andis Ozolins, Associate Partners Vytenis Cep, Edita Dauksiene, Akvile Marozaite, Danielius Matonis, Simona Miliauskaite-Gintute, Alma Monkeviciene, Arina Stivrina, Guoda Sileikyte, and Konstantins Telakovs, Counsel Katrin Alliksaar, Experts Raimondas Andrijauskas, Senior Associates Mara Bekere, Arturs Caics, Giedre Cesiulyte-Megine, Igors Dambrans, Monika Gadeike, Gabriele Gudauskiene, Indre Jocite, Kaisa Saarmann, Liina Kais, Zane Karklina, Margus Koiva, Baiba Krievina-Sutora, Mykolas Luksenas, Janis Ozolins, Tomas Paulauskas, Ieva Pikaiste, Laura Tumina, Ignas Urbonas, Liis Venelaine, and Eduardas Simkus, Attorney at Law Riin Rehepapp, Associates Ieva Smigelskaite, Artur Dubickij, Ugne Grigaityte, Rasa Jakstait, Karolina Mickute, Roma Morkunait, Karlis Murnieks, Aura Rimonyte, Adomas Saladzius, Vytautas Samavicius, Dominyka Seputaite, and Martynas Zdanavicius, Junior Associates Emils Klavs Liepins, Justinas Gasys, Igne Kazanaviciete, Maria Lutter, and Erika Vicaiste, and Legal Assistants Rezija Gaujere, Konstance Krievina, and Salvijus Vitas.

  • Linklaters and Ergun Advise Turker Global Madencilik on USD 55 Million Gold Mine Acquisition in Bulgaria

    Linklaters, working with Ergun, has advised Turkerler Holding subsidiary Turker Global Madencilik on a share purchase and option agreement for the acquisition of a gold mine development project in Bulgaria for USD 55 million from Toronto-listed Velocity Minerals and its joint venture partner, Gorubso Kardzhali. Lotz & Company reportedly advised the sellers.

    The Linklaters team included Partner Daniel Cousens, Managing Associate Klaudia Sliwka, Associate Zuzanna Oldfield

    The Ergun team included Partner Lara Sezerler and Associate Melis Kaim.

  • Kevin-Paul Deveau Joins Greenberg Traurig as Shareholder

    Former Reed Smith Partner Kevin-Paul Deveau has joined Greenberg Traurig as a Shareholder.

    According to Greenberg Traurig, “bringing extensive experience in private credit, bespoke financing arrangements, and acquisition finance, Deveau regularly advises banks, alternative lenders, asset managers, and borrowers on a diverse range of financing transactions. Alongside his extensive experience in Central and Eastern Europe, his areas of focus include Turkiye, the Middle East, and Africa.”

    Before the move, Deveau was a Partner with Reed Smith between 2018 and 2025. Earlier, he was with Dechert as a Senior Associate between 2015 and 2017 and as a Counsel between 2017 and 2018. Earlier still, he was with Clifford Chance as an Associate between 2007 and 2010, and as a Senior Associate between 2010 and 2015.

    “Kevin-Paul brings a breadth of multijurisdictional legal expertise that plays well to our strengths in global finance,” said Greenberg Traurig Executive Chairman Richard A. Rosenbaum. “With this addition, we reaffirm our commitment to strategically growing our London team, ensuring that we continue to offer top-tier service to clients in the U.K., Europe, the Middle East, and worldwide.”

     “I’m excited to join Greenberg Traurig’s London team and collaborate with colleagues across the firm’s extensive European, Middle East, and global network, and of course, the firm’s unmatched coverage of the United States,” added Deveau. 

    Deveau reflected on his CEE work over the years in our Looking In series, an interview available here.

  • Freshfields, BDK Advokati, and Baker McKenzie Advise on Midea’s Acquisition of Arbonia Climate Division

    Freshfields has advised Midea Group subsidiary Midea Electrics Netherlands on its EUR 750 million acquisition of the climate division from Arbonia AG. BDK Advokati advised Midea on the local aspects of the acquisition of Serbian company Termovent, as part of the broader transaction. Baker McKenzie advised Arbonia.

    Midea develops and manufactures products in the area of air conditioning and building technology, industrial components, robotics, and automation.

    Arbonia AG is a Swiss building supplier, listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

    The Freshfields team included Vienna-based Counsel Gernot Fritz and Associate Iris Amschl as well as further team members in Frankfurt, Berlin, Hong Kong, Brussels, Tokyo, Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Milan, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Paris.

    The BDK Advokati team included Senior Partner Vladimir Dasic and Junior Associate Peter Eric.

    The Baker McKenzie team included Warsaw-based Associates Anna Krekora, Michal Pakosz, and Piotr Pawlowski and Paralegal Konrad Rutkowski, Prague-based Associate Jan Dudik, as well as further team members in Zurich, Geneva, Berlin, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, Beijing, Shanghai, Brussels, Madrid, Milan, Paris, and Stockholm.

    Editor’s Note: After this article was published, Karanovic & Partners announced that it advised Arbonia as well. The firm’s team included Senior Partner Milos Jakovljevic and Junior Associates Teodora Vasin and Kristijan Nikolic.

  • Ellex Advises Adven on EUR 675 Million Financing Platform Renewal

    Ellex, working with Allen Overy Shearman Sterling, has advised Adven on the renewal of its financing platform by raising EUR 675 million.

    Adven is a provider of sustainable energy solutions in the Nordic and Baltic regions.

    According to Ellex, the transaction, which raised EUR 675 million through a mix of bank financing and private placement loans, closed in January 2025 and provides a strong foundation for the company’s future growth.

    In 2023, Ellex advised Adven Group Companies in Latvia on joining global financing (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on May 11, 2023).

    The Ellex team included Latvia-based Associate Partner Marta Cera, Senior Associates Beata Plocina and Niklavs Zieds, and Associate Eliza Semkina and Estonia-based Partner Ermo Kosk and Counsel Toomas Kasesalu.

    Ellex did not respond to our inquiry on the matter.

  • Cerha Hempel and DGKV Advise on Semantic Web Company’s Partnership with Ontotext to Form Graphwise

    Cerha Hempel has advised the shareholders of Semantic Web Company and the company itself on a collaboration with Ontotext which resulted in the formation of Graphwise. Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov advised Ontotext.

    According to Cerha Hempel, Graphwise is a company combining expertise in semantic technologies and knowledge management to strengthen Europe’s AI ecosystem – with a key focus on reducing the “hallucinations” of large language models.

    Semantic Web Company, based in Vienna, is a software and consulting firm in semantic technologies.

    Sofia-based Ontotext is a semantic graph database and knowledge-graph solutions company.

    The Cerha Hempel team included Partners Mark Krenn, Heinrich Foglar-Deinhardstein, and Boyko Gerginov, Senior Associates Alina Alavi Kia and Kalin Bonev, and Associates Bernhard Lichtneger and Lazar Georgiev.

    The DGKV team included Partners Georgi Tzvetkov and Valentin Bojilov and Associate Irina Mihailova.

  • Dentons Advises Helmerich & Payne on Acquisition of KCA Deutag International Limited

    Dentons, working with Kirkland & Ellis, Grette, and Akund Forbes, has advised Helmerich & Payne on the USD 1.97 billion acquisition of UK-headquartered KCA Deutag International Limited. Allen Overy Shearman Sterling reportedly advised KCA Deutag International Limited.

    Helmerich & Payne is an NYSE-listed drilling rig manufacturer. 

    KCA Deutag is an international oil and gas services company, which employs approximately 9,000 people and operates in more than 20 countries worldwide.

    According to Dentons, the deal will “establish a global leader in onshore drilling and will allow Helmerich & Payne to enhance its global presence, particularly in the Middle East, and diversify its operational mix across crude oil and natural gas markets.”

    The Dentons team included Prague-based Partner Evan Lazar, Bucharest-based Partner Perry Zizzi, Warsaw-based Partner Aleksandra Minkowicz-Flanek, Senior Associate Tomasz Lasyk, Associate Rozanna Piela-Wojciechowska as well as further lawyers in Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Germany, Oman, Peru, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom.