CEE Legal Matters

Category: News

  • Eisenberger & Herzog, Schoenherr, Milbank, and Rojs, Peljhan, Prelesnik & Partners Advise on Sartorius’ Acquisition of BIA Separations

    Eisenberger & Herzog, Milbank, and Rojs, Peljhan, Prelesnik & Partners have advised the Sartorius Group on its acquisition of BIA Separations and the merger of is into its subgroup Sartorius Stedim Biotech. Schoenherr advised the unidentified majority shareholder on the sale.

    The transaction has a total value of EUR 360 million, of which EUR 240 million will be paid in cash and EUR 120 million in Sartorius Stedim Biotech shares. Additionally, three tranches of earn-out payments based on performance over the next five calendar years were agreed. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close by the end of 2020.

    Eisenberger & Herzog describes the Sartorius Group as “a leading international partner of biopharmaceutical research and the industry.” according to the firm, “in fiscal 2019, the group earned sales revenue of some EUR 1.83 billion with around 9,000 employees at approximately 60 manufacturing and sales sites globally.”

    BIA Separations develops and manufactures products for the purification and analysis of large biomolecules such as viruses, plasmids, and mRNA, which are used in cell and gene therapies and other advanced therapies.

    Eisenberger & Herzog’s team included Partner Josef Schmidt, Associates Claudia Kendlbacher and Thomas Krach, and Attorney Karoline Hofmann.

    Milbank’s team was led by Frankfurt-based Partner Michael Bernhardt.

    The Rojs, Peljhan, Prelesnik & Partners team in Slovenia was led by Partner Bojan Sporar.

    Schoenherr’s team included, in Vienna, Partners Thomas Kulnigg, Markus Piuk, and Michael Woller, Counsel Sascha Schulz, Associates Maximilian Nutz, Andreas Lengger, Dominik Tyrybon, and Sebastian Lukic, and Attorney Michael Marschall; and in Slovenia, Partners Vid Kobe, Eva Skufca, and Bojan Brezan, Associate Ursa Usenicnik, and Attorneys Matej Crnilec, Peter Gorse, Marko Frantar, and Jurij Lampic.

  • Sorainen Advises Infracapital and AMP Capital on Sale of Ownership in Adven

    Sorainen has advised Infracapital and AMP Capital on the sale of their combined ownership interest in Adven, a provider of clean energy solutions across the Nordics and Baltics, to unnamed institutional investors.

    According to Sorainen, “Infracapital, the infrastructure equity investment arm of M&G, and AMP Capital have owned Adven since January 2016, during which [time] they have worked with the business to achieve a number of significant milestones. These milestones include successfully entering the Latvian and Norwegian energy infrastructure markets as well as significantly expanding their business’ presence in the Swedish market, becoming the leading provider of outsourced clean energy in the region.”

    Sorainen’s team included Estonian Partner Piret Jesse and Latvian Managing Partner Eva Berlaus, Counsels Pirkko-Liis Harkmaa and Andis Burkevics, Senior Associates Britta Retel, Kaspar Endrikson, Mirjam Vichmann, Piibe Lehtsaar, Piret Lappert, Robin Teever, Sandra Mikli, Andris Vilisons,  Renate Purvinska, Viktorija Smirnova-Cerkasa, and Zanda Frisfelde, and Associates Mario Sorm and Liva Aleksejeva.

    Sorainen was unable to provide additional information on the matter.

  • ODI Law and Praljak & Svic Advise Tokic on Acquisition of Bartog

    ODI Law and Praljak & Svic have advised Tokic, a Croatian auto parts retail chain, on the acquisition of all shares in Slovenian tire distribution company Bartog from private individuals Jasna Bartolj Kotar and Darija Bartolj Umek. The sellers were advised by solo practitioners Mihael Prcic and Janez Tekavc.

    ODI Law describes Bartog, which was established in 1989, as “one of the leading companies in Slovenia for the distribution of tires, wheels, spare parts, additional equipment, oils, lubricants, and fluids, as well as repair services for all types of vehicles.” According to the firm, Tokic, which was established in 1990, is “the leading retail chain of auto parts in Croatia, with more than 230 world-renowned manufacturers for all types of personal and commercial vehicles. [The company has] more than 110 retail stores throughout Croatia and more than 260,000 different products in their offering.”

    ODI Law’s team included Partners Branko Ilic and Tine Misic and Senior Associate Primoz Mikolic. 

    Praljak & Svic’s team was led by Partner Vitorija Svic.

  • SEE Legal Group Establishes Employment and Immigration and Intellectual Property Practice Groups

    The SEE Legal law firm alliance has announced the formal launch of two new practice groups, one dedicated to Employment and Immigration, headed by Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli Counsel Maral Minasyan, and one dedicated to Intellectual Property, headed by Selih & Partnerji Partner Natasa Pipan Nahtigal.

    Regarding the Employment and Immigration practice group, SEE Legal reports that its member firms “have a proven ability to handle high-profile cases on a national and international level, providing legal assistance in relation to individual and collective labor contracts, internal regulations and policies, confidentiality, restrictive covenants and non-compete agreements, management contracts, stock option plans, H&S rules and regulations, and DP issues that arise in an employment context.” According to SEE Legal, the alliances clients “rely on its lawyers to help them attract and retain top local and international personnel through employment arrangements that comply with regional requirements.”

    According to new practice head Maral Minasyan, “I am proud to be chosen as coordinator of the SEE Legal’s Employment and Immigration practice area. I will be the main regional contact for all aspects of the SEE Legal clients’ employment and immigration related legal matters. As a part of the strong SEE Legal team, I look forward to continuing to create value for the group’s clients.”

    Regarding the Intellectual Property group, SEE Legal reports that “based on the 53 IP lawyers spread over the 17 offices of the Group, and working together for over 17 years, SEE Legal offers an integrated IP-related service.” According to the alliance, “since 2015, the SEE Legal IP Practice Group members [have as a group jointly attended] the Annual Meeting of the International Trademark Association. As part of its attendance, the IP Practice Group has organized various activities, including hosting meetings with representatives of national and international law firms that carry substantial weight in the IP world, meeting current and prospective international clients and providing them with SEE Legal value-added materials.

    “I am honored to have been offered the position of Head of the SEE Legal IP Practice Group,” commented Natasa Pipan Nahtigal. “I will be happy to coordinate our group of very established IP practitioners at a time when some of the fundamental IP principles are becoming so controversial and at the same time crucially important.” In certain of our countries, compulsory licensing is being explored as a tool for combatting the current pandemic, and in others, we are following developments concerning the Unified Patent Court. We are investigating the patentability of computer-implemented solutions, questioning ourselves about the correct scope of trademark specifications and debating the EUIPO ruling against Banksy. These are just some of the very intriguing issues that I look forward to exploring with my SEE Legal colleagues to the benefit of our existing and new clients.”

  • Lithuania’s Walless Merges with Derling Primus and Primus Derling in Latvia and Estonia

    Walless of Lithuania, Derling Primus of Estonia, and Primus Derling of Latvia have signed an agreement to form a pan-Baltic firm operating under the Walless brand.

    According to a Walless press release, “a united Walless Baltic law firm will continue to provide top level legal service and seek to become the first choice for regional and international clients working in the Baltic states.”

    The new Walless will consist, the firm reports, “of 100 lawyers in Vilnius, Riga, Tallinn, and Tartu.”

    Walless Lithuania was established by a group of partners who, in at the end of 2018, separated from Ellex Valiunas in Lithuania (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on December 13, 2018). The former Primus Derling (and now Walless Latvia) was launched in 2009, after a split of the then-largest Latvian law firm Loze, Grunte & Cers. First operating as Primus, since 2018 the firm has partnered with Estonia’s Derling (as reported on October 1, 2018). Walless Estonia was founded as Derling in 2016, after separating from TGS Baltic (as reported on May 26, 2016).

    A report on Walless’s creation and first year in existence was included in the March, 2020 issue of the CEE Legal Matters magazine.

  • Dentons Advises UNIQA Group InsurTech on Digital Entrance into German Market

    Dentons has assisted the Austrian insurance group UNIQA and CherryHUB, its Hungarian InsurTech subsidiary, enter the German market. 

    According to Dentons, “Since May 2020, UNIQA and CherryHUB have introduced five products under the branding Cherrisk, offering customers in Germany access to innovative home and contents, accident and travel insurance products.”

    According to Dentons, “Cherrisk is offered through a digital distribution model that is directly accessible, targeting a young and digitally versatile user group. Cherrisk’s 24/7 accessible and user-friendly online portal, coupled with the ability of customers to report claims via video calls, introduces an innovatively [sic] different approach when compared to traditional insurance products available on the German market.” Dentons adds that the “Cherrisk brand name is derived from the concepts of charity, risk-sharing, and the company’s bonus system called Cherries. As part of its entry into the German market, Cherrisk launched a dedicated lifestyle app: Cherrisk Go.”

    Dentons’ team included Partners Kai Goretzky, Michael Huertas, Michael Graf, and Constantin Rehaag, Counsel Marcus Seiboth, Senior Associate Michael Shutz, and Associates Catharina von Berg and Sebastian von Haldenwang.

  • DLK Legal and Kinstellar Advise Infosys on Acquisition of GuideVision

    DLK Legal in Poland and Kinstellar in Hungary and the Czech Republic have advised Infosys on its EUR 30 million acquisition of GuideVision. Osborne Clarke’s offices in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Germany, Sorainen in Belarus, and Castren & Snellman in Finland, reportedly also advised Infosys on the deal. Havel & Partners reportedly served as GuideVision’s advisor in the Czech Republic.

    The acquisition is expected to be completed during the third quarter of 2021. 

    Infosys is is an Indian multinational corporation that provides business consulting, information technology, and outsourcing services. 

    GuideVision is a consultancy company which offers services as a partner of the US-based cloud computing platform ServiceNow. 

    DLK team’s team included Managing Partner Krzysztof Korus, Senior Associate Michal Mostowik, Attorney Szymon Zych, and Associate Bartosz Gauza. 

    Kinstellar’s team in the Czech Republic included Partner Jan Juroska, Counsel Zdenek Kucera, Senior Associates Petra Ledvinkova and Ladislava Jasanska, Associate Martina Mazurkova, and Junior Associates Stepanka Havlikova and Matej Vecera. The firm’s team in Hungary included Managing Associate Zsombor Orban Associate Daniel Peter.

    Editor’s note: After this article was published, Havel & Partners informed CEE Legal Matters that the firm’s team on the deal included Partner Jan Koval, Counsel Josef Zaloudek, Senior Associates Veronika Filipova and Vojtech Katzer, and Associate Ivo Skolil.

  • Peterka & Partners Launches Turkish Desk

    Sofia-based Georgi Kanev has been appointed to lead Peterka & Partners’ newly-established Turkish desk.

    Kanev, a Senior Associate who serves as the Deputy Director for Bulgaria at the firm, joined Peterka & Partners in 2017. Before that, he spent two years with Wolf Theiss.

    Peterka & Partners reports that the desk already caters to several clients, including the Sarten Group, Turkish Airlines, the Yasar Group, and Zorlu Holding.

    Ondrej Peterka, Founder and Managing Partner of Peterka & Partners, declared that “the creation of the Turkish Desk is the right response to the increasing importance of the Turkish economy and the natural interest of Turkish players in the CEE region to whom – as one firm – we provide integrated regional support.”

    Kanev added: “I’m confident in the meaningful benefits for our clients and partners arising from this project. We are focused both on Turkish businesses currently operating in the CEE region or new market entrants, as well as on CEE companies expanding to Turkey. I’m convinced that, inter alia, our experience of working with Turkish clients and our well-established contacts with top tier Turkish law firms will allow us to develop strong and trustful relations with clients and partners interested in the services provided by our Turkish Desk.”

  • Founding Partners Patricia Gannon and Dejan Nikolic Leave Karanovic & Partners

    Karanovic & Partners has announced the withdrawal of Founding Partners Patricia Gannon and Dejan Nikolic, after a prolonged process.

    Gannon and Nikolic were two of then-Karanovic & Nikolic’s founding partners, back in Belgrade, in 1995, and have been with the firm since.

    In a short statement released to the media, Karanovic & Partners explained that “both Dejan and Patricia have played a vital role in contributing to the immense success of the firm over the past 25 years. Dejan led the firm’s expansion strategy throughout the former Yugoslavia to what it has become today – the leading regional legal practice. Patricia brought to the firm the internationalism it needed, and we acknowledge her vision, integrity, and business strategy, which led us to where we are today. Recent years have seen Dejan focusing on disciplinary role and activities in the Belgrade Bar Association and Patricia focusing on matters related to her International Bar Association role and activities, developing startups and scale ups, and impact consulting and VC development, in addition to supporting and advising more women in business support networks.”

    “We applaud our founding partners for their lifelong contributions,” the firm concluded, “and wish them both the very best in their future careers.”

  • Schoenherr and CMS Advise Covivio on Lease of Hotels to NH Hotel Group

    Schoenherr’s Budapest and Prague offices have advised Covivio on its lease of the Carlo IV hotel in Prague and the New York Palace and New York Residence hotels in Budapest to the NH Hotel Group. CMS advised the NH Hotel Group on the deal. 

    Financial details of the lease were not disclosed.

    Covivio is a European real estate investor with EUR 25 billion in assets. Its primary areas of focus are offices spaces, hotels, and residential buildings. The hotels were among those that Covivio acquired from Varde Partners earlier this year (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on February 27, 2020). 

    NH Hotel Group is a multinational company which operates over 350 hotels across Europe and America. It was founded in 1978 and is currently headquartered in Madrid, Spain. 

    Schoenherr’s team, in Hungary, consisted of Head of Real Estate & Construction Laszlo Krupl, Partner Kinga Hetenyi, Attorney-at-Law Daniel Varga, and Associate Adrian Menczelesz. In the Czech Republic, the firm’s team included Partner Martin Kubanek, and Attorneys-at-Law Viktor Pakosta, Eva Purgerova, and Jiri Marek.

    CMS’s team included Hungarian Partner Gabor Czike and Senior Associate Andras Klupacs.

    Editor’s note: After this article was published, CMS informed CEE Legal Matters that Prague-based Partner Lukas Hejduk and Prague-based Associates Michal Samek, Petr Koral, Magda Nemcovam and Lukas Reichman were on the firm’s team as well.