Category: Uncategorized

Clifford Chance (on English law matters) and the Yegin Ciftci Attorney Partnership (on Turkish law matters) have advised UniCredit Bank Austria AG, Denizbank AG, and Yapi ve Kredi Bankasi A.S., in a EUR 272 million financing they provided (in the form of a EUR 250 million term loan and a EUR 22 million contingent loan) as mandated lead arrangers and hedging banks for the Mersin Integrated Health Campus project in Turkey. Chadbourne & Parke and Fidan & Fidan advised the borrowers. 

The Mersin project is the first to reach signing stage and the first to reach financial close (on December 22, 2014) of 22 projects launched under a public-private partnership program initiated almost ten years ago by the Turkish Ministry of Health, supported by the World Bank, to resolve long-lasting problems in the Turkish healthcare system. The program was designed to provide effective, sustainable and qualified healthcare services throughout Turkey, while complementing its status as a regional hub for healthcare services. To implement the program, new legislation specific to the healthcare sector was enacted and has been updated since the launch of the initial projects to address issues and concerns. 

The Mersin project will include construction of a 1253-bed health facility, provision of medical equipment; the supply and installation of mechanical, electronic, electrical and electro-security systems, and the provision of certain clinical support and general services. The project has a construction term of 36 months and an operation term of 25 years.

The tender for the Mersin project was awarded to Mersin Entegre Hastane Hizmetleri Yatirim ve Isletme A.S., a special purchase vehicle incorporate by IC Ictas Insaat San.Tic. A.S., Dia Holding FZCO, and Techint Compagnia Tecnica Internazionale S.p.A.. to sign the project agreement with the Ministry of Health. This special purpose vehicle is also the borrower under the financing. 

The English law team at Clifford Chance was led by Partner Riko Vanezis, and other members included Senior Associates Laura Vilsmeier and Sylwia Gutman and Lawyers Sarah O’Toole and Akua Gyekye. Partner David Metzger and Lawyer Inaamul Laher from Clifford Chance’s construction team advised the lenders on EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) and O&M (Operation and Maintenance) related matters.

The Turkish law team at Yegin Cifti Attorney Partnership included Partner Mete Yegin, Counsel Gozde Cankaya, and Associates Irem Su and Gozde Ozbeden. 

Garrigues has announced that Corporate/M&A specialist Marcin Lolik has been appointed the new head of the firm’s Corporate and M&A Department in Poland.

Marcin comes over to Garrigues from Taylor Wessing ENWC, where he has been since March, 2014. Lolik has also spent one year and a half with DLA Piper in Warsaw, and another two at Baker & McKenzie.

Lolik’s experience includes share purchase and asset transactions and reorganizations, in particular concerning planning, document drafting and negotiations. He has significant experience in restructuring and reorganizations (both corporate and finance), commercial contracts, finance and environmental law.

Lolik graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw and Banking and Finance at the School of Economics in Warsaw; he also studied law at the University of Manchester and graduated in German and European Law from the University of Bonn and the University of Warsaw. In 2011, he obtained a PhD from the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw. 

Pedro Saavedra, the Managing Partner of the Polish office of Garrigues, is enthusiastic about the news: “We welcome Marcin on board as an M&A specialist. Considering his experience and expertise, we believe Marcin is a very valuable addition to our team. His incorporation shows the continued commitment of Garrigues in reinforcing our Polish office.”

Dorda has announced that business crime law expert Julia Mair — admitted to the Austrian bar on October 14, 2014 — has been made the head of the firm’s business crime team, part of the firm’s dispute resolution desk.

In a statement released by the firm, Partner Florian Kremslehner, who heads the firm’s Dispute Resolution practice,  explained the promotion: “I regard Julia Mair as a very dedicated lawyer who rises to the challenges of litigation with a great talent, infectious enthusiasm and enormous diligence, and I am all the more delighted that she is taking over our business crime team after her admission to the Austrian bar. The linking of civil and criminal proceedings is an area of business with ever-increasing importance for our firm.” 

In addition to her experience in the field of business crime, the firm describes Julia Mair as possessing “extensive experience in asset recovery, (international) civil proceedings and the enforcement of judgements, penal orders and forfeiture decisions.”

Mair has written numerous specialist publications on the subjects of business crime law, insolvency law, civil procedure and arbitration. She studied law at the University of Innsbruck (Mag. iur. 2001) and Cardiff Law School. 

Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka has announced that Managing Partner Krzysztof Zakrzewski was appointed to the Arbitration Board of the Court of Arbitration at the Polish Chamber of Commerce on December 18th, 2014.

The following individuals were appointed by the Presidium of the PCC to a 2015-2018 term of office:

• Zbigniew Banaszczyk  — Banaszczyk & Co
• Zbigniew Cwiakalski — Studnicki Pleszka Cwiakalski Gorski
• Marian Kepinski — Kancelaria Radcy Prawnego dr Jakub Kepinski
• Andrzej Kozminski
• Maciej Laszczuk — Laszczuk & Partners
• Malgorzata Modrzejewska
• Rafal Morek — K&L Gates
• Wojciech Popiolek — ADP Popiolek
• Krystyna Szczepanowska-Kozlowska — DLA Piper
• Andrzej Szlezak — Soltysinski, Kawecki & Szlezak
• Andrzej Szumanski — CMS
• Maciej Tomaszewski — Weil, Gotshal & Manges
• Cezary Wisniewski — Linklaters
• Krzysztof Zakrzewski — Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka 

This follows last week’s announcement that FKA Furtek Komosa Aleksandrowicz Partner Marek Furtek had once again been reappointed President of the Court of Arbitration at the PCC.

Tomasz Jedwabny, until recently a Partner at CMS in Warsaw, has established a new boutique — JedwabnyLegal — specializing in banking, infrastructure finance, PPPs, public financing, derivatives, and banks/IFs regulation.

Jedwabny left CMS in November 2014 after spending a little over 3 years with the firm. Previously, he was a Counsel in the Warsaw office of Clifford Chance, a firm that he joined in 2000. Between 2000 and August 2011 — when he joined CMS — he was also on secondments at Morgan Stanley and the European Investment Bank. 

Jedwabny told CEE Legal Matters that ex-CMS senior lawyer, Magdalena Brzozowska, has joined him as a Partner at JedwabnyLegal. Brzozowska left CMS in July 2014 and has worked in solo practice for several months. Prior to CMS, she worked for Allen & Overy, the Office for the Competition and Consumer Protection, and the Office of the Commitee for the European Integration. She specializes primarily in property finance.  

Bondoc si Asociatii has announced that Simona Petrisor joined the Partnership ranks of the firm on January 1, 2015.  

Petrisor has been with the team (which until February 2014 was the Romanian office of White & Case) since May 2010, when she moved over from Salans (now Dentons), where she was a Senior Associate. Previously, she also worked as an Associate with Gide Loyrette Nouel. 

Lucian Bondoc, Managing Partner, stated that “Simona Petrisor is an excellent professional, and her promotion as Partner represents a natural recognition of her qualities and experience, as well as of her results. Simona will coordinate the Financial & Banking practice group, and will continue to be actively involved in the areas of capital markets, insurance, and state aid/European funds. Such partnership expansion reflects a natural development of the team, given the expansion of the client portfolio, and is in accordance with our strategy aiming at sound growth and continuous promotion of excellence in the assistance offered by us, and at the recognition and reward of value and hard work.”

Simona Petrisor said of her new role: “I am honored of this promotion and happy to have the opportunity to continue to develop the areas in which I work as Partner. These areas evolve rapidly and offer multiple development opportunities, but also a series of challenges. I believe our team is well positioned also this year to handle challenges very well and to turn opportunities into account to the benefit of our most important partners, our clients.”

Sorainen Lithuania has advised Emahool, the owner of exclusive distribution rights of goods and other specialised products branded with the trademarks of Mothercare and Early Learning Centre in the Baltics, on the sale of its Lithuanian subsidiary to one of the largest distribution and trade networks of children’s goods in the Baltic Region.

The Mothercare and Early Learning Centre brands are well recognized in the retail market for specialised products for mothers-to-be, babies and children up to the age of ten. According to Sorainen, “both brands carry with them a reputation for specialism, quality, safety and innovation in providing products and services for target customers.”

The firm advised the client on all legal aspects of the transaction, including drafting transaction documentation, representing the client in negotiations with the buyer, fulfilment of conditions precedent, closing of the transaction, and advising on other transaction-related issues. The firm’s advice was provided by Partner Algirdas Peksys, Senior Associate Liudas Ramanauskas, and Associate Evaldas Dudonis.

Image source: Martin Good / Shutterstock.com

Popovici Nitu & Asociatii has advised Auchan on its takeover of 12 hypermarkets and shopping galleries in Romania that the French retailer was previously renting for its outlets. Reff & Associates, a member of Deloitte Legal in Romania, advised the sellers.  

The transaction is estimated by local media reports to amount to EUR 260 million and involves the acquisition of the companies that previously owned the properties: Casa Design, BR Real Friends, Compact Motor, Art Bau International, Metro Imobiliare Investment, and Rolast. The 12 hypermarkets and shopping galleries are located in Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj-Napoca, Baia Mare, Oradea, Satu Mare, Galati, and Ploiesti.  

The takeover was subsequently approved by Romania’s Competition Council.

Auchan presently operates 32 hypermarkets in Romania, the last unit having been opened in December last year. Out of this number, 20 hypermarkets have been acquired in 2013 from the German Metro group and later rebranded. Following this transaction, the retailer increased its 2013 turnover to RON 4.6 billion (approximately EUR 1 billion), but it also posted a EUR 15 million loss. 

The Popovici Nitu & Asociatii team advising Auchan on the deal was led by Partner Bogdan Stoica and included Managing Associate Irina Ivanciu. The Reff & Associates team consisted of Managing Partner Alexandru Reff and Managing Associate Gianina Gavanescu.

Image source: PhotoStock10 / Shutterstock.com

Lawin in Lithuania has advised SEB Venture Capital, a Swedish venture capital fund, which realized its investment into Molupis & Co., a regional bread bakery and a retail network operator.

Lawin’s team consisted of lawyers Robertas Ciocys and Povilas Junevicius.

Karanovic & Nikolic has announced that Nihad Sijercic and Senka Mihaj have been promoted to Partner in the firm’s Sarajevo and Belgrade offices, respectively.

Nihad Sijercic is a Partner in the Sarajevo office working in cooperation with Karanovic & Nikolic. He leads the legal team on all matters related to M&A transactions, banking and finance matters, competition, and corporate law, as well as representing clients in high value litigations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has been with Karanovic & Nikolic for five years, and before that spent almost four years at the Law Office Spaho in cooperation with Lansky, Ganzger & Partner. 

Senka Mihaj is a Dispute Resolution expert. She specializes in major international arbitrations cases before ICSID, ICC and UNCITRAL, and arbitrations before the local Foreign Trade Court of Arbitration attached to the Serbian Chamber of Commerce. She also represents multinational corporations and clients in high value litigations. Mihaj has spent her entire professional career at Karanovic & Nikolic. She obtained her law degree from the University of Belgrade in 2005.

Simultaneously, Karanovic & Nikolic announced the promotion of 8 lawyers to Senior Associate.