Firms To Watch: Banking and finance

At GP Partners Gawroński, Biernatowski Sp.K., managing partner Maciej Gawroński and practice head Michał Ćwiakowski work in tandem to provide in-depth industry expertise, focusing particularly on banking regulatory and fintech issues.
In September 2022, KPMG Law's banking and finance practice benefitted from the arrival of highly regarded Adam Stopyra - he brings extensive experience assisting banks with regulatory, transaction, license and compliance projects to the team.

Banking and finance in Poland

Allen & Overy, A. Pedzich sp. k.

Allen & Overy, A. Pedzich sp. k.‘s large and specialised team advises banks, financial institutions, and leading local and international companies. At senior level, managing partner Arkadiusz Pędzich is noted for his real estate and project finance expertise; Tomasz Kawczyński brings his experience as head of the projects, energy, natural resources and infrastructure practice to the group; Piotr Lesiński handles the gamut of capital markets transactions; Dan Cocker leads the CEE and SEE English law banking and projects offering; and Anna Mądra‘s broad workload spans matters ranging from acquisiton financings to general lending.

Responsables de la pratique:

Arkadiusz Pędzich; Tomasz Kawczyński; Piotr Lesiński; Dan Cocker; Anna Mądra


Autres avocats clés:

Renata Żak-Błażejczyk; Karolina Piórkowska-Grynkiewicz; Anna Pawelec


Les références

‘Very dedicated and experienced team, excellent job, smooth communication. Partners are also involved, and support whenever needed.’

‘Experienced, very friendly, committed to the task. Always focused on problem solving. Working with them is always a pleasure.’

‘As usual a very fruitful and excellent co-operation with A&O Warsaw team. We would like to highlight: attention to client needs, excellent negotiating skills, attention to detail, outstanding drafting of documentation, wide range of legal expertise.’

Principaux clients

PKO Bank Polski


Bank Pekao


mBank


ING Bank Śląski


Credit Agricole Bank Polska


Raiffeisen Bank International


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


Polski Fundusz Rozwoju (Polish Development Fund)


EBRD


EIB


Aareal Bank


Panattoni Development Europe


Deutsche Hypo


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised BNP Paribas Bank Polska, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, ING Bank, PKO Bank Polski, Raiffeisen Bank International, Santander Bank Polska and Société Générale, as mandated lead arrangers and underwriters, as well as with the banks mentioned above, Crédit Agricole Bank Polska and ING Bank Śląski, as original lenders, on a credit facility agreement amounting to zł5.5bn for Play to partially finance the acquisition of shares in UPC Polska.
  • Advised Santander Bank Polska on a zł1bn facility granted to Allegro group.
  • Advised Grupa TAURON on a zł500m loan granted by Erste Group, to be used to finance eligible green projects.

Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance‘s 27-strong team is instructed by a notable roster of clients, including many of the country’s leading banks and financial institutions. The group is helmed by Grzegorz Namiotkiewicz and Andrzej Stosio; the former’s expertise spans banking and securities law, while the latter focuses particularly on capital markets issues, from both a transactional and regulatory perspective. Miłosz Gołąb is another key senior contact, and is highly regarded for his experience advising on the financing and refinancing of various investment projects.

Responsables de la pratique:

Grzegorz Namiotkiewicz; Andrzej Stosio


Autres avocats clés:

Miłosz Gołąb; Irena Floras-Goode


Les références

‘Very professional team that can collaborate effectively between banking and regulatory.’

‘Very fast execution and very good quality of work, capable to work under pressure to deliver.’

‘Extensive knowledge of Polish project finance transactions, good rapport with banks and demanding clients, allowing them to balance the arguments on both sides.’

Principaux clients

Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.


mBank S.A.


Bank Handlowy w Warszawie S.A. (Citi Handlowy)


ING Bank Śląski S.A.


BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.


DNB Bank


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


Bank Pekao S.A.


Allegro Pay sp. z o.o.


Brookfield


Erste Group Bank AG


PPF Real Estate Holding


Schock GmbH


Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski S.A.


European Bank for Reconstruction and Development


CaixaBank, S.A.


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


PZU


Hillwood Polska


Principaux dossiers


CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang Posniak i Bejm sp.k.

With transactional specialist Michał Meżykowski at its helm, the team at CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang Posniak i Bejm sp.k. expertly advises on a large and complex roster of debt, project, real estate and export financings. Since autumn 2021, when the group was joined by Rafał Zakrzewski and senior associate Przemysław Karolak, the firm has seen a significant increase in instructions relating to cross-border work governed by English law. Away from transactional strength, Jakub Podkowa is noted for preparing and negotiating credit documentation.


Responsables de la pratique:

Michał Mężykowski


Autres avocats clés:

Jakub Podkowa; Jakub Wieczorek; Martyna Markiewicz; Marek Milwicz vel Delach; Rafał Zakrzewski; Przemysław Karolak


Les références

‘Very dedicated and experienced team, excellent job, smooth communication. Partners are also involved, and support whenever needed.’

‘Experienced, very friendly, committed to the task. Always focused on problem solving. Working with them is always a pleasure.’

‘Jakub Podkowa is a reliable partner for legal services in Poland. We have been working with his team for quite a while.’

Principaux clients

Aareal Bank AG


Erste Bank AG


EBRD


European Investment Bank (EIB)


mBank S.A.


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK)


Bank Polska Kasa Opieki (Pekao S.A.)


BNP Paribas Polska


Berlin Hyp AG


Bayerische Landesbank


PKO BP


Afcon Renewable Energy


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Aareal Bank on the €312m refinancing of two office towers and a hotel building located in Warsaw.
  • Advising Berlin Hyp on financing up to the amount of €111m, granted to Polish special purpose vehicles belonging to the Griffin Real Estate group in order to refinance the debt of these entities in connection with the construction and maintenance of four logistics centres located in Poland.
  • Advising Bayerische Landesbank on financing for the construction of a wind farm with a total capacity of almost 25MW by LongWing Polska, a renewable energy investment company.

Dentons

Under the leadership of Mateusz Toczyski – who also co-heads the firm’s global banking and finance practice – Dentons continues to have a stellar reputation for complex transactional work, particularly CEE cross-border portfolio, and real estate and renewable energy sources projects financings. 2022 marked a period of significant team consolidation; January, February and June saw the arrival of a trio of counsels – Patrycja Polasz joined from Wardynski & Partners, Jakub Zienkiewicz from DLA Piper Giziński Kycia sp.k., and Paweł Długoborski from Baker McKenzie Krzyzowski i Wspólnicy Sp.k.. April of the same year saw the promotion of noted practitioner Tomasz Zwoliński to partner. Other key names within the group include Mark Segall, who focuses on cross-border syndicated lending, and Bartosz Nojek, who typically advises on corporate financings provided by syndicates of banks.


Responsables de la pratique:

Mateusz Toczysk


Autres avocats clés:

Mark Segall; Bartosz Nojek; Piotr Nerwiński; Tomasz Trocki; Tomasz Zwoliński; Patrycja Polasz; Jakub Zienkiewicz; Paweł Długoborski


Les références

‘Very strong English law banking practice, strong talent at partner and associate level, pro-active and entrepreneurial approach.’

‘Mark Segall is our go-to adviser for English law-governed financing transactions in the CEE region.’

Principaux clients

EBRD


Santander Bank Polska


BNP Paribas Bank Polska


DNB Bank Polska


ING Bank


UniCredit


Qair


Cornerstone Investment Management


HB Reavis


Revetas


BayernLB


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Banco Santander, Santander Bank Polska, EIB, CaixaBank and EKF on a €147m financing granted to subsidiaries of EDP Renewables for the development, construction and operation of six wind farms in Poland with a total capacity of approximately 150MW.
  • Advised EBRD, PKO Bank Polski and Bank Pekao on zł763m financing provided to Goldbeck Solar and Respect Energy for the construction of a large standalone photovoltaic project in Poland and the CEE, which will have a capacity of 286MW once completed.
  • Advised BNP Paribas Bank Polska on over €48m and zł6m financing extended to a company belonging to Yareal Group for development of another phase of the Lixa office complex.

Linklaters

Corporate, real estate and project finance specialist Marta Domino helms the practice at Linklaters, and guides the team through a vast array of transactional and regulatory mandates in the banking and finance space. The group fields a number of English-law qualified practitioners – Adrian Horne is one such name – as well as the usual roster of Polish law experts. Jarosław Miller is one of the firm’s pre-eminent specialists, and continues to be active across the investment banking law, capital markets transactions and project finance spheres.

Responsables de la pratique:

Marta Domino


Autres avocats clés:

Jarosław Miller; Adrian Horne; Joanna Gawlicka; Maciej Chęciński; Marcin Nowak


Les références

‘Responsive, open minded, creative at finding solutions.’

‘Solid and reliable. Creative. Quick execution.’

‘Knowledgeable, value-adding team.’

Principaux clients

Bank Pekao S.A.


BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.


EPP N.V.


European Bank for Reconstruction and Development


ING Bank Śląski S.A.


PKO Bank Polski S.A.


Polski Fundusz Rozwoju S.A.


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


Tauron Polska Energia S.A.


Resi4Rent


MOL


Światłowód Inwestycje sp. z o.o. (JV of Orange Polska and APG Fund)


LeadCrest Capital Partners


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Światłowód Inwestycje – a 50/50 joint venture between Orange Polska and the APG fund – on a €690m financing for the development of a fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network for approximately 1.7m households in Poland.
  • Advised the Tauron Group on a zł4bn sustainability-linked loan from a consortium of banks.
  • Advised MOL Group, the Hungarian multi-national oil and gas company, on its multicurrency €575m revolving credit facility governed by English law.

Norton Rose Fulbright

At Norton Rose Fulbright, transactional mandates make up the bulk of the workload; the team shows particular strength and sector knowledge in the financing of energy, transport and infrastructure projects. Practice head Grzegorz Dyczkowski‘s expertise – which spans secured and unsecured lending and borrowing, debt instruments, asset finance, and derivative transactions – further serves to exemplify the group’s prowess in this space. The firm fields a strong bench of supporting practitioners, including recently promoted partner Tomasz Rogalski and recognised senior associate Joanna Braciszewska-Szarapa.

Responsables de la pratique:

Grzegorz Dyczkowski


Autres avocats clés:

Tomasz Rogalski; Marta Kawecka; Jacek Smardzewski; Joanna Braciszewska-Szarapa


Les références

‘Availability, reactiveness, creativity, project ownership.’

Principaux clients

Accession Capital Partners


BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


Bank Millennium


Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.


Bank of China – Polish branch


Commerzbank Group (local entity: mBank)


Credit Agricole Bank Polska S.A.


Eiffel Investment Group


European Investment Bank


HSBC Group


Industrial and Commercial Bank of China – Polish Branch


ING Group (local entity: ING Bank Śląski)


Inter Cars S.A.


LOT Polish Airlines


mBank S.A.


P4 sp. z o.o. (branded as PLAY)


Panattoni Europe


PKO Bank Polski S.A.


Raiffeisen Bank International AG


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


Societe Generale S.A. Oddział w Polsce


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised PLAY on the €1.12bn financing for the acquisition of UPC Polska from Liberty Global.
  • Advised a consortium of banks – comprising Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski, Bank Polska Kasa Opieki, CaixaBank, Bank Handlowy w Warszawie, Erste Group Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Santander Bank Polska and China Construction Bank – on zł4bn sustainability-linked financing for TAURON Polska Energia.
  • Advising Goldbeck Solar on financing the construction of a 286MWp single large-scale photovoltaic installation by European Bank for Construction and Development, Bank Polska Kasa Opieki and Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski.

Baker McKenzie Krzyzowski i Wspólnicy Sp.k.

Spring and summer of 2022 signalled a period of significant team growth for Baker McKenzie Krzyzowski i Wspólnicy Sp.k.; Marcin Iwaniszyn arrived to head up the practice from his former position at Rymarz Zdort, bringing with him a considerable number of senior and junior associates. Under Iwaniszyn’s leadership, the team has continued to expand its capabilities across the gamut of banking and finance work, handling transactional mandates – including project, acquisition, real estate, corporate and trade finance – as well as regulatory and securitisation issues, and restructurings. Counsel Jerzy Bombczyński joined the firm in December 2022 from a position with the Polish Development Fund; he focuses on financial services regulatory and investment funds.

Responsables de la pratique:

Marcin Iwaniszyn


Autres avocats clés:

Jerzy Rostworowski; Jakub Czerka; Sebastian Mikina; Jerzy Bombczyński


Les références

‘People and client-oriented approach.’

‘Marcin Iwaniszyn – very determined to find a solution and move things forward, looking for a win-win solution when justified, positive attitude.’

‘We co-operated with Marcin Iwaniszyn and Jerzy Rostworowski – their advantages include extensive experience, excellent knowledge of the market, excellent co-operation and understanding of the client’s needs as well as aiming for a positive conclusion of negotiations.’

Principaux clients

Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski S.A.


mBank S.A.


Grupa Inelo sp. z o.o.


Semper Simul Foundation


Paged Pisz sp. z o.o.


Polski Fundusz Rozwoju S.A.


Diagnostyka S.A.


Enterprise Investors


PKN Orlen S.A.


Nexera Holding S.A.


Polska Grupa Gornicza S.A.


Matexi Polska sp. z o.o.


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Polska Grupa Gornicza on a large out-of-court restructuring, which comprised restructuring the terms of zł3.36bn finacing made available in the form of bonds by a club of banks and a zł1bn loan made available by Polski Fundusz Rozwoju, in connection with the planned implementation of a state aid programme to be approved by the European Commission.
  • Advised PKN ORLEN on a €180m inaugural long-term financing from the European Investment Bank.
  • Advised Generali Real Estate’s fund and its portfolio companies on a real estate facilities agreement related to the financing of Generali’s real estate investments into office buildings in Poland.

Bird & Bird Szepietowski i wspólnicy sp. k.

At Bird & Bird Szepietowski i wspólnicy sp. k., the banking and finance offering is split into two distinct sub-groups; Sławomir Szepietowski heads up the financial regulatory and fintech side, with able assistance from a bench of practitioners including recommended counsel Marta Stanisławska, while Maciej Georg oversees the transactional practice. The depth and reach thus offered ensures that a roster of international and local lenders, borrowers, investment funds, and brokerage houses instruct the team. Additionally, the firm is able to combine its financial sector knowledge with litigation expertise to provide clients with support in all proceedings before state and arbitration courts.

Responsables de la pratique:

Sławomir Szepietowski; Maciej Georg


Autres avocats clés:

Aleksandra Widziewicz; Marta Stanisławska; Olga Koszewska


Les références

‘The team is able to really understand the business context of the case and they are actively seeking the best possible solution.’

‘Really vast knowledge and deep understanding of business contexts in the financial environment, which makes the team much more effective when it comes to discussing possible scenarios and an applicable legal framework.’

‘Professionalism of action, individual approach to the subject, involvement in the cases conducted, availability, punctuality.’

Principaux clients

mBank S.A.


Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.


Obton A/S


Bank of China (Europe) S.A.


Bank of China Ltd.


Kreos Capital


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


Twisto Polska sp. z o.o.


Polski Koncern Naftowy Orlen S.A.


Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo S.A.


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Obton – a photovoltaic industry investor from Denmark – on the refinancing of 51 photovoltaic projects located in Poland, owned by companies belonging to the client, purchased from the German subsidiary of an Asian manufacturer of photovoltaic panels.
  • Advised mBank on the financing of 39 photovoltaic projects located in the North-Western part of Poland, owned by companies belonging to Nordic Solar, a Danish photovoltaic industry player which owns solar parks in most Western European countries.
  • Advised Twisto Polska on different regulatory aspects of offering an innovative payment solution (buy-now-pay-later) for consumers purchasing products in the e-commerce sector.

DLA Piper Giziński Kycia sp.k.

DLA Piper Giziński Kycia sp.k.‘s highly regarded team is particularly focused on a number of core areas – namely, real estate, project and export financing transactions, securitisations, and restructurings. Mariusz Hyla oversees a group which offers strength and expertise at all levels, from seasoned practitioner Bartłomiej Palusiak to recommended counsels Artur Sobol, Pawel Turek and Katarzyna Wacławek. The firm is frequently called upon by its longstanding clients – including the leading Polish lenders, borrowers, bond issuers, funds and mezzanine providers – to assist with regulatory issues, including the standardisation of internal documentation, and the structuring of banking products.

Responsables de la pratique:

Mariusz Hyla


Autres avocats clés:

Bartłomiej Palusiak; Artur Sobol; Pawel Turek; Katarzyna Wacławek


Les références

‘The team is very flexible and presents a pro-client attitude.’

‘They have a big team which is a must for energy financing deals. They are responsive and pro-active.’

‘We particularly enjoy working with Katarzyna Wacławek. I have also recommended her to a number of my colleagues and I was always getting great feedback about her performance. Katarzyna is one of the best lawyers I ever worked with, she is an expert in financial and civil law, she thinks and converts her ideas into a high standard of legal drafting that is easy to understand even for non-lawyers.’

Principaux clients

Alior Bank


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


Bank Millennium


Bank Ochrony Środowiska


Bank Pekao


Berlin Hyp


BNP Paribas Bank Polska


Commerzbank


Corestate Capital Holding


Credit Agricole


Deutsche Pfandbriefbank


Elite Partners Capital


Erste Group Bank


European Bank for Reconstruction and Development


European Investment Bank


Europejski Fundusz Leasingowy


Globalworth Poland Real Estate


Hyundai Engineering Co.


ING Bank


KGAL Investment Management


KUKE S.A.


Kuwait Financial Center


mBank


Permira


PFR (Polish Development Fund)


PKO Leasing


Pekao Leasing


PORR


PKO BP


Revetas


Rockastle Global Real Estate Company


Santander Bank Polska


Santander Consumer Bank


Santander Consumer Multirent


Saur


Savills Investment Management


Stena Realty


Tosca Debt Capital


Trakcja


TriGranit


UniCredit Bank Austria


York Capital Management Europe


Principaux dossiers


  • dvised various lenders on several resi-for-rent projects.
  • Advising Aareal, as lender, on the refinancing of a portfolio of shopping centres worth €360m, including assets in Poland.
  • Assisted Europejski Fundusz Leasingowy with a securitisation transaction of a portfolio of lease receivables amounting to zł2.2m.

Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka

Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka‘s banking and finance offering sits within the firm’s broader capital markets and financial institutions practice, and is therefore well placed to advise on the gamut of regulatory issues, cross-border transactions, and M&A deals in the sector. With its balanced lender and borrower base, the group counts banks and their subsidiaries, financial holdings, brokers, investment funds, and many other unregulated entities amongst its regular clients. Magdalena Skowronska heads up the team, with support from experienced partner Rafał Grochowski and senior associate Tomasz Kalicki. In November 2021, counsel Paweł Rudolf joined the office from an in-house position at the KNF.

Responsables de la pratique:

Magdalena Skowronska; Rafał Grochowski


Autres avocats clés:

Tomasz Kalicki; Paweł Rudolf


Les références

‘Very efficient, responsive, easy to work with firm.’

‘Magdalena Skowronska is a very efficient project manager.’

‘Very well staffed team, highly experienced, transparency, good communication.’

Principaux clients

Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale


DNB Bank Polska S.A.


Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.


Credit Suisse


Press Glass S.A.


AMG S.a.r.l.


Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski S.A.


Goldman Sachs Bank USA


City of Warsaw


Deutsche Bank (Tokyo Branch)


EB Sustainable Funds Luxembourg S.A., SICAV-SIF Sub-Fund 2:EB Renewable Energy Fund Europe


URBASER S.A.U.


Cassa Depositi e Prestiti S.p.A.


Kartesia Managemnet S.a r.l, KASS Unlevered S.a r.l., Wilmington Trust SP (Services) Frankfurt GmbH


Intensa Sanpaolo S.p.a., Intesa Sanpaolo banking Group


NICE Group


City of Krakow


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Credit Suisse on financing of up to €900m, provided to Girteka Group in connection with its fleet renewal and expansion project.
  • Advised the Tokyo branch of Deutsche Bank on the Polish aspects of refinancing Jason Safety Systems’ debt.
  • Advised Goldman Sachs Bank USA on the Polish law aspects of several Orion Group refinancing transactions.

Gide Loyrette Nouel

Acting as part of an international network in close co-operation with the firm’s Paris, London and New York offices, the Warsaw branch of Gide Loyrette Nouel advises on various kinds of financing transactions, both those conducted locally in Poland and at a cross-border level. Paweł Grześkowiak, who acts as the practice head, is known for his capabilities in secured and structured financing operations, and private equity and M&A deals. At associate level, Mateusz Gronau is noted.

Responsables de la pratique:

Paweł Grześkowiak


Autres avocats clés:

Marta Karmińska; Mateusz Gronau; Paweł Wasiel


Les références

‘Very helpful, leads the client throughout the whole process.’

‘Good knowledge of the market conditions and understanding of the client’s needs.’

‘Paweł Wasiel – experienced, balanced, reasonable, very responsive and helpful. Managed the whole process, overlooking all aspects.’

Principaux clients

Polski Koncern Naftowy ORLEN S.A.


Santander Bank Polska


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


mLeasing


mBank


“PEKAO” Leasing


Credit Agricole Bank Polska S.A.


Accord 4 Sp. z o.o.


SGI sp. z o.o.


KGHM Polska Miedź


Sierra Gorda SCM


European Investment Bank


Council of Europe Development Bank


KGHM International Ltd.


BNP Paribas Bank Polska SA


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising a consortium formed by several banks – including PKO, BNP Paribas, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Bank Pekao, mBank, Bank Millennium, Credit Agricole, Société Générale, Bank Handlowy, Bank Ochrony Środowiska and Intesa Sanpaolo – on the granting of two term loans and a revolving credit facility to the Ciech Group, a Polish chemicals manufacturer.
  • Advising Orion Engineered Carbons on the refinancing of a syndicated loan granted by a group of investors, which includes Goldman Sachs Bank, UBS Securities, Barclays Bank, Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, J.P. Morgan, Fifth Third Bank, HSBC Bank, Mediobanca and DZ Bank.
  • Assisting Polski Koncern Naftowy Orlen with obtaining a non-recourse factoring facility from Banco Santander.

Greenberg Traurig Nowakowska-Zimoch Wysokinski Sp. k

Reorganisations, transformations and other corporate law issues affecting the banking and financial sectors form the cornerstone of Greenberg Traurig Nowakowska-Zimoch Wysokiński Sp. k‘s practice. The team is also well regarded for its fintech focus, and ability to interpret the complex EU regulatory environment surrounding e-payment services, with an emphasis on handling digital data protection as well as GDPR issues. Practice head Andrzej Wysokinski brings contentious as well as transactional expertise to his role, particulary in the international arbitration space. Paulina Kimla-Kaczorowska is a key source of local knowledge.

Responsables de la pratique:

Andrzej Wysokiński


Autres avocats clés:

Lejb Fogelman; Aleksander Janiszewski; Łukasz Pawlak; Agnieszka Stankiewicz; Michał Bobrzyński; Paulina Kimla-Kaczorowska


Les références

‘Aleksander Janiszewski is business oriented and guides his clients in an extremely efficient way. He is always keen to find a rational compromise and is a very composed person who tries to argue his position in a professional way.’

Principaux clients

Unimot Group


Tele-Fonika Kable S.A.


Tele-Fonika Cable Americas


CIECH S.A. and its German Subsidiaries


CCC Group


MODIVO S.A.


Exeter Europe Industrial Core Fund SCSp


InPhoTech


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Unimot on the financing documentation surrounding a transaction with mBank, PKO Bank Polski and Bank Pekao.
  • Advised Tele-Fonika Kable and its US subsidiary on the Polish law aspects of obtaining financing in the USA.
  • Advised CCC Group on new financing from a consortium of banks for the purpose of refinancing the client’s debt.

Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak

Under the expert guidance of Marcin Olechowski, Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak maintains its dedication to handling the full range of regulatory issues which may affect clients operating in the financial services sector, and has latterly been particularly busy in the fintech and e-payments space. On the transactional side, work typically centres around project financings, group reorganisations, and acquisitions. The firm has established itself as a go-to local advisor for multi-jurisdictional deals, and is regularly called upon to assist with the Polish law aspects of challenging cross-border matters.

Responsables de la pratique:

Marcin Olechowski


Autres avocats clés:

Wojciech Iwański; Mateusz Blocher


Les références

‘SKS was knowledgeable and professional, especially in the tight timeline that we worked on.’

‘Very good specialists.’

‘Marcin Olechowski and Matuesz Blocher – both very good lawyers, with very good services provided.’

Principaux clients

Carlson Travel, Inc., CWT Polska sp. z o.o., Carlson Wagonlit eCenter Polska sp. z o.o.


The NN Group


Stellantis NV


JP Morgan


Poczta Polska S.A.


Western Union


AmRest Holdings SE


The Korea Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of Korea, and Nonghyup Bank


Boparan Finance plc, Storteboom Hamrol sp. z o.o.


Mastercard Europe


PayPo


Opontia


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised NN Group on all Polish aspects, including financial regulatory clearances, of its acquisition of MetLife Polish assets.
  • Advised Korea Development Bank, the Export-Import Bank of Korea, and Nonghyup Bank on all Polish law aspects of their €1.2bn aggregate financing of a large lithium-ion battery production facility in Europe.
  • Advised PayPo, a Polish buy now pay later provider, on strategic matters related to the expansion of its business in Poland and its foreign expansion to Romania and the Czech Republic.

Deloitte Legal, Ostrowski, Gizicki i Wspólnicy sp.k.

Deloitte Legal, Ostrowski, Gizicki i Wspólnicy sp.k. is best known for handling complex multi-disciplinary regulatory projects for financial institutions, as well as for assisting with both inbound and outbound expansion projects. Team lead Tomasz Ostrowski counts local and international banks and borrowers, along with investment, venture capital and private equity funds, among his regular clients. The group also fields English-qualified practitioner, Nicholas Coddington, whose areas of expertise include project, real estate and corporate financing.

Responsables de la pratique:

Tomasz Ostrowski


Autres avocats clés:

Aneta Urban; Nicholas Coddington; Mateusz Ordyk; Katarzyna Jakubiak; Michał Oleś; Michał Mostowik


Les références

‘All team is very responsive, eager to help. They also have very broad perspective on the issues that we faced. We also appreciate gender diversity in the Deloitte team.’

‘Knowledge, communication, co-operation.’

‘New ideas that meet expectations. Speed of reaction and work at non-standard hours. Competitive prices.’

Principaux clients

mBank S.A.


Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.


Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski S.A.


Banco Santander S.A. and Santander Bank Polska S.A.


Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen Girozentrale (Helaba)


Dom Maklerski Banku Ochrony Środowiska S.A.


R.Power S.A.


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


Erste Bank AG


Polski Standard Płatności sp. z o.o.


Ghelamco Group


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Banco Santander on secured export financing for Cognor.
  • Advising Bank Pekao on the financing of two purpose-built student accommodation buildings located in Warsaw and Kraków.
  • Assisting R.Power with the financing of some photovoltaic projects.

Hogan Lovells (Warszawa) LLP

The team at Hogan Lovells (Warszawa) LLP predominantly advises on lending transactions, although the firm does also have a robust borrower client base; the group handles the gamut, from straightforward bilateral facilities to complex syndicated financings, with a particular focus on real estate financings. Experienced partner Piotr Zawiślak remains very active within the group.

Responsables de la pratique:

Piotr Zawiślak


Les références

‘Committed team, performs well.’

Principaux clients

BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.


mBank S.A. (Commerzbank Group)


Goldman Sachs International


Barclays Bank PLC


BNP Paribas Group


Norddeutsche Landesbank and Deutsche Hypothekenbank


Berlin Hyp AG


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


Ghelamco Poland


Standard Chartered Bank


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Gutenberg Capital on the purchase of Power Park Opole.
  • Advised global alternative investment manager Ares Management on the acquisition and financing of three logistics centres located in Wrocław, Gdańsk and Sosnowiec.
  • Advising ING Bank, as arranger, and ING Bank Śląski, as investor, on the securitisation of lease receivables originated by Santander Consumer Multirent.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta

With a keen focus on borrower-side transactions, Rymarz Zdort Maruta continues to excel in acquisition, corporate and property financings. The team has also recently developed its project financing capabilities, and has consequently been seeing increased work in the renewables space. Following his promotion to partner in April 2022, Jakub Rachwol now co-heads the team alongside Zofia Frydrychowicz. That same month also saw the arrival of counsel Adam Puchalski and senior associate Łukasz Karasek from in-house positions at Bank Pekao.

Responsables de la pratique:

Zofia Frydrychowicz; Jakub Rachwol


Les références

‘Tireless work ethic, meticulous attention to detail, very strong legal knowledge combined with excellent commercial understanding.’

‘Jakub Rachwol is a long-standing trusted advisor who combines a tireless work ethic with very good legal knowledge and a deep understanding of a client’s commercial position.’

‘Zofia Frydrychowicz is an expert in banking/finance. She is very reliable and insightful when we need expert advice on financing matters.’

Principaux clients

Grupa Maspex


ING Bank Śląski


Bank Pekao


Proservice Finteco (a portfolio company of the funds managed by Cornerstone Partners and Oaktree Capital Management L.P._


Grupa Lotos and Lotos Asfalt


Aberdeen Standard Investments


Żabka Polska, a portfolio company of CVC Capital Partners


PKO BP


BGK (Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego)


mBank


PZU


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Maspex Group on its €600m financing for acquiring 100% of the shares in CEDC International, an importer of foreign spirits in Poland, under a credit facility agreement concluded with a consortium of four banks: PKO, ING Bank Ślaski, BNP Paribas and Bank Pekao.
  • Advising a consortium of lenders on the financing of a portfolio of 140 photovoltaic farms.
  • Advised ProService Finteco, a portfolio company of the funds managed by Cornerstone Partners and Oaktree Capital Management, on the financing of its acquisition of Luxembourg-based Moventum.

SSW Pragmatic Solutions

SSW Pragmatic Solutions primarly advises leading Polish banks on a wide range of loan facility transactions, with a special focus on the energy sector, and assists leading companies from the gamut of sectors with the acquisition of financing from a variety of institutions. Practice head Wojciech Szczepaniak‘s global client base is illustrative of the team’s cross-border expertise. The group has a particularly strong bench at counsel level, including established practitioner Tomasz Kwaśniewski, and new arrival Magdalena Kalińska, who joined from White & Case M. Studniarek i Wspólnicy - Kancelaria Prawna sp.k. in March 2022.

Responsables de la pratique:

Wojciech Szczepaniak


Autres avocats clés:

Szymon Okoń; Ilona Fedurek; Tomasz Kwaśniewski; Magdalena Kalińska


Les références

‘Young, dynamic and driven. Covers a broad range of areas and can provide comprehensive advice.’

‘Szymon Okoń and Tomasz Kwaśniewski are young lawyers but already very experienced.’

‘Driven, responsive and dedicated to clients.’

Principaux clients

mBank S.A.


AION Bank S.A.


Stelmet S.A.


Alior Bank S.A.


Mediacap S.A.


Krynica Vitamin S.A.


Bioeton Group


Nextline


Boryszew S.A.


Europa Systems SPV


Rank Progress S.A.


Paged S.A.


Vantage Development S.A.


Netmedia S.A.


Investments Funds managed by Credit Value Investments


VOX capital group


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


wpd europe


Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


Powszechna Kasa Oszczędności Bank Polski S.A.


Mediacap


Cavatina


Fasing S.A.


Anwim S.A.


Haitong Bank


CSG S.A.


Next Energy Capital


Better Energy A/S


Expeditions


Master Pharm


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisted Aion Bank, a Belgian bank, with the establishment of a full scale operation in Poland by creating a local branch.
  • Assisting Bank Polska Kasa Opieki with the granting of investment and working capital financing to Eneris Group entities, including negotiation of credit documentation with collateral.
  • Advised Bank Pekao on the acquisition financing for Enterprise Investors in respect of the acquisition of majority shares in Snap Outdoor, and on working capital and capital/acquisition financing for the target.

Wardynski & Partners

Wardynski & Partners‘ team focuses largely on structured finance transactions, including in the cross-border context, and complex debt restructuring deals. The group is also increasingly involved with the direct lending segment of the finance market. The key names at leadership level are Łukasz Szegda, who is a regular adviser to Polish banks, borrowers and consumer finance companies; securitisation specialist Daniel Smarduch; and fintech expert Krzysztof Wojdyło.

Responsables de la pratique:

Łukasz Szegda; Daniel Smarduch; Krzysztof Wojdyło


Autres avocats clés:

Joanna Werner; Dagmara Michalska


Les références

‘Perfect availability for calls, quick email replies.’

‘International acpects of transaction perfectly managed, open to using new technologies, always ready to support the client, reliable, billing very open to discussion.’

‘We can always rely on Dagmara Michalska and Łukasz Szegda.’

Principaux clients

Santander Bank Polska


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK)


ING Bank Śląski S.A.


Bank Pekao


Kartesia


Immobel


Mitiska


Elavon


Bank Ochrony Środowiska


CANPACK


Alior Bank


Haitong Bank


SUSI Partners


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Kartesia on a unitranche facility agreement for the acquisition by Cornerstone Investment Management and Okechamp Group of Greenyard Prepared, a large Dutch producer of mushrooms.
  • Advising a consortium of three banks – Santander Bank Polska, Alior Bank and Bank Pekao – on the financing of a landmark residential project in Warsaw’s city centre.
  • Advising Solör Bioenergi Group on the Polish aspects of a €770m refinancing of its existing senior facilities.

WKB Lawyers

WKB Lawyers‘s broad workload ranges from advising on multi-jurisdictional restructurings, to large-scale energy and real estate financings, to novel structures in the payments and consumer finance sector. In terms of specialisms, securitisation, non-performing loans and bonds are the key areas of strength. Marcin Smolarek oversees the team, with support from counsel Michał Kalicki and managing associate Augustyn Wróbel.

Responsables de la pratique:

Marcin Smolarek


Autres avocats clés:

Michał Kalicki; Augustyn Wróbel


Les références

‘Very good performance, excellent knowledge.’

Principaux clients

PKO Bank Polski S.A.


mBank S.A.


ING Bank Śląski S.A.


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.


Pekao S.A.


J&T Banka, a.s.


Panattoni


Energix Renewable Energies


Avia Capital Partners


Selvita S.A.


Centrum Rozliczeń Elektronicznych PolskieePlatnościS.A.


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisting Energix Renwables Energies with the financing of multiple wind farms in Poland.
  • Assisting Avallon MBO Fund with the financing of its acquisition of a majority stake in Globema.
  • Advising mBank, as lender, on the process of providing an acquisition facility to BGW, a Polish food group, for the purpose of financing the acquisition of all assets of alcohol plant Polmos Łańcut from United Beverages Group.

Wolf Theiss

Wolf Theiss stands out for its proven track record assisting with real estate financings; practitioners, ranging from team lead Przemek Kozdój to senior associate Michał Kulig, have advised all major Polish, German and Austrian banks operating in the local market, as well as a diverse group of international investors on the borrowers’ side. Other areas of strength include banking regulatory mandates and, increasingly, project finance in the renewable sphere. The arrival of counsel Adrian Krzyżanowski from the European Investment Bank in March 2022 served to strengthen the group’s in-house expertise.

Responsables de la pratique:

Przemek Kozdój


Autres avocats clés:

Lech Giliciński; Michał Kulig; Joanna Gąsowski; Adrian Krzyżanowski


Les références

‘Excellent co-operation.’

Principaux clients

Panattoni Development Europe


Berlin Hyp AG


PKO BP S.A.


Savills Investment Management KVG GmbH


Norddeutsche Landesbank – Girozentrale


UBM Development


European Investment Bank


Erste Group Bank AG


Banco Santander (including its Polish subsidiary, Santander Bank Polska S.A.)


Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Longwing Polska on the financing of the construction of the Zalesie Wind Farm, with a capacity of 25MW, located in North-East Poland.
  • Advised Berlin Hyp and Bank Polska Kasa Opieki on €82m and zł44.3m VAT facilities granted to subsidiaries of Cavatina Holding to finance the development of the Global Office Park Katowice.
  • Advised PDC Industrial Center 224, a special purpose vehicle co-owned by KAJIMA Properties Europe and Panattoni groups, on the acquisition of three credit facilities.

DLK Legal Korus sp.k.

Providing regulatory assistance to key fintech players operating on the Polish market is the core specialism at DLK Legal Korus sp.k.; the firm’s proficiency in this area is illustrated by the frequency with which it is instructed to represent clients from the e-payment industry in licensing procedures before the KNF. Practice head and founding partner Krzysztof Korus regularly participates in European and Polish working groups on novel technologies in the financial sector.

Responsables de la pratique:

Krzysztof Korus


Autres avocats clés:

Szymon Zych; Bartosz Wyżykowski


Les références

‘Very knowledgeable in payments and banking laws, and the fintech industry.’

‘Krzysztof Korus has a great knowledge of the banking and fintech industry. His advice has been concise and helpful to our clients wishing to expand into Poland.’

‘The firm provided us with comprehensive legal support in a complex legal problem in a very short period of time. The law firm was fully prepared to support us completely through electronic means, at every stage of the operation.’

Principaux clients

Santander F24 S.A.


Smartney sp. z o.o. / Oney Polska sp. z o.o.


Allegro.pl sp. z o.o.


Getin Noble Bank S.A.


Centrum Elektronicznych Usług Płatniczych eService sp. z o.o.


Europejski Fundusz Leasingowy S.A. (EFL)


Blue Media S.A.


Profi Credit Polska S.A.


IT Card Centrum Technologii Płatniczych S.A./Planet Pay sp. z o.o.


RTV Euro AGD (Euro-net sp. z o.o.)


PayEye sp. z o.o.


Autopay Mobility sp. z o.o.


Authologic sp. z o.o.


Savangard sp. z o.o. / Finnovative Solutions UAB


Credit Agricole Bank Polska S.A.


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Authologic on the licensing procedure before the Polish Financial Supervision Authority.
  • Advised a bank from the Middle-East region on the implementation of open banking solutions.
  • Assisted Santander F24 with the design of a process relating to the online onboarding of customers applying for a consumer credit product.

PwC Legal Zelaznicki sp.k.

Under the guidance of Aleksandra Bańkowska , PwC Legal Zelaznicki sp.k. stands out as a go-to regulatory expert, particularly in the implementation of EU law as it relates to the banking sector; the team is regularly called upon by leading Polish banks and international financial institutions to assist with issues relating to ESG and AML regulations. In addition, the group frequently advises on the planning phase and go-live process for reaching settlements with clients holding foreign currency loans.

Responsables de la pratique:

Aleksandra Bańkowska


Autres avocats clés:

Łukasz Łyczko; Magda Kazana-Jaroniec; Konrad Frąckowiak


Les références

‘I think that the key skill of this team is an excellent understanding of the market and a remarkable intuition when it comes to the expectations of the financial market participants.’

‘My cooperation with Aleksandra Bańkowska and Łukasz Łyczko has been going on for many years, and I still very much appreciate their experience and extensive knowledge of the market. They take great care to ensure that their service offer remains relevant, modern and tailor-made for their clients.’

‘Ability to join with other competencies of PwC and deliver much more comprehensive advisory services.’

Principaux clients

mBank Hipoteczny S.A.


Nest Bank S.A.


Pekao Bank Hipoteczny S.A.


Związek Banków Polskich


Chancellery of the Prime Minister


Alior Bank S.A.


University of Warsaw


Billon


Principaux dossiers


  • Instructed by the Polish Banking Association as the lead external expert for a special working group dedicated to ESG regulations.
  • Advising Bank BPH on a mass claim management programme for mortgages denominated in, or indexed to Swiss Francs (CHF).
     
  • Advised a major Polish bank on the regulatory aspects of a project focusing on the audit of the client’s procedures and processes.

Schoenherr Halwa sp.k.

Project finance, structured finance and acquisition finance transactions make up the cornerstone of the practice at Schoenherr Halwa sp.k.; practice head Paweł Halwa is noted for his expertise in such matters, as well as securities and restructurings. Other services provided by the team include structuring cross-border transactions, and conducting sales and purchases for loan receivables. Counsel Marcin Antczak is another key member of the group.

Responsables de la pratique:

Paweł Halwa


Autres avocats clés:

Marcin Antczak; Paula Weronika Kapica


Principaux clients

Société Générale, London Branch


Paccor Packaging


Beechbrook Capital LLC


Bayerische Landesbank


BNP Paribas S.A. Niederlassung Deutschland


Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft


Deutsche Bank AG Filiale Deutschlandgeschäft


Unicredit Bank AG


Commerzbank Finance & Covered Bond S.A.


Unicredit Bank AG, London Branch


Schur Flexibles GmbH


IKB Deutsche Industriebank AG


ING Belgium NV/SA


Squire Patton Boggs Krześniak sp.k.

In September 2021, a change in leadership saw Małgorzata Olech taking the helm at Squire Patton Boggs Krześniak sp.k.; as well as a broad knowledge of banking and finance-related issues, she brings a particular expertise in real estate transactions to her role. The team primarily specialises in local mandates, often advising on the domestic side of internationally-financed business operations in which a Polish subsidiary is involved. Despite its tradition lender-side focus, the firm is seeing a concerted increase in instructions from borrowers.

Responsables de la pratique:

Małgorzata Olech


Autres avocats clés:

Michał Smolny


Principaux clients

Inter Health Canada Limited


Chiltern Capital


Enerco and Invenergy and their joint venture project companies


PZU N


KAEFER Isoliertechnik GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft


Taylor Wessing Poland

In the period between December 2021 and February 2022, Taylor Wessing Poland acquired a 10-practitioner strong team from Deloitte Legal, Ostrowski, Gizicki i Wspólnicy sp.k., significantly boosting its banking and finance capabilities in terms of both strength and depth. The arrivals included widely recognised partners Zbigniew Korba and Łukasz Szymański – the former of whom now heads up the practice – as well as experienced counsels and senior associates. The firm is now equally well equipped to provide both transactional and regulatory support to key industry players.

Responsables de la pratique:

Zbigniew Korba; Łukasz Szymański


Autres avocats clés:

Antoni Goraj; Marta Gocał; Paweł Skura


Les références

‘Skilled and problem-solving professonials. Prompt responses and perfect balance between compliance with laws and practical approach.’

‘Łukasz Szymański is a trustworthy lawyer who gets things done.’

‘Strengths: quality of cooperation, speed of operation, flexibility and comprehensiveness in the field of client service.’

Principaux clients

Mercedes-Benz Bank Polska S.A. w likwidacji


Svenska Handelsbanken AB S.A. Oddział w Polsce


PKO BP S.A.


Banca IFIS S.p.A.


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


Raiffeisen Bank International AG


Commerzbank AG


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised PKO BP on the €57m financing of a logistics park constructed by Panattoni.
  • Advising Svenska Handelsbanken AB on various issues relating to the closure of its operations in Poland.
  • Advising Mercedes Benz Polska on its reorganisation of operations in Poland, including setting up a consumer finance company and commencing the voluntary liquidation of a bank.

White & Case M. Studniarek i Wspólnicy - Kancelaria Prawna sp.k.

At White & Case M. Studniarek i Wspólnicy - Kancelaria Prawna sp.k., practice head Grzegorz Abram‘s varied workload – which spans syndicated loans, multi-layered lending, financing for the acquisition of listed and private companies, and general regulatory advice – is indicative of the group’s breadth of expertise. The firm is regularly called upon to assist international financial institutions with the establishment of branches and representative offices in Poland.

Responsables de la pratique:

Grzegorz Abram


Autres avocats clés:

Paweł Zagórski; Joanna Misztal-Dzitko; Roksana Kałużna-Bałazy


Les références

‘I think the best advantage is the people and their approach to client needs.’

‘We have a long-standing relationship with White & Case’s banking and finance practice. They have an unrivaled global network and are able to draw on their vast international experience.’

‘Diversity and inclusion are inherent core values of White & Case. They integrate the latest legal technologies into their work.’

Principaux clients

Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


Bank Pekao S.A.


Barclays Bank PLC


BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.


Cavatina Holding S.A.


CTP Invest, spol. s r. o.


European Bank for Reconstruction and Development


Grupa Cerrad


Grupa Pracuj


ING Bank Śląski S.A.


mBank S.A.


Mid Europa


Millenium Bank S.A.


PKO Bank Polski S.A.


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


Synthos S.A.


Towarzystwo Funduszy Inwestycyjnych PZU S.A.


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Barclays Bank, as lender, on amendments to the credit and guarantee agreement and accession to the credit agreement by certain subsidiaries of Bausch Health Companies.
  • Advising a consortium of four banks on the €600m financing of the acquisition by the Maspex Group of CEDC.
  • Advising Synthos on the renegotiation of revolving loan agreements of up to €500m, the repayment of the existing term loan, the negotiations of an inter-creditor agreement, and security documentation.

Czabanski Galuszynski & Partners

Czabanski Galuszynski & Partners offers banks and borrowers comprehensive advice on domestic and cross-border financing, including real estate investments, acquisitions, and projects. The firm is also experienced in the fintech field, and is well placed to assist with issues relating to mobile payments, bitcoin, blockchain, crowdfunding and licenses. Jacek Czabański and Piotr Gałuszyński are the two key contacts.

Responsables de la pratique:

Jacek Czabański; Piotr Gałuszyński


Autres avocats clés:

Adam Janczewski


Les références

‘Business oriented lawyers, availability, flexibility, reasonable fees.’

‘Piotr Gałuszyński has exceptional experience and creativity – he always finds a solution to very difficult legal problems.’

‘Pro-active, trustworthy, swift and friendly.’

Principaux clients

Crescent Capital Group


Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego


ACTON FINANCIAL


Credit Agricole Bank Polska S.A.


PKO Bank Polska S.A.


Franklin Templeton Investments


Aion S.A


Right Power a.s.


Santander Bank Polska S.A.


Bank Handlowy w Warszawie S.A.


Latham & Watkins


PMPoland S.A.


Advokatfirman Cederquist KB


Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP


Aion Bank SA/NV


Mannheimer Swartling Advokatbyraa AB


Sidley Austin LLP


Taylor Wessing Partnerschaftgesellschaft mbB


DWF Poland Jamka Sp.k

DWF Poland Jamka Sp.k splits its focus equally between transactional and regulatory work; the team offers banks, investment funds, asset management companies, financial institutions, borrowers, local authorities and investors domestic and cross-border expertise. Newly promoted partner Tomasz Kaczmarek acts as co-chair of the firm’s European banking and finance practice, as well as heading up the Polish branch of the offering.

Responsables de la pratique:

Tomasz Kaczmarek


Autres avocats clés:

Radosław Cebeliński; Michał Grabowski


Les références

‘Great with handling multi-jurisdictonal transactions.’

‘Tomasz Kaczmarek provides an exceptional business understanding and offers out-of-the-box solutions on the toughest cases.’

Principaux clients

Columbus Energy S.A.


Mirova Eolska SAS


Dobra Energia dla Olsztyna sp. z o.o.


DNB Bank ASA


Fortaco sp. z o.o.


Bank Ochrony Środowiska S.A.


Enter Air S.A


Uriel Inversiones S.A.


Biały Bór Farma Wiatrowa sp. z o.o.


DK Farma Wiatrowa sp.z o.o.


Ibereolica sp.z o.o.


mBank S.A.


V-Ridium Power Group


PKO BP S.A.


CVI Dom Maklerski S.A.


DNB Bank Polska S.A.


Zeitgeist Asset Management sp. z o.o.


Hilderstone sp. z o.o.


Alfreton sp. z o.o.


Hockley sp. z o.o.


Otley sp. z o.o.


Kexby sp. z o.o.


Nascio sp. z o.o.


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised mBank and PKO BP on the project financing of two portfolios of photovoltaic projects developed by multiple special purpose vehicles controlled by Columbus Energy.
  • Advised Uriel Renovables and a project company on the development of a wind farm located in Biały Bór, of a total capacity exceeding 144MW, financed by DNB Bank Polska and EKF, the Danish Export Credit Agency.
  • Advised a consortium of banks, including DNB Bank, mBank and Bank Ochrony Środowiska, on the project financing of a 100MW mixed wind and photovoltaic portfolio developed by V-Ridium in co-operation with KGAL.

ftl

Konrad Stolarski and Zbigniew Długosz jointly preside over the team at ftl; the former has many years of experience representing clients before administrative and financial supervisory authorities both in Poland and abroad, while the latter operates best at the intersection of the banking, insurance and payment service fields. Fintech and emerging technologies are an area of focus for all practitioners at the firm.

Responsables de la pratique:

Konrad Stolarski; Zbigniew Długosz


Autres avocats clés:

Jan Ząbczyk; Magdalena Bodzioch


Les références

‘I am happy to say that the performance of the firm is exceptional.’

‘The firm knows the market very well not only from the Polish but also EU-wide perspective.’

‘One of the strengths is that they are equal partners in discussions not only concerning legal matters but also IT, technology and finances, which is extremely rare to find.’

Principaux clients

Worldline Financial Services (Europe) S.A.


Trustly Group A.B.


Blue Media S.A.


PayU S.A.


Euronet 360 Finance Limited


InFakt Sp. z o.o.


Smartney Sp. z o.o.


BillTech Group Sp. z o.o.


Conotoxia Sp. z o.o.


Polish Banks’ Association


Principaux dossiers


  • Adssisting Conotoxia with the extension of the scope of their license to provide payment services to also include payment initiation and account information services throughout the whole EEA.
  • Advising the Polish Banks’ Association on legal issues concerning payment services and artificial intelligence.
  • Advised Worldline on its policy of controlling risk – including payment risk, fraud risk and reputational risk – connected with merchants on behalf of which the client accepts payments for goods and services.

Kochanski & Partners

Kochanski & Partners primarily operates at the instersection between banking law and technology; in recent highlights, the team has been instructed by a leading local bank to assist with building its presence in the global metaverse, and is also involved with development of the Polish standard for cloud computing implementation in banks. The group is also noted for its litigious strength, with Andrzej Pałys and Weronika Magdziak-Śliwa standing out for their contentious expertise. David Thomas has now left the firm.

Responsables de la pratique:

Andrzej Pałys; Weronika Magdziak-Śliwa


Autres avocats clés:

Maciej Kuranc


Les références

‘Dedication to client support, professional approach, business orientation.’

‘High level of competence.’

Principaux clients

Universal Fibers Inc. (subsidiary of H.I.G. Capital)


STEAG Group


Schaltbau Holding AG


State Street Global Advisors


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised State Street Global Advisors on the setting up and running of investment and brokerage activities in Poland.
  • Advising the working group responsible for providing a standard for cloud computing implementation in banks, established by the Polish Bank Association and the Banking Technology Forum.
  • Representing Bank BPH, Bank Millennium, Bank PKO and Bank Ochrony Środowiska in a portfolio of more than 5,500 court disputes concerning Swiss Franc indexed loans.

Penteris

Offering equal expertise as far as both borrower and lender-side transactions are concerned, Penteris specialises in advising on property, project, acquisition and asset financings. Practice head Katarzyna Sawa-Rybaczek brings together extensive knowledge of both banking and real estate law. For regulatory work, senior associate Małgorzata Motyl – who bring over 10 years’ in-house experience acting as a complaince officer in leading financial institutions to the team – is a key contact.

Responsables de la pratique:

Katarzyna Sawa-Rybaczek


Autres avocats clés:

Małgorzata Motyl; Łukasz Czerepak


Les références

‘Reliable and exceptionally fast reaction times. Always available. Stayed within budget despite a long burdensome process. Overall, excellent performance in every respect. A clear recommendation for this firm.’

‘Katarzyna Sawa-Rybaczek delivered an outstanding job, always easy to reach, pro-active, reliable, took responsibility for every legal aspect of the project. Exceptional work!’

Principaux clients

Apollo-Rida


Ares Management


RIDA Development Corporation


ING


Octava Property Trust


Octava S.A. (Elliott Associates Group)


AKRON


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Octava Property Trust on refinancing by Santander Bank of five office assets across Poland owned by the Octava group.
  • Advised Apollo-Rida on the financing and acquisition of the Equal Business Park office complex in Kraków from Cavatina Holding.
  • Advised RIDA Development Corporation on the financing of the acquisition of the Jerozolimskie Business Park office complex in Warsaw.

Radzikowski, Szubielska i Wspólnicy sp.k.

Latterly, Radzikowski, Szubielska i Wspólnicy sp.k. has been most active in the real estate financing space; the firm’s client roster includes major Polish banks, as well as notable local and foreign developers, prevalent in the residential and retail construction markets. Refinancing is another area of strenght. Martyna Kamińska-Tabaka, Agnieszka Piasecka and Zbigniew Skórczyński are the key senior names to note.

Responsables de la pratique:

Martyna Kamińska-Tabaka; Agnieszka Piasecka; Zbigniew Skórczyński


Autres avocats clés:

Martyna Dyga-Mróz


Principaux clients

Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A.


Principaux dossiers


  • Advised Bank Polska Kasa Opieki on its first financing provided to Trei Real Estate group in Poland.

Traple Konarski Podrecki & Partners

Traple Konarski Podrecki & Partners is focused on several core areas, namely, assisting the full range of payment services providers with innovative fintech structures; advising key banking players on contractual issues; providing regulatory support in proceedings before supervision authorities; and advising government bodies on policy changes. Practice head Jan Byrski is particularly well regarded for his expertise in the first of these areas.

Responsables de la pratique:

Jan Byrski


Autres avocats clés:

Karol Juraszczyk; Maciej Miąsko; Michał Synowiec


Les références

‘The team represents a high level of knowledge about the activities of fintech companies, and responds quickly to questions.’

‘Maciej Miąsko has the ability to convey complex legal knowledge in a clear way; enormous practical knowledge and experience in co-operation with the Financial Supervision Authority.’

‘The team has in-depth practical knowledge of the fintech regulatory environment and extensive practical experience in the area. They are strongly focused on practical solutions rather than elaborating on all types of risks.’

Principaux clients

Polska Izba Informatyki i Telekomunikacji (PIIT)


Cashless Trade Development Foundation (Fundacja Rozwoju Obrotu Bezgotówkowego, “FROB”)


Polska Organizacja Handlu i Dystrybucji (POHID)


Związek Przedsiębiorstw Finansowych w Polsce (ZPF)


Polska Izba Ubezpieczeń


Principaux dossiers


  • Assisted the Association of Financial Companies and the Polish Chamber of Insurance with the preparation of sectoral cloud computing implementation standards.
  • Advising numerous payment services providers on their applications for authorisation as payment institutions from the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF).
     
  • Represented Polish Trade and Distribution Organisation in a court case initiated after a decision of the President of the Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, which concerned 20 banks, used to mutually fix the rates of the fees charged for transactions executed with the use of Visa and MasterCard payment cards.

act BSWW legal & tax

act BSWW legal & tax focuses on three core groups of clients: those operating in the real estate sector; those engaged in M&A transactions across all industries; and those implementing industrial and commercial projects, particularly in the automotive and photovoltaic fields. Managing partners Michał Wielhorski and Jacek Bieniak lead on the key matters.

Responsables de la pratique:

Michał Wielhorski; Jacek Bieniak


Autres avocats clés:

Mateusz Prokopiuk


Principaux clients

Adventum Group


FM Solutions SPV sp. z o.o.


Buma Group


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Adventum Group on financing for the acquisition of an office, retail and residential complex in Wrocław.
  • Advising Adventum Group on financing for the acquisition of the Mercedes-Benz building.
  • Advising FM Solutions on financing for the acquisition of an operating provider of facility management services.

Andersen in Poland

At Andersen in Poland, contentious work in the banking and finance sector is a particular strength; recently, the group has acted in a large number of Swiss franc and foreign exchange derivative disputes. Another highlight involves assisting Portuguese banks with the acquisition financing for a complex cross-border M&A transaction. Team lead Mariusz Aleksandrowicz brings significant regulatory and tax expertise to his role.

Responsables de la pratique:

Mariusz Aleksandrowicz


Autres avocats clés:

Agnieszka Skrok; Katarzyna de Rosset; Tadeusz Komosa


Les références

‘The team is always available and presents solutions to any problem that is raised. It is a pleasure working with this team.’

‘Tadeusz Komosa is a very well prepared practitioner, with a sense of the clients’ needs. You cannot find a more dedicated lawyer in Poland.’

Principaux clients

Bank Millennium S.A. (Banco Comercial Portugues group)


mBank S.A. (Commerzbank group)


BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A.


B2R Law Jankowski Stroinski Zieba

B2R Law Jankowski Stroinski Zieba fields a team of corporate and banking experts, with extensive experience advising on cross-border M&A and financing deals, including secured and unsecured investment grade, leveraged, emerging market and debt transactions. Deals with a real estate element are a particular area of strength. George Havaris jointly heads up the practice with newly-promoted partner Filip Badziak.

Responsables de la pratique:

Filip Badziak; George Havaris


Les références

‘Very professional, focused, experienced.’

‘Extremely client oriented.’

Principaux clients

Unidevelopment


Nuveen Real Estate


Raiffeisen Bank Hungary


CIB Bank Hungary


Henley Investment Management


Arcmont Asset Management


Aerosol Service


Bank Pekao S.A.


Goldman Sachs International


Barclays


HSBC


NatWest Markets


B+N Referencia Zrt.


PFR – The Polish Development Fund


Accor Hotels Group


Fortress Reit


Henley Investment


Trinseo


Rubix


Partners for Growth


Principaux dossiers


  • Advising Arcmont Asset Management on multi-purpose financing for the acquisition of Bright Maze OY group, a flexible-plastic packaging group based in Finland and Poland.
  • Advising Goldman Sachs International, Barclays, HSBC and NatWest Markets – as global coordinators and joint bookrunners – and HSBC and NatWest Markets – as joint bookrunners – on Boparan Finance’s £475m refinancing.
  • Advising Raiffeisen Bank Hungary and CIB Bank Hungary, as lenders, on acquisition financing granted to private equity fund Luma Automation with a view to co-financing the acquisition of a Hungarian company within the same business sector.

BSJP bnt Brockhuis Jurczak Prusak Sroka Nilsson Zamorska Sp.k.

Under the joint leadership of Katarzyna Domańska-Mołdawa and Jörn Brockhuis, the team at BSJP bnt Brockhuis Jurczak Prusak Sroka Nilsson Zamorska Sp.k. specialises in acquisition, asset and project finance; debt refinancing; and financial restructuring of companies. The group is widely known for its German financial law expertise, and is consequently seen as an advisor of choice for banking clients with some ctonnection to that jurisdiction.

Responsables de la pratique:

Katarzyna Domańska-Mołdawa; Jörn Brockhuis


Les références

‘Highly experienced; excellent knowlegde in real estate financing; very reliable and meeting all deadlines; very friendly and supportive co-operation; fluent in different languages (e.g. Polish, English, German).’

‘Experienced team in real estate finance matters.’

‘Katarzyna Domańska-Mołdawa is a very experienced practitioner, quick to respond with robust and practical advice. She is well supported by her team of associates.’

Principaux dossiers


  • Advised a German lending bank on the €119m refinancing of a cross-border package acquisition of four logistic centres located in four different locations across Poland.
  • Advised a German lending bank on the €118m financing of a cross-border joint acquisition of an office property in Warsaw’s Business District and two logistics centres located near Tychy.
  • Advised a German lending bank on the €105m refinancing of a cross-border package acquisition of four shopping centres located in four different locations across Poland.

Dubiński Jeleński Masiarz i Wspólnicy

In addition to assisting both lenders and borrowers on transactional issues, Dubiński Jeleński Masiarz i Wspólnicy regularly advises banks and financial institutions on capital acquisition for financings or investments. Name partners Kazimierz Jeleński and Jarosław Dubiński are the key senior contacts; the former has a particular focus on oil and gas extraction projects.


Responsables de la pratique:

Kazimierz Jeleński; Jarosław Dubiński


Les références

‘Great communication and avability.’

‘Excellent contact, always ready to help.’

Principaux clients

CVI Dom Maklerski Sp. z o.o.


mBank S.A.


PKO BP S.A.


Asseco South Eastern Europe S.A.


PKO TFI S.A.


Pekao TFI S.A.


Polish Development Fund (PFR)


Polimex Mostostal S.A.


MCI Capital ASI S.A.


Libet S.A.