PRELIMINARY MATTERS MAY 2021 Year 8, Issue 4 CEE May 2021 Legal Matters
CEELM Index
In-Depth Analysis of the News and Newsmakers That Shape CEE LEGAL MATTERS Europe’s Emerging Legal Markets 1 DEALER’S CHOICE LAW FIRM SUMMIT AND 2021 CEE DEALS OF THE YEAR AWARDS
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doty.ceelegalmatters.com PRELIMINARY MATTERS MAY 2021
EDITORIAL: THE PERFECT TIME FOR THE CEELM INDEX
By Radu Cotarcea
The eagerly-awaited Deals of the Year awards announce- that the table is already available there as well (at ment is just around the corner, set to go live on June 3. ceelegalmatters.com/deal-list-2020) in a digital version that allows for searching and sorting, with In the meantime, as we’re holding our breath and allowing each entry linking to the relevant coverage on the a drum roll to build up the suspense, this special CEELM CEELM website, where it exists. Index issue of the CEE Legal Matters magazine is a perfect opportunity to look back at 2020 as a whole. But that is not all in this CEELM Index special issue! In this print edition you’ll also find summa- The centerpiece of the issue is our annual CEE Legal Mat- ries of the firms and partners whose names have appeared ters Table of Deals, listing 1,923 client matters throughout the most in our coverage of client work throughout 2020, the region. It was compiled using both the deals reported both overall and broken down by country and practice area. by CEELM throughout 2020 as well as supplementary sub- We also took stock of the briefings contributions that made missions received from law firms of deals which, for one the biggest splash on our website in 2020 and highlighted reason or another, were not covered during the year. the firms and partners who were most proficient in helping us keep readers across the region informed of the latest Eagle-eyed followers of our website will have noticed legal developments. TABLE OF CONTENTS
The CEELM Index: Deals 6
The CEELM Index: Briefings 8
The CEELM Index: Contributors 11
The CEELM Index: 2020 Table of Deals 12
The Editors: Letters to the Editors: CEE David Stuckey If you like what you read in these pages (or even if you don’t) [email protected] we really do want to hear from you. Please send any com- Radu Cotarcea ments, criticisms, questions, or ideas to us at: [email protected] [email protected]
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 3 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX: DEALS
THE CEELM INDEX: LAW FIRMS Firms with the most client matters reported by CEE Legal Matters in 2020.
TOP 10: OVERALL TOP 10: AUSTRIA TOP 10: BULGARIA
# of Reported # of Reported # of Reported Rank Firm Rank Firm Rank Firm Client Matters Client Matters Client Matters 1 Sorainen 116 1 Schoenherr 27 1 CMS 17 2 Cobalt 86 2 Wolf Theiss 20 2 Kinstellar 11 3 Dentons 80 3 Binder Groesswang 18 3 Djingov, Gouginski, 9 Kyutchukov & Velichkov 4 CMS 78 4 Dorda 17 4 Georgiev, Todorov & Co. 7 5 DLA Piper 59 5 Eisenberger & Herzog 16 Schoenherr 7 Clifford Chance 59 Cerha Hempel 16 6 Kambourov & Partners 6 7 Kinstellar 56 7 Brandl & Talos 12 7 Tokushev and Partners 4 8 White & Case 54 Herbst Kinsky 12 Boyanov & Co. 4 Schoenherr 54 9 CMS 11 Tsvetkova Bebov 4 10 Linklaters 46 10 BPV Huegel 10 Komarevski 10 Dentons ; Dimitrov, 2 Petrov & Co.; Wolf Theiss
TOP 10: CZECH REPUBLIC TOP 10: ESTONIA TOP 10: GREECE
# of Reported # of Reported # of Reported Rank Firm Rank Firm Rank Firm Client Matters Client Matters Client Matters 1 Kinstellar 19 1 Cobalt 46 1 Zepos & Yannopoulos 9 Kocian Solc Balastik 19 2 Sorainen 34 2 Koutalidis Law Firm 5 3 Clifford Chance 16 3 Ellex 14 3 Karatzas and Partners 3 4 Dentons 11 4 TGS Baltic 10 4 White & Case 2 Havel & Partners 11 5 Pohla & Hallmagi 7 KLC Law Firm 2 6 Allen & Overy 9 6 PwC Legal 4 Norton Rose Fulbright 2 7 Schoenherr 8 Fort 4 Your Legal Partners 2 BPV Braun 8 Hedman Partners 4 Kyriakides Georgopoulos 2 9 Glatzova & Co. 6 9 Eversheds Sutherland 3 Bernitsas 2 Weinhold Legal 6 10 Nove; Triniti 2 Dracopoulos & 2 Vassalakis
TOP 10: HUNGARY TOP 10: LATVIA TOP 10: LITHUANIA
# of Reported # of Reported # of Reported Rank Firm Rank Firm Rank Firm Client Matters Client Matters Client Matters 1 Noerr 9 1 Cobalt 30 1 Sorainen 60 2 Kinstellar 6 2 Sorainen 28 2 TGS Baltic 22 3 Schoenherr 5 3 Ellex 7 3 Cobalt 19 Allen & Overy 5 4 TGS Baltic 7 4 Walless 17 Jalsovszky 5 5 Allen & Overy 3 5 Motieka & Audzevicius 14 6 Wolf Theiss 4 6 BDO Law 2 6 Ellex 13 DLA Piper 4 Glimstedt 2 7 Triniti 8 Lakatos, Koves & 4 Deloitte Legal 2 8 Dentons 4 Partners Glimstedt 4 CMS 4 Fort 4 Dentons 4
4 CEE LEGAL MATTERS CEELM INDEX: DEALS MAY 2021
TOP 10: POLAND TOP 10: ROMANIA TOP 10: RUSSIA
# of Reported # of Reported # of Reported Rank Firm Rank Firm Rank Firm Client Matters Client Matters Client Matters 1 Dentons 42 1 Stratulat Albulescu 15 1 Egorov Puginsky 14 Afanasiev and Partners 2 Greenberg Traurig 37 2 Popovici Nitu Stoica & 13 Asociatii Bryan Cave Leighton 14 3 SSW Pragmatic Solutions 26 Paisner 3 Kinstellar 11 4 DLA Piper 26 3 White & Case 12 Filip and Company 11 5 Rymarz Zdort 24 4 DLA Piper 10 5 BPV Grigorescu 8 6 Clifford Chance 23 Stefanica 5 Debevoise & Plimpton 9 7 Gessel 22 RTPR 8 6 Dentons 8 8 Linklaters 21 Nestor Nestor Diculescu 8 7 Hogan Lovells 7 9 CMS 20 Kingston Petersen 8 Baker McKenzie 6 10 White & Case 17 8 Schoenherr 6 9 Clifford Chance 5 9 Allen & Overy 5 10 CMS; Herbert Smith 4 Reff & Asociatii 5 Freehills; Linklaters
TOP 10: SERBIA TOP 10: TURKEY TOP 10: UKRAINE
# of Reported # of Reported # of Reported Rank Firm Rank Firm Rank Firm Client Matters Client Matters Client Matters 1 NKO Partners 12 1 Paksoy 11 1 Sayenko Kharenko 34 2 CMS 9 2 BTS & Partners 9 2 Ilyashev & Partners 19 3 Jankovic Popovic Mitic 8 3 Baker McKenzie 6 Asters 19 4 Karanovic & Partners 7 4 White & Case 6 4 Aequo 14 5 BDK Advokati 5 5 Esin Attorney 5 5 Avellum 13 Partnership Zivkovic Samardzic 5 6 CMS 11 Turunc 5 7 Kinstellar 4 7 Redcliffe Partners 10 7 Caliskan Okkan Toker 4 Samardzic, Oreski & 4 Integrites 10 Grbovic Balcioglu Selcuk 4 9 Baker McKenzie 9 Ardiyok Keki Attorney 9 Prica & Partners 3 Partnership 10 Kinstellar; Vasil Kisil & 7 Dentons 3 Partners Dentons 4 10 Aksan Law Firm ; Clifford 3 Chance; GKC Partners; Kinstellar
OTHER MARKETS
# of Reported Country Firm Client Matters Belarus Sorainen 9 Bosnia & Herzegovina Maric & Co 4 Croatia Divjak, Topic, Bahtijarevic & Krka 4 Moldova Gladei & Partners; Turcan Cazac 2 North Macedonia Polenak 4 Slovenia ODI Law Firm 5 Slovakia Dentons 6
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 5 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX: DEALS
TOP 10: BANKING/FINANCE TOP 10: CAPITAL MARKETS
# of Reported # of Reported Rank Firm Rank Firm Client Matters Client Matters 1 Sorainen 27 1 White & Case 22 2 CMS 25 2 Linklaters 16 3 Cobalt 19 3 Clifford Chance 15 4 Clifford Chance 18 4 Allen & Overy 13 5 Dentons 16 5 Sorainen 12 6 Allen & Overy 15 6 Wolf Theiss 11 7 DLA Piper 13 7 Weber & Co 8 Kinstellar 13 8 Dentons 7 9 White & Case 12 Cobalt 7 10 Aster 11 Gessel 7
TOP 10: CORPORATE/M&A TOP 10: ENERGY/NATURAL RESOURCES
# of Reported # of Reported Rank Firm Rank Firm Client Matters Client Matters 1 Sorainen 39 1 CMS 25 2 Schoenherr 28 2 Sorainen 14 3 Cobalt 27 3 Dentons 13 DLA Piper 27 4 Clifford Chance 10 5 CMS 22 5 White & Case 8 6 Noerr 20 6 TGS Baltic 7 7 Kinstellar 19 Schoenherr 7 Baker McKenzie 19 Allen & Overy 7 9 White & Case 17 9 Rymarz Zdort 6 Dentons 17 Linklaters 6
TOP 10: REAL ESTATE TOP 10: TMT/IP
# of Reported # of Reported Rank Firm Rank Firm Client Matters Client Matters 1 Dentons 36 1 Cobalt 22 2 Kinstellar 24 2 Sorainen 19 3 Linklaters 20 3 White & Case 10 4 Greenberg Traurig 19 4 DLA Piper 8 5 Sorainen 17 Eversheds Sutherland 8 6 CMS 16 Baker McKenzie 8 7 Schoenherr 12 7 Ellex 7 8 DLA Piper 11 Dentons 7 9 Clifford Chance 10 Kinstellar 7 Wolf Theiss 10 10 Bird & Bird 6
6 CEE LEGAL MATTERS CEELM INDEX: DEALS MAY 2021
THE CEELM INDEX: PARTNERS Partners with the most client matters reported by CEE Legal Matters in 2020.
TOP 10: OVERALL
# of Reported Rank Partner (Firm) Client Matters 1 Szymon Okon (SSW Pragmatic Solutions) 15 2 Mantas Petkevicius (Sorainen) 14 3 Tomas Kontautas (Sorainen) 13 4 Eva Berlaus (Sorainen) 12 Rudolfs Engelis (Sorainen) 12 Igor Lozenko (Sayenko Kharenko) 12 7 Jakub Domalik-Plakwicz (DLA Piper) 11 Kostadin Sirleshtov (CMS) 11 Jan Juroska (Kinstellar) 11 10 Kristel Raidla-Talur (Cobalt), Silviu Stratulat (Stratulat Albulescu), Toomas Prangli (Sorainen), Marcin Studniarek (White & Case), Saule Dagilyte 10 (Sorainen), Roman Rericha (Brandl Talos)
LEADERS BY COUNTRY
# of Reported Client # of Reported Client Country Partner (Firm) Country Partner Matters Matters Austria Roman Rericha (Brandl Talos) 10 Moldova Ana Galus (Turcan Cazac) 2 Belarus Kiryl Apanasevich (Sorainen); 4 North Macedonia Gjorgji Georgievski (ODI Law); 3 Maksim Salahub (Sorainen) Tatjana Shishkovska (Polenak) Bosnia and Herzegovina Branko Maric (Maric & Co.) 3 Poland Szymon Okon (SSW Pragmatic 15 Solutions) Bulgaria Kostadin Sirleshtov (CMS) 11 Romania Silviu Stratulat (Stratulat 10 Croatia Damir Topic (DTB); 3 Albulescu) Silvije Cipcic-Bragadin (Cipcic- Bragadin and Associates) Russia Anna Numerova (EPAM); 5 Leo Batalov (DLA Piper) Czech Republic Jan Juroska (Kinstellar) 11 Serbia Djordje Nikolic (NKO Partners); 5 Estonia Toomas Prangli (Sorainen) 10 Milica Popovic (CMS) Greece Christina Papanikolopoulou 4 (Zepos & Yannopoulos) Slovakia Viliam Mysicka (Kinstellar) 3 Hungary Zoltan Nadasdy (Noerr) 4 Slovenia Tine Misic (ODI Law) 4 Latvia Eva Berlaus (Sorainen); 11 Turkey Elvan Aziz (Paksoy); 5 Rudolfs Engelis (Sorainen) Kerem Turunc (Turunc) Lithuania Mantas Petkevicius (Sorainen) 14 Ukraine Igor Lozenko (Sayenko Kharenko) 12
The CEELM Index: Did We Miss Something? CEE All Deals Reported On: We’re not perfect; we admit it. If something slipped past us, www.ceelegalmatters.com and if your firm has a deal, hire, promotion, or other piece of Period Covered: news you think we should cover, let us know. Write to us at: LegalJanuary 1, 2020 - December Matters 31, 2020 [email protected]
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 7 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX: BRIEFINGS
THE CEELM INDEX: BRIEFINGS The most-read briefings published on CEE Legal Matters in 2020.
MOST-READ LEGAL ANALYSIS ARTICLES ON THE CEELM WEBSITE: OVERALL
Rank Briefing Title Countries Firm Reads
1 Restrictions Across CEE/SEE Countries Affecting the Real Hungary, Ukraine, Turkey, Slovenia, Slovakia, Schoenherr 52989 Estate Sector Serbia, Romania, Poland, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Moldova, Czech Republic, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria
2 E-Healthcare and Telehealth Become Vital to Tackling Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Poland, Schoenherr 48700 COVID-19 in CEE Romania
3 Turkey Introduces a Centralized System for Electronic Turkey ELIG Gurkaynak Attorneys-at-Law 48196 Marketing Communications
4 How was International Arbitration Law Affected by the Turkey Guden 48110 COVID-19 Pandemic?
5 The Impact of COVID 19 Crisis on the Transfer Pricing Policies Turkey Nazali Tax & Legal 48022 of Multinational Companies
6 Employment: Post-Quarantine Reality in Ukraine Ukraine Integrites 47693
7 Changes Aiming to Simplify and Electronicize Certain Hungary KCG Partners Law Firm 47620 Procedures in Public Administration
8 Cannabis Breeding in Republic of Serbia: Sensation to Public, Serbia Samardzic, Oreski & Grbovic 47540 Pitfall to Authorities
9 What to Focus on in the Due Diligence of a Sports Club Czech Republic Rowan Legal 47456
10 Access to Wikipedia Reinstated in Turkey Turkey ELIG Gurkaynak Attorneys-at-Law 47258
MOST-READ COMPARATIVE GUIDE ARTICLES ON THE CEELM WEBSITE: OVERALL
Rank Briefing Title Countries Firm Reads
1 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in Bulgaria Gugushev & Partners, Pontes 58693 Bulgaria
2 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in Austria Graf Patsch Taucher, Pontes 56846 Austria
3 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in Hungary Nagy es Trocsanyi 53009 Hungary
4 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in UK UK Slaughter and May 52630
5 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in Czech Republic Rowan Legal 52376 Czechia
6 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in Turkey Turkey Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli 51939
7 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in Serbia Serbia Jankovic Popovic Mitic 51729
8 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in Romania Ijdelea Mihailescu 50751 Romania
9 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in Ukraine Avellum 50387 Ukraine
10 CEELM Covid-19 Comparative Legal Guide: Contracts in Belarus Arzinger 50181 Belarus
8 CEE LEGAL MATTERS CEELM INDEX: BRIEFINGS MAY 2021
MOST-READ LEGAL ANALYSIS ARTICLES ON THE CEELM WEBSITE: BY JURISDICTION
Country Briefing Title Firm Reads Albania Albania: Towards Renewable Energy Boga & Associates 41609 Austria Article 15(3) of GDPR and Right to Schoenherr 46965 Access Files or Documents – an Austrian Perspective Bosnia and Herzegovina Expedited Liquidation Procedure in the Karanovic & Partners 45338 Republic of Srpska Bulgaria Bulgaria: The Automotive, Logistics, and CMS 46183 Transportation Hub of the Balkans Croatia Trends in Logistics and Transportation: CMS 46250 The Struggle Between Technological Development and Restrictive Legal Rules Czech Republic What to Focus on in the Due Diligence of a Rowan Legal 47456 Sports Club Estonia Case Law Developments Support the Cobalt 45125 Commercial Real Estate Market Greece Greece: Artificial Intelligence & Privacy in Michalopoulou & 44656 the Time of Covid-19 Associates Lawgroup Hungary Changes Aiming to Simplify and KCG Partners 47620 Electronicize Certain Procedures in Public Administration Kosovo Kosovo: Energy Matters in Kosovo Kalo & Associates 31329 Latvia Latvia: A Solution to Insufficiencies in Cobalt 46187 Supply of Medicines in Latvia Lithuania A New Wave of Mediation in Lithuania - Cobalt 45782 What Does it Mean for Lawyers Moldova Moldova: Pharmacovigilance and Drug ACI Partners 41808 Safety in the Republic of Moldova Montenegro The Current Status of Montenegro’s Zivkovic Samardzic 45499 Transportation Sector North Macedonia “Little Schengen” Project in a Nutshell – CMS 45932 What Does It Mean For Your Business? Poland Covid-19 – Anti-Crisis Shield: Business Penteris 47067 Financing Romania Derogations Applicable in Relation to Popescu & Asociatii 46659 Personal Data Transfer to Third Countries or International Organisations Russia Russia Reacts: Impact of Sanctions on Dentons 45845 International Arbitration Involving Russian Parties Serbia Cannabis Breeding in Republic of Serbia: Samardzic, Oreski & 47540 Sensation to Public, Pitfall to Authorities Grbovic Slovakia Successful Year for E-Mobility in Slovakia CMS 45294 Slovenia Can EU Member States Protect Vital Air Miro Senica and Attorneys 45997 Routes After the Bankruptcy of National Air Carriers by Subsidizing Those Routes? Turkey Turkey Introduces a Centralized System for ELIG Gurkaynak Attorneys- 48196 Electronic Marketing Communications at-Law Ukraine Employment: Post-Quarantine Reality in Integrites 47693 Ukraine
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 9 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX: CONTRIBUTORS
Better connected Local knowledge, global reach
Eversheds Sutherland Bitāns is a leading law fi rm in Latvia, o ering our clients a unique mix of more than 20 years of local experience and a global network of 69 o ces that stretches across 32 countries worldwide.
We provide the full range of Our teams of lawyers around the world operate legal services including: seamlessly to deliver the legal know-how and strategic alignment that clients need from their – corporate and M&A advisors to help further their business interests. – dispute resolution and litigation What unites us is our commitment to service – banking and fi nance excellence through a solution-oriented approach. – real estate and construction We know our clients’ businesses, the industries and – employment and labor law markets they operate in, and we know that great – intellectual property and data protection relationships yield the best outcomes. – EU and competition law That is why some of our key clients have been with – energy and infrastructure us for 20 years and counting. – public and administrative law – tax law
eversheds-sutherland.com © Eversheds Sutherland 2021. All rights reserved. Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP are part of a global legal practice, operating through various separate and distinct legal entities, under Eversheds Sutherland. For a full description of the structure and a list of o ces, please visit www.eversheds-sutherland.com DTUK003689_03/21 10 CEE LEGAL MATTERS CEELM INDEX: CONTRIBUTORS MAY 2021
THE CEELM INDEX: CONTRIBUTORS Firms and partners with the most legal briefings published onCEE Legal Matters in 2020.
FIRMS WITH MOST BRIEFINGS PARTNERS WITH MOST BRIEFINGS PUBLISHED ON THE CEELM WEBSITE PUBLISHED ON THE CEELM WEBSITE
Country Firm # of Briefings Country Partner (Firm) # of Briefings Better connected Albania Boga & Associates 3 Austria Volker Weiss (Schoenherr) 5 Austria Schoenherr 19 Bulgaria Nikolay Bebov (TBK) 2
Bosnia and Ana-Marija Grubisic Local knowledge, Karanovic & Partners 4 Herzegovina Cabraja (DTB); Croatia 2 Iva Basaric (Babic & global reach Bulgaria Schoenherr 21 Partners) Michal Nulicek (Rowan Croatia CMS; Schoenherr 5 Czech Republic 3 Legal)
Czech Republic Schoenherr 13 Eszter Kamocsay-Berta Hungary 11 Eversheds Sutherland Bitāns is a leading law fi rm in Latvia, (KCG Partners) o ering our clients a unique mix of more than 20 years of Estonia Cobalt 2 Latvia Sandija Novicka (Cobalt) 2 local experience and a global network of 69 o ces that Hungary KCG Partners Law Firm 75 Igor Zivkovski (Zivkovic Montenegro 3 stretches across 32 countries worldwide. Latvia Cobalt 7 Samardzic)
Lithuania Cobalt 4 North Macedonia Marija Filipovska (CMS) 2 We provide the full range of Our teams of lawyers around the world operate legal services including: seamlessly to deliver the legal know-how and Moldova ACI Partners; Schoenherr 2 Marzanna Sobaniec Poland 5 strategic alignment that clients need from their (Penteris) – corporate and M&A advisors to help further their business interests. North Macedonia CMS 5 Alina Popescu (MPR Romania 24 – dispute resolution and litigation Poland Penteris 24 Partners) What unites us is our commitment to service – banking and fi nance excellence through a solution-oriented approach. Romania MPR Partners 45 Russia Dominique Tissot (CMS) 45 – real estate and construction We know our clients’ businesses, the industries and – employment and labor law markets they operate in, and we know that great Russia CMS 37 Serbia Ivana Ruzicic (PR Legal) 37 – intellectual property and data protection relationships yield the best outcomes. Serbia Samardzic, Oreski & Grbovic 28 Slovakia Pavol Rak (Noerr) 28 – EU and competition law That is why some of our key clients have been with Slovakia Noerr 6 Slovenia Eva Skufca (Schoenherr) 6 – energy and infrastructure us for 20 years and counting. – public and administrative law Slovenia Schoenherr 10 Turkey Gonenc Gurkaynak (ELIG) 10 – tax law Turkey ELIG 18 Ukraine Iryna Kalnytska (GoLaw) 18
Ukraine Avellum 18
The CEELM Index: Become a Contributor CEE All Briefings Available On: We’re always looking to involve more and more firms and www.ceelegalmatters.com partners as contributors to our platform. Period Covered: If you’d like to learn how you can get involved, write to us at: LegalJanuary 1, 2020 - December Matters 31, 2020 [email protected] eversheds-sutherland.com © Eversheds Sutherland 2021. All rights reserved. Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP and Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP are part of a global legal practice, operating through various separate and distinct legal entities, under Eversheds Sutherland. For a full description of the structure and a list of o ces, please visit www.eversheds-sutherland.com DTUK003689_03/21 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 11 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
CEELM INDEX: 2020 TABLE OF DEALS
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 16-Jun Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised joint lead managers Banca IMI, Citi Bank, JP Morgan, and Raiffeisen Bank International on the EUR 650 Albania Republic of Albania’s EUR 650 million seven-year international bond issuance. million 11-Dec Bird & Bird; Clifford Clifford Chance advised the Aricoma Group on the acquisition of the Seavus technology company. Karanovic & Partners N/A Albania; Chance; Karanovic & advised Aricoma on Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Albanian elements of the deal. Seavus was advised by Bird & Bosnia and Partners Bird's Stockholm office. Herzegovina; Czech Republic; Serbia 2-Jan Binder Grosswang; CMS; Kocian Solc Balastik; PRK Partners N/A Austria Frotz Riedl; Schoenherr 2-Jan Dorda; Schoenherr Dorda advised DLH Real Estate Austria, a company owned by the Zech Group, on the sale of two logistics properties N/A Austria and the forward sale of two additional logistics properties to Germany's Deka Immobilien. The buyers were advised by Schoenherr. 3-Jan Dorda; Schoenherr Dorda advised Patrizia AG on the sale of Zentrum Rennweg to Swiss Life Living + Working via a structured bidding EUR 52 Austria process. Schoenherr advised Swiss Life Living + Working. million 15-Jan Garger Spallinger; Wolf Theiss and Garrigues advised the shareholders of Tag Systems S.A. on the sale of the company to Austriacard and N/A Austria Garrigues; Wolf Theiss their entrance into a joint venture with Austriacard. The buyers were advised by Garger Spallinger. 15-Jan Dorda; Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Noella GmbH, an Austria-based company engaged in manufacturing and distribution of clothes for N/A Austria children, on its acquisition by Michael Pachleitner Group GmbH. Dorda advised the buyers. 17-Jan Lattenmayer, Luks & Wolf Theiss advised the REWE group on the sale of a property in the Donaustadt district of Vienna. The successful N/A Austria Enzinger; Wolf Theiss bidder, BUWOG, was advised by Lattenmayer Luks & Enzinger. 17-Jan Brandl & Talos Brandl & Talos supported APEX Ventures in the creation of the APEX Digital Health venture capital fund, designed for N/A Austria investments in new companies with unique technologies and applications in the healthcare sector. 20-Jan Fellner Wratzfeld & Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner advised Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft on the structuring and procurement of an innovation N/A Austria Partner partnership'' in Austria. 22-Jan Brandl & Talos; Herbst Brandl & Talos advised Anyline on its generation of USD 12 million in growth capital through a Series A round of financing. USD 12 Austria Kinsky; Schnittker Lead investors Project A and Senovo were advised by Herbst Kinsky and Schnittker Mollmann Partners, respectively. million Mollmann 23-Jan CMS; KPMG Legal; KPMG Law advised the shareholders of Barracuda Holding GmbH on the sale of 71% of the shares in the company to the N/A Austria Schoenherr CTS Eventim Group. The buyers were advised by CMS and Schoenherr. 24-Jan CMS; Schoenherr CMS advised Encavis Infrastructure Fund III on its acquisition of the Furstkogel wind farm in Austria, consisting of five N/A Austria wind turbines with a total rated output of 17.25 MW. The sellers, wind energy specialist Ecowind Handels- & Wartungs- GmbH, were advised by Schonherr. 27-Jan DSC Doralt Seist Wolf Theiss and Linklaters advised J.P. Morgan and Erste Group Bank AG as joint book-runners on S Immo AG's N/A Austria Csoklich; Linklaters; Wolf issuance of 6,691,717 new shares via an accelerated book-building procedure involving the exclusion of shareholders' Theiss subscription rights. S Immo AG was advised by DSC Doralt Seist Csoklich. 27-Jan Fellner Wratzfeld & Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner advised Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m.b.H. on the structuring and procurement of an N/A Austria Partner innovation partnership with several enterprises in Austria. 28-Jan Herbst Kinsky; Weber Weber & Co. advised Erste Group Bank AG as the sole bookrunner on the sale of 105,000 Marinomed Biotech AG shares EUR 10 Austria & Co. by shareholders Acropora Beteiligungs GmbH, VETWIDI Forschungsholding GmbH, and BVT Beteiligungsverwaltung million und Treuhand GmbH. Herbst Kinsky advised Marinomed on the sale. 28-Jan Weber & Co.; Wolf Theiss Weber & Co. advised DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale, DZ Bank, Erste Group, RBI, and UniCredit as joint lead managers EUR 500 Austria on the successful issuance of mortgage covered bank bonds by Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberosterreich AG. Wolf Theiss Million advised Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberosterreich on the issuance. 29-Jan Schoenherr Schoenherr helped UniCredit Bank establish its Social Impact Banking initiative in Austria. N/A Austria 31-Jan Linklaters; Rautner Wolf Theiss advised Erste Group Bank AG on the issue of EUR 500 million of Additional Tier 1 Notes and on the issue 1.2 Austria Attorneys At Law; Weber of EUR 750 million Mortgage Pfandbriefe. Linklaters and Rautner Rechtsanwalte advised lead managers HSBS, BofA billion & Co.; Wolf Theiss Securities, Morgan Stanley, and Societe Generale on the Tier 1 note issuance. Weber & Co advised Banca IMI, Danske Bank, DekaBank, DZ BANK, Erste Group (in its capacity as Manager), and LBBW on the Mortgage Pfandbriefe. 31-Jan White & Case; Wolf Wolf Theiss and White & Case advised joint lead managers ABN Amro, Deutsche Bank, DZ Bank AG, RBI, and UniCredit EUR 500 Austria Theiss on UniCredit Bank Austria AG's successful January 21, 2020 placement of a benchmark EUR 500 million issuance of million mortgage securities. 31-Jan Bc& Studio Di Brandl & Talos advised founders Simon Falkensteiner and Matthias Trenkwalder and investors including aws N/A Austria Consulenza Societaria Gruenderfonds, Falkensteiner Ventures, and Nextfloor Ventures on the sale of RateBoard, a developer of a revenue Tributaria Legale; Brandl management software for the hotel industry, to Zucchetti, an Italian software developer in the field of hospitality and & Talos restaurant industry. Zuchetti was advised by BC& Studio di Consulenza Societaria Tributaria Legale and Solo Practitioner Mario Perl. 7-Feb Brandl & Talos; Leitner Brandl & Talos advised Aws Mittelstandsfonds on an unspecified investment in Communi5 Technologies GmbH. Leitner N/A Austria Law Law advised Communi5 on the deal. 13-Feb Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised Raiffeisen Bank International AG on the issuance of Ordinary Senior Eligible bonds worth EUR 750 EUR 750 Austria million under its EUR 25 million Debt Issuance Program. Banco Santander, S.A., BNP Paribas, Citigroup Global Markets million Limited, Morgan Stanley & Co International, and RBI were joint lead managers. 24-Feb Allen & Overy Allen & Overy advised Oesterreichische Kontrollbank on legal aspects of its public offering of USD 1.5 billion of 1.500% USD 1.5 Austria Guaranteed Global Notes due 2025. billion
12 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 25-Feb CMS; Herbst Kinsky CMS Austria advised Topinstallateur GmbH on the acquisiton of a majority stake in the company by Germany's Auctus N/A Austria investment fund. Auctus was advised by Herbst Kinsky. 25-Feb Cerha Hempel Cerha Hempel advised KTM AG on its establishment of a joint venture with Spanish engine manufacturer GasGas N/A Austria Motorcycles S.L. 4-Mar Brandl & Talos; Herbst Brandl & Talos advised Ready2order on its EUR 5 million investment round, which was led by Reimann Investors and EUR 5 Austria Kinsky; Schoenherr Speedinvest, which were advised by Schoenherr and Herbst Kinsky. million 11-Mar Dorda Dorda advised China's Weichai Group on its acquisition of 51% of the VDS Group, an Upper-Austrian transmissions N/A Austria specialist. SCWP Schindhelm advised the sunidentified sellers on the deal. 11-Mar Dorda Dorda advised GalCap on the acquisition of a mixed-use building at Pohlgasee 26 in Vienna-Meidling from UBM and N/A Austria Invester. UBM was advised by solo practitioner Jakob Molzbichler. 11-Mar Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Austria's HS Timber Group and Blue Minds IF on their February 28, 2020 acquisition of Interfloat N/A Austria Corporation and GMB Glasmanufaktur Brandenburg GmbH. 12-Mar Brandl & Talos; Gross Brandl & Talos, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, and Germany's Schnittker Moellmann Partners advised Insight Partners and EUR 30 Austria Hofer; Schnittker e.ventures on the EUR 30 million series A investment in Viennese start-up PlanRadar. Grohs Hofer advised PlanRadar. million Moellmann Partners; Willkie Farr & Gallagher 12-Mar Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Schoenherr and Cleary Gottlieb advised Google LLC on the acquisition of Looker Data Sciences. N/A Austria Hamilton; Schoenherr 13-Mar Hochedlinger Luschin Schoenherr advised Neuraxpharm, a portfolio company of Apax Partners, on the acquisition of Austrian consumer N/A Austria Marenzi Kapsch; healthcare company Easypharm OTC GmbH. Hochedlinger Luschin Marenzi Kapsch advised the unidentified sellers on Schoenherr the deal. 16-Mar DLA Piper DLA Piper advised PORR AG on the issuance of EUR 150 million hybrid bond. EUR 150 Austria million 16-Mar Cerha Hempel; Cerha Hempel advised CA Immobilien Anlagen AG on its EUR 500 million benchmark bond issuance. Linklaters advised EUR 500 Austria Linklaters sole global coordinator J.P. Morgan and joint book-runners Erste Group, J.P. Morgan, and Morgan Stanley. million 17-Mar Act Legal (WMWP); Herbst Kinsky advised Earlybird Venture Capital on its investment into Mostly AI Solutions MP GmbH. Act Legal advised N/A Austria Herbst Kinsky Mostly AI. 23-Mar Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang advised Austrian risk and insurance manager GrECo and its majority owners, the Neubrand family, N/A Austria Schoenherr on the buy-back of GrECo shares from former partner JLT. Schoenherr advised the sellers on the deal. 24-Mar BPV Huegel; Dechert; Dechert and BPV Huegel advised Valneva Austria GmbH on debt financing it received from the US-based Deerfield and USD 85 Austria Dorda OrbiMed healthcare funds. Dorda advised the lenders. million 27-Mar Dorda; Reidlinger Dorda advised Warburg-HIHInvest Real Estate on the sale of a multi-story office building in the Summering part of N/A Austria Schatzmann Vienna to a real estate fund managed by Luxembourg-based Blue Colibri Capital. Reidlinger Schatzmann advised the buyers. 3-Apr Fellner Wratzfeld & Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner advised VTB Bank Europe on financing provided to an unidentified buyer for its acquisition of N/A Austria Partner 50% of SEMA Vermoegensverwaltung GmbH, the Austrian holding company of the Planquadr.at development and real estate portfolio group. 7-Apr Dorda; Herbst Kinsky Dorda advised joint global coordinators UBS and HSBC on the EUR 1.65 billion capital increase of Austria's AMS AG. EUR 1.65 Austria billion 7-Apr Dorda Dorda advised Lernsieg Mobile Media GmbH on data protection issues related to the relaunch of its Lernsieg app, which N/A Austria allows students to evaluate their schools and teachers. 9-Apr Weber & Co.; White & Weber & Co. advised OMV AG on the issuance of multi-tranche corporate bonds. White & Case Frankfurt advised joint EUR 1.75 Austria Case lead managers Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, MUFG Securities, Societe billion Generale, and UniCredit Bank Austria AG. 14-Apr Allen & Overy; Dorda; Dorda advised Greiner AG on the takeover of Eurofoam GmbH from Recticel. The Brussels office of Allen & Overy and N/A Austria Eisenberger & Herzog Eisenberger & Herzog advised Recticel on the deal. 15-Apr Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised Japan's Takeda Pharmaceuticals on its acquisition of Plasmaspendedienst GmbH. N/A Austria 15-Apr Cerha Hempel Cerha Hempel advised Philip Morris Austria GmbH on the launch of a new tobacco product in Austria. N/A Austria 15-Apr Dorda Dorda successfully represented Willhaben in a dispute against AutoScout24 AS involving the Austrian Unfair N/A Austria Competition Act. 15-Apr Cerha Hempel Cerha Hempel advised Philip Morris Austria on the launch of a new tobacco product in Austria. N/A Austria 15-Apr Dorda Dorda successfully represented Willhaben in a dispute with AutoScout24 AS. N/A Austria 15-Apr Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised Japan's Takeda Pharmaceuticals on its acquisition of Plasmaspendedienst GmbH. N/A Austria 17-Apr Allen & Overy; Binder Cerha Hempel and Schoenherr advised OMV on the acquisition of a 39% stake in Borealis AG from Mubadala for USD USD Austria Groesswang; Cerha 4.68 billion. Allen & Overy, Eisenberger & Herzog, and Binder Groesswang advised Mubadala on the transaction. 4.68 Hempel; Eisenberger & billion Herzog; Schoenherr 22-Apr Baker Mckenzie Baker McKenzie advised McDonald’s on the implementation of short-time work for all of its restaurants in Austria due N/A Austria to the Coronavirus pandemic. 27-Apr Binder Groesswang Binder Groesswang advised Lenzing AG and Palmers Textil AG on the establishment of a joint venture to produce N/A Austria protective masks in Austria. 29-Apr Binder Groesswang Binder Groesswang helped Austrian Post with the launch of its new bank – Bank99. N/A Austria 30-Apr DLA Piper DLA Piper Austria advised FFF Real Estate, a subsidiary of FFF Fund I SCSp SICAV-RAIF, on financing provided to an N/A Austria unnamed residential real estate developer for the acquisition and development of an unspecified residential project in Luxembourg. 30-Apr Cerha Hempel; Cerha Hempel advised the shareholders of Austrian electric motor manufacturer ELIN Motoren GmbH on the sale of a N/A Austria Schoenherr 70% stake in the company to the Voith technology group. Schoenherr advised the buyers.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 13 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 4-May Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang and Freimuller Obereder Pilz advised on Sapphire Ventures' participation in Adverity’s EUR 23 million EUR 23 Austria Freimuller Obereder Pilz Series C financing round. Adverity was advised by Freimuller Obereder Pilz. million 7-May PHH Rechtsanwalte PHH helped GR Real acquire the historic Art Nouveau apartment building in Linz. N/A Austria 8-May Cerha Hempel; Fellner Schoenherr advised Voith and Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner advised PCS on their acquisition of 59% of the shares of N/A Austria Wratzfeld & Partner; Traktionssysteme Austria GmbH. Cerha Hempel advised the selling shareholders on the deal. Schoenherr 8-May Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss assisted Swiss investment foundation AFIAA on the sale of a six-property office and retail property portfolio N/A Austria in Salzburg to German property developer RMI. 22-May BPV Huegel; Lenz & BPV Huegel, working alongside Switzerland's Lenz & Staehelin law firm, advised Raiffeisen Informatik on the sale of CHF 350 Austria Staehelin; Simpson shares in SoftwareONE Holding AG via an over-night accelerated book-building process. Credit Suisse AG, J.P. Morgan million Thacher & Bartlett Securities plc, UBS AG, and KKR Capital Markets Partners LLP acted as joint book-runners for the placement. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett advised KKR on the deal. 22-May Dorda; Eisenberger Dorda and Hogan Lovells advised ARE Austrian Real Estate on a joint project with UBM Development involving the N/A Austria & Herzog; GSK development of part of the Aspanggrunde in Vienna's 3rd district and an area in Munich. UBM was advised by Eisenberger Stockmann; Hogan & Herzog and GSK Stockmann. Lovells 22-May Schoenherr; Wolf Theiss Schoenherr advised Invester United Benefits on the sale of the Wohngarten residential construction project in Vienna to N/A Austria ZBI Zentral Boden Immobilien Gruppe. Wolf Theiss advised the buyers on the deal. 27-May Deloitte Legal; Lumsden Deloitte Legal advised Magenta Telekom on structuring its cooperation with the City of Vienna regarding broadband EUR 1 Austria and Partners coverage. Lumsden and Partners advised the City of Vienna on the deal. billion 28-May Brandl & Talos; Wolf Theiss and Covington & Burling advised MSD on its acquisition of Austrian biotech company Themis Bioscience. N/A Austria Covington & Burling; Brandl & Talos and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati advised the selling shareholders on the deal, with McDermott Will & Herbst Kinsky; Emery and Herbst Kinsky advising Themis Bioscience. Mcdermott Will & Emery; Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Wolf Theiss 9-Jun Allen & Overy; BPV BPV Huegel, working with SIWE Rechtsanwalte Sinzger & Partner, advised Dogado GmbH — a subsidiary of European N/A Austria Huegel; Dorda; Directories — on its acquisition of Austrian hosting provider Easyname GmbH. Dorda and Rittershaus advised the seller, Rittershaus; Siwa Easyname’s Founder and Managing Director Florian Schicker, and Allen & Overy’s Frankfurt office advised European Rechtsanwalte Szinger Directories. & Partner 9-Jun Taylor Wessing; Wolf Taylor Wessing advised the Korber Group and subsidiary Werum IT Solutions GmbH on their acquisition of the operations N/A Austria Theiss of Exputec GmbH and Exputec Kft. Wolf Theiss advised Exputec on the deal. 10-Jun Cerha Hempel; Cerha Hempel, working alongside German law firm Menold Benzler, advised Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co KG on its acquisition N/A Austria Preslmayr of a production facility belonging to Mars Austria OG in the Austrian village of Breitenbrunn. Preslmayr advised Mars. 11-Jun Weber & Co.; Wolf Theiss Weber & Co advised Wienerberger AG, a Vienna-based supplier of building materials and infrastructure solutions, on EUR 400 Austria its issuance of EUR 400 million of 2.750% 2020-2025 Bonds. Wolf Theiss advised joint lead managers BNP Paribas, million Raiffeisen Bank International AG, and UniCredit on the issuance. 11-Jun Fellner Wratzfeld & Fellner Wratzfeld & Partners supported the biodiversity project known as Mielo and donated a large amount of the honey N/A Austria Partner produced through the project to the parish of St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna. 18-Jun Cerha Hempel; Wolf Wolf Theiss advised Euronext Amsterdam-listed Royal DSM on its acquisition of the Erber Group. Cerha Hempel advised EUR 1.06 Austria Theiss San Pacific Investment and San Venture Biotech, as well as their sole shareholder Erich Erber, on the sale of Erber to billion Royal DSM. 24-Jun Weber & Co.; White & Weber & Co advised OMV AG, the international integrated oil and gas company headquartered in Vienna, on the issuance EUR 1.5 Austria Case of two tranches of corporate bonds. White & Case's Frankfurt office advised joint lead managers Citigroup Global billion Markets Europe AG, Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, Erste Group Bank AG, Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg, Mizuho Securities Europe GmbH, and Raiffeisen Bank International AG. 26-Jun Dorda Dorda advised Eastern Property Holdings on the acquisition of an office building in Vienna. N/A Austria 26-Jun BPV Huegel BPV Huegel helped Austrian low-cost airline Level Europe GmbH initiate and implement judicial insolvency proceedings N/A Austria at the Regional Court of Korneuburg. 30-Jun Schoenherr Schoenherr advised a club of lenders led by Erste Group and including Raiffeisen Bank International, UniCredit Bank EUR 300 Austria Austria, BAWAG, and Oberbank on a EUR 300 million financing for Austrian Airlines. million 30-Jun Eisenberger & Herzog Eisenberger & Herzog helped OBB-Technische Services GmbH, LTE Logistik Transport-GmbH, and ELL Austria GmbH N/A Austria set up a joint venture to establish and operate a service base for locomotives. 1-Jul Milbank; Morgan Lewis Schoenherr, Milbank, and Paul Weiss advised NuCom Group, a joint venture of ProSiebenSat.1 and General Atlantic, on EUR 451 Austria & Bockius; Paul, Weiss, its acquisition of The Meet Group, Inc. Morgan Lewis advised the sellers. million Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Schoenherr 1-Jul Schoenherr; Schrebaum Schonherr advised Union Investment on the acquisition of a residential complex in Graz from the Immola Group. N/A Austria Seebacher Scherbaum Seebacher advised the Immola Group on the deal. 2-Jul BPV Huegel; Kung BPV Huegel advised Raiffeisen Informatik on the sale of shares in SoftwareONE Holding by KKR, Raiffeisen Informatik, CHF 380 Austria Rechtsanwalte & Notare; and the heirs of Patrick Winterin, via an accelerated book-building process. Lenz & Staehelin acted as Swiss counsel for million Lenz & Staehelin; the sellers, KKR was advised by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, and the heirs of Patrick Winter were advised by Switzerland's Simpson Thacher & Kung Rechtsanwalte & Notare firm. Bartlett 2-Jul Herbst Kinsky Herbst Kinsky advised Viennese start-up GoStudent GmbH on its EUR 8.3 million series A financing round, which was EUR 8.3 Austria led by VC fund Left Lane Capital. million 3-Jul 42Law; Cerha Hempel; Cerha Hempel, working alongside Deloitte Legal in Germany, advised Germany's GBTEC Software + Consulting AG N/A Austria Deloitte Legal on the acquisition of all shares in Avedos, a Vienna-based GRC software specialist, through direct and indirect share purchases and by means of a contribution by Samuel Brandstatter – the founder, managing director and shareholder of Avedos. 42law advised Brandstatter on the deal.
14 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 13-Jul Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang and Clifford Chance Frankfurt advised BNP Paribas' Arval subsidiary on the acquisition of UniCredit N/A Austria Clifford Chance Leasing Fuhrparkmanagement GmbH and a long-term cooperation agreement with UniCredit Bank Austria. 14-Jul Schoenherr Schoenherr successfully represented TIWAG-Tiroler Wasserkraft AG before Austria's Administrative Court in the last N/A Austria challenge to the implementation of the Kuhtai Storage Power Plant project. 15-Jul Eisenberger & Herzog; Eisenberger & Herzog, working alongside Germany's Peters, Schonberger & Partner, advised Vetter Pharma on its N/A Austria Peters, Schonberger & acquisition of a clinical production facility in Rankweil, Austria. Partner 16-Jul Eisenberger & Herzog Eisenberger & Herzog advised the Switzerland's Brisen Group on its entrance into an operating agreement with the EUR 100 Austria Mandarin Oriental hotel chain. million 17-Jul BPV Huegel; Linklaters; BPV Huegel advised Immofinanz on a combined share placement and the first-to-market issue of subordinated N/A Austria Weber & Co. mandatory convertible notes. Linklaters and Weber & Co. advised bookrunners J.P. Morgan Securities plc, Sole Global Coordinator, and Erste Group Bank AG and Raiffeisen Centrobank AG. 20-Jul Eisenberger & Herzog Eisenberger & Herzog helped Austrian Airlines on its receipt of State aid amounting to EUR 150 million from the Republic EUR 150 Austria of Austria. million 22-Jul Freshfields; Schoenherr Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised an international banking consortium consisting of HSBC Bank plc, JP Morgan EUR 800 Austria Securities plc, and Raiffeisen Bank International AG on Uniqua Insurance Group AG's successful issuance of two bonds million worth a total of EUR 800 million. Schoenherr advised Uniqua on the deal. 22-Jul DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Austria's Kurant GmbH on the Europe-wide roll-out of its Bitcoin vending machines. N/A Austria 24-Jul Binder Grosswang; BPV BPV Huegel worked with the Frankfurt office of Herbert Smith Freehills in advising the Heidelpay Group, a German N/A Austria Huegel; Herbert Smith technology company for international payments, on the acquisition of the Paysafe Group’s Pay Later business. Binder Freehills Groesswang advised the Paysafe group. 30-Jul Themmer Toth & Weber & Co. advised Central European University on its July 27, 2020 agreement with the Vienna Business Agency to N/A Austria Partner; Weber & Co. use the Otto Wagner site in Vienna as the university's new site. Themmer, Toth & Partner advised the Vienna Business Agency. 31-Jul Schoenherr Schoenherr assisted Auer-Blaschke GmbH & Co KG with the registration of its new AUER brand design as a model brand N/A Austria at the Austrian Patent Office. 5-Aug Eisenberger & Herzog; Eisenberger & Herzog advised Samsung Catalyst Fund, a venture capital fund of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, on an N/A Austria Schnittker Moellmann undisclosed investment in the Speedinvest 3 fund, which was advised by Berlin-based Schnittker Mollmann Partners. Partners 7-Aug Herbst Kinsky Herbst Kinsky advised Byrd technologies GmbH on a EUR 5 million Series A financing round. EUR 5 Austria million 10-Aug Freshfields; Linklaters; Wolf Theiss and Linklaters advised Raiffeisen Bank International AG on the issuance of EUR 500 million worth of EUR 500 Austria Wolf Theiss additional Tier 1 capital. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised joint lead managers Barclays Bank plc, Goldman Sachs million International, J.P. Morgan Securities plc, Raiffeisen Bank International AG, and UBS Europe SE. 11-Aug Brandl & Talos Brandl & Talos advised BTOV's Industrial Technologies Fund on its participation in ToolSense's financing round that also EUR 3 Austria included AWS Grunderfonds, Segnalita Ventures, Martin Global AG, and Dr. Georg Hoblik GmbH. million 11-Aug Fellner Wratzfeld & Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner advised a consortium of UniCredit Bank Austria, BAWAG P.S.K, Commerzbank, N/A Austria Partner Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberoesterreich, and HYPO Vorarlberg on the reorganization proceedings of the Huber Group, an Austrian lingerie manufacturer. 17-Aug Linklaters; Schoenherr Schoenherr advised HETA Resolution AG on the sale of Julia Portfolio Solutions S.p.A., an Italy-based company engaged N/A Austria in the non-performing loan sector, to Bain Capital Credit, LP. Linklaters advised the buyers. 24-Aug Baker Mckenzie; Baker McKenzie advised Amplifier Game Invest on the acquisition of games developer Rare Earth Games. The EUR Austria Freimuller Obereder Pilz Freimueller, Obereder, Pilz firm advised Rare Earth Games founders Michael Borras, Peter Ehardt, and Helmut Hutterer. 300,000 30-Aug Allen & Overy; Cerha Cerha Hempel advised EnBW Trust e.V. and EnBW Energie Baden-Wurttemberg AG on the sale of a 28.35% stake in EVN EUR 1 Austria Hempel; Eisenberger & AG that was held in trust for EnBW by the EnBW Trust. Allen & Overy and Eisenberger & Herzog advised the buyers. EVN billion Herzog; Schoenherr was advised by Schoenherr. 31-Aug Rautner Attorneys at Rautner Rechtsanwalte advised Windkraft Simonsfeld on a EUR 63 million financing deal with the European Investment EUR 63 Austria Law Bank and Erste Bank. million 2-Sep Herbst Kinsky Herbst Kinsky advised Presono GmbH on a media-for-equity deal with Seven Ventures Austria. N/A Austria 3-Sep Gassauer-Fleissner; PHH advised Bondi Consult on the sale of the service hub part of the TwentyOne commercial project in Vienna's N/A Austria PHH Rechtsanwalte Floridsdorf district to InterXion. Gassauer-Fleissner Rechtsanwalte advised InterXion on the deal. 4-Sep EY Law; Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Art-Invest Real Estate on the acquisition of the Q11 – Leben am Fluss residential property in Sankt N/A Austria Polten, Lower Austria. EY Law advised the seller. 7-Sep Weber & Co.; White & White & Case and Wolf Theiss advised joint lead managers Barclays, MUFG, UniCredit Bank Austria, BNP Paribas, Credit EUR 1.25 Austria Case; Wolf Theiss Agricole CIB, J.P. Morgan, Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, Bayern LB, DZ Bank AG, Helaba and SMBC billion Nikko on OMV Aktiengesellschaft's EUR 1.25 billion hybrid bonds issue. Weber & Co advised the issuer on the deal. 15-Sep Binder Groesswang; Bird Binder Groesswang and Bird & Bird advised Blockpit on its acquisition of 21 Consulting. N/A Austria & Bird 21-Sep Binder Groesswang Binder Groesswang advised Austrian cryptocurrency service provider SmartBytes GmbH, operating as Coinpanion, on N/A Austria a pre-seed financing round. 22-Sep Dorda; Eisenberger & Dorda advised Patrizia AG on the acquisition of the Aira Tower residential project in Graz from Aira Development Group. N/A Austria Herzog Eisenberger & Herzog advised the Aira Development Group on the sale. 2-Oct Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Austrian fintech Bitpanda on a European Series A financing round that was led by Valar Ventures. USD 52 Austria Taylor Wessing advised Valar Ventures. million 6-Oct Cerha Hempel; Cerha Hempel advised OMV on the sale of its 51% stake in Gas Connect Austria GmbH to Verbund AG. Schoenherr EUR 271 Austria Schoenherr advised Verbund on the sale. million 9-Oct Delphi; Schoenherr; Schoenherr and Sweden's Delphi law firm advised AddLife on its acquisition of all shares in the DACH Medical Group N/A Austria SCWP Schindhelm Holding AG. The unidentified sellers were advised by SCWP Schindhelm.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 15 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 12-Oct De Breij Boon Evers; Schoenherr, McMillan, De Breij Boon Evers, and K.Treppides & Co advised Smart2Pay Global Services B.V. on its sale to EUR Austria Fasken Martineau the Nuvei Corporation. Stibbe and Fasken Martineau Dumoulin advised the buyer. 221.57 Dumoulin; K.Treppides million & Co; McMillan; Schoenherr; Stibbe 15-Oct Binder Groesswang; Bird Binder Groesswang, working alongside lead counsel Bird & Bird, advised European investment fund Cube Infrastructure N/A Austria & Bird Fund II on the acquisition of a majority stake in Switzerland's Heliot Group. 16-Oct Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang advised UBM Development on the sale of its housing project in Vienna’s Nordbahnviertel district to EUR 50 Austria Grama Schwaighofer the Buwog Group. Grama Schwaighofer Vondrak advised Buwog on the deal. million Vondrak Rechtsanwalte 16-Oct CMS CMS Austria advised Oesterreichische Nationalbank on the Felix Austria project, which seeks to modernize the N/A Austria processing of bulk payment transactions in Austria. 16-Oct Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang advised Lafayette Mittelstand Capital on its acquisition of the elevator cable business from the N/A Austria DLA Piper Gebauer & Griller Group as part of a carve-out. DLA Piper advised Gebauer & Griller on the deal. 19-Oct CMS CMS advised Bechtle AG on its acquisition of Dataformers GmbH. N/A Austria 20-Oct Ashurst; Bredin Prat; Dr. Schoenherr, Ashurst, and Dr. Beck & Partner advised Schlemmer GmbH on its acquisition by Delfingen Industry. S.A. N/A Austria Beck & Partner; Taylor Bredin Prat and Taylor Wessing advised the buyer. Wessing; Schoenherr 22-Oct Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang and Willkie Farr & Gallagher have advised private equity investment company Ardian on the sale of N/A Austria Garrigues; Willkie Farr & Gantner Electronic Austria Holding GmbH to Salto Systems. Wolf Theiss and Garrigues advised Salto Systems. Gallagher; Wolf Theiss 23-Oct BPV Huegel; Lenz & BPV Huegel and Lenz & Staehelin have advised Raiffeisen Informatik on the sale of the remaining shares in SoftwareONE CHF 111 Austria Staehelin Holding in an accelerated book-building process. million 27-Oct CMS CMS advised green electricity provider eFriends on the sale of a 24% stake to RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria. N/A Austria 28-Oct Allen & Overy; Eisenberger & Herzog, Allen & Overy, and Shearman & Sterling advised SAP SE on iyd acquisition of Emarsys, a Viennese N/A Austria Eisenberger & Herzog; cloud-based provider of omnichannel customer loyalty platforms. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised Emarsys. Freshfields; Shearman & Sterling 28-Oct Fellner Wratzfeld & Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner advised Immobilien Holding on the sale of its shares in Arwag Holding to the Fund for N/A Austria Partner Temporary Housing in Vienna. 29-Oct Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang, Schiff Hardin, and Hengeler Mueller advised California-based medical devices and life science N/A Austria Brandl & Talos; Hengeler instruments manufacturer Paramit Corporation on the acquisition of Austria's System Industrie Electronic GmbH and Mueller; Schif Hardin its German subsidiary, System Industrie Electronic Deutschland GmbH, from former majority shareholder System Industrie Holding AG (and its ultimate owner, the Filzmaier Private Foundation) and Aws Mittelstandsfonds, a former minority shareholder. Brandl & Talos advised the sellers on the transaction. 30-Oct Act Legal (WMWP); Schoenherr advised Austrian start-up Carbomed Medical Solutions on a EUR 3 million financing round led by AWS EUR 3 Austria Schoenherr Gruenderfonds. Act Legal Austria WMWP advised AWS Gruenderfonds on the deal. million 30-Oct 42Law; Eisenberger & Eisenberger & Herzog advised Markus Kummel, Oliver Jusinger, and Andreas Kossmeier, the founders of the Bergfex N/A Austria Herzog tourism platform, on the sale of a 60% stake to Russmedia Equity Partners. 42law advised Russmedia Equity Partners on the deal. 2-Nov Cleary Gottlieb Steen Schoenherr, Milbank, and Linklaters advised The Carlyle Group on its acquisition of Flender, a Germany-based specialist EUR 2 Austria & Hamilton, Hengeler in mechanical and electrical drive technology, from Siemens. Cleary Gottlieb and Hengeler Mueller advised the buyer. billion Mueller; Linklaters; Milbank; Schoenherr 2-Nov Bahr; Brandl & Talos; Brandl & Talos advised Ring International Holding on its takeover of the Burger King franchise in Norway, Sweden, and N/A Austria Bruun & Hjejle; Cirio; Denmark from Umoe Restaurants. Norwegian law firm Bahr advised the seller on the deal. Wikborg | Rein in Norway, Cirio Wikborg | Rein in Sweden, and Bruun & Hjejle in Denmark acted as local advisors to the buyer. 3-Nov Cerha Hempel; Cerha Hempel advised Immofinanz on its successful placement of an unsubordinated, unsecured bonds issue worth EUR 500 Austria Linklaters EUR 500 million. Citigroup and J.P. Morgan Securities acted as joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners, while million Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Erste Group Bank, and HSBC served as joint bookrunners on the deal. Linklaters advised the underwriters. 3-Nov Arnold Rechtsanwalte; Dorda advised Ascott on an agreement for serviced residences in the Forum Donaustadt/Vienna Twentytwo N/A Austria Dorda development in Vienna with Signa Real Estate and Austria Real Estate. The aparthotel will be marketed under the Citadines Apart’hotel brand and is scheduled to open at the end of 2022. Arnold advised Signa and ARE on the deal. 4-Nov Schoenherr Schoenherr successfully represented Austrian AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals AG in arbitration against Taiwan's N/A Austria PharmaEssentia Corporation. 4-Nov Schoenherr; Wolf Theiss Schoenherr and Wolf Theiss advised Innio Jenbacher GmbH & Co OG on the acquisition of ECI-Distribution GmbH and N/A Austria its service partner PowerUp GmbH. 5-Nov Dorda Dorda successfully defended Energy Hero in a case heard by the Austrian Supreme Court against an unspecified energy N/A Austria supplier. 6-Nov CMS; KPMG Legal CMS advised Plastic Omnium on establishing a joint venture with ElringKlinger. In addition, Plastic Omnium acquired EUR 15 Austria ElringKlinger’s Austrian subsidiary, ElringKlinger Fuelcell Systems Austria. KPMG Law advised ElringKlinger. million 11-Nov Cerha Hempel; Cerha Hempel advised CA Immobilien Anlagen on its EUR 350 million placement of a fixed rate senior unsecured green EUR 350 Austria Linklaters bond. Linklaters advised joint global coordinators J.P. Morgan Securities plc and Morgan Stanley & Co International plc million and joint bookrunners and joint sustainability structuring agents UniCredit Bank AG and Raiffeisen Bank International AG. 13-Nov Binder Groesswang Binder Groesswang advised the SeneCura Group on its acquisition of Austria's St. Veit/Glan therapy center. N/A Austria 17-Nov Brandl & Talos; TBS Brandl & Talos advised AWS Grunderfonds on its EUR 1.8 million seed investment in Vienna-based real estate startup EUR 1.8 Austria Schmidt Rendity. TBS Schmidt reportedly advised Rendity on the deal. million 23-Nov Herbst Kinsky Herbst Kinsky helped Austrian start-up Trality attract EUR 1.5 million in financing from a group of German investors EUR 1.5 Austria including Blockrocket, VC Tokentus, FFG, and AWS. million
16 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 23-Nov Graf & Pitkowitz Graf & Pitkowitz advised Germany's Cherry GmbH on the acquisition of Austria's Theobroma Systems Design and N/A Austria Consulting GmbH. 26-Nov Herbst Kinsky Herbst Kinsky advised investment company Round2Capital Partners GmbH & Co KG on its EUR 6.6 million financing EUR 6.6 Austria round. million 27-Nov AGP Advokater; EY Law; Schoenherr advised Christian Bamberger, SK Capital GmbH, Foxyflo GmbH, Christian Waldheim, and Martin Mrvka N/A Austria Schoenherr on the sale of 100% of Austrian communication-platform-as-a-service companies ATMS, SMS.AT, and WebSMS to Norwegian Link Mobility Holding ASA. AGP Advokater and EY Law advised Link Mobiliy on the transaction. 4-Dec Dorda Dorda successfully represented Italian investor Francesco Becchetti in enforcement proceedings against the assets of EUR 25 Austria the Republic of Albania in Austria. million 7-Dec Lorenz & Strobl; Schoenherr advised Gebauer & Griller Kabelwerke GmbH on its acquisition by Konstant Industriebeteiligung GmbH. N/A Austria Schoenherr Lorenz & Strobl advised the buyer. 9-Dec Dorda Dorda advised DLH Real Estate Austria on the sale of a 65,000-square-meter section of the Industrial Campus Vienna N/A Austria East to Deka Immobilien. 11-Dec Dorda; PwC Legal Dorda advised DLH Real Estate Austria on the acquisition of a 30,000-square-meter property in the Future Zone East N/A Austria industrial park from Vienna Airport Business Park and Airport Services VIE Immobilien. PwC Legal advised the sellers on the deal. 14-Dec Clifford Chance; Schoenherr and Clifford Chance advised Hypo Vorarlberg on the synthetic securitization of a EUR 330 million portfolio of EUR 330 Austria Linklaters; Schoenherr loans to small and medium-sized enterprises, corporate borrowers, or certain private individuals, which was provided by million the European Investment Fund and European Investment Bank. Linklaters advised the EIF and EIB on the deal. 14-Dec CMS CMS advised A1 Telekom Austria AG on the acquisition of Alcatel-Lucent Voice Business, the classic telephony business N/A Austria of technology service provider NTT Ltd. 14-Dec Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang advised OBB-Technische Services on the establishment of a joint venture with Voestalpine Stahl for N/A Austria Schoenherr the purpose of freight wagon production. Schoenherr advised the co-venturer on the deal. Gleiss Lutz reportedly acted as a local advisor in Germany to Voestalpine. 15-Dec Cerha Hempel; Eisenberger & Herzog advised German real estate investment and asset manager Hamburg Trust on the acquisition N/A Austria Eisenberger & Herzog of the newly constructed Siemensstrasse residential living project in Vienna from Eyemaxx Real Estate AG, advised by Cerha Hempel. 15-Dec Herbst Kinsky Herbst Kinsky advised Biogena Group Invest on the initial public offering of its shares and their listing on the Vienna N/A Austria Stock Exchange. 18-Dec Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang advised Lenzing AG on the successful issuance of a EUR 500 million hybrid bond. Linklaters and Wolf EUR 500 Austria Linklaters; Wolf Theiss Theiss advised joint global coordinators BNP Paribas and Morgan Stanley and joint bookrunners BNP Paribas, Morgan million Stanley, and UniCredit. 21-Dec Eisenberger & Herzog; Eisenberger & Herzog advised Krenhof AG on its merger with Pankl Racing Systems AG. Oberhammer advised Pankl N/A Austria Oberhammer Racing Systems on the merger. 22-Dec CMS; Wolf Theiss CMS has advised joint lead managers BofA Securities, BNP Paribas, Erste Group, Goldman Sachs International, JP EUR 750 Austria Morgan, and UBS on Erste Group Bank AG’s EUR 750 million issuance of undated fixed-to-fixed resettable notes. Wolf million Theiss advised the issuer on the deal. 22-Dec Cerha Hempel Cerha Hempel helped Germany's COSI Hospitality Group enter the Austrian hotel and apartment market. N/A Austria 23-Dec Clifford Chance; Hogan Cerha Hempel and Hogan Lovells advised OMV on the sale of its filling station business in Germany to Britain's EG Group. EUR 485 Austria Lovells; Latham & Latham & Watkins advised the EG Group on the deal. million Watkins 23-Dec Eisenberger & Herzog; Schoenherr advised UBS Europe SE on the sale of its onshore wealth management business in Austria to LGT Bank AG. N/A Austria Schoenherr 24-Dec Brandl & Talos; SMP Brandl & Talos and SMP advised System Industrie Electronic Holding on the acquisition of a 70.1% stake in N/A Austria Elektromotorenwerk Grunhain. 28-Dec Eisenberger & Herzog; Eisenberger & Herzog advised Wien Energie GmbH on the acquisition of a 49% stake in Austria's Pongratzer Kogel, N/A Austria Taylor Wessing Herrenstein, and Zagersdorf wind farms from wind and solar farm operator Encavis AG. Taylor Wessing advised Encavis on the deal. 30-Dec Buchberger Schoenherr advised Bilfinger Maschinenbau GmbH & Co KG on thesale of its mechanical and apparatus engineering N/A Austria Rechtsanwalts; business to ISW Heavy Components GmbH. Buchberger Rechtsanwalts advised the buyer. Schoenherr 1-Aug Kovacevic Prpic KPS, working with Roedl & Partner and Mazars Croatia, advised Tyssenkrupp on the Croatian aspects of a multijurisdictional N/A Austria, Simeunovic; Roedl corporate restructuring project, in particular on cross-border upstream merger of its Croatian subsidiary, along with Croatia; & Partner; Waitz four other EU-based entities, into a newly established EU-based holding company. Waitz Rechtsanwalte advised on Czech Rechtsanwalte Austrian law. Republic; Hungary; Poland; Romania 1-Sep Akin Gump; McCann Schoenherr, Akin Gump, and McCann FitzGerald advised Endava plc, a UK-based provider of information technology EUR 60 Austria; FitzGerald; Schoenherr; services, on the acquisition of Comtrade Digital Services Limited, an Ireland-based provider of strategic software million Bosnia and Watson Farley & Williams engineering services and solutions, from Serbia's Comtrade Group B.V. Watson Farley & Williams advised the sellers. Herzegovina; Serbia; Slovenia 15-Jun Schoenherr Schoenherr, acting as leader of a consortium of European law firms, conducted what it describes as a comprehensive N/A Austria; study on the regulatory and administrative requirements for entry and trade on the gas wholesale market in the EU for Bulgaria the European Commission, Directorate General Energy. 11-Mar Bopa Bojanovic Partners; Cerha Hempel and K&L Gates advised the EBRD on the conversion of its indirect participation in listed Addiko Bank EUR Austria; Cerha Hempel; K&L AG into a direct participation. Freshfields Austria served as local counsel to Advent International Corporation. Bopa 10.61 Croatia; Gates; Kavcic Bracun & Bojanovic Partners in Serbia, Kavcic Bracun & Partners in Slovenia, Madirazza & Partners in Croatia, and Prelevic Law firm billion Montenegro; Partners; Madirazza & of the Adriala network advised the EBRD in the CSEE region. Serbia; Partners; Prelevic Law Slovenia Firm
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 17 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 11-May Binder Groesswang; Binder Groesswang and Havel & Partners advised BEXity and its holding company, Mutares SE & Co. KGaA, on the N/A Austria; Havel & Partners; management buy-out of Czech subsidiary European Contract Logistics. The buyer, EC Logistics CEO Roman Goerojo, Czech Jandura a Partneri was advised by Jandura a Partneri. Republic 24-Jul Mares & Partners; Schoenherr advised IB Interbilanz Wirtschaftsprufungs GmbH & Co. KG on the sale of the Czech Republic's Grant N/A Austria; Schoenherr Thornton Audit s.r.o. and Grant Thornton Tax and Accounting s.r.o. to Grant Thornton Advisory s.r.o. Mares & Partners Czech advised the buyer. Republic 18-Nov Baker Mckenzie; Clifford Chance and Switzerland's Lenz & Staehelin advised the KKCG AG investment company and the Sazka Group on EUR 500 Austria; Clifford Chance; Lenz & the EUR 500 million investment into Sazka by funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management. Baker McKenzie million Czech Staehelin advised Apollo. Republic 27-Feb BonelliErede; Gianni Schoenherr, in cooperation with BonelliErede, advised Covivio on its EUR 573 million acquisition of eight luxury hotels EUR 573 Austria; Origoni Grippo Cappelli; in Europe from alternative investment firm Varde Partners. Varde was reportedly advised by Italian firms Gianni Origoni million Czech Ludovici Piccone And Grippo Cappelli and Partners and Ludovici Piccone and Partners. Republic; Partners; Schoenherr Poland 11-Mar Eisenberger & Herzog; Noerr and Eisenberger & Herzog advised Austrian packaging company Coveris on its acquisition of Plasztik-Tranzit Kft, a N/A Austria; Noerr producer of flexible packaging solutions for the food industry. The unidentified sellers were advised by solo practitioner Hungary Tamas Reisz. 30-Sep Dentons Dentons helped Austrian insurance group UNIQA and CherryHUB, its Hungarian InsurTech subsidiary, enter the German N/A Austria; market. Hungary 7-Dec Allen & Overy; Allen & Overy and RTPR advised Dutch life insurance, pension, and asset management company Aegon on the EUR EUR 830 Austria; NautaDutilh; Paksoy; 830 million sale of its operations in Romania, Hungary, Poland, and Turkey to the Vienna Insurance Group. Wolf Theiss, million Hungary; RTPR; Wolf Theiss Paksoy, and NautaDutilh advised the Vienna Insurance Group on the deal. Poland; Romania; Turkey 15-Oct CMS; Wolf Theiss CMS advised Green Source GmbH and its Solar Partners subsidiary on financing provided by Kommunalkredit Austria for EUR 66 Austria; the construction of power plants in Hungary. Wolf Theiss advised Kommunalkredit Austria. million Hungary; Slovakia 9-Sep CMS; Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Twisto Finco PL SP z.o.o. on financing by new investors Orbit Capital SICAV, a.s. and Growth Finance EUR 4.1 Austria; s.r.o. CMS advised Orbit Capital. million Poland 6-Feb Dentons; Kirkland & Ellis; Dentons and Kirkland & Ellis represented GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, on the acquisition of the Maximus EUR 950 Austria; Noerr logistics real estate portfolio from funds managed by Apollo Global Management, a US-based private equity firm. Noerr million Poland; advised the sellers on the transaction. Slovakia 21-Oct Clifford Chance; Popovici PNSA advised beneficiary CE Oltenia in arbitral proceedings under ICC Rules initiated by a general contractor concerning N/A Austria; Nitu Stoica & Asociatii a public procurement contract for the design, delivery, construction, assembly, and commissioning of a joint plant for Romania flue gas desulphurisation in Romania. Clifford Chance advised the claimants. 29-Oct Alrud Alrud helped OMV AG and Borealis AG obtain antitrust and foreign investment clearances from FAS Russia for OMV's USD Austria; acquision of a 75% stake in Borealis. 4.68 Russia billion 28-Dec CMS; Tomic Sindjelic CMS advised the UK's Poseidon Group and Belgium’s Mitiska Reim on the divestment of their entire portfolio of retail N/A Austria; Groza parks in Serbia to Austria’s Immofinanz AG. Tomic Sindjelic Groza advised Immofinanz on the deal. Serbia 26-Jun Cerha Hempel; Cerha Hempel advised MK Group Global Limited on the acquisition of a loan portfolio from Heta Asset Resolution N/A Austria; Schoenherr AG and the acquisition of the direct and indirect shareholdings of HETA in three Slovenian wind-down entities that Slovenia manage receivables from non-performing loans granted by the former Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank International AG and its subsidiaries to customers in Slovenia. Schoenherr advised the Republic of Austria as the owner of HETA. 5-Aug Schoenherr; Wolf Theiss Schoenherr advised S&T AG on its acquisition of Iskratel, d. o. o. Wolf Theiss advised the seller. EUR 38 Austria; million Slovenia 9-Oct Eisenberger & Herzog; Eisenberger & Herzog, Milbank, and Rojs, Peljhan, Prelesnik & Partners advised the Sartorius Group on its acquisition EUR 360 Austria; Milbank; Rojs, Peljhan, of BIA Separations and its merger into its Sartorius Stedim Biotech subgroup. Schoenherr advised the unidentified million Slovenia Prelesnik & Partners; majority shareholder of BIA Separations on the sale. Schoenherr 16-Nov DLA Piper; Kirm Perpar DLA Piper and Kirm Perpar successfully represented the Slovenian municipality of Kranjska Gora in an arbitration N/A Austria; proceeding adjudicated at the Vienna International Arbitration Center against WTE Wassertechnik GmbH, a German Slovenia supplier for municipal and industrial water management. 29-Jan Schoenherr Schoenherr advised TTTech Auto AG on its acquisition of 51% stake in Turkish automotive driver assistance software N/A Austria; company Red Pine Software Inc. from Cem Sezer. Solo practitioner Merve Isgoren advised the seller. Turkey A modern Baltic 17-Jan Sorainen Sorainen advised Data Delivery LLC, a Belarus-based developer of the RocketData.io platform for managing business N/A Belarus reputation and online data, on implementing share options for employees. 13-Feb Aleinikov & Partners Aleinikov & Partners is representing Blitz Team in a dispute with Wargaming, developer of the game World of Tanks. USD Belarus law firm with a 1.69 million 13-Feb Aleinikov & Partners Aleinikov & Partners advised Playrix on an unspecified investment in Belarusian studio Vizor Games. N/A Belarus Wall-less attitude 27-Feb Revera; SBH SBH advised Zubr Capital on the investment by its Zubr Capital Fund I in the Myfin Group, an IT platform for banking N/A Belarus products. Revera advised Myfin Group on the transaction. 1-May Arzinger Arzinger Law Offices advised Belarusian Railway regarding loan and account pledge agreements with the Export-Import EUR 66.7 Belarus Bank of China. million 4-May EPAP; Sorainen Sorainen advised DEG on the acquisition of a stake in Belgips, a Belarusian manufacturer of gypsum-based building N/A Belarus materials. Belgips was advised by Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners. 26-May Sorainen Sorainen successfully represented Belomo, a Belarusian enterprise specializing in optomechanical and optoelectronic N/A Belarus equipment, in arbitration before the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. 3-Jun BNT Attorneys; Sorainen Sorainen advised ERGO Group on the sale of its Belarusian non-life subsidiary, ERGO Insurance Company, to the Euroins N/A Belarus Insurance Group. BNT advised the Euronis Insurance Group.
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18 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
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CEE LEGAL MATTERS 19 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 1-Jul Arzinger Arzinger Law Offices advised Belarusbank on a loan from UBS Switzerland AG. EUR 89 Belarus million 1-Jul Arzinger Arzinger Law Offices advised Holding Belorusskie Oboi during negotiations with Austrian company Andritz on the terms EUR 36 Belarus of an investment project involving the re-equipment of the Dobrush Paper Factory. million 16-Jul Aleinikov & Partners Aleinikov & Partners has advised StringersHub on investment into the company by a group of angel investors and venture USD Belarus capital firms Insta Ventures and Starta Ventures. 500,000 20-Jul Arzinger Arzinger Law Offices represented Azeraluminium in an antidumping investigation concerning imports to the Eurasian USD 3.5 Belarus Economic Union of aluminium tape produced in Azerbaijan and China. million 7-Oct Sorainen Sorainen advised Australia's Aristocrat Digital gambling machine manufacturer on an undisclosed investment in N/A Belarus Belarusian game development studio Neskin Games. 26-Oct Sorainen Sorainen helped the Turkey Wealth Fund obtain approval from the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade of the N/A Belarus Republic of Belarus for its acquisition of control over Belarusian telecommunications network CJSC. 1-Dec Arzinger Arzinger Law Offices advised the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Republic of Belarus on matters N/A Belarus related to an international technical assistance project involving the development of wind energetics in the Republic of Belarus. 1-Nov BDV Legal; Borovtsov Borovtsov & Salei and BDV Legal advised the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development on funding of Be Cloud EUR 15 Belarus; & Salei within a Buyer Credit Facility Agreement aimed at financing an export contract with Ericsson Nikola Tesla d.d. invoving million Croatia the supply of equipment and software for the creation of a single LTE cellular mobile telecom network in Belarus. 7-Apr Sorainen Sorainen advised the Kaamos Group, its Estonian subsidiary Kamos Timber, and its Belarusian subsidiary, Mozyr Sawmill, EUR 15 Belarus; on a EUR 15 million loan it received from the EBRD for the construction of a new sawmill in Belarus. million Estonia 3-Dec Baker Mckenzie; Cobalt; Cobalt and Baker McKenzie advised Flugger on its acquisition of 70% of the shares in the Eskaro Group, advised by Njord. EUR 8.4 Belarus; Njord million Estonia; Latvia 7-Aug Drakopoulos; Rosenfeld Drakopoulos and Rosenfeld Farmer represented Suraleb in litigation against Minsk Tractor Works involving the EUR 3 Belarus; Farmer enforcement of a UNCITRAL arbitral award. million Romania 1-Jun Arzinger Arzinger Law Offices advised Belarusbank and Eximbank on a loan agreement related to financing and refinancing EUR 30 Belarus; settlements of Belarusbank’s corporate clients under trade contracts. million Russia 1-Sep Borovtsov & Salei; Borovtsov & Salei and Morgan Lewis advised Russia's VTB Bank Public Stock Company on the execution of a Master N/A Belarus; Morgan Lewis & Bockius Agreement on Derivatives and Swaps with Belagroprombank. Russia 24-Nov Aksu Caliskan Beygo Istanbul's Durukan+Partners and Skadden Arps advised LetterOne on the restructuring of Turkcell’s shareholding USD Belarus; Attorney Partnership; structure. Milbank and Turkey's Aksu Caliskan Beygo Attorney Partnership advised the Turkey Wealth Fund and Ziraat 2.38 Turkey; Clifford Chance; Bank, Sullivan & Cromwell and Herguner Bilgen Ozeke advised Telia Finland, and White & Case and the Kabine Law Firm billion Ukraine Durukan+Partners; advised Cukurova on the deal. Clifford Chance advised Citibank on English law. Stibbe London B.V. advised IMTIS on Herguner Bilgen Ozeke; Dutch law. Kinstellar advised the Turkish Wealth Fund on Ukrainian law. Kabine Law Firm; Kinstellar; Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & Mccloy; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Stibbe; Sullivan & Cromwell; White & Case 28-Jul Ilyashev & Partners Acting on behalf of Challenge Shipping Ltd., the Odesa office of Ilyashev & Partners secured the acceptance by Ukraine's UAH Belarus; State Ecological Inspection of a British protection and indemnity club's letter of undertaking as a sufficient security for 13.5 Ukraine a maritime claim. million 21-Jan Baros Bicakcic & Baros, Bicakcic & Partners successfully persuaded the High Commercial Court in Banja Luka to uphold a decision obliging BAM 1 Bosnia and Partners Addiko Bank to pay Vucko d.o.o. Jahorina a total of over BAM 1 million in damages, interest, and court costs. million Herzegovina 12-May Maric & Co. Maric & Co advised the European Investment Bank on a loan to Intesa Sanpaolo Bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina. EUR 60 Bosnia and million Herzegovina 22-May Maric & Co. Maric & Co advised Shandong International and its Bosnian subsidiary SDHS-CSI BH Banja Luka on the Banja Luka- EUR 300 Bosnia and Prijedor-Novi Grad highway construction project. million Herzegovina 16-Jun Law Firm Sajic Law Firm Sajic represented Del Mestri, the founder of the first private elementary school on the territory of the Republic N/A Bosnia and of Srpska, before the Ministry of Education and Culture of Republic of Srpska and before the registration court. Herzegovina 20-Aug Maric & Co. Maric & Co successfully represented the interests of Swietelsky Baugesellschaft m.b.H in the Constitutional Court BAM 3 Bosnia and of Bosnia and Herzegovina in appellate proceedings regarding a tax dispute against the country's Office for Indirect million Herzegovina Taxation. 4-Nov Law Firm Sajic Law Firm Sajic conducted a data protection impact assesment for SberBank a.d. Banja Luka to help identify and mitigate N/A Bosnia and potential risks to privacy and comply with data protection law when processing personal data. Herzegovina 24-Dec Dimitrijevic & Partners; Dimitrijevic & Partners, Mihaj Ilic Milanovic, and Mikijelj Jankovic & Bogdanovic successfully represented Bosnia and USD Bosnia and Mihaj Ilic Milanovic; Herzegovina in an investment arbitration with Naveen Aggarwal, Neeta Gupta, and Usha Industries. 30.2 Herzegovina Mikijelj Jankovic & million Bogdanovic 1-Jun BDK Advokati; De Brauw Linklaters as the lead advisor, together with Harrisons as Serbian legal counsel, Wolf Theis as Slovenian counsel, and EUR Bosnia and Blackstone Westbroek; Maric & Co. as Bosnian counsel, assisted JP Morgan Securities, KKR Capital Markets Limited, Credit Suisse Securities, 1.795 Herzegovina; Elvinger Hoss Prussen; Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Banca IMI SpA London Branch, Morgan Staley & Co. International, billion Bulgaria; Kirkland & Ellis; Raiffeisen Bank International, UniCredit Bank AG, BNP Paribas with a) offering by United Group B.V. of EUR 1.05 billion Serbia; Linklaters; Maric & Co.; of fixed and floating rate senior secured notes due 2026 and EUR 575, aggregate principal amount of fixed rate senior Slovenia Selih & Partners; Wolf secured notes due 2028; and b) the offering by Summer Bidco B.V. of EUR 170 million 9.00%/9.75% Senior HoldCo Pay- Theiss If-You-Can PIK Notes due 2025. Kirkland & Ellis acted as the lead law advisors to the United Group B.V. as the issuer; De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. as Dutch counsel for the issuer and the guarantors; Elvinger Hoss Prussen as Luxembourg counsel for the issuer and the guarantors; BDK as Serbian legal counsel to the issuer; and Selih & Partners as Slovenian counsel for the issuer and the guarantors.
20 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 15-Dec BDK Advokati; De Brauw Linklaters as the lead advisor, working with Harrisons as Serbian legal counsel, Wolf Theis as Slovenian counsel, and Maric EUR 400 Bosnia and Blackstone Westbroek; & Co. as Bosnian counsel, assisted JP Morgan, KKR Capital Markets Partners, Credit Suisse Securities, Credit Agricole million Herzegovina; Elvinger Hoss Prussen; Corporate and Investment Bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, Morgan Stanley & Co. International, Raiffeisen Bank International, Bulgaria; Kirkland & Ellis; UniCredit Bank AG, BNP Paribas, ING Bank N.V. London Branch with the offering by United Group B.V. of EUR 400 million Serbia; Linklaters; Maric & Co.; 4.00% senior secured notes due 2027. Kirkland & Ellis acted as the lead law advisors to the United Group B.V. as the Slovenia Selih & Partners; Wolf issuer; De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek N.V. as Dutch counsel for the issuer and the guarantors; Elvinger Hoss Prussen Theiss as Luxembourg counsel for the issuer and the guarantors; BDK as Serbian legal counsel to the issuer; and Selih & Partners as Slovenian counsel for the issuer and the guarantors. 14-Sep DWF; Kinstellar; Law Kinstellar's Belgrade Office successfully advised the Serbian Orthodox Church on a case heard by an English High Court N/A Bosnia and Firm Sajic regarding claims of alleged abuse by clergymen in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Croatia. DWF and Michael McParland, Herzegovina; QC, also provided legal assistance to the Church in the UK. Law Firm Sajic acted as legal consultant for Kinstellar. Croatia; Serbia 5-Mar Kinstellar; Law Firm Sajic Kinstellar and Law Firm Sajic advised Nova Ljubljanska Banka d.d. on the conclusion of a share purchase agreement with N/A Bosnia and the Republic of Serbia for the acquisition of an 83.23% ordinary shareholding in Komercijalna Banka a.d. Beograd. Herzegovina; Kosovo; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia; Slovenia 26-Aug DLA Piper; Miro Senica Miro Senica and DLA Piper assisted Updata Partners with the legal due diligence of Slovenia's HYCU d.o.o., related to N/A Bosnia and Updata Partners' potential acquisition of a controlling interest in HYCU, d.o.o.'s parent compamy, HYCU, Inc. Herzegovina; Serbia; Slovenia 16-Jan Djingov, Gouginski, DGKV successfully defended the interests of Mayoral Moda Infantil S.A. and its Bulgarian subsidiary Mayoral Bulgaria N/A Bulgaria Kyutchukov & Velichkov EOOD before the Bulgarian Commission for Protection of Competition in a case brought by Comsed involving allegations of superior bargaining position. 23-Jan Kirkland & Ellis; Schoenherr and Kirkland & Ellis advised the United Group on Bulgarian legal aspects of its EUR 1.675 billion bonds EUR Bulgaria Linklaters; Shchoenherr; issuance and on the structuring of the Bulgarian security package. The financing was related to its acquisition of the 1.675 Wolf Theiss Bulgarian Telecommunications Company / Vivacom. Linklaters and Wolf Theiss advised global coordinator and physical billion bookrunner J.P. Morgan. 27-Jan Georgiev, Todorov & Co. Georgiev, Todorov & Co successfully defended the interests of Multi-profile Hospital for Active Treatment Doverie N/A Bulgaria against Bulgaria's National Health Insurance Fund in a dispute involving payment for medical care provided by the hospital to health-insured persons above the limits set by the NHIF. 29-Jan Kambourov & Partners Kambourov & Partners advised Spain's Bankia bank on a loan portfolio transfer in which part of the receivables was N/A Bulgaria secured by collateral provided by Bulgarian companies. 31-Jan Schoenherr Schoenherr advised OMV Petrom on the competition law aspects of its acquisition of a participation in the Han Asparuh N/A Bulgaria exploration licence in Bulgaria. 6-Feb Kinstellar Kinstellar advised GTC on its lease of of 4,000 square meters in the Advance Business Center II, an office building in N/A Bulgaria Sofia, Bulgaria, that is expected to open near the end of this year. 11-Feb Tokushev And Partners Tokushev and Partners advised DZI - General Insurance on its acquisition of Mall Varna from Hydrostroy. EUR 16 Bulgaria million 13-Feb Kambourov & Partners Kambourov & Partners advised Yotpo on its acquisition of SMSBump. N/A Bulgaria 14-Feb CMS; Dinova, Rusev & CMS advised OTP Bank and DSK Bank on the refinancing of a shopping mall. Dinova, Rusev & Partners advised the EUR 85 Bulgaria Partners borrower. million 17-Feb CMS CMS helped Korea's SDN Company Ltd regain control over photo-voltaic producer EU Sunday AD. N/A Bulgaria 20-Feb Georgiev, Todorov & Co. Georgiev, Todorov & Co successfully defended the rights of Multi-Profile hospital for Active Treatment Europe against N/A Bulgaria the Ministry of Health of Bulgaria. 11-Mar Kinstellar Kinstellar advised the EBRD on its first loan under the EUR 200 million Bulgarian Water Sector Financing Framework to EUR 200 Bulgaria Ruse Water Supply and Sanitation Company. million 17-Mar Kambourov & Partners; Kambourov & Partners advised DS Smith on Bulgarian aspects of the sale of it plastic packaging business to Liquibox. N/A Bulgaria Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised Liquidbox on the deal. 17-Mar D'Ornano Partners; D’Ornano Partners advised the Groupama Group on its acquisition of Express Life Bulgaria IJSC, a member of the OTP N/A Bulgaria Schoenherr Group. Schoenherr advised the OTP Group on the deal. 26-Mar Tsvetkova Bebov Tsvetkova Bebov Komarevski advised Eleven Capital on its IPO. N/A Bulgaria Komarevski 27-Mar Kambourov & Partners Kambourov & Partners advised DEV.bg, a Bulgarian IT community developer, on the EUR 200,000 acquisition by hosting EUR Bulgaria and software development company SiteGround of newly issued shares representing a 10% stake in the company. 200,000 15-Apr Schoenherr Schoenherr advised specialty chemical company Clariant SE on its potential rights in its capacity as a licensor in the N/A Bulgaria event of the insolvency of a Bulgarian company-licensee, a large and complex bio fuel plant. 23-Apr Buzeva & Partners; CMS CMS has helped Bulgaria's Global Biome settle a dispute with the Sustainable Energy Development Fund related to N/A Bulgaria recent changes to Bulgarian legislation. The SEDF was advised by Buzeva & Partners. 6-May Georgiev, Todorov & Co. Georgiev, Todorov & Co successfully defended the rights of concessionaire BMF Port Burgas – Burgas East 2 and Burgas N/A Bulgaria West port terminals – in an appeal of the Energy and Water Regulatory Commission’s decision in a dispute concerning direct connection to electricity grids. 12-May CMS CMS Sofia advised Korean investors KOSEP and SDN on a additional EUR 10 million financing obtained from UniCredit EUR 10 Bulgaria Bulbank AD, Expressbank AD, and DSK Bank EAD for two 42 MWp photovoltaic projects in Bulgaria. CMS Vienna advised million the lenders. 28-May CMS CMS advised Korea's Solarian Holdings Ltd. on the acquisition of a 5 MW photovoltaic power plant in Bulgaria from FEC N/A Bulgaria Perun. 15-Jun Kambourov & Partners; Kinstellar and Kambourov & Partners served as legal counsel to the SOF Connect consortium on litigation related to its N/A Bulgaria Kinstellar successful participation in the tender that resulted in its receiving the 35-year concession to operate the Sofia airport.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 21 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 18-Jun Boyanov & Co; Kinstellar Kinstellar advised regional property developer Globe Trade Center on negotiations with Germany’s Commerzbank N/A Bulgaria to lease 3,500 square meters of space at Sofia' Advance Business Center II office building. Boyanov & Co advised Commerzbank on the deal. 19-Jun Schoenher Schoenherr advised the Balkan Advisory Company in a dispute with TBI Bank concerning an IPO. N/A Bulgaria 22-Jun Georgiev, Todorov & Co. Georgiev, Todorov & Co advised COMSED JSC, the largest retail chain for toys and children's accessories in Bulgaria, on EUR 1 Bulgaria a change in the ownership structure of the company. million 26-Jun Georgiev, Todorov & Co. Georgiev, Todorov & Co successfully represented the Port of Burgas on its appeal of a decision of the Energy and Water N/A Bulgaria Regulatory Commission regarding a connection to Bulgaria's national electricity transmission grid. 1-Jul CMS; Terziyski CMS acted for private property investor Strategy Solution Ltd. on its EUR 1.4 million acquisition of a landmark office N/A Bulgaria & Partners Legal building in Sofia, Bulgaria, from six private individuals. Terziyski & Partners advised the sellers. Partnership 8-Jul Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Silversmith Capital Partners, a Boston-based growth equity firm, on Appfire’s acquisition of Botron N/A Bulgaria Software, a Bulgaria-based provider of tools that enable enterprise-level change and configuration management within the Jira software platform. 14-Jul Boyanov & Co Boyanov & Co. advised the Valea Foundation on the acquisition of a minority capital package in FIB Bank. N/A Bulgaria 15-Jul Dimitrov Petrov & Co. Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. assisted with the spin-off of CETIN Bulgaria from PPF Telenor. N/A Bulgaria 17-Jul Djingov, Gouginski, DGKV advised Bulgarian start-up Nasekomo on the investment into the company of EUR 4 million from VC funds EUR 4 Bulgaria Kyutchukov & Velichkov Morningside Hill and New Vision 3 backed by the Fund of Funds in Bulgaria. million 17-Jul Kinstellar Kinstellar advised OTP Bank and its Bulgarian subsidiary, DSK Bank, on a EUR 25 million loan provided to Balkan Business EUR 25 Bulgaria Center AD for the construction and operation of the Balkan Business Center office complex in Sofia. million 21-Jul Georgiev, Todorov & Co. Georgiev, Todorov & Co. successfully represented Sofia's Acibadem City Clinic Multidisciplinary Hospital for Active N/A Bulgaria Treatment Tokuda EAD in a claim against Bulgaria's National Health Insurance Fund for payment for medical care provided by the hospital to health-insured persons above the NHIF's limits. 27-Jul CMS; Eurolex Bulgaria Eurolex Bulgaria and CMS advised Trace Group Holding and Balkantel — members of the Plovdiv Railway Project EUR 45 Bulgaria Consortium — on their successful participation in a tender for a EUR 45 million railway public procurement project in million Bulgaria. 30-Jul Dimitrov Petrov & Co.; Dimitrov, Petrov & Co. advised Team.blue on its acquisition of the Bulgarian web hosting company SuperHosting. The N/A Bulgaria Vladimirov Kiskinov Vladimirov Kiskinov law firm advised SuperHosting on the deal. 31-Jul Boyanov & Co Boyanov & Co successfully represented Organic Land Corporation EOOD, a Bulgarian subsidiary of Tradin Organic B.V., N/A Bulgaria in litigation against an unidentified agricultural company. 3-Aug Lacore; Tsvetkova Bebov Separate teams from Tsvetkova Bebov Komarevski advised both EnduroSat and Freigeist Capital on the latter's N/A Bulgaria Komarevski investment into the former. Lacore Rechtsanwalte was German counsel to Freigeist Capital. 5-Aug Hengeler Mueller; Orrick Schoenherr and Hengeler Mueller advised Schneider Electric SE on the Bulgarian legal aspects of the acquisition of N/A Bulgaria Herrington & Sutcliffe; ProLeiT AG. Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe advised the target. Schoenherr 7-Aug CMS; Mamo TCV CMS advised OTP Bank, DSK Bank, and Eurobank on the EUR 110 million refinancing of the Business Park Sofia with Arco EUR 110 Bulgaria Advocates; Maples Capital Corporation. Reed Smith and Wolf Theiss advised Arco Capital on the transaction. Mamo TCV Advocates advised million Group; Reed Smith; Wolf the lenders on Maltese law while Maples Group advised the lenders on Cayman law. Theiss 13-Aug Epstein Rosenblum Georgiev Todorov & Co. advised Bulgaria's Office Sgradi EOOD on the purchase of 50% of the shares of Medical Center- N/A Bulgaria Maoz; Georgiev, Todorov On Clinic Bulgaria AD from the Netherlands-based On Clinic Advanced Medical Institute B.V. The seller was reportedly & Co. advised by Israel's Epstein Rosenblum Maoz. 14-Aug Tokushev and Partners Tokushev and Partners advised Intercapital Property Development REIT on its initial public offering of company shares BGN 24 Bulgaria worth over BGN 24 million. million 18-Aug Gugushev & Partners; Gugushev & Partners acted as the Bulgarian counsel to several initial purchasers represented by Barclays Capital Inc. USD 750 Bulgaria Shearman & Sterling; in relation to the USD 750 million note offering by Sensata Technologies, Inc., USA. Shearman & Sterling was the lead million Wolf Theiss counsel to the purchasers and Wolf Theiss was the counsel to Sensata. 18-Aug Gugushev & Partners Gugushev & Partners Law Office successfully represented the National Railway Infrastructure Company before a Court EUR 36 Bulgaria of Arbitration ad hoc to the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry with respect to a claim for payments under a million FIDIC Contract for Rehabilitation and Electrification of the Railway Plovdiv-Svilengrad. 21-Aug CMS CMS advised Korea's Solarian Holdings Ltd. on the acquisition of a 2.25 Megawatt photovoltaic power plant in Bulgaria N/A Bulgaria from Julian Torchanov and Mat Ltd. 8-Sep Herbert Smith; Schoenherr advised BNP Paribas S.A. Citibank NA, London Branch, and Black Sea Trade and Development Bank on EUR 90 Bulgaria Schoenherr Bulgarian legal aspects of a EUR 90 million syndicated credit facility extended to Oliva AD and Buildcom EOOD, as well as million on the establishment of a Bulgarian security package for the facility. Herbert Smith Freehills acted as English law counsel to the banks. 9-Sep Djingov, Gouginski, Tokushev and Partners advised Oliva AD, the largest grain trader and oilseeds crusher in Bulgaria, on its acquisition of all USD 2.3 Bulgaria Kyutchukov & Velichkov; long-term assets of the Kaliakra plant in Dobrich, Bulgaria, from Kaliakra AD, the Bulgarian subsidiary of Bunge. Djingov, million Tokushev and Partners Gouginski, Kyutchukov, and Velichkov advised Kaliakra on the deal. 15-Sep Allen & Overy; CMS; CMS advised ACWA Power, Blackrock, and Crescent Capital on their sale of ACWA Power CF Karad PV Park and NOMAC EUR 95 Bulgaria Memery Crystal; Bulgaria, which operate the 60 MWp Karadzhalovo photovoltaic plant in Bulgaria, to Enery Development GmbH. million Schoenherr; Spasov & Schoenherr and Memery Crystal advised the buyer on the deal, including on one of the first ever commercial refinancing Bratanov of an existing financing granted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) by a EUR 95 million bond issue under Austrian law and via intra-group lendings as well as on the concurrent acquisition financing. Allen & Overy and Spasov & Bratanov advised to the existing lenders – IFC and DFC. 21-Sep Djingov, Gouginski, Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov advised OTP Bank and DSK Bank on financing provided to Minstroy N/A Bulgaria Kyutchukov & Velichkov Properties EOOD for the development of NV Tower, a high-rise office building in Sofia. 22-Sep Kinstellar Kinstellar advised the EBRD on a EUR 40 million agreement with Raiffeisebank Bulgaria. EUR 40 Bulgaria million
22 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 25-Sep Djingov, Gouginski, DGKV advised Dow Jones International on the execution of a lease agreement for the company's new office in Sofia. The N/A Bulgaria Kyutchukov & Velichkov; lessor, T.I.M-X OOD, was advised by the Jordanov, Valkov & Partners law firm. Jordanov, Valkov & Partners 25-Sep Djingov, Gouginski, DGKV advised Sitel Bulgaria on extending ite lease and renegotiating certain lease provisions necessitated by the N/A Bulgaria Kyutchukov & Velichkov COVID-19 pandemic. 9-Oct Clifford Chance; Djingov, Tsvetkova Bebov Komarevski and Clifford Chance advised the Republic of Bulgaria on its dual tranche EUR 2.5 billion EUR 2.5 Bulgaria Gouginski, Kyutchukov eurobond issuance. DGKV and Linklaters advised lead managers Citi, JP Morgan, BNP Paribas, and Unicredit. billion & Velichkov; Linklaters; Tsvetkova Bebov Komarevski 15-Oct CMS CMS advised the Italian-Saudi Arabian Arkad Consortium on the amendment and supplement of a public procurement N/A Bulgaria agreement for materials and equipment, investment design-phase detailed design, construction, and commissioning of the Balkan Stream gas pipeline project. 20-Oct CMS CMS successfully represented ASM-BG Investicii in a dispute with ESO EAD, Bulgaria's state-owned electricity N/A Bulgaria transmission system operator, heard by the Arbitration Court of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 23-Oct CMS; Memery Crystal; Schoenherr advised the MET Group on the acquisition of a 100% stake in a 42MW wind park in the Kavarna region of N/A Bulgaria Schoenherr Bulgaria from Enel Green Power. Memery Crystal provided English law advice to the MET Group. CMS advised Enel Green Power on the transaction 6-Nov Hristov Partners Hristov & Partners advised MTD Products, an Ohio-based manufacturer of outdoor power and lawn care equipment, on N/A Bulgaria the restructuring of its business operations in Bulgaria. 13-Nov Djingov, Gouginski, Go2Law and Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov advised Integral Venture Partners on an unspecified N/A Bulgaria Kyutchukov & Velichkov; investment in Bulgarian telecommunications company Bulsatcom. Vedder Price advised selling shareholders Blantyre Go2Law; Vedder Price Capital and the EBRD. 18-Nov Gugushev & Partners Gugushev & Partners helped Fr. Lurssen Werft GmbH & Co KG, part of Northern Germany's Lurssen shipyard group, win EUR 500 Bulgaria a public tender for the supply of two multipurpose modular patrol vessels to the Bulgarian Navy. million 27-Nov Boyanov & Co Boyanov & Co helped Ideal Standard Vidima obtain a loan of EUR 65 million, with EUR 45 million coming the DSK Bank and EUR 65 Bulgaria another EUR 20 million from the United Bulgarian Bank. million 29-Dec Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Allianz Bulgaria on its lease of office space from Park Lane Developments in Sofia. N/A Bulgaria 21-Oct Latham & Watkins; Paul Schoenherr and Paul Hastings advised lender and administrative agent Monroe Capital and a group of companies EUR 270 Bulgaria Hastings; Schoenherr affiliated with Marlin Equity Partners (in their capacities as Borrowers/Guarantors), on a USD 270 million financing for million the acquisition of hospitality management technology players Fourth and HotSchedules, which were then subsequently merged into Fourth. Latham & Watkins advised the obligators and Fourth. 4-Dec Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Leoni AG on its entry into the Bulgarian market and the lease and construction of a production EUR 32 Bulgaria factory in Bulgaria. million 27-Mar Schoenherr; Wolf Theiss Schoenherr advised Enery Power Holding GmbH on the Bulgarian legal aspects of a EUR 35 million mezzanine bond EUR 35 Bulgaria; issuance used to finance its acquisition of a Bulgarian solar park. Wolf Theiss advised the bondholders. million Austria 17-Apr Dentons; Djingov, Dentons, DGKV, Karanovic & Partners, and Ilej & Partners in cooperation with Karanovic & Partners advised Hungary's N/A Bulgaria; Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Optima Befektesi Alapkezelo on its acquisition of a 61.49% share in Globe Trade Centre S.A. from Lone Star Funds. Croatia; Velichkov; Ilej & Partners; Schoenherr advised the sellers on the deal. Poland; Karanovic & Partners; Romania; Schoenherr Serbia 1-Feb Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss Bucharest advised Addiko Bank, Privredna Banka Zagreb, Zagrebacka Banka, and Raiffeisen Austria EUR 120 Bulgaria; regarding the club loan of EUR 120 million to Croatian retail company Orbico d.o.o. and subsidiaries. million Croatia; Poland; Romania; Slovenia 31-Mar Hogan Lovells; Schoenherr and Hogan Lovells advised Ares Management Limited on the EUR 75.78 million financing for Kohlberg's EUR Bulgaria; Schoenherr; Wolf Theiss acquisition of the K2 Sports and Marker Dalbello Volkl businesses in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria. Wolf Theiss 75.78 Czech Bulgaria advised the borrower and the Bulgarian pledgors. million Republic 1-Feb Lakatos, Koves & LKT advised Walmark on Hungarian matters related to the sale of its Pharmavit business to Supremax – a carve-out N/A Bulgaria; Partners; Weil, Gotshal & transaction resulting from the sale of Walmark to Stada due to competition considerations. Kinstellar advised Supremax. Czech Manges; White & Case LKT, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and White & Case acted as advisors to MidEuropa on the original Walmark and Strada deal. Republic; Hungary; Poland; Romania; Slovakia 16-Nov Goodwin Procter; Kinstellar and Goodwin Procter advised GTT Communications on the USD 2.15 billion sale of its business infrastructure USD Bulgaria; Kinstellar; Linklaters in Central, Southern, and Eastern Europe to I Squared Capital. Linklaters advised the buyer on the deal. 2.15 Czech billion Republic; Hungary; Romania; Serbia; Slovakia; Ukraine 1-Sep Drakopoulos; Kambourov & Partners and Drakopoulos advised Bulgartransgaz EAD on its acquisition of a 20% stake in Gastrade S.A. EUR 12.5 Bulgaria; Kambourov & Partners; Lambadarios Law Firm advised the Public Gas Corporation of Greece. million Greece Lambadarios Law Firm 27-Feb Akol Law Firm; Georgiev, Georgiev, Todorov & Co., Akol Law Firm, and Yordanov & Rachev advised Fleet Services, which currently operates N/A Bulgaria; Todorov & Co.; Kolcuoglu through GPS Bulgaria and GPS Systems Macedonia, on the purchase of all shares of the capital of Turkish GPS company Macedonia; Demirkan Kocakli; Mobiliz Bilgi ve Iletisim Teknolojileri Sirketi. Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli advised the sellers. Turkey Yordanov & Rachev 5-Feb Noerr; Penkov Markov & Noerr and Penkov, Markov & Partners advised private equity firm Aurelius Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA on the N/A Bulgaria; Partners acquisition of the Renewable Power Systems and Protection Relays businesses from Woodward, Inc. Poland
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 23 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 30-Jan CMS; EY Law CMS advised Hyundai Electric & Energy Systems on the sale of its Bulgarian subsidiary Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. N/A Bulgaria; Bulgaria AD to Russia’s SVEL Group. EY Law Russia advised the buyers. Russia 31-Dec Arsov Natchev Ganeva; CMS and Arsov Natchev Ganeva advised contractor Arkad on the Balkan Stream Gas Pipeline project, which was EUR 1.1 Bulgaria; CMS; Dentons; Djingov, completed at the end of December, 2020. Dentons, KPMG Legal, Tsvetkova Bebov Komarevski, and Latham & Watkins billion Russia Gouginski, Kyutchukov & also advised the contractor on the deal. Linklaters and DGKV advised unspecified lenders on financing for the project. Velichkov; Kpmg Legal; Latham & Watkins; Linklaters; Tsvetkova Bebov Komarevski 21-Oct Andric Law Office; CMS; CMS Sofia and Doklestic Repic & Gajin have advised Balkantel on its participation with the Trace Group in a EUR 60 million EUR 60 Bulgaria; Doklestic Repic & Gajin; modernization and rehabilitation project of the Nis-Brestovac railway in southern Serbia. The Trace Group was advised million Serbia Eurolex Bulgaria by Eurolex Bulgaria and the Andric Law Office. 1-Mar Akol Law Firm; Kolcuoglu Akol Law Firm assisted Sovos with its acquisition of Foriba. Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli advised the sellers. USD 53 Bulgaria; Demirkan Kocakli million Turkey 27-Mar Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Earlybird Venture Capital on its EUR 3 million seed funding of fintech startup Payhawk, a paperless EUR 3 Bulgaria; corporate card used for simplifying expenses for businesses. million Turkey 11-Aug Aequo; CMS; Harney's; CMS advised the Export-Import Bank of Korea on a USD 36 million financing deal with Grain Terminal Holdings — a USD 36 Bulgaria; Jipyong; Sayenko Singapore-based joint venture between Posco International and the Orexim Group. Posco International was advised million Ukraine Kharenko by Aequo and South Korea's Jipyong law firm, and the Orexim Group was advised by Sayenko Kharenko and Harneys' Cyprus office. 23-Oct Akol Law Firm; DLA DLA Piper advised Polhem Infra on Ukrainian aspects of its acquisition of telecommunication services provider Telia SEK 9.4 Bulgaria; Piper; Herguner Bilgen Carrier from the Telia Company. Kambourov & Partners acted as Bulgarian advisor to Polhem Infra on the deal. Herguner million Ukraine Ozeke; Kambourov & Bilgen Ozeke advised Telia and Akol Law Firm advised Polhem in Turkey. Partners 31-Mar Paul Hastings; Schoenherr and Paul Hastings advised Monroe Capital Investments on a USD 250 million loan to Fourth UK and on the USD 250 Bulgaria; Schoenherr security package over the assets of local subsidiary Fourth Bulgaria EOOD. milion United States of America 24-Jan Miskovic & Miskovic Miskovic & Miskovic advised Badel 1862 d.d. Zagreb on the structure and takeover process of target Vinoplod-Vinarija N/A Croatia d.d. Sibenik in pre-bankruptcy proceedings. 27-Jan Tus & Andrijanic Tus & Andrijanic advised JGL d.d. on its HRK 130 million issuance of corporate bonds. The agent for the issue was HRK 130 Croatia Privredna Banka Zagreb d.d. million 18-Feb Kovacevic Prpic KPS advised a syndicate of the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development, OTP Banka d.d., Privredna Banka EUR 72 Croatia Simeunovic Zagreb-Dionicko Drustvo, and Zagrebacka Banka d.d. on financing of up to HRK 537 million to Zagrebacki Elektricni million Tramvaj d.o.o. for the construction of a Zagreb-Sljeme cable car line with carpark. 21-Feb Cipcic-Bragadin Cipcic-Bragadin Mesic and Associates advised Nafta a.s. on the acquisition of 50% of investors' rights and sharing N/A Croatia Mesic & Associates; obligations under the 2016 Production Sharing Agreement entered into between Vermilion Zagreb Exploration and the Marohnic Tomek & Gjoic; Government of the Republic of Croatia. Marohnic Tomek & Gjoic, Zeljka Velic Dvorscak & Silvije Skerlev, and Nozdrovicky, Nozdrovicky, Suvert & Suvert & Co also advised Nafta on the deal, while Wolf Theiss advised Vermilion. Co.; Wolf Theiss; Zeljka Velic Dvorscak & Silvije Skerlev 17-Mar Cipcic-Bragadin Mesic & Cipcic-Bragadin Mesic & Associates executed a public procurement advisory agreement with the Croatian Ministry of HRK 50 Croatia Associates Public Administration in relation to the implementation of an e-Business project. million 31-Mar Cipcic-Bragadin Mesic & Cipcic-Bragadin Mesic & Associates announced the launch of a Covid-19 + Zagreb Earthquake pro bono project to help HRK 1 Croatia Associates those affected by Covid-19 and/or the earthquake that rocked the Croatian capital on March 22, 2020. million 29-Apr Lovric Novokmet Lovric Novokmet Smrcek advised I4 Invention and Miodrag Mircetic on the sale of a majority shareholding in Tradeticity N/A Croatia Smrcek; Wolf Theiss DOO to Italian-listed company Antares Vision, which was advised by Wolf Theiss. 30-Apr Freshfields; Savoric & Freshfields advised agent Unicredit Bank AG and Bayerische Landesbank, BNP Paribas S.A., and Commerzbank N/A Croatia Partners Aktiengesellschaft in connection with financing for Flixmobility GmbH and its subsidiaries. Savoric & Partners advised on Croatian law. 13-May Tus & Andrijanic; Croatia's Tus & Andrijanic law firm, acting with New York's Wuersch & Gering lw firm, advised Budapest-based Lead EUR 3 Croatia Wuersch & Gering Ventures Plc. on it EUR 3 million acquisition of an unspecified stake in insurtech start-up Amodo d.o.o. million 19-May Babic & Partners; BDV Go2Law and BDV advised Optimapharm founders Igor and Gordana Cicak and Wolf Theiss advised investor Mezzanine N/A Croatia Legal; Go2Law; Taylor Management on the sale of Optimapharm to the Rohatyn Group. Babic & Partners, Taylor Wessing, and Nauta Dutilh Wessing; Wolf Theiss advised the Rohatyn Group on the deal. 29-May Bogdanovic, Dolicki Savoric & Partners advised Generali on its acquisition of the insurance portfolio of Izvor Osiguranje d.d. The seller was N/A Croatia & Partners; Savoric & advised by Bogdanovic, Dolicki & Partners. Partners 1-Jun Kovacevic Prpic KPS was engaged by the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia to draft a regulation defining criteria for expert N/A Croatia Simeunovic valuation and examination of publicly funded investment projects and related instructions for budget entities at the national and local (regional) levels. 9-Jun Kovacevic Prpic KPS advised the lessor, owned by the World Star Aviation Group, on the delivery and lease of one Airbus A319-112 N/A Croatia Simeunovic; Pillsbury aircraft to Croatian national air carrier Croatia Airlines. Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman advised the lessor on English Winthrop Shaw Pittman law. 9-Jul Baker Mckenzie; Divjak DTB and Baker McKenzie advised mobile game developer Playrix on the acquisition of Croatian gaming studio Cateia N/A Croatia Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka Games. 31-Aug Latham & Watkins; Savoric & Partners advised One Equity Partners on Croatian employment matters related to a project involving a USD 200 Croatia Morrison Foerster; strategic capital investment of over USD 200 million in global IT and telecommunications company Infobip. Morrison million Savoric & Partners Foerster advised Infobip. Latham & Watkins acted as global advisor to One Equity Partners. 7-Sep Beiten Burkhardt Beiten Burkhardt advised Dr. Zwiebelhofer GmbH on the acquisition of two Croatian companies, KM Kovnica and KM N/A Croatia Alati, from an unidentified seller, and on the two companies' reintegration into the Konig Metall Group, from which they had been sold in 2013.
24 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 9-Sep CMS; Miskovic & Miskovic & Miskovic advised Croatian design and development agency Infinum, and its shareholders, in a joint venture EUR 10 Croatia Miskovic with Porsche Digital GmbH, the digital unit of Porsche AG. CMS advised Porsche Digital GmbH. million 28-Sep Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic DTB advised Interxion on its acquisition of Altus IT in Croatia. Mamic Peric Reberski Rimac advised Altus IT on the deal. N/A Croatia & Krka; Mamic Peric Reberski Rimac 30-Sep DLA Piper; Glinska Savoric & Partners, working alongside Latham & Watkins, advised Nanobit, a Croatian video game developer, on its USD 148 Croatia & Miskovic; Latham acquisition by Sweden's Stillfront Group. The buyer was advised by Glinska & Miskovic and DLA Piper. million & Watkins; Savoric & Partners 9-Oct CMS; Schoenherr Schoenherr advised S Immo AG on the acquisition of the Zagrebtower office complex from CA Immobilien Anlagen AG. N/A Croatia CMS advised the sellers on the deal. 10-Oct Savoric & Partners Savoric & Partners acted for a syndicate of Privredna Banka Zagreb d.d., Zagrebacka Banka d.d., Sberbank d.d., and EUR 66 Croatia Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and agent Privredna Banka Zagreb d.d., in relation to financing million granted to Valamar Riviera d.d. 21-Oct Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic DTB advised US-based Devolver Digital on its acquisition of Croatian independent game development company N/A Croatia & Krka; Krehic & Partners Croteam. Krehic & Partners in cooperation with Deloitte Legal advised Croteam on the deal. 31-Oct Buterin & Posavec; Savoric & Partners acted for Enterprise Fund VII, a private equity fund managed by Enterprise Investors, in its acquisition N/A Croatia Savoric & Partners of the remaining 35% stake in Croatia's Pan-Pek bakery. Buterin & Posavec advised the seller. 9-Nov Helena Sjaus; Kovacevic KPS advised Privredna Banka Zagreb-Dionicko Drustvo, Sberbank d.d., and Raiffeisenbank Austria d.d. on financing for EUR 17.2 Croatia Prpic Simeunovic the construction of a new shopping mall. Solo practitioner Helena Sjaus advised the borrower. million 26-Nov Marohnic Tomek & Gjoic; Marohnic, Tomek & Gjoic advised LCN Capital Partners on its acquisition of five Emmezeta retail and warehouse units in N/A Croatia Wolf Theiss Croatia. Josip Martinic in cooperation with Wolf Theiss reportedly advised the seller on the deal. 30-Nov Bogdanovic, Dolicki & Savoric & Partners and Dechert advised Microblink and its US partner BlinkReceipt, on its receipt of a USD 60 million USD 60 Croatia Partners; Brownstein minority investment led by Silversmith Capital Partners. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck advised the target while million Hyatt Farber Schreck; Kirkland & Ellis and Bogdanovic, Dolicki & Partners advised Silversmith Capital. Dechert; Kirkland & Ellis; Savoric & Partners 22-Dec Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka and Eisenberger & Herzog advised Austrian energy company Kelag on its acquisition of N/A Croatia & Krka; Eisenberger & the Orjak wind farm in Croatia from BayWa. Tokic Ivic Sverak advised the seller on the deal. Herzog; Tokic Ivic Sverak 30-Dec Kovacevic Prpic KPS advised UniCredit on financing for its acquisition of receivables from Officium Partners d.o.o. EUR 24 Croatia Simeunovic million 30-Apr Clifford Chance; Divjak Savoric & Partners, working alongside Clifford Chance, advised CVC Capital Partners in its acquisition of several N/A Croatia; Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka; companies from the Dogus Group. Divjak Topic Bahtijarevic & Krka advised the seller. Greece; Savoric & Partners Montenegro; Turkey 23-Nov Bird & Bird; Cipcic- Cipcic-Bragadin Mesic & Associates assisted global lead counsel Bird & Bird on Pfizer's global business combination with N/A Croatia; Bragadin Mesic & Mylan N.V., involving the spin-off of Pfizer’s Upjohn business and a subsequent merger of that business with Mylan N.V. Latvia; Associates; Clifford to form a new global generics company called Viatris. Karanovic & Partners provided local support in Serbia, Jadek & Romania; Chance (Badea); Pensa provided local support in Slovenia, Cobalt provided support in Latvia, and Clifford Chance provided local support Serbia; Cobalt; Jadek & Pensa; in Romania. Slovenia; Karanovic & Partners; Karanovic & Partners (Ilej & Partners) 29-May Allen Overy; Savoric & Savoric & Partners, working alongside Allen & Overy, advised Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank Polski S.A., Bank PLN 850 Croatia; Partners Handlowy w Warszawie S.A., Bank Zachodni WBK S.A., and ING Bank Slaski S.A. in relation to the amendment and million Poland restatement of PLN 850 million multi-currency term loan facilities and a revolving facility agreement provided to Press Glass SA and its subsidiaries. 8-Oct ODI Law; Praljak & Svic ODI Law and Praljak & Svic advised Tokic, a Croatian auto parts retail chain, on the acquisition of all shares in Slovenian N/A Croatia; tire distribution company Bartog from private individuals Jasna Bartolj Kotar and Darija Bartolj Umek. The sellers were Slovenia advised by solo practitioners Mihael Prcic and Janez Tekavc. 9-Dec Freshfields; Linklaters; Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised the Copenhagen-based payment services provider Nets and its majority owner, EUR 7.8 Croatia; ODI Law Hellman & Friedman, on the EUR 7.8 billion all-share merger of Nets into Italy’s paytech group Nexi. ODI Law acted as billion Slovenia local advisor to Nexi in Slovenia and Croatia. 12-Feb Akol Law Firm; Dentons; White & Case advised Mid Europa Partners on the merger of its portfolio company CMC Iletisim ve Cagri Merkezi N/A Croatia; Mamic Peric Reberski Hizmetleri A.S. with Meritus Upravljanje d.o.o., part of M+ Group, in return for a 30% equity stake in the combined group. Turkey Rimac; Savoric & Dentons advisedd the target company. In Croatia, Savoric & Partners advised Mid Europa Partners while Mamic Peric Partners; White & Case Reberski Rimac advised the target. Akol Law Firm advised Mid Europa in Turkey. 17-Jan Clifford Chance; Dentons and Simpson Thacher advised Round Hill Capital and Blackstone Tactical Opportunities on the sale of a EUR EUR 1.3 Czech Dentons; Simpson 1.3 billion residential real estate portfolio in the Czech Republic to Swedish real estate company Heimstaden Bostad AB. billion Republic Thacher & Bartlett Clifford Chance advised Heimstaden Bostad on the deal. 24-Jan Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Czech investment group Portiva on its acquisition of a 5000-square meter retail center in the Czech CZK 250 Czech Republic from Austrian developer Aventin. million Republic 25-Jan Frank Bold; Havel & Havel & Partners advised Finland’s Vexve Oy on its acquisition of 100% of Armatury Group a.s., a Czech manufacturer in N/A Czech Partners the heavy industry segment. Frank Bold advised the seller. Republic 27-Jan Weinhold Legal Weinhold Legal advised Czech insurance broker Renomia on its acquisition of FINVOX Financni Sluzby, a Czech company N/A Czech focusing on insurance, credit, and investment mediation. Republic 27-Jan Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Youplus Insurance International AG and myLife Lebensversicherung AG, members of Switzerland's N/A Czech Insurevolution Partners insurance group, on the acquisition of Czech and Slovak life and non-life insurance contract Republic portfolios from Basler Sachversicherungs-AG and Basler Lebensversicherungs-AG. 27-Jan Clifford Chance; Hladky Clifford Chance advised P & O Netherlands B.V. on the EUR 21.5 million sale of its 50% stake in the Technologicky Park EUR 21.5 Czech Legal; Kroupahelan Brno business center to the city of Brno. As a result of the deal, the city, which was advised by Hladky Legal and the million Republic Kroupahelan Law Firm, became the majority owner of the park.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 25 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 1-Feb Clifford Chance; Eversheds Sutherland advised Emma Capital in connection with its acquisition of assisted reproduction clinics and the N/A Czech Eversheds Sutherland establishment of a joint venture with the sellers. Clifford Chance advised the sellers. Republic 4-Feb Kocian Solc Balastik KSB's helped the Experientia Foundation transform and professionalize. N/A Czech Republic 4-Feb BPV Braun Partners BPV Braun Partners advised Carrier Transicold on the sale of its Czech subsidiary. N/A Czech Republic 5-Feb JSK; Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Raiffeisenbank on financing for KWR Czech's acquisition of DCK Holoubkov, a company that produces N/A Czech all-plastic outdoor low-voltage distribution switchboards, from two unnamed individuals. KWR Czech, owned by BHS Republic Fund II Private Equity, was advised by JSK on the deal. 13-Feb Weinhold Legal Weinhold Legal advised Ceska Posta on its CZK 353 million sale of the St. Gabriel Monastery to the Cimex Group. CZK 353 Czech million Republic 14-Feb BPV Braun Partners; BPV Braun Partners advised Unicapital Energy Group on the acquisition of PSP Technicke Sluzby. Eversheds Sutherland N/A Czech Eversheds Sutherland advised the sellers on the transaction. Republic 20-Feb Allen & Overy Allen & Overy advised sole lead manager JP Morgan on Moneta Money Bank's approximately CZK 2.6 billion domestic CZK 2.6 Czech subordinated Tier 2 capital bond issuance. billion Republic 29-Feb PRK Partners PRK Partners advised Komercni Banka a.s. on financing provided to a joint venture established by Sekyra Group and EUR 13.1 Czech Ungelt Services for the acquisition of land for the development of residential and commercial projects in Prague. million Republic 1-Mar Havel & Partners; Norton Havel & Partners and Norton Rose Fulbright represented Wustenrot & Wurttenbergische AG on the sale of 100% shares EUR 180 Czech Rose Fulbright in Wustenrot-Stavebni Pojistovna a.s. and Wustenrot Hypotecni Banka a.s. to Moneta Money Bank, a.s. million Republic 4-Mar PwC Legal PwC Legal advised IBSA Group on the acquisition of its long-term distributor on the Czech market, IBI spol. s r.o. IBI was N/A Czech advised by Solo Practitioners Violeta Jirackova and Rostislav Zak. Republic 16-Mar Kocian Solc Balastik Kocian Solc Balastik advised Czech hosting company IGNUM on its acquisition of web hosting and server services N/A Czech provider Stable.cz. Republic 16-Mar Kocian Solc Balastik Kocian Solc Balastik advised Solitea on the acquisition of Axiom Provis Int. N/A Czech Republic 17-Mar Weinhold Legal Weinhold Legal advised Skolnik Holding s.r.o. on the acquisition of a majority stake in Hobra-Skolnik from Switzerland's N/A Czech Filtrox. Republic 17-Mar Clifford Chance; Clifford Chance advised Heimstaden Bostad AB on its EUR 1.3 billion acquisition of Residomo's residential portfolio, EUR 1.3 Czech Dentons which consists of move 42,000 residential units primarily in the Moravia-Silesia region of the Czech Republic. Dentons billion Republic advised Residomo on the deal. 18-Mar Kinstellar Kinstellar helped Portiva acquire Astrid Offices, an administrative center under development in Prague’s Holesovice EUR 19.5 Czech district. million Republic 26-Mar Allen & Overy; Clifford Allen & Overy; Dentons; Fenwick & West; White & Case EUR 300 Czech Chance; Milbank, Tweed, million Republic Hadley & Mccloy 31-Mar PRK Partners PRK Partners advised lead manager Komercni Banka a.s. on Equa Bank's mortgage bond issuance under the existing CZK 2 Czech Debt Issuance Programme. billion Republic 31-Mar Johnson Stastny PRK Partners advised Komercni Banka a.s. in connection with the financing of a large real estate development project in EUR 120 Czech Kramarik; PRK Partners Prague realized by the Finep Group. Johnson Stastny Kramarik advised the borrower. million Republic 1-Apr Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland advised the founder of Strojmetal on the sale of his controlling stake in the company to the MTX N/A Czech Havel & Partners group. Havel & Partners advised the buyers. Republic 1-Apr PRK Partners PRK Partners advised Komercni Banka a.s. on the financing of a large real-estate residential development project in EUR 4.21 Czech Prague known as Kaskady Barrandov. million Republic 3-Apr BPV Braun Partners; CEE BPV Braun Partners advised Generali Investments CEE on its acquisition of a residential building in Prague. CEE Attorneys N/A Czech Attorneys advised the unidentified seller on the deal. Republic 8-Apr Clifford Chance; Dolecek Clifford Chance advised Generali Real Estate on its acquisition of the Kotva Department Store, a 28,000 square meter N/A Czech Advokati seven-story building in the Prague city center, from PSN. Dolecek Advokati advised the sellers. Republic 20-Apr JSK; Mavericks JSK advised Tilia Impact Ventures and Nation 1 on their investment in Dot Glasses, a provider of a radical new concept N/A Czech for prescription eyeglasses for people in need. The Mavericks law firm advised Dot Glasses on the deal. Republic 20-Apr Allen & Overy; Eversheds Eversheds Sutherland, as Czech and Romanian counsel, and Linklaters, as lead counsel, advised G4S, a British N/A Czech Sutherland; Linklaters; multinational security services company, on its corporate restructuring and subsequent sale of its cash solutions Republic RTPR activities to Brink's. Allen & Overy and RTPR advised the buyers. 24-Apr Baker Mckenzie Baker McKenzie advised Kofola CeskoSlovensko on its acquisition of rhe Karlovarska Korunni and Ondrasovka food and N/A Czech beverage companies. Republic 1-May Clifford Chance; Eversheds Sutherland advised DER Touristik Group GmbH, a German-based company and member of REWE group, in N/A Czech Eversheds Sutherland connection with their acquisition of the Czech Republic's CK Fische travel agency. Clifford Chance advised the sellers. Republic 7-May Weinhold Legal Weinhold Legal advised technology security start-up Resistant AI on its recent venture financing round. N/A Czech Republic 15-May Dentons; PwC Legal PwC Legal advised Varroc Lighting Systems, a Czech manufacturer of headlamps, on the expansion of a syndicate of EUR 230 Czech creditors which had extended the company a EUR 230 million loan. The banking syndicate was advised by Dentons. million Republic 21-May Kinstellar Kinstellar helped CSOB to launch the we.trade finance platform in the Czech Republic. N/A Czech Republic 21-May GT Legal; Trojan, GT Legal represented Fragile Media s.r.e. founder Daniel Kafka and the Etnetera Group at the sale of their combined 50% N/A Czech Dolecek & Partners stake in Fragile Media to the Czech KnowLimits media and communications group. Trojan, Dolecek & Partners advised Republic the buyers on the deal. 22-May Glatzova & Co; Kinstellar Glatzova & Co advised the KKCG investment group on the sale of Conectart, a call center operator in the Czech Republic, N/A Czech to the Genesis Capital Group. The Prague office of Kinstellar advised the buyers on the deal. Republic
26 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 25-May Travers Smith; Weinhold Weinhold Legal advised the shareholders of Klikpojisteni.cz, a.s., including the private equity arm of Benson Oak Capital, N/A Czech Legal; Wolf Theiss on the sale of their 100% stake in Klikpojisteni.cz, a.s. to a company majority-owned by TA Associates and minority- Republic owned by MCI EuroVentures. The buyer was advised by Wolf Theiss and Travers Smith. 27-May Allen & Overy; Dentons Dentons advised CPI Property Group on a successful tender offer of bonds and the issue of EUR 750 million 2.75% Notes EUR 750 Czech due 2026 under CPI's EUR 8 billion Medium Term Note Program. Allen & Overy advised joint lead managers Credit Suisse million Republic Securities (Europe) Limited, Deutsche Bank AG, HSBC Bank plc, Nomura International plc, and Unicredit Bank AG. 1-Jun Eversheds Sutherland; Havel & Partners advised 2 JCP on the sale of 70% interest in the company to JET 2, an investment fund within the Jet N/A Czech Havel & Partners Investment group, which is owned by Igor Fait. The buyer was advised by Eversheds Sutherland Republic 1-Jun Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland advised EGAP, the Czech government's export insurer, on its EUR 5 billion COVID-19 rescue EUR 5 Czech White & Case program for local companies. White & Case advised the banks. billion Republic 3-Jun Glatzova & Co Glatzova & Co successfully represented the interests of paper products manufacturer Mondi Steti before the N/A Czech Constitutional Court of the Czech Republic. Republic 5-Jun Kinstellar Kinstellar advised US-based Novavax, a late-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation vaccines for USD 167 Czech serious infectious diseases, on its acquisition of Praha Vaccines a.s. from the Cyrus Poonawalla Group. million Republic 8-Jun Dentons; Latham & Dentons advised Sev.en Energy on the acquisition of US-based metallurgical coal producer Blackhawk Mining. Latham & N/A Czech Watkins Watkins advised Blackhawk on the deal. Republic 12-Jun Kocian Solc Balastik Kocian Solc Balastik successfully represented the Czech Republic's National Theatre in a rent dispute before the Czech N/A Czech Supreme Court. Republic 15-Jun Kocian Solc Balastik Kocian Solc Balastik helped prepare contractual documentation for the Arete investment and real estate group related EUR 80 Czech to the refinancing of the portfolio of its EUR 80 million CEE II sub-fund. million Republic 16-Jun Kocian Solc Balastik Kocian Solc Balastik advised Czech hosting company Ignum, a member of Slovakias WY Group, on the acquisition of the N/A Czech hosting division of Axfone LLC, a development and telecommunications company with branches in Europe, the USA, and Republic Asia. Solo practitioner Richard Sysel advised Axfone on the deal. 16-Jun Masek, Koci, Aujezdsky; Masek, Koci, Aujezdsky advised sports platform Livesport on the acquisition of film portal Kinobox.cz from entrepreneur N/A Czech Vyskocil Kroslak a Peter Vachler, who will remain on as a consultant. Vyskocil, Kroslak a Partneri advised Vachler on the deal. Republic Partneri 17-Jun CMS; Dunovska & CMS advised Arkance on its acquisition of CAD Studio, a company involved in the digitalization of manufacturing and N/A Czech Partners construction industries in the Czech and Slovak Republics and Hungary, from Autocont, a member of the Aricoma Republic Group. Dunovska & Partners advised the sellers on the deal. 1-Jul DBK Partners; Havel & Havel & Partners advised Moufleco Holdings Limited on the the sale of its 45% stake in TEDOM to the CEZ group. DBK N/A Czech Partners Partners advised the buyer. Republic 6-Jul Kinstellar; Roedl & Kinstellar advised Max Aicher GmbH & Co. KG on the acquisition of the enterprises of bankrupt Czech companies Pilsen N/A Czech Partner; Tarpan Partners Steel s.r.o. and Pilsen Estates s.r.o. from insolvency administrator Jaroslav Broz. Tarpan Partners were on the insolvency Republic administrator’s team, while Roedl & Partner served as tax advisors to the Max Aicher group. 8-Jul Kocian Solc Balastik KSB advised Solitea Holding on the internal merger of thirty companies from the Czech Republic and Slovakia into two N/A Czech national companies. Republic 8-Jul Kocian Solc Balastik KSB advised Sandberg Capital on the acquisition of a 35% stake in Revolgy Business Solutions. N/A Czech Republic 9-Jul Weinhold Legal Weinhold Legal advised Chropynska Strojirna on the acquisition of a 100% stake in HLS Czech. N/A Czech Republic 10-Jul Allen & Overy; Go2Law; Allen & Overy and Go2Law advised the management of Memsource on the sale of its majority stake to the Carlyle Group. N/A Czech White & Case White & Case advised the Carlyle Group. Republic 13-Jul Clifford Chance Clifford Chance advised the Nadace Dagmar a Vaclava Havlovych VIZE 97 foundation on multiple intellectual property N/A Czech protection matters. Republic 16-Jul Havel & Partners; White & Case advised Hungary's MVM on the acquisition of the entire share capital in Innogy Czech Republic from Innogy N/A Czech Hengeler Mueller; White Beteiligungsholding, a member of the Innogy/E.ON Group. Hengeler Mueller and Havel & Partners advised E.ON on the Republic & Case deal. 23-Jul Havel & Partners; Schoenherr advised the LYNXCap Group on acquisition of a Czech-originated NPL portfolio and underlying financing EUR 8.8 Czech Schoenherr from Gorenjska Banka d.d. in Slovenia. Havel & Partners acted as local counsel to Cirilin One a.s. million Republic 28-Jul Grant Thornton; GT Kocian Solc Balastik advised the Skoda Transportation Group on the acquisition of Ostrava-based Ekova Electric. GT N/A Czech Legal; Kocian Solc Legal and Grant Thornton advised the seller, Dopravni Podnik Ostrava. Republic Balastik 3-Aug Allen & Overy; Clifford Allen & Overy advised Czech Gas Networks Investments on its successful issuance and placement of EUR 600 million EUR 855 Czech Chance and CZK 6.75 billion notes with investors on international capital markets. Clifford Chance reportedly advised joint million Republic book-runners Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG, Societe Generale, UniCredit Bank AG, Ceska Sporitelna, a.s., Ceskoslovenska Obchodni Banka, a. s., and Komercni Banka, a.s., as well as trustee Citicorp Trustee Company Limited and the London branch of Citibank, which acted as the paying agent, transfer agent, and the agent bank. 5-Aug Bird & Bird Bird & Bird advised KB SmartSolutions on its strategic entry into Upvest. N/A Czech Republic 6-Aug Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland advised Expandia on the sale of the Hamburg Business Center office complex in Pilsen, in the N/A Czech HKDW Legal Czech Republic. HKDW Legal advised the buyer. Republic 12-Aug Heuking Kuhn Luer Kocian Solc Balastik and Germany's Heuking Kuhn Luer Wojtek advised China-based Inner Mongolia Mengtai on the N/A Czech Wojtek; Kocian Solc acquisition of the Czech part of the Apt group. Republic Balastik 19-Aug Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Genesis Growth Equity Fund I on its acquisition of R2B2, an advertising company in the Czech Republic. N/A Czech Republic 2-Sep BPV Braun Partners BPV Braun Partners advised ECO Finance Group s.r.o on establishing a joint venture with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese N/A Czech of Olomouc. Republic 10-Sep Havel & Partners Havel & Partners assisted eMan a.s. with the listing of its CZK 45 million securities on the Prague Stock Exchange's START CZK 45 Czech exchange. million Republic
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 27 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
28 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 14-Sep DLA Piper; NKL Legal DLA Piper’s Prague office advised Russia's Trust Union Fund on its acquisition of the Kovosvit machine tool manufacturer N/A Czech from Industry Innovation. NKL Legal advised the sellers on the deal. Republic 14-Sep Dentons; Weinhold Legal Weinhold Legal advised Etarea Invenium on its acquisition of Pactio DB from the Pactio Invest group. Dentons advised N/A Czech the seller. Republic 17-Sep Baker McKenzie; Pierstone advised the Prague-based Socialbakers social media marketing company on the sale of its global business to N/A Czech Pierstone U.S.-based customer engagement company Astute. Baker McKenzie advised Astute on the deal. Republic 22-Sep Kocian Solc Balastik Kocian Solc Balastik helped the Walteran Company obtain a license from the Czech National Bank to operate an N/A Czech investment company. Republic 22-Sep Kocian Solc Balastik KSB advised the WY Group on its acquisition of Hosting90 System and Hosting Zdarma in the Czech Republic. N/A Czech Republic 24-Sep Baker Mckenzie; JSK; Baker McKenzie’s Prague office advised Worldline SA/NV on its acquisition of a 53% of stake in Gopay. JSK and Urban & N/A Czech Urban & Hejduk Hejduk advised the seller on the deal. Republic 24-Sep Kinstellar; White & Case Kinstellar advised Czech investment group Portiva and Micronix on its acquisition of the Central Kladno shopping center CZK 2 Czech in the Czech town of Kladno from Crestyl. White & Case advised Crestyl on the deal. billion Republic 25-Sep Dentons Dentons advised CPI Property Group on a successful tender offer and the issue of EUR 525 million 4.875% undated EUR 525 Czech subordinated notes callable in November 2026. million Republic 28-Sep DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Inven Capital on an unspecified investment in Sweden's Eliq AB. N/A Czech Republic 5-Oct Kocian Solc Balastik KSB advised Eligo on its acquisition of the Czech branch of Euroserum. N/A Czech Republic 6-Oct Kocian Solc Balastik KSB advised the Pilsen Public Transport Corporation on awarding a public contract to renovate the Slovany tram depot CZK 1.7 Czech in the Czech city of Plzen. billion Republic 9-Oct Havel & Partners Havel & Partners advised Prazska Teplarenska on the spin-off of its assets into five successor companies. N/A Czech Republic 9-Oct BPV Braun Partners; Schoenherr advised KB SmartSolutions on the acquisition of an almost 25% stake in Platebni Instituce Roger from N/A Czech Schoenherr; Setina Echilon Capital. BPV Braun Partners advised Echilon Capital on the transaction, and Setina, Komendova & Partners Republic Komendova & Partners advised Platebni Instituce Roger's CEO Adam Soukal and CTO Tomas Slobodnik. 9-Oct Havel & Partners Havel & Partners helped Czech software supplier eMan list its shares on the Start stock exchange. CZK 45 Czech million Republic 13-Oct JSK; Noerr JSK advised Poland's R22 Group on its acquisition by auction of a 100% stake in ProfiSMS s.r.o. and its two Czech fully- N/A Czech owned subsidiaries, Axima SMS Services s.r.o. and SMSbrana s.r.o., from Net Brokers Holding. Noerr represented the Republic sellers. 13-Oct Havel & Partners Havel & Partners advised on the sale of the Czech special purpose vehicle that owns Prime Timesheet to Icelandic IT N/A Czech company Tempo Ehf. Republic 13-Oct Havel & Partners Havel & Partners advised Genesis Capital Growth on the acquisition of a 100% stake in Home Care Promedica, a home N/A Czech healthcare and social services provider in the Czech Republic. Republic 19-Oct Clifford Chance; Wilsons Clifford Chance advised Generali Real Estate on the acquisition of the IBC office building in Prague from Mint Investments. N/A Czech Wilsons advised Mint Investments. Republic 19-Oct Havel & Partners; Noerr Noerr advised Bilfinger SE on the sale of Bilfinger Industrial Services Czech s.r.o., Bilfinger Euromont a.s., and Bilfinger N/A Czech Slovensko s.r.o to funds advised by Deutsche Invest Mittelstand. Havel & Partners advised the buyers on the deal. Republic 19-Oct Kocian Solc Balastik Kocian Solc Balastik advised J&T Banka on project financing to the Julius Meinl Living Group for the development of an EUR 27 Czech apartment hotel on Senovazne Namesti in Prague. million Republic 20-Oct JSK JSK advised shareholders Petr Janu, Jan Zvonik, Ladislav Partl, and Jiri Trcka on the sale of TKZ Polna, spol. s r.o. to the N/A Czech Rose Investments Group. Republic 20-Oct Davis Polk; Novalia; Schoenherr and Davis Polk advised Germany’s Celonis on its acquisition of Integromat and its subsidiaries in the Czech N/A Czech Schoenherr Republic. Novalia advised the selling shareholders on the deal. Republic 22-Oct Havel & Partners Havel & Partners, working pro bono, helped the Plant-for-the-Planet organization establish its presence in the Czech N/A Czech Republic. Republic 22-Oct KLB Legal KLB Legal advised Pilulka Lekarny on its initial public offering on the Start market of the Prague Stock Exchange. Wood & CZK 250 Czech Company Financial Services served as the arranger on the offering, which was valued at CZK 250 million. Million Republic 27-Oct Dentons; Skils Dentons advised international energy group Sev.en Energy on the acquisition of the Pocerady power plant from CEZ. N/A Czech Skils advised CEZ on the transaction. Republic 27-Oct Clifford Chance Clifford Chance advised AOC on its acquisition of the unsaturated polyester resin manufacturing operations of N/A Czech Spolchemie. Republic 27-Oct Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland advised construction management software provider Procore Technologies on Czech aspects N/A Czech Kastner Gravelle of its acquisition of Esticom, a cloud-based estimating and take-off solution provider and preconstruction technology Republic provider. Kastner Gravelle advised on US Law. 30-Oct PRK Partners PRK Partners advised International Campus Group on the completion of a first-of-its-kind student campus in Prague. N/A Czech Republic 31-Oct Havel & Partners; White Havel & Partners advised Innogy SE on the sale of a 50.04% stake in innogy Grid Holding a.s, a Czech gas distribution N/A Czech Case network, to RWE. White & Case advised the buyer. Republic 3-Nov Bird & Bird Bird & Bird assisted KB SmartSolutions on an unspecified investment into the fintech company Lemonero, made through N/A Czech the acquisition of shares in its parent company, MonkeyData. Republic 3-Nov Allen & Overy; White Allen & Overy advised Ceska Zbrojovka Group on its initial public offering and the listing of its shares on the Prime Market CZK 812 Czech & Case of the Prague Stock Exchange. White & Case advised joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners Ceska Sporitelna, million Republic Komercni Banka, and Societe Generale. 5-Nov Kocian Solc Balastik KSB successfully represented Czech railway carrier Leo Express in a complaint against competitor Ceske Drahy filed N/A Czech with the European Commision. Republic
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 29 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 5-Nov Kinstellar Kinstellar helped Nexen Tire Europe lease a 12,000-square-meter warehouse in CTPark Zatec, about 80 kilometers N/A Czech northwest of Prague, from CTP Bohemia North. Republic 5-Nov Clifford Chance Clifford Chance advised sole lead manager J&T Banka and arranger J&T IB Capital Markets on Energo-Pro Green CZK 530 Czech Finance’s issuance of bonds valued at CZK 530 million. million Republic 6-Nov Kocian Solc Balastik; PRK PRK Partners advised Euroserum on the sale of its international operations to Eligo. Kocian Solc Balastik reportedly N/A Czech Partners advised Eligo. Republic 11-Nov Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Veolia on its acquisition of Prazska Teplarenska from EP Energy, a subsidiary of the EPH Group. N/A Czech Republic 11-Nov Baroch Sobota; The Czech office of Schoenherr advised the Auto Palace Group, a Czech subsidiary of the Dutch AutoBinck Group, on EUR 6 Czech Schoenherr the acquisition of car dealerships in Prague and Karlovy Vary from CarPoint Karlovy Vary s.r.o., which was advised by million Republic Baroch Sobota. 16-Nov Forlex; Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Kemp Technologies on its acquisition of Czech Republic-based Flowmon. Forlex advised the N/A Czech unidentified sellers. Republic 25-Nov Glatzova & Co; HKR Glatzova & Co advised Bike Fun Nederland B.V. on the sale of Bike Fun International, a company based in the Czech city of N/A Czech Koprivnice, to ConsilTech. HKR advised ConsilTech on the deal. Republic 27-Nov BPV Braun Partners; BPV Braun Partners advised Generali Investments CEE, an investment company acting on behalf of the Generali Real N/A Czech Svec Rychterova Estate Fund, on the acquisition of an early 20th-century building in Prague from Ferd s.r.o. Ferd was advised by the Svec Republic Rychterova law firm. 27-Nov Kocian Solc Balastik Kocian Solc Balastik advised ING Bank Slaski on financing to an unidentified borrower for the acquisition of two LET N/A Czech Aircraft Industries L-410 UVP E-20 aircrafts. Republic 1-Dec Kocian Solc Balastik; Noerr assisted ALSO Holding AG on its acquisition of Daquas, a Cloud Solution Provider for Microsoft from the Droege N/A Czech Noerr Group. The seller was advised by Kocian Solc Balastik. Republic 9-Dec Allen & Overy; Dentons Dentons advised the CPI Property Group on its new five-year term EUR 700 million revolving credit facility with Banco EUR 700 Czech Santander, Barclays, Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, J.P. Morgan, Komercni Banka, Raiffeisen Bank AG, UniCredit, million Republic and Bank of China. Allen & Overy’s London office advised the banks on the deal. 15-Dec Dentons Dentons successfully represented Veolia Energie CR in a dispute with Czech tax authorities regarding interest from N/A Czech illegal gift tax. Republic 16-Dec Glatzova & Co.; Rutland Glatzova & Co. advised Raiffeisenbank on its provision of a CZK 215 million loan to BesTen. Rutland Partners advised the CZK 215 Czech Partners borrower on the deal. million Republic 16-Dec Glatzova & Co. Glatzova & Co. helped Smartlook.com obtain a CZK 81 million Series A investment from Dutch investment company CZK 81 Czech Airbridge Equity Partners and other unidentified investors. million Republic 23-Dec Glatzova & Co Glatzova & Co advised Reflex Capital on the sale of its stake in Brno startup Webnode to the Belgian company Team.Blue. N/A Czech Republic 23-Dec Kocian Solc Balastik Kocian Solc Balastik advised Arete Invest’s real-estate fund on the EUR 113 million sale of a portfolio of 11 logistics and EUR 113 Czech industrial parks in the Czech Republic and Slovakia to Australia-based fund Cromwell. million Republic 23-Dec PRK Partners PRK Partners and NautaDutilh advised CD Cargo on the successful acquisition of a CZK 3.43 billion loan from the CZK Czech European Investment Bank. 3.43 Republic billion 24-Dec AK Evan; Clifford Chance Clifford Chance advised Corporate Finance House Group on a joint acquisition with Ceskomoravska Nemovitostni of the CZK 4 Czech Churchill Square office from Penta Real Estate. AK Evan advised Penta Real Estate on the deal. billion Republic 28-Dec Clifford Chance; Kocian Kocian Solc Balastik advised J&T Banka on its CZK 2.1 billion acquisition of Rustonka Development II, which owns the CZK 2.1 Czech Solc Balastik Rustonka office building in Karlin, Prague. Clifford Chance advised the sellers on the deal. billion Republic 29-Dec Bpv Braun Partners; BPV Braun Partners advised Immofinanz on the acquisition of retail parks in the Czech town of Litvinov and the Horni N/A Czech Kinstellar Mecholupy neighborhood of Prague from Mitiska Reim. Kinstellar advised Mitiska Reim on the deal. Republic 29-Dec Novalia; Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Beijer Ref AG on the acquisition of a majority stake in Czech Sinclair Global Group s.r.o. from private N/A Czech individuals Ivo Nespor, Vladimir Pakosta, and Zdenek Cizek. Novalia advised the sellers on the deal. Republic 31-Dec PRK Partners PRK Partners advised a syndicate of ING Bank, Ceska Sporitelna, and Hypo Noe Gruppe Bank AG on project financing for N/A Czech an underground gas storage facility in Damborice, in the Czech Republic. Republic 22-Oct Noerr; Vyskocil Kroslak Noerr advised Kuka AG, a manufacturer of industrial robots, production machines, and systems, on the closure and N/A Czech & Partneri disposal of a manufacturing plant in Northern Bohemia. Vyskocil Kroslak & Partneri advised the buyer. Republic 2-Jan Lakatos, Koves & LKT assisted Cad Studio s.r.o., the Czech distributor of Autodesk, on its purchase of the Autodesk distribution business EUR 2 Czech Partners; Szecskay of Varinex. The sellers were advised by Szecskay. million Republic; Hungary 17-Sep CMS; Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Covivio on its lease of the Carlo IV hotel in Prague and the New York Palace and New York Residence N/A Czech hotels in Budapest to the NH Hotel Group. CMS advised the NH Hotel Group on the deal. Republic; Hungary 22-Sep Castren & Snellman; DLK DLK Legal in Poland and Kinstellar in Hungary and the Czech Republic advised Infosys on its acquisition of GuideVision. EUR 30 Czech Legal; Havel & Partners; Osborne Clarke, Sorainen, and Castren & Snellman also advised Infosys on the deal. Havel & Partners served as million Republic; Kinstellar; Osborne GuideVision’s advisor in the Czech Republic. Hungary; Clarke; Sorainen Poland 19-Mar Allen & Overy; Greenberg Traurig provided Polish advice to GLP on its acquisition of Goodman Group’s Central and Eastern Europe EUR 1 Czech Greenberg Traurig; logistics portfolio. Kirkland & Ellis served as global legal counsel to GLP, while Kinstellar provided local legal advice with billion Republic; Kinstellar; Kirkland & Ellis respect to Czech, Slovak, and Hungarian aspects of the transaction. Allen & Overy advised the Goodman Group on the Hungary; deal. Poland; Slovakia 16-Dec Jadek & Pensa; Schoenher advised EP Logistics International, a.s on its acquisition of a 49% stake in SZ-Tovorni Promet d.o.o., a EUR 60 Czech Schoenherr Slovenia-based company engaged in providing rail cargo services, and Fersped AD Skopje, a Macedonia-based company million Republic; from Slovenian Railways Ltd. Fersped AD was advised by Jadek & Pensa. North Macedonia; Slovenia
30 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 9-Sep DLA Piper; Havel & Schoenherr advised Twisto Payments a.s. on the increase of share capital by existing and new investors. DLA Piper and EUR 6.1 Czech Partners; Schoenherr Havel & Partners advised the investors – ZIP Co Ltd and Elevator Ventures. million Republic; Poland 22-Dec Havel & Partners; Havel & Partners advised Elevator Ventures Beteligungs GmbH on its acquisition of a 2.34% stake in Twisto Payments N/A Czech Schoenherr a.s. Schoenherr advised the seller. Republic; Poland 28-Dec Baker Mckenzie Baker McKenzie advised Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding on the sale of 38.946% of the shares and Braindour N/A Czech Development Limited on the sale of 61.029% of the shares in Polish coal mine Przedsiebiorstwo Gornicze Silesia to Republic; Bumech. Poland 14-Feb CMS; Dentons; Leges Lawyers from CMS in Ukraine and Poland joined the firm's multi-national team advising the EBRD on the acquisition of a USD 40 Czech stake in Uzbek food retailer Korzinka. Uzbek law firm Leges reportedly advised the EBRD as well, while Dentons advised million Republic; the sellers. Poland; Russia; Ukraine 14-Feb Clifford Chance; Schoenherr and Hugh Owen of Go2Law advised UNIQA on its acquisition of AXA subsidiaries in the Czech Republic, EUR 1 Czech Go2Law; Schoenherr Poland, and Slovakia. Clifford Chance advised AXA on the transaction. billion Republic; Poland; Slovakia 26-Aug Garrigues; Studnicki, Studnicki, Pleszka, Cwiakalski, Gorski advised the Oriens Bijou Group on the sale of the network to the Tous group. N/A Czech Pleszka, Cwiakalski, Garrigues advised Tous on the deal. Republic; Gorski Poland; Slovakia 1-Jan Bondoc & Asociatii Bondoc si Asociatii assisted the Generali Group on the restructuring of its pension funds management activities in N/A Czech Romania. Republic; Romania 20-Feb Dentons; Rodl & Partner Dentons advised GeoPost / DPDgroup on the acquisition of Czech and Slovak parcel delivery operations of Germany's N/A Czech Geis logistics group. The Geis group was advised by Rodl & Partner. Republic; Slovakia 28-Feb Badokh; CMS; Schoenherr advised Kommunalkredit Austria AG on financing provided to Enery Development for its acquisition of six N/A Czech Schoenherr 21 MW solar power plants in the Czech Republic and two 4 MW solar power plants in the Slovak Republic from Czech fund Republic; Green Horizon Renewables. CMS advised Enery and Badokh advised Green Horizon Renewables. Slovakia 31-Mar White & Case White & Case advised TPG Capital on a development loan for unidentified industrial premises to serve as multi-purpose N/A Czech facilities for warehousing, administration, and trade and science and technology. Republic; Slovakia 22-Jun Havel & Partners; Majernik & Mihalikova advised two shareholders of NG Aviation, a start-up developing a platform for digitizing N/A Czech Majernik & Mihalikova aeronautical data, on the sale of some of their shares. Havel & Partners advised the unidentified buyer. Republic; Slovakia 3-Jul Allen & Overy; Clifford Clifford Chance advised Vseobecna Uverova Banka a.s., the Slovak subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo, on the update of N/A Czech Chance its EUR 5 billion covered bond program and another syndicated EUR 500 million issuance via the Luxembourg Stock Republic; Exchange. Allen & Overy advised joint lead managers Banca IMI S.p.A., Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, Danske Bank Slovakia A/S, Erste Group Bank AG, and Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg. 6-Aug Blockchain Legal; Majernik & Mihalikova, as Slovak law advisor, and Blockchain Legal, as Czech law advisor, assisted Citadelo and its N/A Czech Majernik & Mihalikova shareholders on a number of transfers of the shareholdings in the Slovak and Czech entity among the founders and to Republic; Swizterland's Artmotion, which became a majority shareholder in both entities. Slovakia 18-Nov Hamala Kluch Viglasky; Havel & Partners advised Austria's Innofreight Consulting & Logistics on the formation of a joint venture with Slovakia's N/A Czech Havel & Partners Budamar Logistics. Hamala Kluch Viglasky advised Budamar Logistics on the deal. Republic; Slovakia 3-Jan PWC Legal PWC Legal advised DncOne OU, managed by Estonian entrepreneur Ullar Jaaksoo, on its acquisition of iD Susteemide N/A Estonia OU. 17-Jan Tark Tark successfully represented Solaris Bus & Coach in a dispute over the procurement of gas buses for Tallinna N/A Estonia Linnatranspordi. 17-Jan Sorainen Sorainen successfully represented Eesti Kontsert, a state-owned philharmonic foundation, in a dispute against EUR Estonia claimants United Capital and Brutus Inkasso. 28,296 20-Jan Leadell (Pilv) The Leadell Pilv firm successfully defended businessman Alexander Kofkin in the Harju County Court. N/A Estonia 21-Jan Sorainen; Triniti Triniti advised ANMKinnisvara, K.E.D.S, and Faroc on the sale of Birger to Finland's Fincumet Group, which was advised N/A Estonia by Sorainen. 22-Jan Cobalt; Sorainen Cobalt advised the European Investment Bank on a EUR 50 million venture debt facility to Bolt, the Estonian developer of EUR 50 Estonia a ride-hailing app. The borrowers were advised by Sorainen on the financing. million 27-Jan Cobalt; Ellex (Raidla); Cobalt advised and represented AS Ragn-Sells in a complex insurance dispute with Seesam Insurance regarding the fires N/A Estonia Nove in Ragn-Sells' MBT-plant in Tallinn. Nove and Ellex Raidla advised Seesam. 28-Jan TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised real estate company KEK Arendus OU, a member of the Rondam Group, on its acquisition of an office N/A Estonia building in the Tallinn city center from Danske Bank A/S and on its conclusion of a lease contract with the current user of the building. 29-Jan Cobalt Cobalt advised AS PRFoods, a fish farming and production company listed on the Tallinn Stock Exchange, on a private EUR 9.1 Estonia placement of secured notes. million 31-Jan Ellex (Raidla); PwC Legal PwC Legal Estonia advised DncOne OU on its acquisition of iD Susteemide OU. Ellex Raidla advised the sellers. N/A Estonia 31-Jan Sorainen Sorainen advised the Fincumet Group on the acquisition of a 60% stake of Estonia's Birger, a producer of hooklift N/A Estonia containers and related steel constructions, from owner and CEO Aleksei Manniste. 5-Feb HPP Attorneys; Pohla & Estonia's Pohla & Hallmagi advised Wraight Invest on its acquisition of the remaining 54% of Hobby Hall Group OU from N/A Estonia Hallmagi fellow shareholders SGN Group Oy and Four P&P Consulting Oy. Finland's HPP Attorneys advised the Finnish sellers on the deal.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 31 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 5-Feb Cobalt Cobalt advised Poco Holding on the sale of banking-as-a-service provider PocoSys to the Opera Group. Opera also N/A Estonia signed an agreement to acquire PocoSys's sister company, EU-licensed payment institution Pocopay. 12-Feb Glikman Alvin Levin Glikman Alvin Levin advised Deca Games OU on its merger with Deca Live Operations GmbH. N/A Estonia 19-Feb Cobalt Cobalt advised Change Ventures on its EUR 500,000 investment in Estonian educational startup 99math. EUR Estonia 500,000 21-Feb Cobalt Gide advised B&B Hotels Polska on a cooperation agreement with Covivio and on the sale and leaseback of three hotels. N/A Estonia Covivio was advised by Wardynski & Partners. 28-Feb Njord Njord represented RedDigital OU on its entrance into a sponsorship deal with Watford FC for the Sportsbet.io brand. GBP 6 Estonia Australia's KKI law firm advised Watford. million 5-Mar Cobalt Cobalt advised Laurus S.a.r.l. on the sale of the Valge Maja office building in Tallinn to LHV pension funds. N/A Estonia 5-Mar Cobalt Cobalt successfully helped Nuctech Warsaw Company Limited Sp. z o.o. win a public procurement procedure to sell the N/A Estonia Tallinn Airport two baggage-scanning devices. 17-Mar Cobalt Cobalt advised Luminor Bank on its inaugural issue of covered bonds, with an aggregate nominal value of EUR 500 million. EUR 500 Estonia million 27-Mar Pohla & Hallmagi Pohla & Hallmagi advised the Hobby Hall Group, operating under the Hansapost brand, on an agreement to manufacture N/A Estonia and provide personal protective equipment to the seven clinics of the North Estonia Medical Center. 27-Mar Cobalt Cobalt advised SA KredEx on conducting a public procurement in 2020 for the development of the Estonian start-up N/A Estonia business ecosystem and start-up business development programs. 30-Mar Cobalt Cobalt successfully represented Estonia's largest waste handler Ragn-Sells AS in a dispute regarding the public N/A Estonia procurement of a waste removal concession organized by the Vinni municipality in northern Estonia. 2-Apr Cobalt Cobalt advised fashion brand house AS Baltika on reorganization proceedings. N/A Estonia 7-Apr Borenius; Cobalt; Cobalt and Ideal advised Denmark's DA Agravis Machinery Holding A/S on acquiring the remaining 55% of the shares in N/A Estonia Ellex (Raidla); Ideal AS Konekesko Eesti, a company selling agricultural machinery. Borenius and Ellex Raidla advised the seller. Advokatfirma 16-Apr PwC Legal PwC Legal successfully represented Guardtime in a public procurement dispute before the Public Procurement Review N/A Estonia Committee and Tallinn Administrative Court, which allowed Guardtime to enter into a public procurement agreement with NATO to develop an automated planning and control platform for the NATO Cyber Range. 16-Apr Sorainen Sorainen advised Tenova India Private, an international innovative solutions provider for metals and mining, in an asset N/A Estonia recovery process. 17-Apr Cobalt; Eversheds Eversheds Sutherland Ots & Co Managing Partner Maivi Ots been designated the reorganization adviser for proceedings N/A Estonia Sutherland related to AS Tallinna Moekombinaat, the owner and administrator of the T1 Mall of Tallinn, advised by Cobalt. 20-Apr Derling Primus; TGS TGS Baltic advised AS Framm on the acquisition of AS Lasbet Tootmine from AS Lasbet. Derling Primus advised AS N/A Estonia Baltic Lasbet on the deal. 20-Apr Sorainen Sorainen advised Auth0 on its acquisition of Apility.io. N/A Estonia 21-Apr Cobalt Cobalt advised Steel Import Finland Oy, a metal products wholesaler, on the acquisition of Estonia's Osauhing FinEst N/A Estonia Metallid. 23-Apr Cobalt; Ideal Cobalt, working alongside Ideal Advokatfirma, advised Baltic Agro Machinery OU on the sale of John Deere’s agricultural N/A Estonia Advokatfirma; Njord; and horticultural machinery business in Estonia to Wihuri OU. Njord and Trust OY advised the buyer. Trust OY 24-Apr Cobalt Cobalt's Tallinn office successfully represented Starbucks Corporation in a dispute involving a local entrepreneur's N/A Estonia attempt to register a confusingly similar trademark. 30-Apr Njord; Wistrand Njord consulted Vereeni Investments Ltd on its investment in Sweden's Flax Innovations. Flax was advised by the EUR 0.5 Estonia Swedish firm Wistrand. million 1-May Glimstedt; TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised SIA Mailigen on the sale of its mailing business to Estonian company Pipedrive. Glimstedt advised N/A Estonia the buyer. 7-May Fort Fort Legal advised AS Selver, a subsidiary of Tallinna Kaubamaja Grupp AS, on its acquisition of a 100% shareholding in N/A Estonia retailer ABC Supermarkets AS. 7-May Sorainen Sorainen represented Tallinna Linnatranspordi Aktsiaselts, a company fully owned by the City of Tallinn, in its purchase N/A Estonia of compressed gas for natural gas-powered buses. 18-May Cobalt Cobalt advised Change Ventures on its investment in fintech startup askRobin. N/A Estonia 18-May Sorainen Sorainen assisted SeAH Changwon Integrated Special Steel Corporation with an asset recovery process. N/A Estonia 26-May Ellex (Raidla) Ellex Raidla advised NGO Back to Work on testing one of the world's first digital immunity passports — an application N/A Estonia that enables users to securely share data when a person taken a COVID-19 virus test or an antibody test. 26-May Cobalt Cobalt advised AS LHV Pank, an Estonian credit institution with shares are listed on the Tallinn Stock Exchange, on the EUR 1 Estonia establishment of its EUR 1 billion Covered Bond Program. billion 29-May Sorainen Sorainen successfully represented the Polybius Foundation, which had conducted an initial coin offering, in a dispute N/A Estonia involving one of the buyers, Maksim Velitsko, who was attempting to force a reversal of his token purchase. 29-May Cederwalls; Cobalt; Njord, working with lead advisor Roschier in Sweden and Krogerus as advisor in Finland, advised the Sveafastigheter N/A Estonia Krogerus; Njord; Fersen AB real estate fund on a cross-border reinvestment transaction. Cederwalls and Cobalt advised Nordea Bank. Roschier 29-May Njord Njord advised CoinField Ventures OU on the start of Sologenic IEO -- the first project to utilize the XRP Ledger for USD 2 Estonia tokenizing stocks and ETFs. Million 2-Jun Cobalt Cobalt advised Nordea Bank Abp on amendments to a EUR 280 million loan agreement with AS Tallink Grupp, an Estonian EUR 280 Estonia shipping company, that was signed in 2016. million 3-Jun Sorainen Sorainen advised transportation platform Bolt on a EUR 100 million investment from London-based investment firm EUR 100 Estonia Naya Capital Management. million
32 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 3-Jun Ellex (Raidla) Ellex Raidla advised the European Investment Bank on a EUR 25 million loan to the North Estonia Medical Centre. EUR 25 Estonia million 8-Jun TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised Iron Mountain Inc. on the applicable time limits for the preservation of documents and obligations N/A Estonia regarding the submission of documents to public authorities. 15-Jun Sorainen Sorainen Estonia advised Communications & Power Industries on the acquisition of SATCOM Technologies, the antenna N/A Estonia systems business of General Dynamics. 15-Jun Fort Fort's Estonia office advised AS LHV Pank, a subsidiary of AS LHV Group, on its acquisition of Danske Bank’s business EUR 312 Estonia unit operating the Estonian corporate and public sector credits, which at the end of April amounted to approximately million EUR 312 million. 15-Jun Sorainen Sorainen advised the Estonian technology company Milrem Robotics on raising EUR 5.5 million from a number of EUR 5.5 Estonia prominent Estonian investors. million 16-Jun Sorainen Sorainen advised Livonia Partners on the sale of a majority stake in Thermory, a producer of thermally modified wood N/A Estonia and sauna materials, to Estonian capital-based UG Investeeringud, which as a result transforms from a minority to a majority shareholder. 16-Jun Cobalt; Schjodt Cobalt advised the Algeco Group on its acquisition of Wexus Group AS from Norvestor Equity AS. Norway's Schjodt law N/A Estonia firm advised the sellers. 16-Jun Sorainen Sorainen advised the Fortum Corporation on the acquisition by subsidiary Fortum Heat Estonia of the remaining 40% in N/A Estonia district heating and cooling group Fortum Tartu from Giga. 16-Jun TGS Baltic Acting on behalf of Erial Ehitus OU, TGS Baltic successfully persuaded the Supreme Court of Estonia to overrule lower N/A Estonia courts' rulings that the company's name could not be registered because the word construction (ehitus, in Estonian) in its name was protected as a trademark. 19-Jun Triniti Triniti successfully persuaded the Tallinn Circuit Court of Appeal to uphold the judgment of the District Court in a N/A Estonia dispute between Estonian individual Katrin Lust and prominent chiropractor and entertainer Allan Gary Oolo involving an episode of the Estonian TV show Kuuuurija. 23-Jun Sorainen Sorainen advised EIB on financing a project related to the modernization of tracks and signaling and traffic control EUR 95 Estonia systems of Estonian Railways. million 26-Jun Cobalt Cobalt advised AS Baltika on reorganization proceedings. N/A Estonia 26-Jun Cobalt Cobalt helped Luminor Bank request the termination of the reorganization proceedings of dumpling producer Uvic. EUR 9 Estonia million 26-Jun Cobalt; Ellex (Raidla); Cobalt advised Fortumo and Ellex Raidla advised the company's founders and shareholders Mobi Solutions, Rain Rannu USD 45 Estonia Sorainen and Veljo Otsason on the sale of Fortumo to global mobile payments platform Boku. Sorainen advised Boku on the deal. million 1-Jul Cobalt; Hedman Cobalt advised Change Ventures on a seed investment into Planet42. Hedman Partners reportedly advised Planet42. EUR 2.2 Estonia Partners million 8-Jul Cobalt Cobalt advised Berlin-based early-stage investor Project A on its investment in Estonian start-up Pactum, an AI-based N/A Estonia platform that enables global companies to automate personalized commercial negotiations on a massive scale. 8-Jul Cobalt; Fort Cobalt advised Laurus — a joint venture of Partners Group and Northern Horizon Capital — on the sale of the building EUR Estonia housing SEB's head office in Tallinn to East Capital Real Estate IV. Fort Legal advised the buyer on the transaction. 45.75 million 21-Jul Cobalt Cobalt helped the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications obtain authorization to provide State aid EUR 20 Estonia from the European Commission. million 23-Jul Ellex (Raidla) Ellex Raidla successfully represented Enefit Green in a dispute over competition clearance the company received for its N/A Estonia 2018 merger with Nelja Energia AS. 3-Aug Sorainen Sorainen advised Montonio on its generation of EUR 500,000 from both Estonian and international investors. EUR Estonia 500,000 5-Aug Cobalt Cobalt advised Estonia-based real estate development and management company Capfield OU on a EUR 85 million EUR 85 Estonia financing it received from Luminor. million 7-Aug Cobalt Cobalt advised Estonia's Helmes on its acquisition of all shares of software development company T2T from Latvia's N/A Estonia Tet. 11-Aug Cobalt Cobalt advised the Rubylight technology investment fund on its participation in Tandem's Series A round of financing, USD 5.7 Estonia which also included investors Brighteye Ventures, Trind Ventures, and GPS Ventures. million 2-Sep PwC Legal PwC Legal advised GuardTime on its entrance into a partnership with the Estonian Ministry of Interior’s IT and N/A Estonia Development Centre. 2-Sep TGS Baltic TGS Baltic successfully represented the interests of Kuu HUBB Oy in a dispute in the Arbitration Court of the Estonian N/A Estonia Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 7-Sep Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland in Estonia advised UP Invest on its EUR 65 million acquisition of Forum Cinemas from AMC. EUR 65 Estonia Sorainen Sorainen advised AMC on the deal. million 14-Sep Sorainen Sorainen advised Sunly City on the implementation of a new business model for electricity consumers, and on developing N/A Estonia and drafting customer contracts for solar energy solutions. 2-Oct Nove The Nove Law Firm successfully represented the Political Party Financing Supervision Committee in a dispute with the EUR Estonia Center Party of Estonia. 40,387 6-Oct Ellex (Raidla) Ellex Raidla advised the LHV Group on the public offering of its EUR 25 million subordinated bonds. EUR 85.3 Estonia million 12-Oct Cobalt Cobalt successfully represented textile solutions supplier Protex Balti AS in a dispute with Amigtex, the vendor of N/A Estonia Optitex software. 13-Oct Cobalt Cobalt successfully represented Protex Balti in a dispute with Amigtex. N/A Estonia 28-Oct Eversheds Sutherland; Sorainen advised Splunk Inc., a US-based global provider of the Data-to-Everything Platform, on the acquisition of N/A Estonia Sorainen Estonian tech startup Plumbr. Eversheds Sutherland advised Plumbr's selling shareholders on the deal. 2-Nov Sorainen Sorainen advised Metsagrupp on its entrance into a joint venture with Sunly Land. N/A Estonia
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 33 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 3-Nov Sorainen Sorainen advised Northern Horizon Capital on a secondary public offering that raised EUR 7.2 million and a listing of new EUR 7.2 Estonia units of the Baltic Horizon Fund on Nasdaq Tallinn and Nasdaq Stockholm stock exchanges. million 6-Nov Ellex (Raidla) Ellex Raidla helped Skeleton Technologies Group raise EUR 41.3 million in a funding round from a group of investors, EUR 41.3 Estonia including EIT InnoEnergy, FirstFloor Capital, MM Group, and Harju Elekter. million 10-Nov Cobalt; Hedman Cobalt advised Passion Capital on its USD 1.4 million seed-round investment into Warren.io. Hedman Partners advised USD 1.4 Estonia Partners Warren.io on the deal. million 13-Nov Cobalt Cobalt advised Ambient Sound Investments and other shareholders on the sale of InBio to Semetron. N/A Estonia 16-Nov Cobalt The Riga office of Cobalt helped 3Commas raise USD 3 million in series A funding from Alameda Research. USD 3 Estonia million 16-Nov Cobalt; Ellex (Raidla) Cobalt advised Estonian energy group Alexela on its receipt of a EUR 37 million loan from Sihtasutus KredEx, a financing EUR 37 Estonia institution established by the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. Ellex Raidla advised KredEx Million on the deal. 17-Nov Avance Attorneys; The Tallinn office of Cobalt advised French private investment house Ardian on its acquisition of 100% of Nevel Oy from N/A Estonia Cobalt Vapo Oy. Vapo was advised by Finland's Avance Attorneys. 18-Nov Sorainen Sorainen advised Fenestra on its acquisition of Kuopion Rakennuskonttori, a Finnish provider of window installation N/A Estonia services. 18-Nov Hedman Partners Hedman Partners become Solaride’s legal advisor on its project to build a solar-powered car in Estonia. N/A Estonia 23-Nov Cobalt; Pohla & Hallmagi Pohla & Hallmagi advised F&A Kinnisvara, a member of the Favorite Group, on its acquisition of a residential development N/A Estonia project near Tallinn. The unidentified sellers were advised by Cobalt. 23-Nov Cobalt Cobalt successfully represented Helmes, an international custom software developer, in disputes regarding the public EUR 1.25 Estonia procurement process for Development and Maintenance Services for Collection App Software organized by Estonia's million Information Technology Center of the Ministry of Finance. 23-Nov Ellex (Raidla); Pohla & Pohla & Hallmagi helped Verston Ehitus acquire Estonia's state-owned road maintenance company AS Eesti Teed at EUR 19.7 Estonia Hallmagi public auction. Ellex Raidla advised the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications on the auction. million 23-Nov Njord; TGS Baltic Njord assisted Kirkcong Property OU with the development and maintenance of the Heathmont Group's new office EUR 8 Estonia building in Tallinn. TGS Baltic advised the seller. million 25-Nov Hedman Partners; TGS Baltic advised Gan Limited on the acquisition of the Coolbet online gaming platform from the Vincent Group. N/A Estonia Morgan Lewis & Bockius; Hedman Partners and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius advised the Vincent Group on the deal. TGS Baltic 27-Nov Fort Fort Legal advised LHV Pension Funds on the acquisition of three stock office-type commercial buildings in Juri in the N/A Estonia Rae municipality of Estonia. 27-Nov Pohla & Hallmagi Pohla & Hallmagi advised Arca Varahaldus on its EUR 6.2 million sale of property in Tallinn to EfTEN Real Estate Fund III N/A Estonia AS subsidiary EfTEN SPV19 OU. 27-Nov Ellex (Raidla) Ellex Raidla advised the 1more Project on its EUR 21 million acquisition of two buildings in Tallinn from Hammerhead. EUR 21 Estonia million 27-Nov Njord Njord assisted Imepilt AS with its IPO on the First North growth market, with LHV Bank. EUR 1.5 Estonia million 1-Dec Sorainen Sorainen successfully represented Estonian meat producer Atria in its dispute with the Estonian Veterinary and Food N/A Estonia Board. 2-Dec Sorainen Sorainen and Sweden's Vinge Law Firm advised Swedish industrial group Hexatronic on the acquisition of Estonia-based N/A Estonia Baltronic and Canada-based Toronics. 11-Dec Cobalt Cobalt advised AS Ekspress Grup, on the conclusion of an employee share option program and the setting up of a new N/A Estonia option program. 15-Dec Ellex (Raidla); Sorainen Sorainen’s Tallinn office advised Sunly Land on the issuance of its EUR 14 million bonds, which are to be invested in by EUR 14 Estonia Estonia’s LHV pension funds. Ellex Raidla advised LHV on the deal. million 16-Dec Cobalt Cobalt advised the shareholders of MCF Group Estonia OU on the sale of the company to Greenergy Data Centers. N/A Estonia 16-Dec Pohla & Hallmagi Pohla & Hallmagi helped the E-Governance Academy establish a joint venture with Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Research and N/A Estonia Consulting. 16-Dec Cobalt; Ellex (Raidla) Cobalt advised Estonian fintech company Modularbank on raising EUR 4 million of late seed funding. The round was led EUR 4 Estonia by Karma Ventures and BlackFin Capital Partners, with additional support from Plug and Play Ventures, Siena Capital, and million angel investor Ott Kaukver. Ellex advised Karma Ventures and BlackFin Capital Partners on the transaction. 18-Dec Ellex (Raidla) Ellec Raidla helped the Council of the University of Tartu establish UniTartu Ventures - a way to direct the intellectual N/A Estonia property created by UT researchers to research-and-technology-intensive companies. 18-Dec Pohla & Hallmagi Pohla & Hallmagi advised Estonian vehicle rental company Mobire Group OU on the sale of a 53% stake to Inbank. N/A Estonia 18-Dec Njord Njord assisted Japanese corporation MBK Co., Ltd., and its Estonian subsidiary Estonian Japan Trading Company AS, on N/A Estonia its structural establishment and IPO on the First North growth market. 21-Dec Cobalt Cobalt successfully represented the Havas marketing communications agency in a dispute with Alfa-Omega N/A Estonia Communications regarding the results of a public procurement process organized by Enterprise Estonia. 21-Dec Orrick; Sorainen Sorainen advised Estonian mobility platform Bolt on a EUR 150 million funding round. The investment was led by D1 EUR 150 Estonia Capital Partners, with the participation of Darsana Capital Partners. Orrick advised Darsana Capital Partners on its million participation in the funding round. 23-Dec PwC Legal PWC Legal's successfully represented the Estonian Authors’ Society, the Estonian Association of the Phonogram EUR 3.5 Estonia Producers, the Estonian Performers’ Association, the Estonian Association of Audiovisual Authors, the Estonian million Composers’ Union, the Association of Estonian Professional Musicians, the Estonian Directors’ and Dramaturgs’ Union, the Estonian Association of Stage Performers, and the Association of Professional Actors of Estonia in a dispute regarding compensation for the reproduction of original works. 24-Dec Sorainen Sorainen advised the Saunum Group on the initial public offering of its shares and their admission to trading on the First EUR Estonia North alternative market, operated by Nasdaq Tallinn. 500,000
34 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 28-Dec TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised Nikolai Russakov, the owner of the AS Kroodi Terminal fuel terminal and MK Kamion OU fuel N/A Estonia wholesaler, on the sale of the two companies to Terminal Oil OU. 29-Dec Ellex (Raidla); PwC Legal Ellex Raidla advised the BaltCap Growth Fund on an acquisition of a majority stake in Tradehouse from founders Avo and N/A Estonia Angela Kivimaa. PwC Legal advised the sellers. 29-Dec DLA Piper; Sorainen Sorainen, working with DLA Piper, advised paints producer PPG on a voluntary recommended public cash tender offer N/A Estonia for all the shares in Tikkurila, a Nordic paint and coatings company. 29-Dec TGS Baltic TGS Baltic successfully represented Pipes Building OU in a dispute against Narva Vesi AS, a company belonging to the N/A Estonia Estonian city of Narva. 29-Dec Nove Nove advised Elering on its agreement with Siemens Energy for the construction of three synchronous compensators EUR 83.5 Estonia for frequency stability of the electricity systems at the 330 kilovolt substations in the Estonian communities of Viru, million Pussi, and Kiisa. 2-Jan Allen & Overy; Sorainen Kocian Solc Balastik; PRK Partners N/A Estonia; Latvia 19-Feb Cobalt Cobalt assisted Viessmann with the restructuring of its refrigeration systems business in Latvia. N/A Estonia; Latvia 22-Apr Cobalt Cobalt advised Lauma Fabrics, a textile manufacturer in the Baltics and Europe, on the delivery of COVID-19 personal N/A Estonia; protective equipment to Estonia and Latvia. Latvia 1-Dec TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised SIA BRC on its reorganization and cross-boarder merger with OU Balti Realiseerimiskeskus and BR N/A Estonia; Merger OU. Latvia 11-Dec Cobalt Cobalt advised US biotech company Biogen on launching its business in Latvia and Estonia. N/A Estonia; Latvia 18-Feb Cobalt Cobalt advised SEB life insurance entities in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on a cross-border merger in the Baltics. N/A Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania 11-Jun Sorainen Sorainen successfully defended the interests of racing organizer NASCAR in disputes involving the registration of the N/A Estonia; company's trademark in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Latvia; Lithuania 3-Jul Sorainen Sorainen advised the Vienna Insurance Group on consolidating the businesses of its group non-life insurance companies N/A Estonia; Compensa and Seesam in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Latvia; Lithuania 22-Jul Ellex (Klavins); Ellex Sorainen advised the Bite Group on a EUR 700 million bond issuance and refinancing. Latham & Watkins and Ellex EUR 700 Estonia; (Raidla); Ellex (Valiunas); reportedly advised initial bond purchasers and mandated lead arrangers Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Deutsche million Latvia; Latham & Watkins; Bank AG, London Branch, ING Bank N.V., London Branch, and UniCredit Bank AG. Lithuania Sorainen 9-Oct Sorainen Sorainen advised Infracapital and AMP Capital on the sale of their combined ownership interest in Adven, a provider of N/A Estonia; clean energy solutions across the Nordics and Baltics, to unnamed institutional investors. Latvia; Lithuania 17-Nov Arendt & Medernach Arendt & Medernach helped INVL Asset Management launch the INVL Sustainable Timberland and Farmland Fund II. N/A Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania 30-Jul Deloitte Legal; Kaevando Lawyers from Deloitte Legal's Lithuanian and Estonian offices advised Lonas UAB, a manufacturer of mattresses and N/A Estonia; & Partnerid beds, on its acquisition of Estonia's Dreamland Home OU, a retailer and wholesaler of bedroom products, from ITIS Lithuania Holding OU. Kaevando & Partnerid advised the sellers on the deal. 13-Nov Njord Njord advised GVP Invest Estonia OU on its development of a second Hilton hotel in Estonia. EUR 100 Estonia; million Lithuania 22-Dec Bryan Cave Leighton TGS Baltic and Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised the Mubadala Investment Company on investment in MEL Science N/A Estonia; Paisner; TGS Baltic — part of the latter's USD 14 million Series B funding round. Russia 11-Feb Zepos & Yannopoulos Zepos & Yannopoulos advised Greek real estate developer ZOIA on the acquisition of 16 real estate properties in Athens N/A Greece from various unnamed sellers. 20-Feb Koutalidis Koutalidis advised Alpha Bank S.A. on matters of Greek Law related to its issuance of a EUR 500 million Tier 2 EUR 500 Greece subordinated bond. million 24-Mar Karatzas & Partners; White & Case and Zepos & Yannopoulos advised Centerbridge Partners and Elliott Advisors UK Limited on the acquisition EUR 900 Greece White & Case; Zepos & of a EUR 900 million portfolio of secured non-performing small business lending and SME loans from the National Bank of million Yannopoulos Greece. Karatzas & Partners advised the NBG on the deal. 25-May Drakopoulos; Koutalidis; Koutalidis advised Aktor Concessions S.A. on its successful bid to own, use, administer, operate, and exploit the Marina EUR 177 Greece Your Legal Partners of Alimos. The concession, which is good for 40 years, was granted by the Hellenic Asset Development Fund. The HADF million was advised by Dracopoulos & Vassalakis and Your Legal Partners. 28-May Alexiou-Kosmopoulos; Dracopoulos & Vassalakis, Your Legal Partners, and Alexiou-Kosmopoulos have been appointed as legal advisors to N/A Greece Dracopoulos & the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund on the privatization of regional ports of Alexandroupolis, Heraklion, Vassalakis; Your Legal Igoumenitsa, and Volos through the sale of majority stakes in the state-owned port operating companies. Partners 17-Jun Karatzas & Partners; Zepos & Yannopoulos advised Bain Capital Credit LP on the acquisition of a portfolio of approximately 2,800 primarily EUR 1.6 Greece Zepos & Yannopoulos secured non-performing corporate loans, originated or otherwise owned by National Bank of Greece S.A. Karatzas & billion Partners advised the NBG 17-Jun Karatzas & Partners; Zepos & Yannopoulos advised arrangers Alantra Corporate Portfolio Advisors, Mediobanca – Banca di Credito Finanziario, EUR 7.5 Greece Zepos & Yannopoulos and security trustee, cash manager, and account bank Citibank London branch on the EUR 7.5 billion multi-asset NPE billion securitization of Eurobank Ergasias. Karatzas & Partners advised Eurobank Ergasias. 22-Jun Karatzas & Partners; Koutalidis advised Eurobank Ergasias S.A. on the sale of 80% stake of subsidiary Eurobank Financial Planning Services to EUR 11.3 Greece Karatzas & Partners; DoValue S.p.A. DoValue was advised by Karatzas & Partners. billion Koutalidis
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 35 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 15-Jul Drakopoulos Drakopoulos advised Brook Lane Special Situations Fund on the reverse (downstream) merger of two of the group’s EUR 26.5 Greece entities. million 21-Jul Bahas Gramatidis & Bahas, Gramatidis & Partners is advising Coffee Berry and Hans & Gretal on the creation of their corporate structures N/A Greece Partners and the structuring of franchise agreements for Greece and abroad. 22-Jul Koutalidis Koutalidis advised investment fund Southbridge Europe Mezzanine and the founders of Skroutz S.A. on the sale of a N/A Greece minority stake in Skroutz S.A. to CVC Capital Partners. 28-Jul Koutalidis Koutalidis advised mandated lead arrangers Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank, Eurobank, Piraeus Bank, and Euroxx Securities, EUR 320 Greece and issuance advisors Eurobank and Piraeus Bank, on Lamda Development S.A.'s issuance of a EUR 320 million bond and million it admission to trading on the Athens Exchange. 31-Jul Norton Rose Fulbright Norton Rose Fulbright advised Admie, the owner and operator of the Greek electricity transmission grid, on the N/A Greece concession for the Crete-Attica high-voltage direct current interconnection project, which was granted to Admie’s subsidiary Ariadne Interconnection. 11-Aug Zepos & Yannopoulos Zepos & Yannopoulos advised Pancreta Bank on its transformation from a cooperative bank into a societe anonyme. N/A Greece 19-Oct Bernitsas; Hogan White & Case and Zepos & Yannopoulos advised the EIF and the EBRD on securitization of automotive leases originated EUR 130 Greece Lovells; Kyriakides by Olympic Commercial and Tourist Enterprises S.A., a car leasing company in Greece that is the master franchisee of million Georgopoulos; Norton the Avis Budget Group. Avis was advised by Norton Rose Fulbright andKyriakides Georgopoulos, while Hogan Lovells and Rose Fulbright; White M&P Bernitsas advised lead manager and sole arranger Citi and co-lead manager Piraeus Bank. & Case; Zepos & Yannopoulos 4-Nov Drakopoulos Drakopoulos represented Evangelos Tsoumpas before the Court of Appeal in a banking and insurance law matter against EUR 5.3 Greece Ergon Insurance and the Agricultural Bank of Greece. million 18-Nov iLaw; Zepos & Zepos & Yannopoulos assisted Globecast France throughout an international open tender procedure for the provision of N/A Greece Yannopoulos global signal transmission by the Hellenic Broadcasting Organization 26-Nov Zepos & Yannopoulos Zepos & Yannopoulos advised the Generali Group on the acquisition of an office building in Athens from Panterra. N/A Greece 1-Dec KLC Greece's KLC Law Firm advised National Energy Holdings in its first investment in Greece — the acquisition and N/A Greece construction of five solar parks to be constructed in Central Greece, with a total capacity of 24 MW, for which it secured financing of EUR 22 million from Piraeus Bank. 18-Dec Drakopoulos; Grafanaki Drakopoulos advised Brook Lane Special Situations Fund on the acquisition of Sorosos Real Estate, a company owning an EUR 11.5 Greece & Associates; Karatzas & office building in a prime location, in parallel with the acquisition from Bain Capital of a bond loan issued by the company. million Partners Karatzas & Partners advised Bain Capital. Grafanaki & Associates advised the sellers. 22-Dec KLC Greece's KLC Law Firm assisted Italy's Edison on the sale of its Edison Exploration & Production subsidiary to Greece's N/A Greece Energean. 24-Dec Anagnostopoulos Anagnostopoulos successfully defended former Siemens executive Dionysios Dendrinos in a criminal case regarding N/A Greece alleged bribery and money laundering. 30-Dec Drakopoulos; Grafanaki Drakopoulos advised Brook Lane Special Situations Fund on its acquisition of a commercial real estate asset that is EUR 5.87 Greece & Associates leased out to Antenna TV and the Regional Administration of Northern Athens. Grafanaki & Associates advised the million sellers. 30-Dec Bernitsas Bernitsas Law advised CVC on the acquisition of a controlling stake in Vivartia Holdings SA. N/A Greece 30-Apr Bird & Bird; Kyriakides Bird & Bird and Kyriakides Georgopoulos advised Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego on a credit agreement annex. EUR 15.5 Greece; Georgopoulos million Poland 10-Nov Allen & Overy; Linklaters Allen & Overy advised Lamda Hellix on its sale to Digital Realty's Interxion subsidiary. Linklaters advised the buyer on N/A Greece; the deal. Poland 1-Jan Filip & Company; Filip & Company advised the National Bank of Greece S.A. on the sale of its participation in the share capital of Banca N/A Greece; Freshfields Romaneasca S.A to Eximbank, a state-owned bank in Romania. Freshfields advised on English Law. Romania 1-Jan Barna es Tarsai; Szecskay Szecskay represented Hendrix Genetics BV, a multi-species animal breeding, genetics, and technology company, on the N/A Hungary sale of the turkey breeder Greleger Kft. and its four poultry farms to Nagisz Zrt. Barna es Tarsai advised Nagisz. 13-Jan DLA Piper; EY Law DLA Piper advised Bernard Matthews/Boparan Group on the sale of Hungarian poultry producer SaGa to the Hungarian N/A Hungary Master Goods Group. Vamosi-Nagy Ernst & Young Law Office represented the buyer. 24-Jan Katona Gyorgy Law Lakatos, Koves & Partners advised Soulbrain on the acquisition of a development site from the state-owned National N/A Hungary Office; Lakatos, Koves & Industrial Park Management and Development Company. The sellers were advised by the Katona Gyorgy Law Office. Partners 28-Jan BLS; Schoenherr Hungary's BLS Law Firm advised LP Portfolio on its issuance of HUF bonds under the Bond Funding for Growth Scheme N/A Hungary announced by the Central Bank of Hungary. Schoenherr advised the arranger, OTP Bank. 28-Jan Jalsovszky Jalsovszky advised both parties on the sale by Magyar Posta Takarek Ingatlan Befektetesi Alap of the Buda Business N/A Hungary Center Office Building to an unnamed real estate fund. 29-Jan Jalsovszky; Lovasz Jalsovszky advised Magyar Posta Takarek Ingatlan Befektetesi Alap on its sale of a retail portfolio, consisting of N/A Hungary warehouses in the Hungarian communities of Ajka, Albertirsa, Dunaujvarosm, and Oroshaz. The unidentified buyers were advised by Lovasz. 30-Jan CMS CMS Hungary advised India-based manufacturing company SRF Limited on an EUR 70 million credit facility. EUR 70 Hungary million 31-Jan HBK Parters; Jalsovszky; Noerr advised ElringKlinger AG on the sale of the Heliport Industrial Park in Kecskemet, Hungary, to a consortium led by N/A Hungary Noerr Infogroup and including an equity fund owned by the Municipality of Kecskemet. Jalsovszky advised Infogroup and HBK Partners advised Kecskemet on the deal. 31-Jan DLA Piper DLA Piper advised sole shareholder Equilor Alapkezelo Zrt. on the merger of two real estate SPVs, V177 Kft. and Vaci 175 N/A Hungary Irodahaz Kft., into one: V Development Kft. 5-Feb DLA Piper DLA Piper advised the Hungarian Fund Management Company on the acquisition of Forgacs Intezet, a company focusing N/A Hungary on the provision of reproductive health services and obstetric and outpatient care. The unidentified seller was advised by Solo Practitioner Forgacs Vince. 5-Feb DLA Piper DLA Piper advised the Hungarian Fund Management Company on its acquisition of shares in Sterilitas and Varandos. N/A Hungary Solo practitioner Istvan Devai advised the unidentified seller on the deal.
36 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 5-Feb Gattai Minoli Agostinelli Schoenherr advised Sonepar S.A. on its acquisition of Hungarian electricity and telecommunication equipment N/A Hungary & Partners; Schoenherr distributor Marchiol Kft. from Marchiol S.p.a., which was advised by Gattai Minoli Agostinelli & Partners. 6-Feb Dentons; DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Optima Investment Co Ltd on the sale of the Reno Udvar real estate project in Hungary to the Chi Fu EUR 60 Hungary Group. Dentons advised the buyer on the deal. million 5-Mar Noerr; P+P Pollath & The Budapest office of Noerr joined the firm's multi-jurisdictional team advising Saxonia Systems Holding GmbH on its N/A Hungary Partners sale of Saxonia Systems AG to Carl Zeiss AG. P+P Pollath & Partners advised the buyers on the deal. 1-Apr Lakatos, Koves & LKT advised joint lead managers Citigroup Global Markets Limited, ING Bank N.V., and J.P. Morgan Securities plc on EUR 2 Hungary Partners Hungary's EUR 2 billion note issuance, which consisted of (i) EUR 1 billion in aggregate principal amount of 1.125 percent billion notes due 2026 and (ii) EUR 1 billion in aggregate principal amount of 1.625 percent notes. 3-Apr Dentons; Jalsovszky; Noerr advised the Doktor24 Group on a series of transactions, including raising private equity capital and acquiring two N/A Hungary Noerr; Szabo Kelemen healthcare companies in Hungary: Svabhegyi Gyermekgyogyintezet and Kastelypark Klinika. Dentons advised the co- & Partners Andersen investors on the funding, the Jalsovszky Law Firm advised the sellers of Svabhegyi Gyermekgyogyintezet, and Szabo Attorneys Kelemen & Partners advised the sellers of Kastelypark Klinika. 14-Apr Jalsovszky; Oppenheim Jalsovszky advised Szkaliczki Holding on the sale of Szkaliczki & Partners Plastic Processing Ltd to Nefab AB, a Swedish N/A Hungary company that offers multi-material packaging solutions and logistics services. Oppenheim advised Nefab. 1-May Clifford Chance; LKT advised the managers in connection with the EUR 1.5 billion 1.75 percent green notes issued by the Government EUR 1.5 Hungary Lakatos, Koves & Debt Management Agency Private Company Limited by Shares of Hungary. Clifford Chance London was English law billion Partners; Zsolt Szita counsel to the joint lead managers and Zsolt Szita Law Firm advised AKK (The Hungarian Asset Management Agency). Law Firm 19-May Allen & Overy; Gardos Balazs Sahin-Toth, Counsel in the Budapest office of Allen & Overy, working pro bonoin conjunction with Peter Gardor N/A Hungary Mosonyi Tomori from Hungary's Gardos Mosonyi Tomori Law Firm and Hungarian solo practitioners Adel Kegye and Eleonora Hernadi, persuaded the Hungarian Supreme Court to uphold a lower court's decision that the Hungarian segregation of Roma students between 2003 and 2017 provided a lower level of education. 28-May D'Ornano Partners; RSM D'Ornano Partners advised the Hungarian subsidiary of the Ruget group on the transfer of assets and the sale of real N/A Hungary Legal Szucs & Partners estate to Hungary's Ferzol Group. RSM Legal Szucs & Partners advised Ferzol on the deal. 29-May DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Waterlogic on the acquisition of the water machine portfolio of Vedoital Kft. Solo practitioner Lenard N/A Hungary Raffai advised Vedoital. 1-Jun Deloitte Legal; Lakatos, LKT represented LGI Denmark Aps, a subsidiary of BHJ Group, regarding the acquisition of 75% of the shares of N/A Hungary Koves & Partners Organo-Pet Kft. a local pet food manufacturer, from Szilagyi Family Holding. Deloitte Legal represented the seller. 1-Jun Clifford Chance; DLA LKT acted as Hungarian counsel of arrangers Erste Bank, J.P. Morgan, and ING Bank on Magyar Fejlesztesi Bank's EUR EUR 750 Hungary Piper; Lakatos, Koves & 750 million 5-year Eurobond issuance on the main board of the London Stock Exchange. Clifford Chance advised the million Partners arrangers on English law and DLA Piper advised the issuer. 24-Jun Cerha Hempel; Lakatos, Lakatos Koves & Partners advised the Dubai-based Al Habtoor Group on the sale of Budapest's Rumbach Center to N/A Hungary Koves & Partners GalCap Europe, a real estate asset and investment manager operating in Austria and Central Europe. Cerha Hempel advised GalCap Europe on the deal. 10-Jul Cerha Hempel Cerha Hempel's Budapest office helped set-up a new company – Cetin Hungary – by way of a de-merger from Telenor N/A Hungary Hungary. 30-Jul DLA Piper; Kinstellar Kinstellar advised the Hungarian State on a greenfield investment in a helicopter spare parts manufacturing plant to be N/A Hungary established in Hungary by Airbus Helicopters and the Hungarian state-owned NLP Nemzeti Legiipari Projekt Kft. DLA Piper advised Airbus Helicopters SAS. 31-Jul Allen & Overy; Erdos | Erdos | Katona advised Cordia International Zrt. on its HUF 36 billion bond issuance, made pursuant to the Bond Funding HUF 36 Hungary Katona for Growth Program of the Hungarian National Bank. Allen & Overy advised lead arranger Raiffeisen Bank. billion 31-Jul Csetneki Law Firm; Noerr advised Szallas.hu on the acquisition of Hungarian travel agency group maiUtazas Group. The Csetneki Law Firm EUR 5 Hungary Noerr advised the sellers. million 12-Aug Erdos | Katona; Kinstellar Erdos | Katona advised Hell Energy on its refinancing of an existing loan with four unidentified Hungarian banks. Kinstellar N/A Hungary reportedly advised the banks. 13-Aug CMS; Noerr Noerr’s Budapest office advised UniCredit Bank on financing provided to GTC for the development of the Pillar office N/A Hungary building in Budapest. CMS reportedly advised GTC on the deal. 19-Aug Noerr Noerr’s Budapest office advised K&H Bank on financing provided to Wing Zrt. for development of the Gizella Loft office N/A Hungary building. 26-Aug Szecskay Szecskay advised Dutch company Gilder Investment B.V. on its cross-border merger into a Hungarian member of the EUR 7.2 Hungary group, United Informatics Kft. million 9-Sep Kapolyi The Kapolyi law firm advised Duna House, a property brokerage group in Central and Eastern Europe, on its participation N/A Hungary in the National Bank of Hungary's Growth Bond Program. 14-Sep CMS; Lakatos, Koves & LKT advised Vodafone on its negotiations with Futureal regarding the lease of their Budapest headquarters. CMS N/A Hungary Partners advised Futureal. 23-Sep Hogan Lovells; Noerr advised UniCredit on financing to South Korean real estate investment trust JR AMC for its acquisition of the N/A Hungary Kinstellar; Noerr Nordic Light Trio office building in Budapest from Skanska. Partos & Noblet — the Budapest office of Hogan Lovells — advised JR AMC on both the financing and the underlying acquisition, while Kinstellar advised Skanska. 23-Sep CMS; Garrigues; Szecskay and Garrigues advised Spanish renewable energy and gas supplier Audax Renovables SA on its acquisition of N/A Hungary Linklaters; Szecskay Hungarian power retailer Eker from E.ON Hungaria Zrt., the local subsidiary of E.ON SE. CMS and Linklaters advised the seller. 15-Oct Bird & Bird; DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Granit Bank Zrt and its majority shareholder, EPM Tanacsado Kft, in connection with an investment by HUF Hungary way of a capital increase in Granit Bank Zrt by KMVA, a state-owned venture capital fund and a parri passu co-investor, 4.29 whereby the investors aquired a significant stake in Garnitbank Zrt. Bird & Bird advised KMVA. billion 20-Oct DLA Piper DLA Piper advised the shareholders of Csillag Csemege Kft. on the sale of the NAGISZ Group to PortFolion Green Fund. N/A Hungary 27-Oct Deloitte Legal; Lakatos, White & Case and Lakatos Koves and Partners have advised Mid Europa Partners on the sale of 24% of the issued share N/A Hungary Koves & Partners; White capital of Waberer's International Nyrt to Trevelin Holding Zrt, the Hungarian-based member of Indotek Group. Deloitte & Case Legal advised Trevelin Holding on the deal.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 37 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 30-Oct Clifford Chance; LKT and Clifford Chance advised Fitesa Hungary on its acquisition of the Tredegar Corporation’s Personal Care Films N/A Hungary Lakatos, Koves & business. The Radvanyi Law Firm advised the seller. Partners; Radvanyi Law Firm 4-Nov Humpfner Law Firm; Kinstellar advised Resolution Property on its acquisition of an approximately 37,200 square meter office portfolio in N/A Hungary Kinstellar Budapest from Hungarian fund manager Adventum Zrt. Adventum was advised by the Humpfner Law Firm 6-Nov Kertesz and Partners; Lakatos Koves & Partners advised Innobyte on the sale of a majority stake in the company and its Innoware subsidiary to N/A Hungary Lakatos, Koves & IT company 4iG. Following the approval of the Hungarian Competition Office, the transaction closed in October. Kertesz Partners and Partners advised 4iG on the deal. 16-Nov Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Doosan on its EUR 210 million investment in its copper foil production base in Tatabanya, Hungary, EUR 210 Hungary for the construction of another factory on the location. million 1-Dec Ashurst; Kinstellar Kinstellar advised mandated lead arranger and facility and security agent Bank of China on a USD 75 million financing for USD 75 Hungary the construction of a 100 MWp photovoltaic power plant in Kaposvar, Hungary. Ashurst acted as English counsel to Bank million of China on the transaction. 9-Dec Ban, S. Szabo & Partners Ban, S. Szabo & Partners advised Vodafone on the demerger of Vantage Towers in Hungary. N/A Hungary 17-Dec Cerha Hempel; Schoenherr advised Masped Group on the sale of its railway cargo business to the GATX corporation. Cerha Hempel N/A Hungary Schoenherr advised the buyer. 22-Dec Deloitte Legal; Schoenherr advised Switzerland-based technology company ABB on the sale of its plant in Ozd, Hungary, to wellness N/A Hungary Schoenherr equipment producer Wellis, which was advised by Deloitte Legal. 22-Dec DLA Piper; HBK Partners; DLA Piper advised the owners of the Budapest Bank Group, the KB Bank Group, and the Takarekbank Group on their EUR 2 Hungary Kinstellar; Nagy es establishment of the Hungarian Bankholding Ltd. financial holding company. Rothschild & Co was the lead transactional billion Kiss Law Office; Szabo advisor on the transaction. Kinstellar and HBK Partners represented MKB Bank, Nagy es Kiss Law Office represented Kelemen & Partners Budapest Bank, and Szabo Kelemen & Partners Andersen Attorneys represented Takarekbank. Andersen Attorneys 29-Dec Noerr Noerr advised Chinese lithium batteries precision parts manufacturer Shenzhen Kedali Industry on a EUR 40 million EUR 40 Hungary investment in a new battery production plant in Godollo, Hungary. million 31-Dec Schoenherr Schoenherr helped BOE, a subsidiary of Austria's List Group, conclude a management agreement to manage the N/A Hungary Vorosmarty Garage in Budapest. 1-May Noerr Noerr represented CIG Pannonia in connection with the sale of its non-life insurance portfolio to Aegon. N/A Hungary, Poland 3-Dec Clifford Chance; Germus SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised the Cotta Group on its acquisition of seven production properties in southwest N/A Hungary; & Tarsai; SSW Pragmatic Poland, and advised Cotta's sister company, Kanizsa Trend, on its acquisition of a production plant in Hungary, from Poland Solutions; Wolf Theiss Standard Properties. Germus & Tarsai, Wolf Theiss, and Clifford Chance advised the seller on the deal. 29-Dec Noerr Noerr advised Switzerland's Evoco AG on the acquisition of six subsidiaries of Gesco AG from Wuppertal. N/A Hungary; Russia 11-Dec Allen & Overy; Dentons; Allen & Overy advised Cisco on the acquisition of Slovakia-based Sli.do technology company from Instando, Anton N/A Hungary; Fenwick & West; White Zajac, Hewor Property Management, and Kenneth Patrick Ryan. Dentons advised the sellers on the deal with White & Slovakia & Case Case advising several shareholders. Fenwick & West advised Cisco on US matters. 24-Jan Dentons; White & Case Dentons advised Enlight Renewable Energy on the construction and EUR 115 million financing of the 105 MW Selac wind EUR 115 Kosovo farm in Kosovo. The EBRD provided EUR 57 million of the total amount, with Erste Group Bank and NLB Bank providing million the remaining EUR 58 million, and with coverage provided by the German export credit agency Euler Hermes. The lenders were advised by White & Case. 1-Jan TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised SIA Olaine Logistic Park on its merger with SIA Olaines Logistics. N/A Latvia 15-Jan Cobalt; Sorainen Cobalt advised Workday, Inc. on Latvian issues related to its cross-border acquisition of online procurement platform N/A Latvia Scout RFP. The sellers were advised by Sorainen. 17-Jan Cobalt Cobalt is representing UAB Niklita in a dispute related to a procurement process organized by the Prisons Administration N/A Latvia of the Ministry of Justice of Latvia involving the supply of catering services to prisoners. 6-Feb Sorainen Sorainen advised the Kaamos Group on its acquisition of one-sixth of the shares in Sunly Land. N/A Latvia 20-Feb Deloitte Legal; Ellex Ellex Klavins advised SIA Verus Praedium on its sale of 14.45 hectares of land to SIA Riga Retail Park for the development N/A Latvia (Klavins); Sorainen; TGS of a new Saga shopping center. Riga Retail Park was advised by Sorainen. Baltic 4-Mar Ellex (Valiunas); Nestor Ellex Valiunas advised Edenred SA on its acquisition of a 60% stake in Lithuania's EBV Finance. The acquisition also N/A Latvia Nestor Diculescu included EBV Finance subsidiaries in Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Spain, and Estonia. Penkov Markov & Partners advised Kingston Petersen; Edenred in Bulgaria, as did Wardynski & Partners in Poland, Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen in Romania, and Penkov Markov Uria Menendez in Spain. & Partners; Uria Menendez; Wardynski & Partners 5-Mar Cobalt Cobalt successfully represented AS PNB Banka before Latvia’s Constitutional Court in a case involving the fee calculation N/A Latvia for credit institutions for financing the Financial and Capital Market Commission’s operations. 6-Mar Deloitte Legal; TGS TGS Baltic and Deloitte Legal advised CVI Dom Maklerski on financing provided to SIA Riga Retail Park for the purposes EUR 11 Latvia Baltic of co-financing its acquisition of real property as well as the construction and development of the Saga Lifestyle and million Shopping Centre in Stopini, a suburb of Riga, by Baltic real estate developer VPH UAB. 12-Mar Ellex (Klavins); TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised Cooperatieve Rabobank U.A. on its refinancing of Latvian fishing company SIA Batterfisa's existing EUR 10 Latvia liabilities and working capital needs. Batterfisa was advised by Ellex Klavins. million 9-Apr Sorainen Sorainen advised the Biolars chemical factory on starting the manufacturing of disinfectants in its Latvian production N/A Latvia plants. 14-Apr Allen & Overy; Cobalt Cobalt advised joint lead managers Barclays, J.P. Morgan, and Societe Generale on the Republic of Latvia's EUR 550 EUR 550 Latvia million Eurobond issuance. Allen & Overy advised the Republic of Latvia on the issuance. million 20-Apr TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised SIA Saules Aptieka on an agreement with People's Republic of China regarding the supply of surgical N/A Latvia face masks to Latvia.
38 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 22-Apr Cobalt Cobalt advised APX on an unspecified pre-seed investment into Marine Digital. N/A Latvia 23-Apr Cobalt The Latvian office of Cobalt, working alongside Clifford Chance, advised Barclays, J.P. Morgan, and Societe Generale EUR 1 Latvia on the issuance of a 3-year Eurobond by the Republic of Latvia in an amount of EUR 1 billion. Allen & Overy advised the billion Republic of Latvia. 24-Apr Cobalt Cobalt advised arranger and sole book-runner AB SEB Bankas on financial institution Altum's issuance of EUR 20 million EUR 20 Latvia notes. million 30-Apr Sorainen Sorainen advised NEFCO on its investment in the Second Mezzanine Fund, which is managed by FlyCap. N/A Latvia 11-May Sorainen Sorainen represented YIT Latvija in a dispute over the legality of a construction permit. N/A Latvia 15-May Cobalt Cobalt assisted with the drafting of the terms and conditions of moratoria introduced by Latvian banks and liaised with N/A Latvia the Latvian competition authority to obtain backing for the process and outcome of negotiation. 20-May Kronbergs Cukste Levin; Kronbergs Cukste Levin advised environment management group Eco Baltia on the sale of a controlling stake in the N/A Latvia Primus Derling; Vilgerts company to INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund. Vilgerts and Primus Derling advised the buyers on the deal. 29-May Sorainen Sorainen advised Nasdaq CSD SE on a cross-border merger with Nasdaq CSD Iceland hf. N/A Latvia 17-Jun TGS Baltic TGS Baltic successfully defended the Anti-Doping Bureau of Latvia in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. N/A Latvia 1-Jul TGS Baltic TGS Baltic represented AS Retail Mezaparks in the purchase of land for the construction of a Rimi supermarket. EUR 2 Latvia million 7-Jul TGS Baltic TGS Baltic successfully represented the Anti-Doping Bureau of Latvia in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. N/A Latvia 10-Jul Cobalt Cobalt successfully represented Latvian Television in a copyright and competition dispute against All Media Latvia that N/A Latvia reached Latvia's Supreme Court. 14-Jul Cobalt Cobalt provided pro bono advice to the Apeirons Foundation regarding an opinion the latter submitted to the N/A Latvia Constitutional Court of Latvia as amicus curiae. 3-Aug Cobalt The Latvian office of Cobalt advised AirBaltic on a EUR 250 million investment in its shares by the Latvian Government. EUR 250 Latvia million 7-Aug BDO Law The Latvian office of BDO Law provided legal analysis to the European Investment Bank regarding a EUR 80 million EUR 80 Latvia financing agreement with the Latvian state. million 13-Aug BDO Law BDO Law advised Deichmann-Schuhe Service-GmbH on its investment of EUR 500,000 in its Latvian subsidiary, SIA EUR Latvia Deichmann Apavi, that increased its capital to EUR 1.15 million. 500,000 20-Aug Loyens & Loeff; Sorainen Sorainen and Loyens & Loeff advised the Kekava ABT consortium on its agreement with Latvian State Roads to construct EUR 100 Latvia the Kekava Bypass part of the Via Baltica. million 27-Aug Sorainen Sorainen advised the Sarmants event planning association in an intellectual property dispute. N/A Latvia 28-Aug Cobalt; TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised Moller Real Estate Baltic AS on the acquisition of a land plot near the Riga International Airport and an N/A Latvia office-warehouse building located on it. Cobalt advised the unidentified sellers on the deal. 31-Aug Cobalt Cobalt successfully represented the Latvian Television TV network before the Administrative District Court and N/A Latvia Administrative Regional Court of Latvia against an association of political parties challenging the rules set by the network related to the allocation of airtime leading up to parliamentary elections. 14-Sep Sorainen Sorainen advised Brette Haus on the preparation of a sales contract template for prefabricated folding houses. N/A Latvia 18-Sep Cobalt; Orrick Cobalt advised capital300 and Chalfen Ventures on a EUR 5 million series A investment into Riga-based startup Lokalise. EUR 5 Latvia Orrick advised the start-up. million 22-Sep Ellex (Klavins) Ellex Klavins helped Gulbenes Autobuss and Balvu Autotransports successfully contest a procurement award involving a N/A Latvia regional passenger carriage in Latvia to the country's Procurement Monitoring Bureau. 28-Sep Actus Q; Cobalt Cobalt advised Dithmarschen Baltic GmbH on its acquisition of 100% of Dan-Lat Invest and ODK & RB. Actus Q advised N/A Latvia the sellers on the deal. 30-Sep Cobalt Cobalt represented Latvia's Central Election Commission in proceedings before the Regional Administrative Court in N/A Latvia Riga regarding the annulment of extraordinary elections to the Riga City Council. 13-Oct Cobalt Cobalt advised two natural persons in an administrative appeal of a decision of Latvia's Office of Citizenship and N/A Latvia Migration Affairs denying them residence permits due to non-compliance with the provisions of the Immigration Law. 30-Oct Sorainen; TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised Latvia's SIA Tepix on the sale of its carpet rental business to SIA Lindstrom. Sorainen advised N/A Latvia Lindstrom on the deal. 5-Nov Cobalt; Sorainen Cobalt advised Latvian IT company Tilde on the sale of its Jumis Pro accounting and business management system N/A Latvia business to Nordic IT company Visma. Sorainen advised Visma on the deal. 6-Nov Sorainen Sorainen advised Lords LB Baltic Fund III, managed by the Lithuanian investment company Lords LB Asset Management, N/A Latvia on the sale of a logistics center in Riga to EfTEN Real Estate Fund 4. 6-Nov Sorainen Sorainen advised the Vienna Insurance Group on its acquisition of the remaining 9.17% shares in BTA Baltic Insurance N/A Latvia Company from AAS Balcia, making VIG the company's sole shareholder. 6-Nov Glimstedt; Sorainen Sorainen Latvia advised Isnaudas Forest Holding on the sale of its five subsidiaries to SCA Mezs Latvija. Glimstedt EUR 44.5 Latvia advised Mezs Latvija on the deal. million 26-Nov Cobalt Cobalt, acting pro bono, represented the Association of LGBT and Their Friends Mozaika as amicus curiae before the N/A Latvia Constitutional Court of Latvia regarding the right of same-sex couples to parental leave. 27-Nov Sorainen Sorainen advised the USS Grupp on its acquisition of the Latvian branch of the Securitas security services company. N/A Latvia 16-Dec Cobalt; Ecovis Cobalt advised the Eurion Fund on the acquisition of an office buildng in Riga from the Baltic RE Group. Ecovis Convents N/A Latvia Law Office advised the Baltic RE Group on the deal. 23-Dec Cobalt Cobalt’s Riga office successfully represented SIA Latsson Licensing, the owner of online gaming platform Betsafe Latvia, N/A Latvia before the Constitutional Court of Latvia regarding the restrictions on its provision of interactive gaming services during a state of emergency. 21-Dec TGS Baltic TGS Baltic represented SIA GLD Company in a real estate sale transaction in the Marupe district near Riga. N/A Latvia
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 39 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 2-Mar Sorainen Sorainen advised Credit Suisse on matters of Latvian and Lithuanian law related to its EUR 27 million loan to Amber EUR 27 Latvia; Beverage Group, million Lithuania 2-Apr Sorainen Sorainen, working alongside Sweden's Mannheimer Swartling, is advising KPMG Sweden on its acquisition of KPMG N/A Latvia; Latvia and KPMG Lithuania. Lithuania 22-Apr Sorainen Sorainen successfully represented Lithuania's E Energija against the Republic of Latvia in an ICSID arbitration. N/A Latvia; Lithuania 9-Jun TGS Baltic TGS Baltic helped Utenos Trikotazas AB optimize its operations and dispose of certain assets. N/A Latvia; Lithuania 15-Aug TGS Baltic TGS Baltic assisted Baltic Mill with the drafting of templates for the group's business operations. N/A Latvia; Lithuania 31-Aug Ellex (Klavins); Ellex Ellex advised Quaero European Infrastructure Fund II on the acquisition of Digitalas Ekonomikas Attistibas Centrs from N/A Latvia; (Valiunas); Triniti Solo Investments SIA, Astondesmit Astoni SIA, Duo Investicijas SIA, and KFP SIA. Triniti advised the sellers on the Lithuania transaction. 8-Sep Cobalt; Glimstedt Glimstedt advised UAB CGP Management on the sale of four private medical service operators in Lithuania to Latvia's N/A Latvia; Repharm healthcare group. Cobalt advised Repharm on the deal. Lithuania 27-Oct Cobalt Cobalt advised Latvia's Repharm healthcare group on the acquisition of a network of MediCA, Kardiolita, and 33 other N/A Latvia; clinics from UAB CGP Management, and their subsequent merger with InMedica, a network of medical clinics indirectly Lithuania managed by the INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund. 10-Nov TGS Baltic TGS Baltic assited Zemaitijos Pienas AB with investments in SIA Muizas Piens. N/A Latvia; Lithuania 2-Jan Sorainen Sorainen advised investment management company Orion Asset Management on the acquisition by its SPV-39 N/A Lithuania subsidiary of Pletros Investicijos, the company managing the Palanga Bypass — a 8.25 part of the road from Klaipeda to Liepaja in Lithuania — via a public-private partnership. 2-Jan TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised AUGA group, AB on a bond program worth up to EUR 60 million and the issuance of EUR 20 million in EUR 80 Lithuania green bonds in Lithuania. million 3-Jan Fort; TGS Baltic Fort Legal advised Gateway Airport Services on its acquisition of 100% shares of Litcargus, an aircraft ground handling N/A Lithuania company in Vilnius. TGS Baltic advised the sellers, Central European Airport Services S.A, a company managed by Royalton Partners. 3-Jan Sorainen Sorainen advised InMedica medical clinic network on its issuance of bonds planned for listing on First North, an EUR 5 Lithuania alternative securities market administered by Nasdaq Vilnius. million 17-Jan SPC Legal SPC Legal successfully represented UAB T Parkas in a dispute regarding the termination of a state-owned land lease N/A Lithuania agreement with another user of the land plot. 17-Jan SPC Legal SPC Legal advised UAB Akmenes Projektai, a company managed by Domestique Asset Management, on unspecified N/A Lithuania investment agreements with Akmene FEZ Management Company in the Akmene free economic zone in Lithuania. 17-Jan Cobalt; Walless Walless advised the Affidea Group on its acquisition of 100% of the shares of UAB Kuncu Ambulatorine Klinika, the N/A Lithuania operator of the Vetrunge clinic in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Cobalt advised the unidentified seller on the deal. 17-Jan Sorainen; Walless Walless advised Spanish companies Elecnor and Abengoa on their agreement to electrify the Vilnius railway hub and EUR 363 Lithuania the Kaisiadorys-Klaipeda railway for Lithuania’s state-owned railway company Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai. Sorainen advised million Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai on the contract. 22-Jan Sorainen; SPC Legal SPC Legal advised real estate investment company Capital City Group on the sale to a company managed by Kenova N/A Lithuania Asset Management of a tunnel car-wash station in Lithuania that is leased by UAB Svaros Broliai. Sorainen advised the buyers on the deal. 24-Jan Sorainen Sorainen advised Rocket Software on opening a new development center in Vilnius. N/A Lithuania 27-Jan Deloitte Legal The Lithuanian office of Deloitte Legal advised Aurora Cannabis Inc. on the merger of its two Lithuanian subsidiaries, N/A Lithuania Agropro and Borela. 28-Jan Sorainen Sorainen advised venture capital fund Startup Wise Guys on its investment in Lithuanian transport management system N/A Lithuania developer GoRamp. 31-Jan DLK Legal DLK Legal helped Digital Virgo obtain an e-money institution license for Lithuania's Digital Virgo Payment UAB. N/A Lithuania 4-Feb Derling Primus Derling Primus helped NBC Security, Inc. establish UAB Baltic Defense Industries, which will manufacture military and N/A Lithuania defense products in Lithuania for global defense and law enforcement agencies. 4-Feb Cobalt Cobalt advised Iron Wolf Capital on its EUR 1.6 million investment in Integrated Fiber Optics. EUR 1.6 Lithuania million 6-Feb Ellex (Valiunas); Motieka Motieka & Audzevicius advised MyFitness, a sports and fitness club operator, on the acquisition of Lithuania-based Gym N/A Lithuania & Audzevicius Plius. Ellex Valiunas advised the unidentified sellers on the deal. 7-Feb BBA Fjeldco; Motieka & Motieka & Audzevicius advised Avia Solutions Group on the acquisition of Bluebird Nordic, a cargo airline headquartered N/A Lithuania Audzevicius in Iceland. Bluebird Nordic was reportedly advised by Iceland's BBA//Fjeldco law firm. 7-Feb Ellex (Valiunas); Tenden Ellex Valiunas and Norway's Tenden law firm advised Norway's Passer Group on its acquisition of 49% of shares in N/A Lithuania Lithuania's SIDC Group. 12-Feb Ashurst; Sorainen Sorainen won a tender to advise Lithuania's state-owned Ignitis Group on an initial public offering it is currently N/A Lithuania considering. Ashurst will be advising on English and US law aspects. 19-Feb Cobalt Cobalt advised Genopas B.V. and Nunica Holdings B.V. on the sale of their 100% shareholding in UAB Pusbroliai to Idex N/A Lithuania Baltic. 20-Feb Sorainen Sorainen advised Baltic Mill on its third bond issuance and the bonds' listing on Nasdaq Baltic First North, an alternative EUR 3 Lithuania bond market managed by Nasdaq Vilnius. Sorainen also advised arranger Siauliu Bankas on the deal. million 25-Feb Adon Legal Adon Legal helped Seili UAB set-up its operations as a consumer credit provider and mortgage credit provider. N/A Lithuania 28-Feb Ellex (Valiunas) Ellex Valiunas helped Lords LB Baltic Fund IV negotiate a lease agreement for a building in Vilnius with Northern Lyceum. N/A Lithuania 4-Mar Walless Walless advised Tadas Bulotas on the sale of Lithuania's BBaltics sports agency to the Wasserman sports agency. N/A Lithuania 4-Mar Cobalt; Ellex (Valiunas) Ellex Valiunas advised Fan19 on its acquisition of Engagecraft. Cobalt advised the unidentified seller on the deal. N/A Lithuania
40 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 5-Mar Sorainen Sorainen advised Autoukis NT on the sale of a complex of buildings in Vilnius to a company controlled by the Hanner N/A Lithuania Group. 5-Mar Pohla & Hallmagi Pohla & Hallmagi advised Norway's Selvaag Eastern European Development Fund OU on the sale of its LIthuanian N/A Lithuania subsidiary, UAB Parkavimo Paslaugos, to UAB Baltexpro. 11-Mar Sorainen Sorainen successfully defended HR solutions provider Amston before Lithuania's Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson. N/A Lithuania 11-Mar SPC Legal SPC Legal successfully represented the non-profit Baltic Environmental Forum in Vilnius' Administrative Court in its N/A Lithuania claim that the State Service for Protected Areas unlawfully suspended the expansion of Lithuania's Punia pinewood reserve. 16-Mar TGS Baltic TGS Baltic successfully represented Orlen Lietuva before the Court of Appeal of Lithuania in a dispute regarding USD 70 Lithuania Polocktransneft Druzhba's claim for damages of over USD 70 million. million 24-Mar Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius helped Nandi Finance obtain an electronic money institution license from the Bank of Lithuania. N/A Lithuania 26-Mar Sorainen Sorainen helped E4F Money obtain an electronic money institution license in Lithuania. N/A Lithuania 30-Mar Sorainen Sorainen advised the Ignitis Group on the receipt of a loan by Pomerania Wind Farm, a Polish company belonging to the PLN 258 Lithuania group, of a loan from EIB. million 1-Apr TGS Baltic TGS Baltic successfully defended Klaipedos Naft before the Court of Appeal of Lithuania in a case involving EUR 6 million EUR 6 Lithuania in damages. million 3-Apr Ellex (Valiunas) Ellex Valiunas successfully defended the interests of the Kaunas City Municipality in a dispute involving the termination N/A Lithuania of a contract for the reconstruction of S. Darius and S. Girenas Stadium under public procurement rules. 6-Apr TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised Viada LT on its issuance of EUR 1 million worth of bonds, which will be included to trading on Lithuania's EUR 1 Lithuania alternative First North stock exchange. million 7-Apr Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius is representing big data company Oxylabs in an IP rights infringement dispute in Lithuania. N/A Lithuania 16-Apr Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius successfully represented AVAgro LLC in a dispute with Singapore-based Dreymoor regarding N/A Lithuania interim measures pertaining to assets of AVAgro's subsidiary, AVAgro UAB. 16-Apr Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius successfully represented Axis Industries in an insurance indemnification dispute. N/A Lithuania 20-Apr Sorainen Sorainen advised Lords LB Special Fund I Subfund B investment fund on its lease of a 7000 square meter area in its Lvovo N/A Lithuania business center in Vilnius to Telia Global Services Lithuania. 23-Apr Nove Nove advocates Veikko Puolakainen and Veiko Vaske successfully represented the Political Parties' Supervision N/A Lithuania Commission in Lithuania's Supreme Court. 23-Apr Sorainen Sorainen successfully represented Alfa Bank as the creditor of Arvi Ir Ko in a case concerning the annulment of Arvi Ir Ko N/A Lithuania sales transactions. 23-Apr Sorainen Sorainen provided pro bono advice to Invega on Covid-19 measures for affected businesses. N/A Lithuania 30-Apr Motieka & Audzevicius; Motieka & Audzevicius advised the founders of Lithuania's In Balance Grid on the investment of EUR 950,000 into the EUR Lithuania TGS Baltic company by Koinvesticinis Fondas, Contrarian Ventures, and several angel investors, all of which were advised by TGS 950,000 Baltic. 4-May Triniti Triniti advised the Groa Real Estate Fund I, a fund managed by Groa Capital, on the acquisition of the Rimi Hypermarket N/A Lithuania shopping center in Vilnius from UAB Sun Invest. 6-May Dentons; Sorainen; TGS Sorainen advised joint lead managers BNP Paribas, Citi, and Erste Group on a dual-tranche Eurobond issue by the EUR 2 Lithuania Baltic Republic of Lithuania – a 5-year Eurobond of EUR 750 million face value and a 10-year Eurobond of EUR 1 billion 250 billion million face value. 6-May Sorainen; Triniti Triniti helped Eddy Travels, a Lithuanian startup developing an artificial-intelligence-based digital travel planning EUR Lithuania assistant, to raise an additional EUR 600,000 to complete an approximately EUR 1.1 million early-stage funding round. 600,000 Lead investor KUB Open Circle Capital was advised by Dentons. 11-May TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised Siauliu Bankas on the issuance of EUR 20 million subordinated bonds and their listing on Nasdaq EUR 20 Lithuania Vilnius's Debt Securities List. million 12-May Sorainen; TGS Baltic Sorainen advised Nitin Shelke, the founder and chairman of Growmore Group, on its acquisition of Medicinos Bankas, a USD 395 Lithuania retail bank in Lithuania with USD 395 million in assets, from Konstantinas Karosas and Western Petroleum Limited. The million sellers were advised by TGS Baltic. 15-May Sorainen Sorainen advised Orkela on the conversion of the former Sv. Jokubo hospital in the Vilnius city center into a hotel. N/A Lithuania 26-May Ellex (Valiunas); Ellex Valiunas advised Northern Ireland's Mzuri Holdings on the acquisition of 60% stake in Lithuanian window covering N/A Lithuania Euroteises Biuras manufacturer Domus Lumina. Euroteises Biuras advised Domus Lumina. 27-May TGS Baltic TGS Baltic successfully defended the interests of TV Play at the Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania against the N/A Lithuania Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania in a dispute involving the must carry obligation under Lithuanian law. 27-May Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius successfully represented the Republic of Serbia before the Lithuanian Court of Appeals in a case EUR 12 Lithuania regarding the enforcement of Serbia’s EUR 12 million claim against am unspecified Lithuanian company. million 28-May Cobalt; Sorainen Cobalt advised Lithuania's AB Lietuvos Radijo ir Televizijos Centras on the sale of its data transmission and digital N/A Lithuania television business developed under the Mezon brand to Lithuania's Bite Group. Sorainen advised Bite on the deal. 29-May Clifford Chance; TGS Baltic and Dentons advised the Ignitis group on its renewed EUR 1.5 billion medium-term debt securities program EUR 300 Lithuania Dentons; TGS Baltic; and EUR 300 million bond issuance. Clifford Chance and Walles advised intermediaries BNP Paribas, Citi, J.P. Morgan, million Walless and Luminor bank. 1-Jun Sorainen; TGS Baltic Sorainen advised Danielius Merkinas and Ceslovas Kazlauskas, the founders of NNL LT, on the acquisition of a 44% stake N/A Lithuania in NNL LT from Litcapital through an acquisition vehicle. TGS Baltic advised Litcapital. 8-Jun Sorainen; SPC Legal Sorainen advised venture capital fund Open Circle Capital on an unspecified investment in Lithuanian marketing startup N/A Lithuania Billo. SPC Legal advised Billo. 10-Jun Cobalt Cobalt advised APX on an unspecified pre-seed investment in Haslle. N/A Lithuania 15-Jun Cerniauskas & Partners; TGS Baltic advised venture capital fund Koinvesticinis Fondas and four other business angels on their investment of EUR EUR Lithuania Glimstedt; TGS Baltic 210,000 in Lithuanian start-up Funkciniai Gerimai. Cerniauskas & Partners advised Funkciniai Gerimai on the deal, while 210,000 Glimstedt advised the business angels.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 41 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 15-Jun Ellex (Valiunas); TGS Ellex Valiunas advised Quaero European Infrastructure Fund II on the acquisition of UAB Duomenu Logistikos Centras EUR 10.1 Lithuania Baltic from energy company Ignitis Group and Litgrid. TGS Baltic advised the sellers on the transaction. million 16-Jun Ellex (Valiunas) Ellex Valiunas persuaded the Supreme Court of Lithuania to rule that the Kaunas City Municipality may continue EUR Lithuania centralizing food purchases for pre-school education institutions. 900,000 17-Jun Walless Walless helped the Ambr Group’s set up a Lithuanian subsidiary — Ambr Payments UAB — and obtain an electronic N/A Lithuania money license from the Bank of Lithuania to issue electronic money and provide payment services. 23-Jun Cobalt; Sorainen Cobalt advised Western Union Processing Lithuania on its lease of more than 15,000 square meters of office space from N/A Lithuania Finland's Technopolis real estate investment and management company, which was advised by Sorainen. 23-Jun Sorainen; Walless Sorainen advised electronic money institution Verse Payments Lithuania on its acquisition by Square, an electronic N/A Lithuania payment and financial services company headquartered in San Francisco and listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Walless advised Square. 26-Jun Sorainen Sorainen assisted the Kino Pavasaris Vilnius International Film Festival on the removal of counterfeit copies of the Oscar- N/A Lithuania winning movie Parasite from illegal torrent sites in Lithuania. 2-Jul Sorainen Sorainen advised Koinvesticinis Fondas on the investment, made along with three business angels, of EUR 100,000 EUR Lithuania in Lithuanian startup Cogastro, which developed the world’s first computer program for insect farm monitoring and 100,000 management. 3-Jul Sorainen; Walless Sorainen advised the Darnu Group on the sale of the 15,000 square meter East Hill building in Vilnius's Park Town N/A Lithuania business center to an investment company jointly owned by the Zenith Family Office and the Dao Family Office. Walless advised the buyers on the transaction. 14-Jul Sorainen Sorainen advised Koinvesticinis Fondas on its investment in Nanoenergija, a Lithuanian startup that developed vibration N/A Lithuania energy harvesting technology to power wireless IoT sensors. 21-Jul TGS Baltic TGS Baltic successfully represented Valstybiniu Misku Uredija —Lithuania's state-owned enterprise responsible for the N/A Lithuania supervision, administration, and inventory of state forests — before the Supreme Court of Lithuania. 22-Jul SPC Legal SPC Legal advised UAB Leteja on the sale of Hotel Conti, located in Vilnius' Old Town, to UAB NS Consulting. N/A Lithuania 22-Jul TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised the Opera Limited browser provider on its acquisition of Fjord Bank. N/A Lithuania 24-Jul Cobalt Cobalt helped Lithuania's UAB Kedainiai Free Economic Zone draft establishment and operation agreements for N/A Lithuania Kormotech. 28-Jul Cobalt Cobalt advised the EBRD, Swedbank, and Citadele Bank on their provision of a EUR 86 million syndicated loan to UAB EUR 86 Lithuania Vakaru Medienos Grupe in Lithuania. million 30-Jul Sorainen Sorainen successfully defended the interests of the Union of Lithuanian Journalists and other journalists in a case N/A Lithuania investigated by Lithuania’s Supreme Administrative Court regarding defense of that country's constitutional right to receive, collect, and share information. 4-Aug Sorainen Sorainen advised Alfa Bank on debt recovery efforts against Lithuanian businessman Vidmantas Kucinskas, as well as N/A Lithuania identifying possibly illegal acts by Kucinskas, who is suspected of financial fraud. 5-Aug Dentons; Sorainen; TGS The Vilnius office of Sorainen advised dealers BNP Paribas, Citi, and Erste Group on Lithuania’s raising of EUR 1.75 billion EUR 1.75 Lithuania Baltic by means of a 30-year Eurobond issue. billion 7-Aug Iustum; Sorainen Sorainen advised the Darnu Group on a construction agreement with UAB Naresta for the sixth stage of the Paupys N/A Lithuania district of Vilnius, in Lituania. UAB Naresta was reportedly advised by the Iustum law firm. 11-Aug Sorainen The Lithuanian office of Sorainen advised Koinveticinis Fondas on its investment in Ligence, a Lithuanian startup EUR Lithuania developing an automated cardiac ultrasound diagnostic solution based on artificial intelligence. 360,000 17-Aug Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius helped CommonSign obtain a payment institution license for account information services. N/A Lithuania 19-Aug Cobalt; Fort Cobalt advised UAB Sonex Consulting on the sale of a 6,948 square meter business center in Vilnius to EfTen Real Estate N/A Lithuania Fund III, which is managed by EfTEN Capital. Fort Legal advised EfTen on the deal. 24-Aug Andersen Partners; Deloitte Legal and Denmark's Andersen Partners advised Maskinhandler Indkobsringen A/S, a Danish farm equipment N/A Lithuania Deloitte Legal company, on the sale of a majority stake of shares in MI Agrotinklas UAB to one of MI Agrotinklas's founders. 25-Aug Sorainen Sorainen advised Inion LT on a EUR 500,000 investment in the company by venture capital funds Koinvesticinis Fondas EUR Lithuania and Contrarian Ventures and startup accelerator 70 Ventures. 500,000 27-Aug Ellex (Valiunas); Glimstedt advised GE Energy Financial Services on an unspecified investment in E Energija‘s 68.9MW wind farm in N/A Lithuania Glimstedt Telsiai, Lithuania, which uses GE‘s Cypress 5.3MW turbines. E Energija was advised by Ellex Valiunas. 31-Aug Ellex (Klavins); Ellex Ellex Valiunas and Ellex Klavins advised infrastructure investment fund QEIF II on the acquisition of 100% of the shares N/A Lithuania (Valiunas) of Citatalas Economic Development Center. 31-Aug Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius helped Donatas Aleksandravicius, the owner of the Ds Byggeri construction company, file an N/A Lithuania indemnification claim against Denmark at the ICSID. 2-Sep Walless Walless advised E Energija on a green energy purchase deal with Eesti Energia. N/A Lithuania 2-Sep Motieka & Audzevicius; Sorainen and Motieka & Audzevicius advised Startup Wise Guys and the Motieka Investment Fund on a EUR 1.2 million EUR 1.2 Lithuania Sorainen investment in Lithuanian edu-tech start-up Turing College. Motieka & Audzevicius also advised Turing College on the million deal. 3-Sep Walless Walless helped Railsbank Group subsidiary UAB Payrnet obtain an electronic money institution license from the Bank of N/A Lithuania Lithuania. 8-Sep Accura; Cobalt; Gessel; The Lithuanian office of Cobalt and Denmark's Accura law firm advised INVL Baltic Sea Growth Fund on its acquisition of N/A Lithuania Horten; Norton Rose a 48% stake in MBL from Accession Mezzanine Capital III and the Lauritsen family. The Horten, Gessel, and Norton Rose Fulbright Fulbright law firms reportedly advised the sellers. 10-Sep Watson Farley & Williams Watson Farley & Williams advised the Froelich family on their sale of Froelich Internationale Transporte GmbH & Co. KG N/A Lithuania to Lithuania’s Transimeksa Group. 28-Sep Ashurst; Debevoise Sorainen, Linklaters, and Ashurst advised Lithuania's state-owned Ignitis Group on its initial public offering and EUR 450 Lithuania & Plimpton; Dentons; admission to the Vilnius and London stock exchanges. Walless and Dentons advised bookrunners Bank of America, million Linklaters; Sorainen; JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Swedbank, and UBS on the offering. TGS Baltic and Debevoise & Plimpton advised GDR TGS Baltic; Walless depositary Bank of New York Mellon.
42 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 30-Sep Sorainen Sorainen is representing 15min, a news website in Lithuania, in an appeal against a warning issued by Lithuania's State N/A Lithuania Consumer Rights Protection Authority commission. 2-Oct TGS Baltic TGS Baltic established a pro bono partnership with the Kazickas Family Foundation, an international non-profit N/A Lithuania organization that supports education, social welfare, technology, culture, and medicine projects in the United States of America, Lithuania, and Africa. 5-Oct DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Lithuania's Ignitis Group on its acquisition of a 5% stake in the Moray West wind farm project on the N/A Lithuania east coast of Great Britain currently under development by Ocean Winds, which was established earlier this year as a joint venture by French energy giants Engie and EDPR. 6-Oct Walless Walless advised Eastnine on the acquisition of an office property in central Vilnius. EUR 20 Lithuania million 8-Oct Sorainen Sorainen helped establish the Aid Fund for Business, which will invest public and private funds in enterprises affected N/A Lithuania by Covid-19. 12-Oct Triniti (Triniti Jurex) Triniti Jurex successfully represented Restaurants Group Fortas in a dispute with an unnamed insurance company. N/A Lithuania 14-Oct Glimstedt Glimstedt successfully represented Nigeria's Arik Air Limited in a cross-border debt collection enforcement case in the EUR 2 Lithuania Kaunas Regional Court. million 16-Oct Triniti (Triniti Jurex) Triniti Jurex successfully defended the Lithuanian Radio and Television Center Telecentras and its CEO, Remigijus Seris, N/A Lithuania against a defamation lawsuit filed by the former President of the Lithuanian Business Confederation, Valdas Sutkus. 16-Oct Triniti (Triniti Jurex) Triniti Jurex successfully represented the Visoriu Slenio Gyventoju Bendruomene association in its petition to the N/A Lithuania Supreme Administrative Court of Lithuania to order a reevaluation of the environmental impact study regarding planned construction of the M. Lietuvio Street bypass in Vilnius. 16-Oct Sorainen Sorainen's Lithuanian office helped Dexcom establish a global business service center in Vilnius, Lithuania. N/A Lithuania 19-Oct Motieka & Audzevicius; Sorainen represented Seven Entertainment and its shareholders in the sale of Lithuania's Siemens and Cido multi- N/A Lithuania Sorainen purpose arenas, the Tiketa ticket distribution company, and the Seven Live event organization company, to Lithuania's DG21. Motieka & Audzevicius advised the buyer on the deal. 21-Oct Cobalt; Wint Cobalt advised Arunas Kuraitis on a lease of a building in Vilnius's Old Town from Lithuania's Jesuit Province. Wint advised N/A Lithuania the Jesuit Province on the deal. 21-Oct Cobalt Cobalt advised Practica Capital on the final close of the Practica Venture Capital II fund, which included a EUR 2 million EUR 2 Lithuania investment from Swedbank Asset Management. The total fundraising amount reached EUR 28.5 million. million 28-Oct Triniti (Triniti Jurex) Triniti Jurex helped Termolink obtain damages from a general contractor for work the company performed on an N/A Lithuania unspecified project. 2-Nov Marger Marger Law Firm successfully represented Lithuania’s Svencionys municipality in a dispute with an unspecified N/A Lithuania contractor about the effectiveness of a previous arbitration award that was heard by the Supreme Court of Lithuania. 2-Nov Ellex (Valiunas) Ellex Valiunas helped Curve obtain an electronic money institution license from the Bank of Lithuania and transfer its N/A Lithuania European activities to the country. 4-Nov Cobalt; Fort Fort Legal advised Broadcast Solutions on its acquisition of Lithuania’s TVC Solutions from Practica Capital and four N/A Lithuania other unidentified shareholders. Cobalt advised the sellers. 11-Nov Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius successfully represented road construction company Panevezio keliai in several cases against the EUR 40 Lithuania Vilnius municipality administration related to infringements in the EUR 40 million tender procedures for reconstruction million of one of the major intersections in Vilnius. 17-Nov Kromann Reumert; Walless advised Sapiens International Corporation on its acquisition of Tia Technologies from EQT Mid Market. Kromann N/A Lithuania Walless Reumert advised the seller on the deal. 18-Nov Sorainen Sorainen advised Bittiq, a Netherlands-based account information manager, on the launch of its business in Lithuania. N/A Lithuania 18-Nov iLaw; SPC Legal SPC Legal advised the Panevezys free economic zone of Lithuania on an investment from cable harness manufacturer N/A Lithuania AQ Wiring Systems. iLaw advised AQ Wiring Systems on the deal. 18-Nov Primus; TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised the shareholders of the Baltic hotel services portal NoriuNoriuNoriu on the sale of 90% of the shares N/A Lithuania of UAB NoriuNoriuNoriu to UAB Disrupta. 23-Nov Fort Fort advised the EIKA real estate development company on a five million bond issue, distributed by Siauliu Bankas. EUR 5 Lithuania million 27-Nov Eversheds Sutherland; Squire Patton Boggs and Eversheds Sutherland advised the Miss Group on its acquisition of Interneto Vizija from its N/A Lithuania Squire Patton Boggs; founders. Walless advised the sellers on the deal. Walless 27-Nov Walless Walless advised DiPocket on setting up a subsidiary in Lithuania and obtaining an electronic money institution license N/A Lithuania from the Bank of Lithuania. 27-Nov Ellex (Valiunas) Ellex Valiunas advised Norway's Baltic Sea Properties real estate management company on its sale of 13 buildings to N/A Lithuania Rivona, a subsidiary of the Norfa Group. 27-Nov Sorainen Sorainen advised the Modus Group on its launch of a second public bond issuance, expected to attract investment of N/A Lithuania EUR 8 million. The bonds are being distributed by Saiuliu Bankas and will be traded on First North, an alternative market administrated by Nasdaq. 27-Nov TGS Baltic TGS Baltic successfully represented Lithuanian Airports in a dispute with the Active Construction Management over N/A Lithuania major repairs carried out in Vilnius Airport. 27-Nov TGS Baltic TGS Baltic advised the Maxima Group on the merger of its Maxima LT and (Netherlands-based) Lincoln Land Erste N/A Lithuania subsidiaries. 27-Nov Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius successfully represented the Panevezio Keliai road construction company in a dispute against EUR Lithuania the City of Vilnius administration. 500,000 27-Nov Sorainen Sorainen advised Startup Wise Guys on its investment in logistics startup GoRamp. Startup Wise Guys, together with EUR Lithuania Presto Ventures, invested EUR 450,000. 450,000 1-Dec Triniti (Triniti Jurex) Triniti Jurex defended the interests of AB Lietuvos Radijo Ir Televizijos Centras in a dispute with the Darnu Group over EUR 6 Lithuania an EUR 6 million sale of real estate. million
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 43 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 3-Dec Walless Walless advised Norway’s BCP Logistic Property III on its sale of the Lithuania’s Vinges Terminalas logistics center. EUR 10 Lithuania million 3-Dec Cobalt; Sorainen Sorainen advised the INVL Sustainable Timberland and Farmland Fund II on its EUR 13.6 million acquisition of seven EUR 13.6 Lithuania companies from the Linas Agro Group, advised by Cobalt. million 4-Dec Walless Walless helped Crius LT obtain a specialized banking license from the European Central Bank, following the Bank of N/A Lithuania Lithuania’s assessment and proposal. 4-Dec Walless Walless advised Capitalica Baltic Real Estate Fund I on the issuance of EUR 3 million bonds and their listing on the First EUR 3 Lithuania North market of Nasdaq Vilnius. million 15-Dec Cobalt The Vilnius District Prosecutor's Office terminated a pre-trial investigation against the former Speaker of the Lithuanian N/A Lithuania Parliament, Arunas Valinskas, involving charges of incitement of hatred. Cobalt represented Valinskas in the process. 15-Dec Fort; Sorainen Sorainen’s Lithuanian office advised the SBA Group on its EUR 28.6 million sale of a logistics center and a furniture EUR 28.6 Lithuania component factory to Estonia’s EfTEN Real Estate Fund 4. Fort advised the buyer on the deal. million 15-Dec Sorainen Sorainen advised Emotika on attracting a EUR 100,000 investment from an unspecified US-based investor. EUR Lithuania 100,000 21-Dec Motieka & Audzevicius Motieka & Audzevicius created an Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing program for Newsec N/A Lithuania Advisers LT. 21-Dec Cobalt; Wint Cobalt advised Practica Capital on the EUR 1 million investment it made along with a group of other, unidentified, private EUR 1 Lithuania investors in the RRR.lt online platform, which facilitates the sale of used car parts. Wint advised the owner of the platform million on the deal. 22-Dec Sorainen Sorainen advised TC Investicija on the sale of a building in Kaunas, Lithuania, to Integrated Stars. Financing for the N/A Lithuania transaction was provided by Citadele Bank. 23-Dec DLK Legal DLK Legal helped Finnovative Solutions UAB obtain a payment institution license from the Bank of Lithuania to provide N/A Lithuania Account Information Services and Payment Initiation Services. 24-Dec Sorainen; Wint Sorainen advised Decathlon on its agreement with the Galio Group to have the latter build and lease new stores for it in EUR 8 Lithuania the Lithuanian cities of Kaunas and Klaipeda. Wint advised the Galio Group on the transaction in Klaipeda. million 28-Dec Sorainen Sorainen advised Luxembourg's REInvest Asset Management and its DEREIF SICAV FIS fund on their acquisition of the N/A Lithuania building housing SEB Bank's headquarters in Vilnius from the Lords LB Special Fund II. 29-Dec Walless Walless helped Stanhope Financial establish a subsidiary in Lithuania and obtain an e-money institution license from the N/A Lithuania Bank of Lithuania. 29-Dec Cobalt; Goodwin; Motieka & Audzevicius together with Taylor Wessing advised the founders of Eneba Holdings Limited and Helis play USD 8 Lithuania Motieka & Audzevicius; on raising series A investment round by well-known venture capital investors. The series A round was led by UK-based million Taylor Wessing InReach Ventures, Lithuanian-based Practica Capital and New York-based investor FJ Labs, alongside several angel investors. Goodwin advised the investors and Cobalt advised Practica Capital. 30-Dec Sorainen; TGS Baltic Sorainen helped renewable energy company Enerstena obtain a EUR 7 million loan from Lithuania's State Aid Fund for EUR 7 Lithuania Business. TGS Baltic advised the fund on the deal. million 17-Jan Deloitte Legal; Kopec & The Lithuanian office of Deloitte Legal participated in a multi-jurisdictional team advising Enva, a provider of recycling N/A Lithuania; Zaborowski and specialist resource recovery solutions in the UK and Ireland, on its acquisition of SAR Recycling Ltd, which was Poland advised by, among others, Warsaw's Kopec & Zaborowski law firm. 5-Mar Gladei & Partners; Schoenherr advised Fintur Holdings B.V. on its sale o Moldcell S.A., to CG Cell Technologies DAC. Gladei & Partners USD Moldova Schoenherr advised CG Technologies. 31.5 million 1-Jul Gladei & Partners; Gladei & Partners and Norton Rose Fulbright assisted EBRD in the roll-over of its new TFP facility through Moldova- EUR 13 Moldova Norton Rose Fulbright Agroindbank and Victoriabank. million 31-Aug Gladei & Partners; K&L Gladei & Partners and K&L Gates advised the EBRD on the acquisition of a 25% stake in Vestmoldtransgaz, a gas EUR 20 Moldova Gates; Tuca Zbarcea & transmission company operating the newly built Ungheni-Chisinau gas pipeline. Turcan Cazac advised Vestmoldtransgaz million Asociatii; Turcan Cazac on the deal, while Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised sellers TransGaz and its Moldovan subsidiary Eurotransgaz. 26-Oct Cobzac & Partners Cobzac & Partners advised Mintos Finance Estonia on amending the pledge agreement between Mintos and Sebo Credit EUR 30 Moldova that allowed Sebo Credit to pledge part of its assets to another creditor to guarantee a new loan while Mintos Finance million Estonia retains a first rank pledge of Sebo Credit's assets. 17-Dec CMS; Gladei & Partners; Gladei & Partners and Schoenherr assisted Vetropack AG with the acquisition of the Moldovan Glass Container Group N/A Moldova Schoenherr; Turcan companies. Turcan Cazac and CMS advised the sellers. Cazac 21-Jan Filip & Company; Filip & Company, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and Vernon David & Associates advised Banca Transilvania on the N/A Moldova; Freshfields; Osborne acquisition of Microinvest. Osborne Clarke and Turcan Cazac advised the sellers on the transaction. Romania Clarke; Turcan Cazac; Vernon David & Associates 13-Aug Hillmont Partners Hillmont Partners obtained an award for interim measures for client Komaksavia Airport Invest Ltd in arbitration against N/A Moldova; the Republic of Moldova related to the concession agreement for the Chisinau International Airport. Ukraine 2-Nov Harrisons Harrisons advised Aer Rianta International on its five-year duty-free concession to run retail stores at the Tivat and N/A Montenegro Podgorica airports in Montenegro. 1-Feb Harrisons Harrisons advised the EBRD on Montenegrin aspects of a loan to NLB Bank Podgorica under the EBRD’s Women in EUR 2 Montenegro Business Programme. million 1-Feb Harrisons Harrisons was engaged by Montenegro's electric power transmission system operator CGES to provide capacity and EUR 20 Montenegro enforce a legal opinion in relation to a loan that CGES will received from KfW. million 1-May Clifford Chance; Harrisons, working alongside global advisor Clifford Chance, assisted Credit Suisse with a EUR 250 million facility EUR 250 Montenegro Harrisons agreement by and between Republic of Montenegro as the borrower, the International Bank for Reconstruction and million Development as the guarantor, and Credit Suisse AG, London Branch, Crnogorska Komercijalna Banka AD Podgorica, and Societe Generale as the lenders.
44 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 1-Jun Bird & Bird; Harrisons Harrisons acted as Montenegrin legal counsel to the EBRD in relation to an unsecured loan to Elektroprivreda Crne Gore EUR 50 Montenegro AD Niksic. Bird & Bird acted as English law counsel to the EBRD. million 1-Oct Harrisons; Norton Rose Harrisons, working alongside international advisor Norton Rose Fulbright, advised Export Development Canada on a EUR 3 Montenegro Fulbright loan to Montenegro for the purchase of Bell helicopters. million 25-Dec Harrisons Harrisons advised the AFD (Agence Francaise de Developpement) on a credit line to the Investment and Development EUR 50 Montenegro Fund of Montenegro (IDF) in order to enable IDF to strengthen its financings of environmental, efficacy, and renewable million energy sources projects. 24-Apr Polenak Law Firm Polenak advised Eurolink Osiguruvanje AD Skopje on its sale of 100% shares to GRAWE. N/A North Macedonia 7-May Polenak Law Firm The Polenak Law Firm advised the EBRD in a EUR 2.5 million loan to Ohridska Banka AD Skopje under the Green Economy EUR 2.5 North Financing Facility program, which is supported by the EU, Austria, and Western Balkans Investment Framework. million Macedonia 24-Jul Polenak Law Firm Polenak advised the EBRD on a EUR 20 million loan to Sparkasse Bank Makedonija. EUR 20 North million Macedonia 31-Jul Law Office Karmen The Polenak Law Firm advised NLB Bank Skopje as mandated lead arranger, agent, and lender on a EUR 72 million EUR 72 North Rebesco; Polenak Law syndicated loan to East Gate to finance the construction of the East Gate Mall in Skopje. Law Office of Karmen Rebesco million Macedonia Firm prepared the LMA finance documents and advised NLB dd. on the deal. East Gate was advised by solo practitioner Zeqir Zeqiri. 5-Aug ODI Law ODI Law advised FLO Magazacilik ve Pazarlama A.S on the opening of stores in Skopje and Tetovo. N/A North Macedonia 5-Aug ODI Law ODI Law helped Exor N.V. obtain Macedonian merger clearance for its EUR 102.4 million acquisition of GEDi Gruppo EUR North Editoriale S.p.A. from CIR SpA. 102.4 Macedonia million 6-Aug ODI Law ODI helped Nova Ljubljanska Banka obtain Macedonian merger clearance for the acquisition of 83.23% of the ordinary N/A North shareholding in Komercijalna Banka a.d. Beograd. Macedonia 1-Sep Baker & McKenzie; Karanovic & Partners, working with international counsel Baker McKenzie, advised the Giesecke & Devrient Group on its N/A North Karanovic & Partners acquisition of a shareholding interest in the Netcetera Group AG, including its subsidiary in North Macedonia. Macedonia 1-Jan Wardynski & Partners Wardynski & Partners advised CMC Poland sp. z o.o. on its acquisition of all shares in Ecosteel sp. z o.o. from a group of N/A Poland private individuals. 2-Jan Mrowiec Fialek & Mrowiec Fialek and Partners advised OCRK Sp. z o.o., a Polish portfolio company of Innova Capital, on the acquisition of a N/A Poland Partners majority stake in Marcos Bis from unnamed sellers. 2-Jan CMS CMS advised Allianz Real Estate and Curzon Capital Partners III, L.P. on the sale of the Warsaw Financial Center in N/A Poland Warsaw’s financial district to the Czech Republic's CPI Property Group. 2-Jan Dentons; Greenberg Dentons advised commercial real estate investor and developer Globe Trade Centre on its sale of shares in GTC Neptune N/A Poland Traurig Gdansk Sp. z o.o. – the owner of the Neptun Office Center in Gdansk. Greenberg Traurig advised the unnamed buyers. 6-Jan DLA Piper; WBW DLA Piper advised Resource Partners on its acquisition of a majority stake in Maced, a family-owned dog treats and N/A Poland Weremczuk Bobel & snacks producer in Polanow, Poland. Maced was advised by WBW Weremczuk, Bobel & Wspolnicy. Wspolnicy 6-Jan White & Case White & Case advised P4, the operator of Polish mobile network Play, on the launch of a bond issue program with a total PLN 2 Poland nominal value of PLN 2 billion, as well as on the first issuance under the program of unsecured bearer bonds with a total billion nominal value of PLN 750 million. 7-Jan Gessel; Kasprzyk & Gessel advised BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A. on its unspecified participation in Dafo Plastics S.A.'s recent financing N/A Poland Wojdan round. Dafo Plastics was advised by Kasprzyk & Wojdan. 7-Jan Czabanski & Galuszynski Czabanski & Galuszynski advised Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego on its loan of almost PLN 50 million to an unidentified PLN 50 Poland special purpose vehicle to finance the costs of the construction of a warehouse complex in Poland. million 13-Jan Noerr; White & Case Noerr advised TAG Immobilion on the acquisition of Polish real estate developer Vantage Development S.A. White & EUR 131 Poland Case advised Vantage Development. million 15-Jan CMS; DZP Domanski CMS advised Poland's Local Government Investment Fund on its acquisition of 45% shares in Tarnobrzeskie Wodociągi N/A Poland Zakrzewski Palinka sp. z o.o., a water supply company in Tarnobrzeg, Poland. Tarnobrzeskie Wodociagi and the Municipality of Tarnobrzeg were advised by Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka. 16-Jan Orrick; SSW Pragmatic Orrick and SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Commercial Metals Company Poland on the completion of a ten-year N/A Poland Solutions financial (synthetic) power purchase agreement with renewable energy generator Statkraft. 17-Jan Act (BSWW) Act BSWW advised the Buma Group on the construction of the Wadowicka 3 real estate project in Krakow. N/A Poland 17-Jan Linklaters Linklaters advised Glamox AS, a Triton portfolio company, on its successful public tender offer to acquire 98.21% of the N/A Poland shares of Polish lighting solution provider ES-System. 17-Jan Linklaters Linklaters advised Resi4Rent on the acquisition of an apartment building in Wroclaw, Poland from Echo Investment. The N/A Poland financing of the building's construction was provided by a consortium led by Bank Pekao. 17-Jan Linklaters Linklaters advised UBM Development AGon the forward sale of hotel properties in Krakow and Katowice to Union N/A Poland Investment Institutional Property GmbH. 17-Jan Bird & Bird Bird & Bird advised Bank of China Luxembourg S.A, Poland and Luxembourg branches, on financing worth over EUR 120 EUR 120 Poland million provided to two unnamed entities. million 17-Jan Allen & Overy; Gide Gide Loyrette Nouel advised KGHM Polska Miedz S.A. on a December 20, 2019 credit facility agreement in the amount USD 1.5 Poland Loyrette Nouel of USD 1.5 billion with a consortium of banks including Bank Polska Kasa Opieki, Powszechna Kasa Oszczednosci Bank billion Polski, Intesa Sanpaolo, and Santander Bank Polska. The banks were advised by Allen & Overy. 20-Jan Clifford Chance Clifford Chance advised a consortium of Bank Pekao, PKO BP, Santander Bank Polska, and BNP Paribas Bank Polska on PLN 300 Poland LPP S.A.'s bond issue program of up to PLN 300 million. million 21-Jan DLA Piper DLA Piper advised FIZAN Foreign Expansion Fund on its investment in PGM, a Texas firm specializing in the treatment of N/A Poland used automotive and industrial catalytic converters. 21-Jan DZP Domanski Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka advised OGP Gaz-System S.A. on a project involving the creation of a new gas supply N/A Poland Zakrzewski Palinka corridor on the European market.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 45 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 21-Jan DWF; WKB Wiercinski DWF advised the H.I.G. Capital private equity fund on its acquisition of 100% of shares in Meyra Group S.A. from the N/A Poland Kwiecinski Baehr Avallon and Euro Choice IV funds. WKB Wiercinski Kwiecinski Baehr advised the sellers. 21-Jan Eversheds Sutherland Wierzbowski Eversheds Sutherland advised ELMO on the sale of an organized part of its enterprise to Solutions 30 PLN 60 Poland Holding. million 23-Jan DLA Piper DLA Piper advised FIZAN Foreign Expansion Fund on the acquisition by its Recat subsidiary of a minority block of shares N/A Poland in Tesla Recycling from the Elemental Holding group. Elemental was advised by solo practitioner Maria Janicka. 24-Jan Gessel Gessel advised Avallon on the acquisition of a majority stake in Clovin S.A. N/A Poland 24-Jan Jankowski & Stroinski; SPCG advised BNP Paribas on its investment, made with Alior Bank and PKO Bank Polski and in agreement with existing PLN 17 Poland Kondracki Celej; investors Innovation Nest and Black Pearls, in Autenti, a Polish Fintech platform for paperless electronic contract signing million Studnicki, Pleszka, and digital document circulation. PKO was advised by Jankowski & Stroinski and Alior Bank by Kondracki Celej. Cwiakalski, Gorski 27-Jan Mrowiec Fialek & Mrowiec Fialek and Partners helped Lime Access sp. z o.o. find an investor and execute an investment agreement. N/A Poland Partners 27-Jan Allen & Overy; Dentons; Dentons and Studnicki Pleszka, Cwiakalski, Gorski advised French renewable energy producer Akuo Energy on financing N/A Poland Studnicki, Pleszka, it received for the construction of three wind farms from the Mirova Eurofideme 4 fund and a consortium of BNP Paribas Cwiakalski, Gorski Bank Polska, Commerzbank, and mBank. The banks were advised by Allen & Overy. 28-Jan Dentons; Linklaters Linklaters advised Chariot Group B.V. on the sale of DIY stores leased by OBI located in Gdansk and Lodz to a subsidiary N/A Poland of Marr Holdings, a company from the Republic of South Africa. Dentons advised the buyers. 28-Jan Kochanski & Partners Kochanski & Partners advised Visa Inc. on its launch of open banking services in Poland. N/A Poland 28-Jan DLA Piper; Greenberg DLA Piper advised asset management company KGAL Group on its purchase of the Prosta Office Center in Warsaw from N/A Poland Traurig Prosta Investments. Greenberg Traurig advised the sellers. 28-Jan Dentons Dentons advised Erste Group Bank AG and mBank S.A. on refinancing the acquisition of Polish solar projects with a N/A Poland capacity of 46 MW granted to a project company controlled by Aberdeen Standard Investments's fund. 28-Jan Dorsey & Whitney; Wardynski & Partners, working alongside Fieldfisher, advised Descartes Systems UK Limited on its acquisition of N/A Poland Fieldfisher; Wardynski & Peoplevox Ltd. Dorsey & Whitney advised the seller. Partners 29-Jan DZP Domanski Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka advised the Ingka Group on a merger of its IKEA Retail and IKEA Property Poland N/A Poland Zakrzewski Palinka subsidiaries in Poland. 29-Jan Greenberg Traurig; Greenberg Traurig advised Madison International Realty on its acquisition of a 46.5% stake in European Logistics N/A Poland Rymarz Zdort Investment, which holds a Polish real estate warehouse portfolio valued at approximately EUR 500 million, from its majority owner Redefine Properties Limited. Rymarz Zdort advised Redefine on the transaction. 29-Jan Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland advised Cogito Capital Partners on its investment in London-based Applica.AI ltd and its N/A Poland Ignition Law subsidiary Applica.AI sp.z.o.o., a software company and a developer of AI-based robotic text automation platform. Applica was advised by Ignition Law. 29-Jan DLA Piper; Gessel Gessel advised Polish Enterprise Fund VII, a private equity fund managed by Enterprise Investors, on the sale of Danwood EUR 140 Poland Holding to GS Engineering & Construction. million 30-Jan Kondrat & Partners Kondrat & Partners successfully represented the interests of the Warsaw School of Economics in a ten-year long dispute N/A Poland with the International Olympic Committee. 30-Jan Mrowiec Fialek & Mrowiec Fialek and Partners advised Centrum Rozliczen Elektronicznych Polskie ePlatnosci S.A., a portfolio company of N/A Poland Partners Innova Capital, on the acquisition of Poznan-based TopCard. 30-Jan Noerr; White & Case White & Case advised the Polish Aviation Group, which owns LOT Polish Airlines, on the acquisition of Germany's Condor N/A Poland Flugdienst GmbH. The sellers, UK's Thomas Cook, were advised by Noerr. 30-Jan Kochanski & Partners Kochanski & Partners helped Global Primex obtain clearance from the Polish Financial Supervision Authority to introduce N/A Poland the Vload eVoucher within the European Union. 30-Jan Jacek Kosinski Adwokaci Jacek Kosinski Adwokaci i Radcowie Prawni helped PGE Baltica obtain environmental permits to construct two offshore PLN 30 Poland i Radcowie Prawni wind farms from the Regional Director for Environmental Protection in Gdansk. billion 31-Jan DLK Legal DLK Legal advised Nest Bank S.A. on the launch of Nest Bank API – a project in which the bank provides FinTech firms and N/A Poland other institutions with an interface for integrating their services with its own. 31-Jan SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Venture Capital fund Cofounder Zone on its acquisition of an undefined stake in N/A Poland Solutions Ekobilet S.A., the owner of a technology platform for selling tickets for artistic and sporting events. 31-Jan Dentons; Penteris Penteris advised Apollo Rida on the acquisition of the Equal Business Park in Krakow from Cavatina Holding. Dentons N/A Poland advised the sellers. 31-Jan DLA Piper DLA Piper advised OEX on the buy-back of its shares. PLN 8 Poland million 31-Jan Paul Hastings; WKB WKB advised the Intel Corporation on Polish aspects of its acquisition of Habana Labs, an Israeli company specializing in USD 2 Poland Wiercinski Kwiecinski the design of processors for machine learning and artificial intelligence applications. Paul Hastings was global counsel to billion Baehr the Intel Corporation on the deal. 1-Feb CMS; Noerr Noerr advised Globe Trade Centre on the refinancing of the Galeria Jurajska shopping center in Poland by Erste Group EUR 130 Poland Bank AG and Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederosterreich-Wien. CMS advised the lenders. million 4-Feb Czabanski & Galuszynski Poland's Czabanski & Galuszynski law firm represented the AXA Association pro bonoin an unspecified dispute before N/A Poland Administrative courts. 4-Feb Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised Wood & Co. as the sole global coordinator on an accelerated book-building process acquisition PLN 220 Poland of 13.3% shares in Ten Square Games S.A. from its management board members Maciej Popowicz and Arkadiusz Pernal. million 5-Feb DLA Piper; Domanski DLA Piper advised Polish family-owned investment firm TDJ on its acquisition of a controlling 83% stake in Teamtechnik N/A Poland Zakrzewski Palinka Production Technology, a company specializing in the design and manufacture of intelligent production lines for the automotive industry. Teamtechnik was advised by Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka. 6-Feb Kochanski & Partners Kochanski & Partners advised Formaster S.A. on its merger by absorption of subsidiaries Dafi Pro S.A. and Dafi Market N/A Poland S.A.. 7-Feb Dentons Dentons helped Toshiba Carrier Corporation establish its first European manufacturing site in Poland. N/A Poland
46 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 7-Feb Greenberg Traurig; Greenberg Traurig advised Tritax EuroBox on its acquisition of Central Logistics Investment from Griffin Real Estate, N/A Poland Linklaters which was acting on behalf of Redefine Properties. Linklaters advised the sellers on the deal. 7-Feb Radzikowski, Szubielska SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised White Stone Development on a loan it received from Santander Bank Polska. N/A Poland I Wspolnicy; SSW Radzikowski, Szubielska I Wspolnicy reportedly advised Santander Bank Polska. Pragmatic Solutions 7-Feb CMS CMS advised the Partners Group on its acquisition of a majority share of the VSB Group. EUR 1.3 Poland billion 10-Feb Clifford Chance; White Clifford Chance advised INEA, an open-access fiber-optic network operator in Poland, on additional financing procured PLN 400 Poland & Case from a consortium of Bank Pekao S.A., Credit Agricole Bank Polska S.A., Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, million EBRD, ING Bank Slaski S.A., PKO BP S.A., BNP Paribas Bank Polska S.A., and PZU Fizan BIS 1. White & Case advised the lenders. 11-Feb Eversheds Sutherland Eversheds Sutherland Wierzbowski is advising the Polish Ministry of Finance and Polish Financial Supervision Authority on N/A Poland a project titled On the Road to Financial Inclusion and Innovation, which is designed to establish a legal and technological framework for developing the FinTech and SupTech sector in Poland. The project also involves the EBRD, among others. 11-Feb Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland Wierzbowski advised IGT Global Services on the sale of 100% of the shares of BillBird to Centrum N/A Poland WKB Wiercinski Rozliczen Elektronicznych Polskie ePlatnosci. Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr advised the buyers on the deal. Kwiecinski Baehr 12-Feb Allen & Overy; DLA Norton Rose Fulbright advised the banks on financing provided to Vectra S.A. for its acquisition of Multimedia Polska N/A Poland Piper; Greenberg S.A. Vectra was advised by Rymarz Zdort. Multimedia Polska was advised by Allen & Overy, while DLA Piper advised the Traurig; Norton Rose shareholders of Multimedia Polska. Multimedia Polska's creditors were advised by Greenberg Traurig. Fulbright; Rymarz Zdort 12-Feb SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised SkinWallet on its receipt of PLN 3.4 million in financing from multiple unidentified PLN 3.4 Poland Solutions investors. million 13-Feb CMS; Solivan Pontes; CMS advised MEAG, a German renewable industry investor, on its acquisition of a 21 MW wind farm project located in N/A Poland Studnicki, Pleszka, Zary, in Western Poland, from Sweden's OX2 Wind International AB. The sellers were advised by Solivan and Studnicki, Cwiakalski, Gorski Pleszka, Cwiakalski, Gorski. 13-Feb Deloitte Legal; Schoenher and Kancelaria Kurek Wojcik advised Europejski Fundusz Leasingowy SA on its acquisition of a 70% stake in N/A Poland Kancelaria Kurek Wojcik; Hama Polska Sp. z o.o. Deloitte Legal advised the sellers. Schoenherr 13-Feb Greenberg Traurig; Greenberg Traurig advised Union Investment on a preliminary agreement to acquire planned hotel properties in Katowice EUR 86 Poland Linklaters (the Hotel Mercure) and Krakow (the Hotel Ibis Styles) from UBM Development. Linklaters advised UBM Development million on the transaction. 14-Feb Balicki Czekanski SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Unilink S.A. on its acquisition of a majority stake in Damo Ubezpieczenia. The sellers N/A Poland Gryglewski Lewczuk; were advised by BCGL. SSW Pragmatic Solutions 17-Feb Decisive Worldwide Decisive Worldwide advised the ENEL MED group on its lease of medical clinics in the Centrum Zana in Gdansk and in N/A Poland Szmigiel Papros the React building in Lodz. Gregorczyk 18-Feb SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised the owner of Kospel S.A. on the sale of the company to the Viessmann Group. N/A Poland Solutions 18-Feb Kondrat & Partners Kondrat & Partners successfully represented KA sp. z o.o. in a dispute with Poland's Chief Pharmaceutical Inspectorate in N/A Poland Warsaw regarding KA's preparation of homeopathic medicines on commission for another pharmacy. 19-Feb Act (BSWW) Act BSWW advised Adventum International on the acquisition of the Katowice Business Point building in Katowice. N/A Poland 19-Feb Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised Cyfrowy Polsat on the issuance of Series C green bonds with an aggregate nominal value of PLN 1 Poland PLN 1 billion. billion 20-Feb Act Legal (BSWW) Act BSWW advised MK Holding Sarl on a joint venture with a company in theDeA Capital Group, an Italian investment N/A Poland group focusing on real estate and equity investments. 20-Feb Argon Legal; Decisive Decisive Worldwide advised Orsted Polska on its lease of office space in Warsaw's Varso Space Complex from CHM 1, N/A Poland Worldwide Szmigiel which was advised by Argon Legal. Papros Gregorczyk 20-Feb Jara Drapala & Partners; Jara Drapala & Partners advised Bas Lease B.V. on cross-border financing granted to Boekestijn Transport Holding B.V. for N/A Poland WKB Wiercinski its acquisition of Baltic Trans sp. z o.o. from ECS Corporate N.V. WKB advised Boekestijn Transport on both the financing Kwiecinski Baehr and the acquisition. 20-Feb Kancelarii Kulicki; Orrick and Kondracki Celej advised Dogmates (trading as Butternut Box) on its investment into the USD 400,000 USD Poland Kondracki Celej; Orrick financing of PsiBufet, a Poland-based home-made dog food manufacturer. Kancelarii Kulicki advised PsiBufet. 400,000 21-Feb Gide Loyrette Nouel; Gide advised B&B Hotels Polska on a cooperation agreement with Covivio and on the sale and leaseback of three hotels. N/A Poland Wardynski & Partners Covivio was advised by Wardynski & Partners. 21-Feb Linklaters Linklaters advised Panattoni Europe on negotiating the terms of a lease of nearly 6,500 square meters of space in the N/A Poland Panattoni Park Gorzow logistics park to Omnipack. 24-Feb Dentons; Kwasnicki, Rymarz Zdort advised a joint venture of a fund managed by the Real Estate Group of Ares Management Corporation and N/A Poland Wrobel & Partners; Griffin Real Estate on its acquisition of 98.04% of the shares in residential property developer Murapol. RKKW advised Rymarz Zdort Murapol on the deal, and Dentons advised the Cavatina real estate company on the sale of its stake in Murapol. 24-Feb Clifford Chance; Greenberg Traurig advised REINO RF CEE Real Estate, a Luxembourg-based fund created by REINO Capital and PLN 1.3 Poland Greenberg Traurig Australia's CorVal, on its preliminary agreement to acquire the entire BUMA Group real estate portfolio. Clifford Chance billion advised the BUMA group. 25-Feb Clifford Chance; White White & Case advised the Polish Ministry of Finance on its issuance of EUR 1.5 billion five-year notes. Clifford Chance EUR 1.5 Poland & Case advised the consortium of banks that arranged the issuance, which included BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, ING, JP billion Morgan, PKO BP and Santander.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 47 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 25-Feb Linklaters Linklaters advised Bain Capital Credit on a joint venture with real estate investment manager Corestate that resulted in EUR 73 Poland Corestate's approximately EUR 73 million acquisition of the first Micro Living properties in Gdansk and Krakow for Bain million Capital Credit. 25-Feb Greenberg Traurig; Hogan Lovells advised the Akiem Group on the acquisition of Macquarie Europe Rail's rolling stock leasing business, N/A Poland Hogan Lovells including 137 locomotives, 110 carriages, and 46 trains. The seller was advised by Greenberg Traurig. 26-Feb White & Case White & Case advised the European Investment Fund on a synthetic securitization project originated by Europejski EUR 490 Poland Fundusz Leasingowy, a leasing company in the Credit Agricole Group. million 26-Feb Mrowiec Fialek & Mrowiec Fialek and Partners advised Wroclaw-based Work Service S.A. on an investment agreement with Gi International. PLN Poland Partners 210.2 million 4-Mar Clifford Chance; Gessel; Noerr advised HKM Beteiligungs GmbH on the sale of Gratka sp. z o.o.to Ringier Axel Springer Media AG, which was N/A Poland Noerr advised by Clifford Chance. The deal also included a related transaction in which Ringier Axel Springer Media acquired MZN Property SA via tender offer. Gessel advised MZN minority shareholder Alterium Holding Sp. z o. o., on that deal. 4-Mar Andersen Global Andersen Tax & Legal helped the FCA Group alter the Polish structure of the banking arm of the FCA Bank, a joint venture N/A Poland of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Credit Agricole Consumer Finance. 5-Mar DLA Piper; Olesinski & DLA Piper advised Allegro on its acquisition of FinAi from its founders and from the Fidiasz FIZ investment fund. Olesinski N/A Poland Wspolnicy & Wspolnicy advised Fidiasz on the deal. 5-Mar Benvalor; Jacek Kosinski Jacek Kosinski Adwokaci i Radcowie Prawni, working with the Netherlands' Benvalor law firm, advised Shibumi, a Dubai- N/A Poland Adwokaci I Radcowie based venture capital company, on an unspecified investment in Sustonable, a sustainable building materials company Prawni; LXA which produces composite stone surfaces. Sustonable was advised by LXA. 5-Mar Dentons; DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Santander Bank Polska, BNP Paribas Bank Polska, PKO Bank Polski, and Bank Pekao on a loan to HB EUR 162 Poland Reavis for the development of the Forest office campus in Warsaw. Dentons advised HB Reavis on the deal. million 6-Mar Hogan Lovells Hogan Lovells advised German real estate investment funds management company Patrizia Frankfurt on tax aspects of N/A Poland its sale of an office building in Warsaw. 6-Mar CMS CMS advised MZN Property S.A. and some of its shareholders on the acquisition of an unnamed strategic investor. N/A Poland 9-Mar Allen & Overy; Wolf Wolf Theiss advised Marvipol Development and PG Dutch Holding I on the sale by their joint venture special purpose EUR 29.6 Poland Theiss vehicles of development plots in Warsaw and Michalowice to LaSalle Investment Management KVG. Allen & Overy million advised the buyer on the deal. 10-Mar De Brauw Blackstone Schoenherr, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, and Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison advised Apollo Global N/A Poland Westbroek; Dechert; Management, LLC on its acquisition of Covis Pharma BV from a group of sellers, including Cerberus Capital Management, Homburger; McDermott L.P. and Princeton BioPharma Capital Partners LLC. Dechert, McDermott Will & Emery, and Torys advised Covis Pharma, Will & Emery; Paul, as the target of the deal. Dechert and Homburger advised the sellers on the deal. Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison; Schoenherr; Torys 10-Mar Eversheds Sutherland Eversheds Sutherland advised EEC Magenta on its investment of PLN 10 million in Sinterit Sp. z o.o. PLN 10 Poland million 11-Mar Gessel Gessel successfully represented Polish citizen Wladyslaw Frasyniuk against charges he violated the physical integrity N/A Poland of police officers. 11-Mar SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions helped Games Operators obtain the approval of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority for N/A Poland Solutions its prospectus. 12-Mar SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised V&P sp. z o.o. on the company’s investment policy and investment strategy and N/A Poland Solutions represented V&P in proceedings before the Polish Financial Supervisory Authority, resulting in the company's successful registration as an Alternative Investment Funds Manager. 13-Mar DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Polnord, a residential development company in Poland, on its EUR 31.7 million public offering. EUR 31.7 Poland million 18-Mar Dentons; Greenberg Greenberg Traurig advised Heitman on the sale of the Marynarska Business Park A-class office building complex in N/A Poland Traurig Warsaw to Benson Elliot. Dentons advised the buyers on the deal. 18-Mar Soltysinski Kawecki & Soltysinski Kawecki & Slezak successfully represented the interests of Polimex-Mostostal before the Court of Appeal in PLN 40.4 Poland Szlezak Katowice, Poland, in a dispute against the City of Katowice. million 19-Mar Act Legal (BSWW); Act BSWW advised the Management Boards of the Buma Group companies on the sale of its real estate assets to Reino N/A Poland Clifford Chance; RF CEE Real Estate, a joint venture established by Reino Capital and RF CorVal International Holdings Limited. Clifford Domanski Zakrzewski Chance, Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka, and Oles & Rodzeynkiewicz advised the sellers on the deal, while Greenberg Palinka; Oles & Traurig advised the buyers. Rodzynkiewicz 19-Mar Rymarz Zdort; White Rymarz Zdort advised Innova Capital and OPTeam on the sale of Centrum Rozliczen Elektronicznych Polskie ePlatnosci N/A Poland & Case to Rementi Investments. White & Case advised Rementi Investments on the transaction. 19-Mar Moore Blatch; Zieba & Zieba & Partners advised Gamma Communications on Polish Law aspects of its acquisition of Exactive Holdings Limited. N/A Poland Partners England's Moore Blatch advised Exactive. 19-Mar Domanski Zakrzewski Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka advised TECS Telecommunication & e-Commerce Solutions GmbH on a tender for the N/A Poland Palinka implementation of a project for handling cashless payments and settling transactions in the Electronic Toll Collection System that was conducted by Poland's General Inspectorate of Road Transport. 19-Mar Studnicki, Pleszka, SPCG persuaded the District Court in Gdansk to rule in favor of its client, Talia Sp. z o.o., in a claim against Polska Energia N/A Poland Cwiakalski, Gorski - First Kompania Handlowa sp. z o. o. 23-Mar Dentons; Penteris Penteris advised Immofinanz on its sale of the Equator I office building in Warsaw to CPI Property Group. Dentons N/A Poland advised the buyers on the deal. 23-Mar Dentons Dentons helped Pro Patria Electronics win a public contract bid to deliver 104 battlefield reconnaissance radar sets in N/A Poland Poland. 23-Mar Thommessen Law Firm; Zieba & Partners advised EG A/S on its acquisition of Holte AS. Norway's Thommessen Law advised the sellers on the N/A Poland Zieba & Partners deal.
48 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 24-Mar SMM Legal SMM helped Energa-Obrot S.A. settle its seventh and final dispute in a series of conflicts involving green certificates for N/A Poland wind farms with unnamed business partners. 27-Mar Dentons; DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Elite Partners Capital on the purchase of a five-warehouse logistics park covering more than 200,000 N/A Poland square meters in the south-west of Warsaw, from P3 Mszczonow. Dentons advised the sellers. 30-Mar Dentons; Greenberg Greenberg Traurig advised Deka Immobilien on the acquisition of the Generation Park Z office building from Skanska. N/A Poland Traurig Dentons advised Skanska. 2-Apr Domanski Zakrzewski Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka and solo practitioner Marzena Juskiewicz successfully represented the City of Krakow Road N/A Poland Palinka Administration before Poland's National Appeal Chamber regarding a PPP project involving the design, construction, and operation of part of a tramway. 3-Apr Radzikowski, Szubielska i Radzikowski, Szubielska i Wspolnicy advised ZPUE on a PLN loan of 180 million it received from, among others, Santander PLN 180 Poland Wspolnicy Bank, Citihandlowy-Bank Handlowy w Warszawie, and ING Bank Slaski. million 3-Apr Dentons Dentons advised CPI Property Group on its acquisition of the Moniuszki 1A office building in Warsaw from Canadian EUR 800 Poland investment fund Catalyst Capital. million 9-Apr Baker Mckenzie; Dentons advised Hines Poland Sustainable Income Fund on the sale of a portfolio of six Polish distribution parks and the N/A Poland Dentons Nord Point office building in Warsaw to Chinese investor CGL Investment Holdings Corporation Limited. Baker McKenzie advised the buyers. 9-Apr Clifford Chance; Clifford Chance advised a consortium of banks including Intesa Sanpaolo Oddział w Polsce as lender and paying agent, PLN 500 Poland Linklaters Banca IMI, London Branch and China Construction Bank Oddzial w Polsce as mandated lead arrangers and bookrunners, million and Banca IMI S.p.A. as facility agent on a PLN 500 million syndicated loan to Tauron Polska Energia. Linklaters advised Tauron Polska Energia. 14-Apr Dentons Dentons advised Savills Investment Management on its acquisition of the Leroy Merlin distribution center near Lodz EUR 71 Poland from Invesco Real Estate. The purchase, which was valued at approximately EUR 71 million, was made on behalf of million Korean institutional investors managed by Vestas Investment Management. 17-Apr Greenberg Traurig; Greenberg Traurig advised IAD Investments on its acquisition of the company holding the D48 office building in the N/A Poland Linklaters Mokotow district of Warsaw from Penta Real Estate. Linklaters advised the sellers on the deal. 20-Apr Mrowiec Fialek & Mrowiec Fialek and Partners advised Yuniversal Development on the issuance of PLN 4 million in corporate bonds. PLN 4 Poland Partners million 21-Apr Clifford Chance; Dentons advised a fund managed by GLL Real Estate Partners on the acquisition of a logistic center in Kokotow, Poland, N/A Poland Dentons; Kancelaria from a joint venture of 7R S.A. and Hillwood Polska. KKW advised 7R and Clifford Chance advised Hillwood Polska on the Kurek Wojcik deal. 22-Apr CMS; Gide Loyrette CMS advised Amundi Real Estate on its acquisition of Nowogrodzka Square, a Class A office and retail building in Warsaw, N/A Poland Nouel from Polish property developer Yareal. Gide Loyrette Nouel advised Yareal. 22-Apr Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised PSP, the operator of the BLIK mobile payment system, on the addition of Mastercard as an N/A Poland investor and the start of commercial collaboration between it and PSP. 22-Apr SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Orlen Poludnie on its launch of a second generation bioethanol plant at its refinery in N/A Poland Solutions Jedlicze, Poland. 23-Apr DLA Piper; Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised Cordia International on its PLN 229.4 million acquisition of a majority stake in Polnord S.A. DLA PLN Poland Piper advised Polnord on the deal. 229.4 million 24-Apr SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions assisted Games Operators with its initial public offering and listing on the Warsaw Stock N/A Poland Solutions Exchange. 27-Apr CMS CMS advised Real Assets Advisers on its joint acquisition of 33% of Acciona Energia Internacional by AXA Real Asset N/A Poland and Acciona S.A. 27-Apr White & Case White & Case advised PKO Bank Polski on a tender offer to the holders of its EUR 750 million notes and USD 1 billion EUR 1.2 Poland notes issued by its subsidiary, PKO Finance AB. billion 28-Apr Dentons; Rymarz Zdort Dentons advised ING Bank Slaski on a multimillion acquisition financing and refinancing of a portfolio of Polish solar N/A Poland projects with an aggregate capacity of 45 MW. The financing was granted to a project company controlled by a fund managed by Aberdeen Standard Investments, which was advised by Rymarz Zdort. 28-Apr Jacek Kosinski Adwokaci Jacek Kosinski Adwokaci i Radcowie Prawni advised Dubai-based VC Shibumi International on its investment in Hustro, a N/A Poland i Radcowie Prawni Wroclaw-based company that operates in the construction sector. Hustro was advised by solo practitioner Maksymilian Imbirski. 29-Apr Fieldfisher; RJPartners; Wardynski & Partners, working alongside Italian counsel Fieldfisher, advised Cefla s.c. on its acquisition of 51% of the N/A Poland Wardynski & Partners shares in Stern Weber Polska sp. z o.o. The sellers were assisted by RJPartners. 30-Apr Bech-Bruun; Link Legal; Wardynski & Partners, working alongside Gorrissen Federspiel, advised Leica Geosystems (part of Hexagon) on its N/A Poland Soltysinski Kawecki & acquisition of the aerial mapping business of international consulting group COWI. COWI was assisted by Wikborg Rein, Szlezak; Wardynski & Bech-Bruun, SK&S Legal, and Link Legal. Partners; Wikborg Rein 30-Apr Allen & Overy; Hogan Hogan Lovells advised Metro Warszawskie Sp. z o. o. on credit facilities it obtained for new infrastructure and the PLN 654 Poland Lovells purchase of new environment-friendly rolling stock, as well as on the negotiation of a new public service agreement. million The financing in the amount of up to PLN 654 million will be provided by the European Investment Bank. Allen & Overy advised the lender. 1-May Brockhuis Jurczak BSJP advised European Energy, a Denmark-based constructor of wind and solar farms as well as large-scale green N/A Poland Prusak Sroka Nilsson; energy storage facilities, on an acquisition of a Polish wind farm investment project with a total nominal wind capacity of Radzikowski, Szubielska I 48 MW. Radzikowski, Szubielska I Wspolnicy advised the seller Wspolnicy 1-May Brockhuis Jurczak On behalf of European Energy, a Denmark-based constructor of wind and solar farms as well as large-scale green energy N/A Poland Prusak Sroka Nilsson storage facilities, BSJP negotiated the rights to the acquisition of a large-scale photovoltaic installation in Poland with a total nominal capacity of 150 MW. 1-May Bech-Bruun; Kromann Wardynski & Partners, working alongside Kromann Reumert, advised the Orifarm Group pharmaceutical company USD 670 Poland Reumer; Wardynski & on the acquisition of a portfolio of select over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceutical products from Takeda million Partners; White & Case Pharmaceutical Company Limited. White & Case and Bech-Bruun advised the sellers.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 49 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 4-May SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Link4 TU S.A. on the implementation of a blockchain-based project that will allow N/A Poland Solutions the company to, in the firm's words, meet the requirements set by the regulator in the area of providing clients with documents, and save costs through digitization. 5-May CMS; Schoenherr CMS advised PZ Cussons on the sale of LUKSJA, a Polish personal care cosmetics brand, to the Sarantis Group. N/A Poland Schoenherr advised Sarantis on the deal. 5-May Greenberg Traurig; Greenberg Traurig has advised the Polsat Group on its acquisition of Interia Group from Bauer Media Group. Noerr N/A Poland Noerr advised the sellers on the deal, which remains subject to regulatory approval. 5-May SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Zedra Malta Limited on the acquisition of Poland's Awans Corporate Services. N/A Poland Solutions 6-May Domanski Zakrzewski Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka advised Gas-System SA on a construction and assembly agreement with Saipem Limited N/A Poland Palinka regarding the laying of the Baltic Pipe intersystem gas pipeline on the bottom of the Baltic Sea and connecting the undersea part of the pipeline with onshore sections in Poland and Denmark. 6-May Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig helped Zygmunt Solorz, the founder and majority shareholder of Grupa Polsat, purchase 200 PLN 16 Poland thousand genetic tests to be used by all Ministry of Health laboratories in Poland to diagnose the coronavirus. million 7-May Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised Griffin Real Estate and European Logistics Investment BV on the acquisition of land and the N/A Poland construction of warehouses in the Polish communities of Ruda Slaska, Czeladz, and Torun, from Panattoni Development Europe. 8-May Dentons; Wozniak Legal Dentons advised the CPI Property Group on its acquisition of a 50.3% share in the ownership of the Chalubinskiego 8 N/A Poland office building in Warsaw from First Property Group. Wozniak Legal advised the sellers on the deal. 8-May Marekwia & Plawny; Noerr advised environmental service provider PreZero on its acquisition of 100% of the shares of Komart, a Polish N/A Poland Noerr provider of municipal and industrial waste management services. Marekwia & Plawny advised the unidentified sellers on the deal. 11-May Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised CCC and its main shareholder on issuing and offering 13.7 million new shares. PLN 500 Poland million 14-May SMM Legal SMM Legal helped the Polish National Center for Research and Development launch the Grand Challenge: Energy N/A Poland project. 15-May Kwasnicki, Wrobel & Kwasnicki Wrobel & Partners advised Lorentz Tech Limited on the acquisition of Cube ID, a Polish company specializing N/A Poland Partners in identity management products. 15-May Allen & Overy Allen & Overy advised the Polish Development Fund on the implementation of Poland's PFR Financial Shield for Small and N/A Poland Medium-Sized Enterprises program that is designed to provide financial support for enterprises following the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. 18-May Bird & Bird Bird & Bird won the right to advise the Solidarity Transport Hub on its selection of key consultants for a new airport in N/A Poland Poland. 18-May Gessel Gessel advised Systexan SARL, a fund managed by Enterprise Investors, on its exit from X-Trade Brokers Dom Maklerski PLN Poland S.A., including its conducting a public offer in the form of accelerated book-building worth PLN 111.2 million. Global 111.2 coordinators were PKO BP and Ipopema Securities. million 22-May Act (BSWW) Act BSWW advised AFI Europe on a lease of 900 square meters of office space in the V.Offices complex in Krakow to N/A Poland BrainShare IT. 22-May Clifford Chance; DWF DWF advised Solaque Holding Ltd. on the sale of two wind farms in Poland to Fonnes sp. z o.o., a subsidiary of Taaleri Plc. N/A Poland Clifford Chance advised the buyers on the deal. 26-May White & Case White & Case advised Kenbourne Invest II and Tollerton Investments Limited on the PLN 700 million sale of shares in PLN 700 Poland Play Communications. BofA Securities and Santander Bank Polska S.A. - Santander Biuro Maklerskie acted as joint global million coordinators and joint bookrunners. 28-May Dentons; Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised a company controlled by a fund managed by Aberdeen Standard Investments on the refinancing N/A Poland of one of its Polish photovoltaic portfolio with an aggregate capacity of 55 MW. Dentons advised Erste Group Bank AG and ING Bank Slaski S.A. on the refinancing. 29-May BCGL; Gessel BCGL advised mBank S.A. on financing granted to PGB Holdco and its subsidiaries for the development and start-up of N/A Poland biogas plant facilities. Gessel advised PGB Holdco on the deal. 4-Jun Act (BSWW); Deloitte Act BSWW advised the Adventum International investment fund on the acquisition of a 17,000-square-meter office N/A Poland Legal building in Wroclaw, Poland, from EFL Service SA,, which is controlled by Europejski Fundusz Leasingowy SA. Deloitte Legal advised the sellers on the deal. 4-Jun CMS; Eversheds Eversheds Sutherland Wierzbowski advised the Lithuanian electricity transmission system operator on an agreement N/A Poland Sutherland regarding the construction of the Harmony Link submarine cable between Lithuania and Poland. CMS advised Polish power transmission system operator PSE on the deal. 4-Jun Allen & Overy; Ellex Ellex Valiunas advised Energy Solar Projekty sp.z o.o on its receipt of a EUR 36 million loan from the EIB and DNB Bank EUR 36 Poland (Valiunas) Polska. Allen & Overy advised DNB Bank Polska on the loan, which is designed for the development of a solar power plant million project in Poland. 4-Jun Baker Mckenzie; CMS; CMS advised Grupa Azoty Polyolefins on financing it received from Grupa Lotos SA and South Korea's Hyundai USD Poland DLA Piper; White & Case Engineering and Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development Corporation for the Police Polimery polypropylene 1.20 project in Poland, as well as on the implementation of the project. Baker McKenzie advised Grupa Lotos and DLA Piper billion advised Hyundai and Korea Overseas Infrastructure & Urban Development on the deal. 5-Jun Hogan Lovells; Linklaters Linklaters advised Swedish real estate private equity firm NIAM on the sale of Silesia Business Park A and B in Katowice to N/A Poland the Philippine's ISOC Group, represented in Poland by Augusta Cracovia, which was advised by Hogan Lovells. 8-Jun MGS Law MGS Law advised Orange Poland on two Power Purchase Agreements concluded with German renewable energy N/A Poland projects developer WPD regarding wind farms WPD will operate in Jarocin (5 MW) and Krotoszyn (10 MW). 8-Jun DWF DWF advised Polish Enterprise Fund VIII, a private equity fund managed by Enterprise Investors, on an unspecified N/A Poland investment in the Vehis Group. 8-Jun Dentons; Penteris Dentons advised commercial real estate developer Cavatina Holding on the sale of three A-class office buildings in the N/A Poland Equal Business Park office complex in Krakow to a consortium managed by Apollo-Rida Poland. Penteris advised Apollo- Rida on the deal.
50 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 8-Jun Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised funds controlled by Aberdeen Standard Investments on the acquisition of a portfolio of 130 N/A Poland photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of 122 MW from Poland's R. Power Group. 8-Jun Gide Loyrette Nouel The Warsaw office of Gide advised Archicom on its EUR 33.8 million sale of the City One office building in Wroclaw to an EUR 33.8 Poland unnamed institutional investor. million 8-Jun Mrowiec Fialek & Mrowiec Fialek & Partners advised Polski Holding Nieruchomosci S.A. on the issuance of E series shares and on their PLN 4.2 Poland Partners admission to trading on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. million 11-Jun Gide Loyrette Nouel; Gide Loyrette Nouel advised Sierra Gorda on its entrance into a credit facility agreement of USD 200 million with Bank EUR 200 Poland White & Case Gospodarstwa Krajowego. Gide also advised corporate guarantors KGHM Polska Miedz S.A., Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. million Ltd, and Sumitomo Corporation. White & Case advised Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego on the deal. 15-Jun Bird & Bird; SRC Bird & Bird advised mBank on an unspecified financing and refinancing transaction related to the construction of 28 solar N/A Poland farms in northwestern Poland owned by seven SPVs belonging to Denmark's Nordic Solar. SRC advised Nordic Solar. 15-Jun Jara Drapala & Partners JDP helped a consortium composed of Intercor, Stecol, and Sinohydro to win a tender announced by PKP PLK S.A. and PLN 4.1 Poland involving the construction of part of Rail Baltica, a railway corridor connecting Berlin, Warsaw, Kaunas, Riga, Tallinn and billion Helsinki. 17-Jun CK Legal; Decisive Decisive Worldwide Szmigiel Papros Gregorczyk advised Rengl Polska Sp. z o. o. on its acquisition of the assets of N/A Poland Worldwide Szmigiel Krakow's Wenecja Advertising Agency. CK Legal advised the sellers on the deal. Papros Gregorczyk 18-Jun Norton Rose Fulbright Norton Rose Fulbright advised a consortium of Polish banks consisting of mBank S.A. and Santander Bank Polska S.A. in PLN 350 Poland relation to the financing of R. Power's 121 MWp PV installations in Poland. million 22-Jun CMS; Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised a fund controlled by Aberdeen Standard Investments on its acquisition of a portfolio of 41 N/A Poland photovoltaic projects from Lithuania-based Green Genius. CMS advised Green Genius on the deal. 23-Jun Gawronski & Partners Gawronski & Partners advised Przedsiebiorstwo Wodociagow i Kanalizacji on the organization of a public procurement N/A Poland procedure for the construction of a pioneer nutrient recovery facility designed torecover phosphorus from reclaimed water in a sewage treatment plant in the Polish town of Cielcza. 23-Jun Linklaters Linklaters advised Polish Logistics LLP on the acquisition and financing of a logistics park in Piotrkow Trybunalski, near N/A Poland Lodz, from unnamed sellers. 23-Jun Schnittker Moellmann SSW Pragmatic Solutions, working with Germany's Schnittker Moellmann Partners, advised Polish private equity EUR 2 Poland Partners; SSW Pragmatic investor ARIA Private Equity on its investment in Inuru, a company providing electronic packaging solutions. Taylor million Solutions; Taylor Wessing advised Inuru on the transaction. Wessing 23-Jun Dentons; Linklaters Linklaters advised the EBRD and BNP Paribas Bank Polska on financing provided to five Polish special purpose vehicles PLN 700 Poland owned by the French renewable energy developer and operator Qair and the French infrastructure fund RGreen Invest million and advised BNP Paribas Bank Polska on financing provided to three Polish special purpose vehicles of the same portfolio, with the total financing to the portfolio amounting to approximately PLN 700 million. Dentons advised Qair on the deal. 24-Jun CK Legal CK Legal advised Selvita S.A. on its successfully allotment of 2.38 million of C series shares, raising EUR 20.6 million from EUR 20.6 Poland investors. million 26-Jun Gessel Gessel advised Anwim on its investment in a network of unmanned eMila service stations. N/A Poland 26-Jun Arena Legal; Gessel; Gessel advised the Sunfish Partners fund on participating in an investment round, together with Chiratae Ventures and N/A Poland Lewczuk Lyszczarek I Joyance Partners, for Aether Biomedical. Lewczuk Lyszczarek I Wspolnicy advised Aether Biomedical on the deal, while Wspolnicy Arena Legal had advised Chiratae Ventures and Joyance Partners. 26-Jun SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised CofounderZone, a venture capital fund managed by the state-owned PFR Ventures N/A Poland Solutions group, on its investment in Nethansa, a Polish startup offering the Clipperon system for automating logistics and sales processes on the Amazon platform. 26-Jun DWF; Skils; WKB DWF advised the ESPF 4 fund managed by KGAL on the acquisition of two wind farms with a total capacity of 40 MW from N/A Poland Wiercinski Kwiecinski the CEZ Group. WKB Wiercinski Kwiecinski Baehr and Skils advised CEZ on the deal. Baehr 26-Jun Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised European Logistics Investment BV and Griffin Real Estate on the acquisition of land for the N/A Poland construction of a warehouse in Zabrze, Poland. 26-Jun Gessel Gessel advised Polish stem cell bank Polski Bank Komorki Macierzystych on its EUR 420,000 acquisition of 53% of the EUR Poland share capital of Milan-based Sorgente S.r.l. 420,000 29-Jun SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions helped Gaming Factory SA obtain approval for its prospectus from the Polish Financial N/A Poland Solutions Supervision Authority for a planned public offering and application for admission and introduction of shares to trading on the regulated market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. 30-Jun Hogan Lovells Hogan Lovells advised Santander Leasing S.A. on legal and tax aspects of its synthetic securitization of a portfolio of PLN 2 Poland lease receivables worth PLN 2 billion. As part of the transaction, the EIB Group will guarantee the mezzanine tranche in billion the amount of PLN 284 million and the senior tranche of PLN 1.7 billion. 1-Jul Allen & Overy; Gorrissen Wardynski & Partners and Gorrissen Federspiel advised the Salling Group on the acquisition of shares in Tesco. Allen & N/A Poland Federspiel; Wardynski & Overy advised Tesco. Partners 1-Jul Brockhuis Jurczak BSJP advised Germany's PNE on an acquisition of a Polish wind farm project with a total nominal wind capacity of 60 MW. N/A Poland Prusak Sroka Nilsson; SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised the seller. SSW Pragmatic Solutions 1-Jul Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised Panattoni Development Europe on a transaction related to the financing and planned EUR 132 Poland development of a logistic park near Warsaw. million 1-Jul CMS; Dentons CMS advised Bayerische Landesbank on financing to Pacifico Energy Partners for the construction of three wind farms PLN 366 Poland with a total capacity of almost 52 MW. Dentons advised the borrower. million 1-Jul Brockhuis Jurczak BSJP advised DB Schenker on a real estate acquisition and investment implementation related to the construction of a EUR 10 Poland Prusak Sroka Nilsson; green cross-dock terminal in the Swidnik Business Activity Zone in Lubelskie Voivodeship, Poland. Schoenherr advised million Schoenherr the contractor.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 51 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 3-Jul Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort represented Polskie Goornictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo S.A. in arbitration proceedings against PAO N/A Poland Gazprom and OOO Gazprom Export involving PGNiG's demand that the contract price for gas supplied by Gazprom under an agreement commonly known as the Yamal Contract be revised. 3-Jul Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised Panattoni Development Europe on the acquisition of an undeveloped plot in Gdansk from N/A Poland unidentified sellers. 3-Jul Dentons; DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Grupa PZU on the lease of 47,000 square meters of office, retail, and warehouse space in the PLN 787 Poland Generation Park Y in Warsaw from Skanska. Dentons advised Skanska on the deal. million 3-Jul Kochanski & Partners Kochanski & Partners helped Forteam Investments overcome the attempt by Polish entrepreneur Mariusz Switalski to USD 86 Poland have the District Court in Poznan lift an injunction against him and his assets in an ongoing proceeding. million 7-Jul Gessel Gessel advised the Polish Stem Cell Bank on the signing of a preliminary contract for the purchase of 100% of shares in N/A Poland Germany's Eticur from InGeneron and another owner. 7-Jul SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Fitch Ratings on the multi-stage restructuring of the Fitch Group in Europe. N/A Poland Solutions 8-Jul DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Katoen Natie, an international logistics service provider and port operator, on the acquisition of the N/A Poland Polish warehousing activities of the Nijhof-Wassink logistics company. The sellers were advised by solo practitioner Boguslaw Kanski. 8-Jul Mrowiec Fialek & Mrowiec Fialek & Partners advised Mota-Engil Real Estate Management on its issuance of private corporate bonds. PLN 15 Poland Partners million 9-Jul Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised Lee Hecht Harrison on the acquisition of the enterprise of Development & Business N/A Poland Consulting Gniazdowski i Partnerzy sp.k., which had been operating as the Polish Lee Hecht Harrison representative. 9-Jul Baker Mckenzie; DLA DLA Piper advised private equity investor Resource Partners on the sale of a majority stake in Golpasz to De Heus, an N/A Poland Piper international animal feed manufacturer. Baker McKenzie advised De Heus on the deal. 10-Jul Norton Rose Fulbright; Norton Rose Fulbright advised Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A. on refinancing the debt of Polska Zegluga Morska Group N/A Poland Rosicki, Grudzinski & Co. companies in connection with the acquisition of five vessels. Rosicki, Grudzinski & Co. advised Polska Zegluga. 13-Jul Clifford Chance Clifford Chance advised mBank S.A. on Echo Investment S.A.'s up-to-PLN 150 million bond issuance. PLN 150 Poland million 14-Jul SMM Legal SMM Legal advised the Energa Group on the acquisition of a wind farm project in Poland from Energa Invest. N/A Poland 15-Jul Balicki Czekanski WKB advised Orbico and Distribev Orbico on the sale of 80% of shares in the share capital of Distribev Orbico to United N/A Poland Gryglewski Lewczuk; Beverages. Grant Thornton advised United Beverages. BCGL advised Bank Pekao S.A. on its provision of financing for Grant Thornton; WKB the acquisition. Wiercinski Kwiecinski Baehr 15-Jul Linklaters Linklaters advised Chariot Top Group BV on the EUR 1 billion sale of a 1.8 hectare investment plot in Katowice, Poland, EUR 1 Poland to unnamed buyers. billion 15-Jul Norton Rose Fulbright Norton Rose Fulbright advised the Accolade Group on its acquisition and development of a new multi-tenant logistics EUR 47 Poland park in Gorzow Wielkopolski, Poland. million 15-Jul Gessel Gessel advised Creepy Jar and Ipopema Securities shareholders on the sale of Creepy Jar shares in a public offering via PLN 45 Poland an accelerated book-building procedure. million 22-Jul Norton Rose Fulbright Norton Rose Fulbright advised a consortium of ten banks on a PLN 5.5 billion loan to Gaz-System, Poland’s designated PLN 5.5 Poland natural gas transmission system operator. billion 24-Jul Kurzynski Kosinski Soltysinski Kawecki Szlezak advised IKEA Industry Poland, a member of the IKEA Group, on the sale of its furniture N/A Poland Lyszyk Wierzbicki; factory in Konstantynow Lodzki to a member of Latvia's Vakaru Medienos Grupe. Kurzynski Kosinski Lyszyk Wierzbicki Soltysinski Kawecki & advised Vakaru Medienos on the deal. Szlezak 24-Jul Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised PGNiG S.A. on the execution of a five-year agreement with Klaipedos Nafta for the use of the N/A Poland entire capacity of its liquid natural gas tanker truck reloading station in Klaipeda, Lithuania. 27-Jul Allen & Overy; Clifford Clifford Chance advised a consortium consisting of the EBRD, ING Bank Slaski, mBank, and Santander Bank Polska on PLN 480 Poland Chance financing of PLN 480 million to Polenergia for the construction of a 121 MW wind farm in Debsk, Poland. Allen & Overy million advised Polenergia. 27-Jul CK Legal; Greenberg Greenberg Traurig advised UBS and Ipopema Securities on Ryvu Therapeutics' PLN 140 million new share offering. PLN 140 Poland Traurig Chabasiewicz, Kowalska, and Partners advised Ryvu Therapeutics. million 28-Jul CMS CMS advised Bonair on its sale to the Netherlands' Fellowmind group, which is owned by Sweden's FSN Capital private N/A Poland equity fund. 28-Jul GTS Legal; SSW SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Kom-Eko on its acquisition of 69.46% of shares in Lubelska Agencja Ochrony N/A Poland Pragmatic Solutions Srodowiska. 28-Jul Noerr; Rapala Law Firm Noerr advised Telekom Innovation, a strategic investment fund of Deutsche Telekom, on an unspecified equity N/A Poland investment in Poland's RemoteMyApp technology company. The Rapala Law Firm advised RemoteMyApp. 28-Jul Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Panattoni Europe on its lease of space at Poland's Panattoni Park Ruda Slaska II to Dywidag-Systems N/A Poland International sp. z o.o., a producer of geotechnical and compression systems. 29-Jul Allen & Overy; Brockhuis BSJP successfully represented Polish cement producer Dyckerhoff Polska in cartel proceedings pending since 2006. EUR 100 Poland Jurczak Prusak Sroka Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, Wardynski & Partners, and SK&S Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak advised various plaintiffs. million Nilsson; Clifford Chance; Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak 30-Jul Kochanski & Partners Kochanski & Partners successfully represented Ringier Axel Springer Polska in a dispute with the Polish Filmmakers N/A Poland Association that reached Poland's Supreme Court involving the calculation of royalties. 30-Jul DLA Piper; Hogan Hogan Lovells advised arrangers and investors ING Bank NV and ING Bank Slaski S.A. on the securitization of the PLN 950 Poland Lovells portfolio of receivables from leasing contracts of Santander Consumer Multirent. The issuer was advised by DLA Piper. million 31-Jul Kochanski & Partners Kochanski & Partners successfully represented Polish journalist Mikolaj Podolski in criminal proceedings. N/A Poland
52 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 31-Jul SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Polish resin manufacturer LERG S.A. on the acquisition of CIECH Zywice, another EUR 36 Poland Solutions Polish resin manufacturer. million 4-Aug BCGL; Schoenherr Schoenherr advised shareholders of Dagat-Eco on sale of 100% of shares in Dagat-Eco sp. z o.o. to Omikron PE. BCGL N/A Poland advised Dagat-Eco. 5-Aug Baker Mckenzie; Clifford Baker McKenzie advised PKN Orlen on a revolving facility agreement under English law with a consortium of 16 banks. EUR 1.75 Poland Chance Clifford Chance advised the lenders on the deal. billion 6-Aug KPRF Law Office; Linklaters advised Chariot Group, a company managed by Griffin Real Estate, on the extension of leases with Auchan N/A Poland Linklaters Poland for six retail properties. The KPRF Law Office advised Auchan Poland. 6-Aug Matczuk, Wieczorek i Schoenherr advised the Polish subsidiary of the Assa Abloy Group on the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Donimet N/A Poland Wspolnicy; Schoenherr BIS sp. z o.o. Matczuk, Wieczorek i Wspolnicy advised Donimted BIS. 7-Aug Bird & Bird; Norton Rose Bird & Bird advised Wento and Enterprise Investors on the EUR 50 million sale of Eco Power sp. z o.o. to PGE Energia EUR 50 Poland Fulbright Odnawialna. The Warsaw office of Norton Rose Fulbright advised the buyers on the deal. million 10-Aug Baker Mckenzie Baker McKenzie advised ElectroMobility Poland SA on agreements with Torino Design and EDAG Engineering Gmbh N/A Poland regarding the construction and assembly of electric cars in Poland. 11-Aug Decisive Worldwide Decisive Worldwide Szmigiel Papros Gregorczyk advised the Skarbiec Dochodowych Nieruchomosci Fizan investment N/A Poland Szmigiel Papros fund on the negotiation and sale of retail premises in Wroclaw’s Old Town. Gregorczyk. 17-Aug Dentons; DLA Piper; Greenberg Traurig advised Panattoni Development Europe on the sale of the Lodz City VI logistics park to Kajima N/A Poland Greenberg Traurig Properties and Savills Investment Management. DLA Piper advised Savills Investment Management and Dentons advised Kajima Properties. 17-Aug CMS; Freshfields; CMS and Sweden's Wistrand law firm advised Nordex SE on its execution of a put option agreement for the potential sale EUR Poland Wistrand; WKB of Nordex's European wind and photovoltaic development pipeline to RWE. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and WKB 402.5 Wiercinski Kwiecinski reportedly advised RWE on the transaction. million Baehr 21-Aug Dentons; Greenberg Greenberg Traurig advised the Metropol Group on the acquisition of regional shopping centers in the Polish cities of N/A Poland Traurig Gdynia, Olkusz, Radom, Swietochlowice, and Siemianowice from subsidiaries of the Atrium group. Dentons advised the Atrium Group on the deal. 25-Aug Gessel Gessel advised CD Projekt on the buy-back of its shares. PLN 214 Poland million 27-Aug B2Rlaw; Dagital Legal; SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised BoomBit on its sale of a part of its shareholding in SuperScale to British venture capital N/A Poland Dentons; Ssw Pragmatic fund Level-Up. Dentons advised Level-Up on the deal while B2RLaw, working with London's Fieldfisher and Bratislava's Solutions Dagital Legal law firms, also advised BoomBit and its founder Ivan Trancik. 28-Aug Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland advised Icos Capital on an unspecified Series B investment in Carbon Clean Solutions. Latham & N/A Poland Latham & Watkins Watkins advised Carbon Clean Solutions on the deal. 31-Aug B2RLaw B2RLaw assisted USPTC with a consultancy project relating to the merger of Politechnika Bialostocka and the University N/A Poland of Bialystok. 31-Aug B2RLaw; Dechert B2RLaw and Dechert advised Barings BDC, Inc. on its merger with MVC Capital, Inc. N/A Poland 31-Aug Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised Ekstraklasa S.A. on the sale of media rights for the Polish premier football league to broadcast PLN 1 Poland networks CANAL+ and TVP. billion 2-Sep Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised Concept Development BSD 2 on the sale of the 9000-square-meter 15-floor Concept Tower office N/A Poland building in Warsaw to the CPI Property Group. 3-Sep Bird & Bird; Smolarek Bird & Bird advised mBank on a financing and refinancing deal with Nordic Solar Energy related to the construction of 26 N/A Poland Rogala Caban solar farms in northwestern Poland. Smolarek Rogala Caban advised Nordic Solar Energy on the deal. 3-Sep Decisive Worldwide Decisive Szmigiel Papros Gregorczyk advised the Revetas Group on its lease of almost 2600 square meters of space in N/A Poland Szmigiel Papros Warsaw's Trinity One office building to the local branch of an unidentified telecom holding company. Gregorczyk 3-Sep Gessel; Grabarek Szalc i Gessel advised OEX on an investment in iPOS that will see OEX take up newly issued shares constituting the majority of N/A Poland Wspolnicy iPOS’ share capital. Grabarek Szalc i Wspolnicy reportedly advised iPOS on the deal. 4-Sep Baker Mckenzie; Greenberg Traurig advised Oanda Global Corporation on the acquisition of Dom Maklerski TMS Brokers S.A from Nabbe N/A Poland Greenberg Traurig Investments, a subsidiary of PineBridge Investments. Baker McKenzie advised Nabbe and PineBridge Investments on the deal. 7-Sep Dentons; Greenberg Greenberg Traurig advised Invesco Real Estate on the sale of a logistics center in Lodz to Savills Investment Management, N/A Poland Traurig acting on behalf of Savills IM European Logistics Fund 2. Dentons advised the buyer on the deal. 7-Sep Grochowicz Law Office The Grochowicz Law Office advised Stena Investment S.a.r.l. on the sale of its Polish subsidiaries Shaletech Energy sp. z N/A Poland o.o. and Northam sp. z o.o. in a management buyout. 7-Sep Mrowiec Fialek & Mrowiec Fialek and Partners advised Redan SA on the sale of shares in Top Secret sp. z o.o. to the company's majority N/A Poland Partners shareholder. 9-Sep Dentons Dentons advised MaForm Holding Luxembourg S.A R.L. on its tender offer to purchase 66% of shares in WSE-listed N/A Poland Fabryki Mebli Forte S.A. 9-Sep NautaDutilh; Wardynski Wardynski & Partners, working alongside NautaDutilh, advised Desch Holding B.V. on its acquisition of 100% of shares in N/A Poland & Partners Interplast Plastic Products sp. z o.o. 9-Sep BWHS Wojciechowski BWHS Wojciechowski Springer i Wspolnicy advised Uranpres, spol. s.r.o. on a EUR 70 million construction agreement EUR 70 Poland Springer i Wspolnicy with a consortium consisting of Mirbud S.A, Kobylarnia S.A, and Zrzeszenie Budowlane Interbudmontaz. million 9-Sep CMS CMS advised Aareal Bank on the EUR 153 million refinancing of Accolade Group’s industry parks portfolio, which includes EUR 153 Poland locations in the Polish communities of Szczecin, Bydgoszcz, Lublin, Legnica, Bialystok, and Zielona Gora. million 10-Sep Decisive Worldwide Decisive Szmigiel Papros Gregorczyk advised Nexity Polska on a general construction agreement with Wegner. N/A Poland Szmigiel Papros Gregorczyk
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 53 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 10-Sep CMS; Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised the European Investment Bank on a EUR 10 million financing to Scope Fluidics S.A., a Polish medical EUR 10 Poland technology company that designs diagnostic systems. CMS advised Scope Fluidics on the deal. million 17-Sep Clifford Chance; White White & Case advised Valmet on its acquisition of the PMP Group. Clifford Chance Warsaw advised the seller on the deal. EUR 64 Poland & Case million 18-Sep DLA Piper; Noerr DLA Piper advised the founder of Top System, a flexible packaging company in the dairy industry in Poland, on the sale of N/A Poland an 80% stake to Switzerland's Aluflexpack. Noerr advised Aluflexpack on the deal. 20-Sep Bartosz Kalupa; DLA DLA Piper and Batosz Kalupa assisted TDJ-Pitango Ventures Holding; Kondracki Celej assisted Manta Ray Ventures, N/A Poland Piper; Kondracki Celej; RST Ventures for Earth, and Movens Venture Capital; and Wardynski & Partners assisted a private individual on their Wardynski & Partners; subscription to new shares in StethoMe sp. z o.o. White & Case advised the StethoMe. White & Case 20-Sep Aabo-Evensen & Co; Wardynski & Partners, working alongside Aabo-Evensen & Co, advised Danish IT group KMD -- part of the NEC N/A Poland Schjodt; Wardynski & Corporation -- on Polish aspects of the acquisition by its Banqsoft subsidiary of Norwegian software company Concent. Partners Schjodt advised Banqsoft. 21-Sep Dentons; Greenberg Greenberg Traurig advised Madison International Realty on its acquisition of an unspecified stake in Cavatina Office sp. z N/A Poland Traurig o.o., the owner of the Chmielna 89 office building in Warsaw, from Cavatina Holding S.A., as well as on its entry into a joint venture agreement with Cavatina Holding S.A. and the refinancing of the existing bank debt of Cavatina Office sp. z o.o. Dentons reportedly advised Cavatina Holding S.A. on the deal. 22-Sep Jeantet; Jones Day; Noerr is advising the Schwarz Group on its intended takeover and potential entrance into a strategic partnership with EUR 1.1 Poland Nautadutih; Noerr; the French Suez Group in the waste disposal and recycling business. Jones Day and Wardynski & Partners advised Suez billion Wardynski & Partners on the deal. NautaDutilh in Luxembourg and the Netherlands and Jeantet in France worked on the deal as well. 24-Sep Dentons; DLA Piper DLA Piper in Poland advised Elite Partners Capital on the acquisition of a warehouse in the Polish town of Mszczonow N/A Poland from P3 Logistic Parks. Dentons advised P3 Logistic Parks on the deal. 25-Sep DLA Piper DLA Piper helped Aerotunel obtain financing from Pekao bank for the construction of the Deepspot diving pool in the N/A Poland Polish town of Mszczonow, together with conference and hotel facilities. The BB law firm advised Pekao bank on the deal. 28-Sep Clifford Chance; Clifford Chance advised Sun Investment Group Polska on the sale of a 170 megawatt solar parks portfolio currently N/A Poland Gorzelnik Nentwig under development to Ignitis Renewables. Gorzelnik Nentwig Ziebinski and Sorainen advised the buyer on the deal. Ziebinski; Sorainen 28-Sep Bredin Prat; Soltysinski White & Case advised Play Communications and its shareholders, Novator and Olympia, on the EUR 2.2 billion sale of all EUR 2.2 Poland Kawecki & Szlezak; White of its shares to French telecommunication provider Iliad SA. Bredin Prat and Soltysinski, Kawecki & Szlezak advised the billion & Case buyer on the deal. 30-Sep Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig helped OTB Ventures launch a dedicated investment vehicle to support Europe’s space technologies N/A Poland – the OTB Space Program I – backed by the European Investment Fund and the European Commission through the InnovFin for Equity program. 1-Oct SMM Legal SMM Legal advised PKN Orlen S.A. on its tender offer to buy the remaining shares in Energa S.A. N/A Poland 1-Oct Brockhuis Jurczak BSJP advised DB Schenker on the real estate acquisition and investment implementation related to the construction EUR 11 Poland Prusak Sroka Nilsson; of a green cross-dock terminal located at the Rzeszow-Dworzysko Science and Technology Park in Podkarpackie million Schoenherr Voivodeship, Poland. Schoenherr advised the contractor. 2-Oct Dentons; Gorzelnik GNZ Legal advised WPM Mosty on a successful financing and refinancing deal with mBank for the construction of a 10 N/A Poland Nentwig Ziebinski megawatt portfolio of photovoltaic projects. Dentons advised mBank. 5-Oct Bird & Bird Bird & Bird helped Santander Bank Polska implement the Salesforce CRM cloud-based system in Poland. N/A Poland 5-Oct Ozog Tomczykowski; Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak advised Britain's Smart Pension Ltd on the takeover of an IT team from Smart Pension's N/A Poland Soltysinski Kawecki & contractor, Code & Pepper. The Ozog Tomczykowski law firm advised Code & Pepper. Szlezak 6-Oct Grant Thornton; SPCG advised the Vafo Group on its acquisition of 100% of the shares in Carry Pet Food. Grant Thornton advised the N/A Poland Studnicki, Pleszka, seller on the deal. Cwiakalski, Gorski 6-Oct Benvalor; Eversheds Eversheds Sutherland advised Cogito Capital Partners on its EUR 3.7 million Series A investment in digital healthcare EUR 3.7 Poland Sutherland; Malecki provider HomeDoctor. Malecki Legal, Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak, and the Netherlands' Benvalor law firm advised million Legal; Soltysinski HomeDoctor and its founders on the deal. Kawecki & Szlezak 7-Oct JDP JDP advised Free Now, the owner and operator of a ride sharing app, on compliance matters related to the new set of N/A Poland regulations in Poland applicable to the ride share market. 8-Oct JDP JDP advised Trei Real Estate GmbH on a EUR 51 million loan it received for its Polish subsidiaries from pbb Deutsche EUR 51 Poland Pfandbriefbank. million 9-Oct JDP JDP assisted the Greenpack Group with the establishment of a legal and tax presence in Poland. N/A Poland 9-Oct Gessel Gessel advised the founders of R2G Polska on the sale of a block of shares to a subsidiary of the Abris CEE Mid-Market III N/A Poland LP fund, managed by Abris Capital Partners Ltd. 9-Oct SMM Legal SMM Legal advised Miedzynarodowe Targi Poznanski on its sale of a 5.5 hectare plot in the center of Poznan, Poland. PLN Poland 114.5 million 12-Oct WKB Wiercinski Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr worked alongside lead counsel Osborne Clark in advising Giant Ventures on the Polish N/A Poland Kwiecinski Baehr aspects of an unspecified investment in Airly sp. z o.o. 12-Oct WKB Wiercinski Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr advised Baltic Green I sp. z o.o. on contractor selection for the Katy Wind Farm project in N/A Poland Kwiecinski Baehr Poland. 12-Oct Kochanski & Partners Kochanski & Partners is representing Polish tennis player Katarzyna Kawa pro bono in her dispute against the N/A Poland International Tennis Federation and the French Tennis Federation. 12-Oct Act BSWW Act BSWW advised Pracuj Ventures on the acquisition of a minority stake in Gamfi. N/A Poland 12-Oct Allen & Overy; Clifford Clifford Chance advised mBank on a PLN 150 million loan to Polenergia for the VAT and costs of construction of the PLN 150 Poland Chance Kostomloty wind farm in Poland. Allen & Overy advised Polenergia on the deal. million
54 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 13-Oct Allen & Overy; Clifford Greenberg Traurig and Allen & Overy advised the global coordinators, joint bookrunners, and lead managers on Allegro. PLN 9.2 Poland Chance; Greenberg eu's IPO and the admission of Allegro shares to listing on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Clifford Chance advised Allegro billion Traurig on the IPO. 15-Oct Studnicki, Pleszka, SPCG represented a group of former shareholders of Merlin.pl S.A. in a dispute with Switalski & Synowie Sp. z o.o. N/A Poland Cwiakalski, Gorski 15-Oct DWF; Norton Rose DWF advised Enertrag on the sale of the Dargikowo and Karlino windparks in Poland to Allianz Capital Partners. Norton N/A Poland Fulbright Rose Fulbright advised Allianz Capital Partners on the deal. 16-Oct Crido Legal; DWF Crido Legal advised the Avenger Flight Group on its entry onto the Polish market and establishment of a joint venture N/A Poland with Enter Air. DWF Poland advised Enter Air. 16-Oct Wardynski and Partners; Wardynski and Partners, working alongside Willkie Farr & Gallagher, advised CapVest Partners on its acquisition of N/A Poland Willkie Farr & Gallagher Greenland Seafood from Pacific Andes through a portfolio company called Eight Fifty Food Group Limited. 16-Oct Clifford Chance; Dentons Poland advised DNB Bank Polska on its PLN 155 million financing package for Wilko 5, a special purpose vehicle PLN 155 Poland Dentons of the Helios Energy Investments Fund, for the construction of five wind farms in Poland’s Wielkopolskie region. Clifford million Chance advised the borrowers on the deal. 16-Oct Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland Wierzbowski advised the EEC Magenta fund on its PLN 12 million investment in CashDirector, PLN 12 Poland White & Case a financial platform supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in liquidity management. White & Case advised million CashDirector on the deal. 19-Oct Freshfields; Wardynski & Wardynski & Partners, working alongside Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, advised British digital sports media company N/A Poland Partners DAZN Group on the divestment of a majority stake in its football news website Goal.com to Integrated Media Company, a platform backed by US-based investment firm TPG. 19-Oct DWF; Haynsworth DWF, working with US lead counsel Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd, advised Sonoco Products Company on the USD 120 USD 120 Poland Sinkler Boyd; Mayer million sale of its Europe contract packaging business, Sonoco Poland-Packaging Services sp. z o.o., to Prairie Industries milion Brown; Wolf Theiss Holdings. Mayer Brown and Wolf Theiss advised Prairie Industries Holdings on the transaction. 21-Oct Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised Innova/5 on its sale of an unspecified stake in Pekaes to Geodis in Poland. N/A Poland 22-Oct Eversheds Sutherland Eversheds Sutherland Wierzbowski advised Ricoh on the acquisition of IT company SimplicITy. N/A Poland 22-Oct Gessel Gessel advised Benefit Systems on its issuance of Series A and B bonds valued at PLN 100 million and their admission to PLN 100 Poland trading on the Warsaw Stock Exchange's Alternative Trading System platform, as well as the bookrunner on the issuance, million the Polish branch of Haitong Bankas. 22-Oct Gessel Gessel advised Poland-based paraffin producer Polwax on the public offering of its shares with subscription rights and PLN 20 Poland admission of shares to trading on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Million 23-Oct Greenberg Traurig; SSW Greenberg Traurig advised the Innova/6 private equity fund on its acquisition of a majority stake in Poland-based N/A Poland Pragmatic Solutions software developer STX Next from Maciej Dziergwa and other unnameds shareholders. SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised the sellers on the deal. 23-Oct Rymarz Zdort; White Rymarz Zdort advised MCI.PrivateVentures and AMC Capital IV Albatros S.a r.l. on their sale of ATM S.A. to Global N/A Poland & Case Compute Infrastructure LP, a platform supported by the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division. White & Case advised Global Compute Infrastructure on the transaction. 23-Oct Greenberg Traurig; Wardynski and Partners, working alongside Plesner Advocatfirmet, advised Danish company Faerch A/S on its acquisition N/A Poland Plesner Advocatfirmet; from Sirap Gema S.p.A. of its Polish subsidiary Inline Poland sp. z o.o. Greenberg Traurig advised the seller. Wardynski and Partners 23-Oct DAHL; Gorrissen Wardynski and Partners and Gorrissen Federspiel advised Danish company SDK A/S on its acquisition of the Polish N/A Poland Federspiel; Wardynski subsidiaries -- Freja Transport & Logistics p. z o.o. and Transcargo sp. z o.o -- of Danish company Freja A/S. DAHL advised and Partners the seller. 26-Oct Latham & Watkins; Wardynski and Partners and Latham & Watkins advised Canpack S.A. as a co-issuer with Eastern PA Land Investment EUR 600 Poland Linklaters; Wardynski Holding LLC on its successful issue of EUR 600 million aggregate principal amount senior notes at 2.375% due 2027 and million and Partners USD 400 million aggregate principal amount senior notes at 3.125% due 2025 under the laws of the state of New York. and USD Linklaters advised the bond purchasers. 400 million 27-Oct B2Rlaw B2RLaw advised the Life Science Innovation Fund on an unspecified investment in telemedicine startup Aidlab. N/A Poland 27-Oct Decisive Worldwide Decisive Worldwide Szmigiel Papros Gregorczyk advised France’s Nexity Group on an agreement to work on an N/A Poland Szmigiel Papros unspecified development project with Erbud. Gregorczyk 27-Oct Gessel Gessel advised the Polish high-tech company DataWalk on the public offering of its new issue of shares worth PLN 65 Poland approximately PLN 65 million to qualified investors via a book-building process. million 28-Oct Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised shareholders Mariusz Cieply and Maciej Jarzebowski on the sale of their shares in LiveChat N/A Poland Software S.A. in an accelerated bookbuilding process. 29-Oct Clifford Chance; CMS Clifford Chance's Warsaw office advised a consortium of banks including Santander Bank Polska S.A., Bank Millennium N/A Poland S.A., and Bank Polska Kasa Opieki S.A. on financing for Gemini Polska. CMS advised Gemini Polska on the deal. 29-Oct B2Rlaw; Jakub Kapica B2RLaw advised KnowledgeHub on its EUR 1 million investment in Genomtec. Solo practitioner Jakub Kapica advised EUR 1 Poland Genomtec on the deal. million 30-Oct Wiercinski Kwiecinski Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr advised E&W, which belongs to Danish Eurowind Energy A/S and Windbud Sp. z o.o., on N/A Poland Baehr agreements to construct four wind farms in Poland. 30-Oct DLA Piper; Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised Nemera on the acquisition of Copernicus sp. z o.o. DLA Piper advised the unidentified sellers on N/A Poland the transaction. 30-Oct B2Rlaw B2RLaw advised Apis Venture on an unspecified investment in the Polish video game developer Byte Barrel. N/A Poland 30-Oct Brzozowska & Barwinska; DLA Piper advised Polish banks PKO BP and Santander on a PLN 113.5 million loan to Rockfin, an engineering company PLN Poland DLA Piper from the THC SICAV-RAIF portfolio. Brzozowska & Barwinska advised Rockfin and Tar Heel Capital Sp.z.o.o., the advisory 113.5 company to the THC SICAV-RAIF fund, on the deal. million
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 55 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 2-Nov Bredin Prat; Clifford Clifford Chance and Herbert Smith Freehills advised Cellnex Telecom on its agreement with French telecommunication EUR 800 Poland Chance; Herbert Smith company Iliad SA to acquire a 60% stake in a new company that will operate Iliad-owned Play Communications’ million Freehills; Soltysinski approximately 7,000 telecommunications sites in Poland. Soltysinski Kawecki & Szlezak and Bredin Prat advised Iliad. Kawecki & Szlezak 3-Nov Clifford Chance; Norton Clifford Chance advised the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund on its acquisition of Industrial Division from Abris N/A Poland Rose Fulbright Capital Partners. Norton Rose Fulbright advised the seller on the deal. 3-Nov Decisive Worldwide Decisive Szmigiel Papros Gregorczyk successfully represented Enel Invest, a member of the Enel-Med Group, in a PLN Poland Szmigiel Papros lawsuit filed against its landlord. 120,000 Gregorczyk 4-Nov Dentons; Greenberg Greenberg Traurig advised CA Immobilien Anlagen AG on the acquisition of P14 Sp. z o.o., the owner of the Postepu 14 N/A Poland Traurig office building in Warsaw, from HB Reavis. Dentons advised the sellers on the deal. 4-Nov Kirkland & Ellis; Schoenherr and Kirkland & Ellis advised Summit Partners on its acquisition of a stake in product-information provider N/A Poland Schoenherr Syndigo. 6-Nov DLA Piper; Linklaters DLA Piper advised the PORR construction company on the sale of all its shares in Stal-Service to the Celsa Huta N/A Poland Ostrowiec steel plant in Poland. Linklaters advised Celsa Huta Ostrowiec. 6-Nov Domanski Zakrzewski Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka and BIM Klaster, working with the European Commission, helped PwC develop a roadmap N/A Poland Palinka for the implementation of BIM methodology in public procurement together with templates of BIM documents for the Polish Ministry of Development. 6-Nov SSW Pragmatic Wardynski & Partners and Vinge advised Granges AB on its acquisition of Aluminium Konin from the Boryszew Group. EUR 210 Poland Solutions; Vinge; SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised the seller. million Wardynski & Partners 6-Nov Brockhuis Jurczak BSJP successfully represented DHV Polska, a subsidiary of the Netherlands-based DHV Royal Haskoning, which offers EUR Poland Prusak Sroka Nilsson aviation, building, and architectural services, in a dispute with Poland’s General Directorate for National Roads and 662,000 Motorways (GDDKiA) that has been pending since 2011. 9-Nov Kwasnicki, Wrobel & RKKW advised Omikron Capital on its acquisition of ZAP-Mechanika from an unidentified seller. N/A Poland Partners 10-Nov Krassowski Law Firm; The Krassowski Law Firm advised the Bielenda Kosmetyki Naturalne cosmetics company on its acquisition of the N/A Poland Wiercinski Kwiecinski Dermika and Soraya brands and a production facility in Radzymin, Poland, from the Orkla Group. Wiercinski Kwiecinski Baehr Baehr advised the Orkla Group on the transaction. 10-Nov Krassowski Law Firm; Linklaters advised the Lux Med Group on its acquisition of an unspecified stake in Lecznice Citomed. Krassowski advised N/A Poland Linklaters the founders of Lecznice Citomed on the transaction. 11-Nov Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised Panattoni Development Europe on its acquisition of an undeveloped plot of land near N/A Poland Nadarzyn, Poland. 11-Nov Baker Mckenzie Baker McKenzie advised Troax on its acquisition of Natom Logistic, a Polish manufacturer of warehouse equipment. N/A Poland KPMG Law advised the seller, Natom Logistic founder Tomasz Swiatek, on the transaction. 11-Nov Decisive Worldwide Decisive Szmigiel Papros Gregorczyk advised Nexity Polska on its acquisition of a plot of land in Warsaw's Bemowo N/A Poland Szmigiel Papros district from an unspecified seller. Gregorczyk 11-Nov Baker Mckenzie; Dla DLA Piper advised Mid Europa Partners on the acquisition of a majority stake in GWD Concept Displate from its founders, N/A Poland Piper Credo Ventures, and Miton Capital. Baker McKenzie advised the sellers on the transaction. 13-Nov SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Boryszew S.A. on the sale of Impexmetal S.A. to Sweden's Granges AB. The transaction PLN 938 Poland Solutions was executed at Impexmetal’s valuation of PLN 938 million. million 16-Nov Decisive Worldwide Decisive Szmigiel Papros Gregorczyk helped Enel-Med extend its medical clinic lease agreement with the CPI Property N/A Poland Szmigiel Papros Group until 2030. Gregorczyk 16-Nov Domanski Zakrzewski SDZLegal Schindhelm helped Max Streicher win a PLN 1 billion contract from Gaz-System to construct compressor PLN 1 Poland Palinka; SDZLegal stations in the Polish communities of Goleniow and Gustorzyn as a part of the Baltic Pipe project. Domanski Zakrzewski billion Schindhelm Palinka advised Gaz-System on the deal. 18-Nov Dentons Dentons advised Stadler Polska on the conclusion of a framework agreement and execution of contracts worth PLN 600 PLN 600 Poland million with Krakow’s public transport company to provide 60 Lajkonik II trams. million 19-Nov B2RLaw B2RLaw helped WalkSee attract an investment from the EVIG Alfa venture capital fund. N/A Poland 19-Nov DPPA Legal; DWF DWF advised International Workplace Group plc on its lease of space in the Skanska Wave complex in Gdansk. DPPA N/A Poland Legal advised Skanska on the deal. 20-Nov Dentons; Greenberg Greenberg Traurig advised Hines Pan-European Core Fund on the acquisition of a mezzanine warehouse facility in N/A Poland Traurig Wroclaw from GLL Real Estate Partners. Dentons advised GLL Real Estate Partners on the deal. 20-Nov Dabrowski i Partnerzy; Wardynski and Partners advised Zhermack SpA (part of the DentsplySirona group) on the sale of 100% shares in the N/A Poland Wardynski and Partners share capital of Zhermapol sp. z o.o. in a management buyout. The buyers were advised by Dabrowski i Partnerzy. 20-Nov Freshfields; Noerr; Noerr's Warsaw office advised private equity firm Enterprise Investors and its portfolio company Nu-Med on the EUR EUR 32.5 Poland Wardynski & Partners 32.5 million refinancing of the indebtedness of the Nu-Med Grupa S.A. and six of its subsidiaries. The financing was million provided by Kartesia, a private debt fund manager based in Luxembourg. Freshfields and Wardynski & Partners advised Kartesia. 23-Nov Dentons; Rymarz Zdort Dentons advised Aviva Investors on the sale of two warehouses in the Wroclaw Business Park to an unspecified N/A Poland construction company managed by Griffin Real Estate. Rymarz Zdort advised the buyer on the deal. 23-Nov Kochanski & Partners Kochanski & Partners helped Idea Bank become the first Polish financial service sector entity to obtain ISO 27017 and N/A Poland ISO 27001 certifications, confirming that its cloud computing solutions meet the necessary international standards. 23-Nov Baker Mckenzie; Gessel Gessel advised the Haitong Bank as the issue organizer, dealer, calculation agent, and documentation agent on Polska PLN 150 Poland Grupa Farmaceutyczna's PLN 150 million bond issue. Baker McKenzie advised the issuer on the deal. million 24-Nov Baker Mckenzie; Baker McKenzie advised the Embracer Group on the acquisition of Polish game developer Flying Wild Hog from N/A Poland Sheridans Supernova Capital. Sheridans advised the sellers on the deal.
56 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 26-Nov SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions helped Mo-BRUK get prospectus approval from the Polish Financial Supervision Authority. N/A Poland Solutions 26-Nov CMS; SSW Pragmatic CMS advised British insurance intermediary PIB Group Limited on the acquisition of WDB, an independent insurance N/A Poland Solutions broker in Poland. SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised sellers Mariusz Muszynski, Mateusz Holly, and Piotr Kumiega on the deal. 26-Nov Grant Thornton; Jara Jara Drapala & Partners helped the 4PL Central Station Group establish a joint venture with an unidentified Polish N/A Poland Drapala & Partners company. Grant Thornton advised the Polish co-venturer on the deal. 27-Nov SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Stelmet on the squeeze-out and withdrawal of its shares from the Warsaw Stock N/A Poland Solutions Exchange. Stelmet’s majority shareholder, Stanislaw Bienkowski, purchased all of the shares previously owned by minority shareholders. 30-Nov DLA Piper; Greenberg Greenberg Traurig advised Abris CEE Mid-Market Fund III L.P., managed by Abris Capital Ltd., on the acquisition of the N/A Poland Traurig Scanmed S.A. healthcare provider from Life Healthcare Group Holdings Limited. DLA Piper advised Life Healthcare Group Holdings on the transaction. 30-Nov Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised European Logistics Investment on the acquisition of land and the construction of a high-tech N/A Poland warehouse complex in Radom, Poland. 1-Dec Noerr Noerr advised Verlagsgruppe Passau on the sale of its Polish publishing activities to PKN Orlen. N/A Poland 1-Dec Brockhuis Jurczak BSJP advised Silownie Wiatrowe Development, a Polish wind power developer, on a sale of RES-related assets located in N/A Poland Prusak Sroka Nilsson; Poland to Tauron Ekoenergia, a unit of Polish state-owned energy group Tauron Polska Energia. Radzikowski, Szubielska Radzikowski, Szubielska I I Wspolnicy advised the buyer. Wspolnicy 2-Dec Act (BSWW); Hogan Act BSWW advised investment funds managed by Pekao TFI S.A on the PLN 2.5 billion bonds issue program of Miejskie PLN 2.5 Poland Lovells Przedsirbiorstwo Oczyszczania w m. st. Warszawie sp. z o.o., aimed at financing the modernization and extension of billion a municipal waste incineration plant and the construction of a waste segregation plant in Warsaw. The program was developed in cooperation with Bank Pekao S.A. and Pekao Investment Banking S.A., both of which were advised by Hogan Lovells. 3-Dec B2RLaw; Paul Hastings; B2RLaw, working alongside lead counsel Ropes & Gray, advised a consortium of banks, including Goldman Sachs N/A Poland Ropes & Gray; International and Barclays, as global coordinators and joint bookrunners, and HSBC and NatWest Markets as joint Soltysinski Kawecki & bookrunners, on Boparan Holding Ltd.’s GBP 475 million high yield bond issue of five-year (non-call two) 7.75% secured Szlezak notes. The new financing package also includes a new GBP 80 million revolving credit facility. SK&S and Paul Hastings advised Boparan. 3-Dec Allen & Overy; White White & Case advised joint bookrunner Erste Group Bank AG on the Tauron Polska Energia SA issue of Series A Bonds for PLN 1 Poland & Case a total nominal value of PLN 1 billion. Allen & Overy advised Tauron Polska Energia on the deal. billion 3-Dec Taylor Wessing Taylor Wessing advised the MLP Group on the public offering of its EUR 15 million bonds and their placement on the EUR 15 Poland alternative Catalyst market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. million 3-Dec Chabasiewicz Kowalska Chabasiewicz Kowalska & Partners advised PragmaGO on the sale of 100% of its shares to Polish Enterprise Fund VIII, EUR 11.9 Poland & Partners; White & Case managed by Enterprise Investors. White & Case advised the buyer on the deal. million 4-Dec Rymarz Zdort Rymarz Zdort advised European Logistics Investment on the acquisition of the Wroclaw Business Park warehouse N/A Poland complex from Aviva Investors. 4-Dec Deloitte Legal Deloitte Legal advised New Energy Investments on a green bonds issuance with a total nominal value of up to PLN 500 PLN 500 Poland million. million 7-Dec B2RLaw B2RLaw advised Skanska Residential Development on the acquisition of two properties in the Wlochy district of Warsaw PLN 80 Poland from an unspecified seller. million 8-Dec CMS; SDZLegal CMS advised Macquarie’s Green Investment Group on the acquisition of an operational 25.3 MW onshore wind farm in N/A Poland Schindhelm the western Polish village of Jozwin from Vortex Energy Poland and Max Bogl International SE. SDZLegal Schindhelm advised the selling shareholders Max Boegl and VPL Projects. 9-Dec Domanski Zakrzewski Domanski, Zakrzewski, Palinka advised the Krakow Roads Authority on selecting a consortium of PPP Solutions Polska PLN 1.25 Poland Palinka; Jacek Kosinski sp. z o.o. and Gulermak Agir Sanayi Insaat ve Taahhut a.s. as private contractor for the Krakow Fast Tram stage IV project, billion which involves the design, construction, and operation of the final stage of a new tram line. Jacek Kosinski advised the private partners on the deal. 9-Dec CMS CMS advised the BaltCap Infrastructure Fund on its entrance into a public-private partnership agreement for the PLN 12 Poland construction of street lighting in the municipality of Kobylnica, in Poland. million 10-Dec Studnicki, Pleszka, Studnicki, Pleszka, Cwiakalski, Gorski advised Enterprise Investors on the reorganization of Nu-Med Grupa S.A. N/A Poland Cwiakalski, Gorski 11-Dec Mrowiec Fialek & Mrowiec Fialek and Partners advised Ferro S.A. on the acquisition of a majority stake in Termet S.A. and 100% of the N/A Poland Partners; Rymarz Zdort shares of Tester sp. z o.o. Rymarz Zdort advised the seller. 11-Dec DLA Piper; Konieczny DLA Piper advised Polish Enterprise Fund VIII, managed by Enterprise Investors, on the acquisition of a majority stake in PLN 111 Poland Wierzbicki Polish software company Software Mind from Ailleron. Konieczny Wierzbicki advised Ailleron on the transaction. million 15-Dec Dentons; DWF Dentons advised Heimstaden Bostad on its EUR 65 million acquisition of two build-to-rent projects in Warsaw’s Praga- EUR 65 Poland Polnoc and Sluzewiec districts from Eiffage Immobilier Polska. DWF advised the seller on the deal. million 15-Dec ARQIS; Brockhuis BSJP and ARQIS advised Nethansa, a Polish startup offering Clipperon, an AI-driven sales and logistics automation EUR 1.76 Poland Jurczak Prusak Sroka software for the Amazon platform, on obtaining a late seed round funding in the amount of more than PLN 8 million from million Nilsson; SSW Pragmatic Movens VC, CofounderZone, and LT Capital investment funds. SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised investors Movens VC Solutions and CofounderZone. 16-Dec Kancelaria Adwokacka Mrowiec Fialek and Partners advised Schindler Polska on the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Wroclawskie N/A Poland Piotrowska Klak; Przedsiebiorstwo Remontowe Urzadzen Dzwigowych sp. z o.o. Kancelaria Adwokacka Piotrowska Klak advised the seller. Mrowiec Fialek & Partners 17-Dec Allen & Overy; White White & Case advised Mid Europa Partners on the acquisition of Sage Sp. z o.o. from The Sage Group plc, which was N/A Poland & Case advised by Allen & Overy.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 57 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 18-Dec Linklaters; Wolf Theiss Linklaters advised Echo Investment on the acquisition of investment properties developed by Tesco in Poznan, Lodz, EUR 42 Poland and Krakow, for the purposes of developing residential, office, commercial, and service facilities. Wolf Theiss advised million Tesco on the transaction. 21-Dec Gessel Gessel successfully represented the Black Forest Fund in proceedings before Poland’s Office of Competition and N/A Poland Consumer Protection involving its takeover of Corab. 21-Dec Gessel Gessel successfully represented the former president of Plus Bank in a criminal trial. N/A Poland 22-Dec Lesnodorski Slusarek i Lesnodorski, Slusarek i Wspolnicy, working pro bono, successfully represented journalist Polish Justyna Sliwowska- N/A Poland Wspolnicy Mroz in her claims that an advertisement by Poland's Law and Justice party had violated her rights. 22-Dec SSW Pragmatic SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised Mercator Medical on the accelerated book-building of its shares and their subsequent PLN 200 Poland Solutions PLN 200 million sale by shareholders Anabaza and Urszula Zyznowska. million 23-Dec Gessel Gessel advised the owner of MotionVFX on an unspecified investment in the Nextline search fund. Solo practitioner N/A Poland Jacek Klimczak advised Nextline on the deal. 23-Dec WKB Wiercinski Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr helped PineBridge Investments obtain clearance from the Polish competition authority for N/A Poland Kwiecinski Baehr its acquisition of control over Benson Elliot Capital Management. 23-Dec Taylor Wessing Taylor Wessing Warsaw advised MLP Group S.A., in connection with the public offering of series D ordinary bearer stocks N/A Poland and the introduction of rights to series D stocks to trade on the main market of the Warsaw Stock Exchange. 23-Dec Moskwa Jarmul Haladyj Rymarz Zdort advised Bank Pekao S.A. on the acquisition of a 38.33% stake in Krajowy Integrator Platnosci S.A. Moskwa, N/A Poland i Wspolnicy; Rymarz Jarmul, Haladyj i Wspolnici advised KIP on the deal, while SSW Pragmatic Solutions advised the majority shareholder of Zdort; SSW Pragmatic Krajowy Integrator Platnosci. Solutions 23-Dec Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised PCF Group S.A. on its IPO and admission of the shares to trading on the Warsaw Stock PLN 203 Poland Exchange. million 28-Dec WKB Wiercinski Wiercinski, Kwiecinski, Baehr advised Nowe Jaworzno Grupa Tauron on the construction of a power unit with a nominal N/A Poland Kwiecinski Baehr capacity of 910 MW in Jaworzno, Poland, following a mediation proceeding. 28-Dec Greenberg Traurig Greenberg Traurig advised HB Reavis Poland on a lease agreement with Leroy Merlin for office space at the Forest office N/A Poland campus in Warsaw. 28-Dec CMS; Sadkowski i CMS advised Bank Pekao S.A on the sale of Dom Inwestycyjny Xelion to Quercus TFI S.A. Sadkowski i Wspolnicy advised PLN 38.5 Poland Wspolnicy Quercus on the transaction. million 28-Dec Domanski Zakrzewski Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka advised the winning consortium of Aldesa Construcciones Polska sp. z o.o. and Aldesa PLN Poland Palinka Construcciones S.A. on a tender conducted by Poland's General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways for 456.14 the design and building of the south Bialystok bypass on the Ksiezyno-Bialystok Poludnie section of Poland's S19 million Expressway, together with the modernization of the DK 65 section. 28-Dec Brockhuis Jurczak BSJP successfully represented DHV Polska in a dispute with Poland's General Directorate for National Roads and PLN 2 Poland Prusak Sroka Nilsson Motorways. million 28-Dec Domanski Zakrzewski Domanski Zakrzewski Palinka helped Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. obtain a positive European Commission decision EUR 2.9 Poland Palinka approving state aid of PLN 2.9 billion. The EC found the aid aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of the COVID-19 billion pandemic compliant with EU rules. 28-Dec Gunderson Dettmer; Orrick helped Brainly raise USD 80 million in Series D funding from a group of investors including Learn Capital, Prosus USD 80 Poland Orrick Ventures, Runa Capital, MantaRay, and General Catalyst. Gunderson Dettmer and B2RLaw advised Learn Capital on the million deal. 29-Dec Gessel; Rymarz Zdort Gessel advised the Black Forest Fund on an unspecified investment in ExploRNA. Rymarz Zdort advised ExploRNA on N/A Poland the deal. 29-Dec Linklaters Linklaters advised Austrian real estate asset and investment manager GalCap Europe on the acquisition of an office N/A Poland building in Warsaw from German investment fund UBS Real Estate GmbH. 29-Dec Noerr; SSW Pragmatic Noerr assisted Brammer S.A., part of Rubix Group, with its acquisition of 100% of PEPE Sp. z o.o., which is active in the N/A Poland Solutions distribution of acid proof stainless steel components. SSW Legal advised the target. 30-Dec Dentons; Konieczny Dentons advised Nexity Polska on the sale of the La Praga residential project in Warsaw to Dutch fund Van der Vorm N/A Poland Wierzbicki Vastgoed. Konieczny Wierzbicki advised the buyer on the deal. 30-Dec Linklaters Linklaters advised Resi4Rent on the acquisition of apartment buildings in Warsaw, Lodz, and Wroclaw from Echo N/A Poland Investment. 30-Dec Studnicki, Pleszka, Studnicki, Pleszka, Cwiakalski, Gorski successfully represented Tesco Polska in a dispute regarding the existence of a N/A Poland Cwiakalski, Gorski legal title to a property in a Warsaw shopping and service center. 30-Dec Gessel; Noerr Noerr's Warsaw office advised German laboratory testing service provider GBA Gesellschaft fur Bioanalytik on the N/A Poland acquisition of JARS S.A., a Polish company operating a chain of laboratories focusing on environmental analysis, foodstuffs, consumer goods, and pharmaceutical analysis. The target was advised by Gessel. 30-Dec Studnicki, Pleszka, Studnicki, Pleszka, Cwiakalski, Gorski successfully represented the minority shareholders of PGE Elektrownia Opole in a PLN 260 Poland Cwiakalski, Gorski PLN 260 million dispute with PGE Gornictwo i Energetyka Konwencjonalna and PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna before million the Court of Appeal in Warsaw involving compensation for an improper determination of the share exchange parity in the process of merging the companies. 30-Dec B2Rlaw; Gessel; Mrowiec Mrowiec Fialek and Partners advised Custodia Capital on the acquisition of 100% of the share capital of Atende Software EUR 11.6 Poland Fialek & Partners sp. z o.o. B2Rlaw advised the sellers. Gessel advised the remaining investors. milion 30-Dec Freshfields; King & Schoenherr and Latham & Watkins advised AGRO Merchants Group on its sale to Americold Realty Trust. The buyers EUR 1.48 Poland Spalding; Latham & were advised by King & Spalding and Freshfields. billion Watkins; Schoenherr 31-Dec Crido Legal; DWF DWF advised the Corum XL investment fund on the acquisition of the Astris office building in Krakow. Crido advised the N/A Poland seller. 1-Jan CMS; Dentons CMS advised Panattoni, Marvipol, Bluehouse, and Kajima on their sale of a portfolio of logistics parks including Panattoni N/A Poland Park Poznan IV, Panattoni Park Szczecin II, Panattoni Park Warsaw North, Panattoni Park Warsaw South, and Panattoni Park Ruda Slaska I, to a fund represented by Savills Investment Management LLP. Savills was advised by Dentons.
58 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 20-Sep Allen & Overy; CMS CMS advised BGK on a revolving loan of up to up to PLN 500 million granted to Energa S.A. Energa was advised by Allen PLN 500 Poland & Overy. million 16-Dec CMS; Dentons CMS advised AFI Properties on the acquisition and financing of an office building located at 12 Marynarska street in EUR 100 Poland Warsaw from Starwood Capital Group. Dentons advised the seller. million 25-Aug Jadek & Pensa; Prica & Rymarz Zdort, Jadek & Pensa, and Prica & Partners advised Innova Capital on the sale of 100% of the shares of subsidiary N/A Poland; Partners; Rymarz Zdort Trimo d.o.o. to Kingspan Group plc. Serbia; Slovenia 12-Oct Kochanski & Partners; Kochanski & Partners and Squire Patton Boggs both claimed success in their representation of Poland's Muszynianka EUR 170 Poland; Squire Patton Boggs Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnoscia and the Republic of Slovakia, respectively, in international arbitration initiated million Slovakia under the Agreement on the Protection and Promotion of Investments between the Slovak Republic and the Republic of Poland. 26-Mar Baker Mckenzie (Esin Gessel and Caliskan Okkan Tokker advised Polski Bank Komorek Macierzystych on its acquisition of 70% shares in the N/A Poland; Attorney Partnership); newly-created Famicord-Acibadem company. The Esin Attorney Partnership advised Acibadem on the transaction. Turkey Caliskan Okkan Toker; Gessel 10-Jan Allen & Overy; CMS CMS advised Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego and KUKE S.A. on an export credit financing granted by BGK and insured EUR 53 Poland; by KUKE in relation to the development of the Nikolsky shopping mall in Kharkiv. Allen & Overy advised the borrower. million Ukraine 20-Jan CMS CMS advised Bank Pekao S.A. and KUKE S.A. on an export credit financing granted by Bank Pekao S.A. and insured by N/A Poland; KUKE S.A. in relation to the development of a solar photovoltaic plant in Ukraine. Ukraine 8-Jan Peli Partners; Stratulat Stratulat Albulescu advised Romanian health & fitness chain World Class Romania on its lease of a 1500 square meter N/A Romania Albulescu space in Bucharest's Expo Business Park for a new fitness club. The lessor was advised by Peli Partners. 8-Jan Bulboaca & Asociatii Bulboaca si Asociatii advised D Moonshots, an investment fund created by Sacha Dragic, the founder of the Superbet EUR 500 Romania group, on its investment in tech start-up Medicai. 000 15-Jan Glodeanu & Associates Glodeanu & Partners negotiated a lease agreement for Amrest with Romanian railway company Caile Ferate Romane to N/A Romania open a new Starbucks in Bucharest's Gara the Nord train station. 23-Jan Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised Swedish investment fund Oresa on the sale of its RTC Proffice Experience N/A Romania Asociatii; PwC Legal subsidiary, a stationery and office supplies company. D&B David si Baias advised the buyer, technology & communication (D&B David si Baias) producer and wholesaler Complet Electro Serv, which is part of the Altex group. 24-Jan Stratulat Albulescu Stratulat Albulescu advised Hagag on its acquisition of a 7013-square meter office building in Bucharest from NCH N/A Romania Capital. 28-Jan Stratulat Albulescu Stratulat Albulescu advised Bourbon Black Sea on its lease of 800 square meters of space in the Pipera Business Tower N/A Romania in Bucharest. 28-Jan Mitel & Partners; Stratulat Albulescu advised Bog’Art Residential on the acquisition of a 749 square meter land plot in Bucharest from an N/A Romania Stratulat Albulescu unnamed group of Spanish investors. Mitel & Partners advised the sellers. 29-Jan Bondoc & Asociatii Bondoc & Asociatii assisted McGuire Woods on the transformation and sale of its Romanian entity. N/A Romania 1-Feb Allen & Overy; RTPR; Wolf Theiss assisted VISMA AS with the acquisition of a 50.1% stake in Romania's Intelligent IT. RTPR and Allen & Overy N/A Romania Wolf Theiss advised the seller. 1-Feb CMS; Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised OTP Bank Nyrt. And OTP Bank Romania S.A. on the EUR 27.4 million and RON 9,559,600 facilities EUR 27.4 Romania granted to Cordia Parcului Residential Project. CMS advised the borrower. million 6-Feb Act (Botezatu Estrade Act | Botezatu Estrade Partners assisted Teva Pharmaceuticals on the accession by its Romanian subsidiary to the N/A Romania Partners); Gide Loyrette group’s securitization programme, arranged by BNP Paribas, Dublin Branch. Leroy si Asociatii and Gide Loyrette Nouel Nouel; Leroy si Asociatii advised BNP Paribas. 11-Feb Cleary Gottlieb Steen Filip & Company advised RCS & RDS and Digi Communications N.V. on issuing two series of senior secured bonds. Clifford EUR 850 Romania & Hamilton; Clifford Chance Badea and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton advised lead arrangers Citibank, ING Bank N.V., and UniCredit Bank million Chance; Filip & Company S.A. 12-Feb BPV Grigorescu BPV Grigorescu Stefanica advised Iveco Defense Vehicles, part of the CNH Industrial group of companies, on its sale of EUR 700 Romania Stefanica over 2900 high mobility trucks to the Romanian Ministry of National Defense for a total value of over EUR 700 million. million 13-Feb Stratulat Albulescu Stratulat Albulescu advised Glory Global Solutions Ltd on Romanian law matters related to its investment in the Acrelec N/A Romania Group. 13-Feb Clifford Chance; Filip & Clifford Chance Badea advised a consortium of BNP Paribas, Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Raiffeisen Bank EUR 3 Romania Company International AG, Societe Generale, and Unicredit Bank AG on the sovereign bond issuance by the Romanian Ministry of billion Finance on external markets. The Ministry of Finance was advised by Filip & Co. 13-Feb Stratulat Albulescu Stratulat Albulescu advised Beez on its receipt of EUR 1.2 million funding from GapMinder Venture Partners and ROCA X. EUR 1.2 Romania million 13-Feb Deloitte Legal (Reff & Reff & Associates successfully represented a consortium of construction companies led by the Spanish firm Viales Y EUR 5 Romania Associates) Obras Publicas SA Cuenca in an international commercial arbitration regarding the construction of road infrastructure million based on a FIDIC contract. 15-Feb Popovici Nitu Stoica & PNSA advised Senia Music on a public procurement tender organized by Gheorghe Dima Music Academy in Cluj-Napoca N/A Romania Asociatii for the acquisition of several pianos. 17-Feb Bulboaca & Asociatii; Clifford Chance Badea advised a syndicate of investment banks on the EUR 260 million high yield bonds issue of EUR 260 Romania Clifford Chance Frigoglass Finance B.V. Bulboaca & Asociatii advised Frigoglass. million 21-Feb Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii assisted the AkzoNobel group on its inter-group merger of the company's Romanian N/A Romania Asociatii subsidiary with the Fabryo Corporation. 24-Feb Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised GlaxoSmithKline on Romanian aspects of a USD 9.8 billion joint venture agreement concluded with N/A Romania Pfizer, in order to create a new consumer health business. 28-Feb Kinstellar; RTPR Allen The Bucharest office of Kinstellar advised Highlander Partners on its acquisition of Sano Vita. RTPR Allen & Overy N/A Romania & Overy advised the sellers. 28-Feb RTPR RTPR advised Wyelands Capital, part of the Liberty Steel Group, on the acquisition of Romania's Banca Romana the N/A Romania Credite si Investitii from the Umbrarescu family. Solo practitioner Ana Maria Nistor advised the seller.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 59 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 29-Feb CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised Olympian Parks Group on a new joint venture between Olympian Park N/A Romania Group entities and a new Lebanese investor for the development and management of existing and new real estate projects to be raised by the JV business partners. 1-Mar Deloitte Romania; Tuca Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised Vodafone Romania on completing its absorption pf UPC Romania, as part of a take-over N/A Romania Zbarcea & Asociatii by Vodafone Group Plc of Liberty Global's operations in various countries, including Romania. Reff & Associates advised UPC Romania. 1-Mar Eversheds Sutherland; Filip & Company assisted Alexander Barbut, Thomas Barbut, and Marcel Barbut on their sale of shares held in Adeplast N/A Romania Filip & Company; Wolf S.A. to Switzerland's Sika AG group. Wolf Theiss advised Adeplast and Eversheds Sutherland advised Sika. Theiss 1-Mar Wolf Theiss Wolf Theiss advised Banca Comerciala Romana on the refinancing of the Hotel Cismigiu, which opened in 1912. EUR 7.2 Romania million 5-Mar BPV Grigorescu BPV Grigorescu Stefanica successfully represented the Municipality of Bucharest in a dispute with two private EUR 5 Romania Stefanica companies involving the failure by its General Council to approve a Zonal Urban Plan. million 5-Mar White & Case White & Case persuaded UK's Supreme Court to accept the petition of Romanian entrepreneur Ioan Micula and the EUR 300 Romania companies in which he invested, enabling an action to enforce a 2013 ICSID arbitral award of approximately EUR 300 million million, plus interest. 9-Mar Willkie Farr & Gallagher; Wolf Theiss and Willkie Farr & Gallagher advised CIP Capital on the acquisition of shares in the U.S.-based company 3Pillar N/A Romania Wolf Theiss Global, Inc., including the indirect acquisition of its Romanian subsidiary. 11-Mar Kinstellar Kinstellar advised First Farms on the acquisition of agricultural land from NCH Capital in Romania. N/A Romania 11-Mar Leaua Damcali Deaconu Leaua Damcali Deaconu Paunescu and LALIVE successfully represented the interests of Romania before ICSID, which RON 9 Romania Paunescu on March 5 rejected claims against Romania amounting to over RON 9 billion brought by Ioan and Viorel Micula. billion 15-Mar CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii assisted the EMSA group with the exit of a former manager of its Aplast Wood EUR 1.6 Romania Industry subsidiary. million 19-Mar Musat & Asociatii Musat & Asociatii advised the EBRD on a EUR 16 million facility granted to the TeraPlast Group. EUR 16 Romania million 20-Mar Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised S&T on the acquisition of an integrated IT system for the issuance of civil status EUR 10 Romania Asociatii documents as part of an EU co-financed project). million 23-Mar Arcliffe Arcliffe advised Italian energy company Alerion on the acquisition of a 100 MW wind energy project in Romania from N/A Romania unnamed Romanian sellers. 1-Apr Laura Vladuca Law Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised Holde Agri Invest on its acquisition of Agromixt Buciumeni. The Laura Vladuca Law N/A Romania Office; Tuca Zbarcea & Office advised the seller. Asociatii 1-Apr Bondoc & Asociatii; Bondoc si Asociatii, working alongside Dechert, advised Profi on the drafting and negotiation of addenda to the existing N/A Romania CMS; Dechert security agreement and relevant financing ancillary documentation for the grant of an additional facility by a group of new lenders. CMS advised the banks 1-Apr Morgan Lewis & Bockius; Wolf Theiss heped Morgan, Lewis & Bockius provide advice on Romanian legislation to the Advanz Pharma Corp in N/A Romania Wolf Theiss regards to its prospective purchase of a Alprostadil pharmaceutical product portfolio from UCB Pharma Gmbh. 3-Apr Leaua Damcali Deaconu Leaua, Damcali, Deaconu, Paunescu successfully represented Trammo GmbH in a case involving the question of N/A Romania Paunescu whether, in the firm's words, temporary seizure of assets can preclude an enforcement procedure conducted by another creditor. 3-Apr Dobre Tulei si Asociatii; Schoenherr advised Bucur SA on its entrance into a partnership with Romanian real estate developer Novum Business N/A Romania Schoenherr Invest. Dobre Tuley si Asociatii advised Novum Business Invest. 5-Apr Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised Deutsche Leasing Romania on the full implementation of the 4th AML Directive. N/A Romania Asociatii 14-Apr Deloitte Legal (Reff & Reff & Associates advised Forum Serdika, a Dutch financial holding group owned by British investment fund East Balkan EUR 30 Romania Associates); Nestor Properties, on its sale of the Equest Logistic industrial park to CTP Bucharest. NNDKP advised the buyers on the deal.. million Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen 16-Apr BPV Grigorescu BPV Grigorescu Stefanica successfully represented Mondialacqua SRL in a dispute over a utility model for a public water N/A Romania Stefanica fountain technically similar to a Mondialacqua product. 1-May Bondoc & Asociatii; Bondoc si Asociatii and White & Case advised agent and security agent Commerzbank Finance on financing provided to N/A Romania Kinstellar; Latham & the buyer for its acquisition of All4Labels Global Packaging Group. Latham & Watkins was lead counsel to the borrower Watkins; White & Case with Kinstellar advising on Romanian matters. 1-May Iulia Malis Law Office; Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised a syndicate of Banca Comerciala Romana, BRD Groupe Societe Generale, Raiffeisen EUR 20 Romania Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Bank, and Banca Transilvania on its extension of a credit facility amounting to EUR 90 million that had been granted to million MedLife, along with an additional EUR 20 million. The Iulia Malis Law Office advised MedLife. 4-May Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised the Romanian branch of BLOM Bank France on a EUR 5 million loan to Isaran, a real EUR 5 Romania Asociatii estate developer from Brasov, to finance the development of residential projects. million 5-May Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised Libra Internet Bank on its establishment of a partnership with Monesse. N/A Romania Asociatii 7-May Furtuna si Asociatii Furtuna si Asociatii represented the Romanian Airport Services handling company before the Romanian Competition N/A Romania Council regarding the abuse of dominant position investigation of the Avram Iancu Cluj International Airport. 12-May Noerr Noerr has advised the Bauer Media Group on the sale of its Romanian publishing business to Ringier. N/A Romania 18-May Filip & Company Filip & Company assisted Raiffeisen Bank on the May 14, 2020, listing of lei-denominated subordinated bonds on the RON 480 Romania Bucharest Stock Exchange. million 22-May Stratulat Albulescu Stratulat Albulescu successfully represented Hervis Sports & Fashion before a Specialized Tribunal in Cluj, winning an N/A Romania injunction for the deferred payment of part of the rent relating to the Vivo Shopping Center Cluj. 22-May Deloitte Legal (Reff & Reff & Associates advised the NH Hotel Group S.A. on Romanian aspects of a transaction which entailed two term loan EUR 225 Romania Associates); DLA Piper facilities granted to it by undisclosed Spanish credit institutions. DLA Piper advised the lenders. million
60 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 26-May Buzescu Ca Buzescu Ca successfully represented Alvogen IPCO S.a.r.l., and Alvogen Romania S.R.L. before the Bucharest Court of N/A Romania Appeals in their challenge to an application by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. for a preliminary injunction against the sale of a drug Alvogen distributes. 27-May Filip & Company Filip & Company successfully represented Romania’s Financial Supervisory Authority in a dispute against a former board RON 1 Romania member of the National Securities Commission involving labor and administrative issues worth over RON 1 million. million 29-May Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised Dedeman on the development and forward purchase of The Bridge 2 project, and N/A Romania Asociatii on the development and forward purchase of The Bridge 3. 1-Jun Noerr Noerr advised on Bristol-Myers Squibb on its corporate restructuring and setting up of a new operational company and N/A Romania business restructuring related to the recent acquisition by BMS of Celgene. 1-Jun Deloitte Legal (Reff & Wolf Theiss assisted Ikea group member Ingka Investments on the staggered acquisition of 100% of the shares in seven N/A Romania Associates); Wolf Theiss portfolio companies in Romania, holding 171MW in nine wind farms. Reff & Associates advised the seller 1-Jun Oliver Grimsley; Wilson Wolf Theiss and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati assisted MHC Software LLC in the acquisition of Romanian Ecrion N/A Romania Sonsini Goodrich & Software International SRL. Oliver Grimsley advised the seller. Rosati; Wolf Theiss 1-Jun Filip & Company; Filip & Company, working alongside Linklaters, advised the Romanian Ministry of Public Finance on the issuance of EUR 3.3 Romania Linklaters Eurobonds in two tranches that raised EUR 3.3 billion from international markets. billion 1-Jun Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii successfully defended Astra Vagoane Calatori in a dispute with the Bucharest Municipality EUR 176 Romania regarding a public procurement procedure for the acquisition of 110 trams. million 18-Jun Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Tuca Zbarcea & Asocatii successfully represented the Romanian Tennis Federation, led by former world tennis star Ion N/A Romania Tiriac, against several challenges to the registration of the new board. 22-Jun BPV Grigorescu CEE Attorneys Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised the Sparking Capital investment fund on financing granted to the N/A Romania Stefanica; CEE Attorneys Romanian start-up K Factory. BPV Grigorescu Stefanica advised K-Factory on the deal. 23-Jun Kinstellar Kinstellar advised FirstFarms, a Denmark-based land and agriculture investor in Eastern Europe, on the sale of a farm EUR 11.4 Romania covering approximately 1,700 hectares in Western Romania. million 23-Jun DLA Piper; Stratulat Stratulat Albulescu advised CODA Intelligence on a EUR 800,000 seed funding round led by Romanian Early Game EUR Romania Albulescu Ventures and including technology investment fund ROCA X and other angel investors. DLA Piper advised Early Game 800,000 Ventures on the deal. 29-Jun DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Early Game Ventures on financing provided to Humans DNA, a Romanian startup developing the EUR Romania technology for generating synthetic media. ROCA X and other angel investors also participated in the EUR 330,000 330,000 financing round. 30-Jun Cazacu, Manolache, Cazacu, Manolache, Popa advised a Romanian subsidiary of Raiffeisen Leasing on the sale of a large plot of land in Aleea N/A Romania Popa Viilor in Timisoara, Romania. 3-Jul Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised Warehouses De Pauw Romania on EUR 150 million facilities granted to it by EUR 150 Romania Asociatii the Bank for European Reconstruction and Development for financing the development of sustainable certified green million logistic centers in Romania. 8-Jul Radulescu & Musoi; Radulescu & Musoi advised Black Sea Fund I on its acquisition of an unspecified stake in interior design and custom N/A Romania Schoenherr furniture company Intermedio General, which operates under the Theta brand. Schoenherr advised the seller. 9-Jul CEE Attorneys; Digital CEE Attorneys Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised the Sparking Capital investment fund on the financing of Romanian N/A Romania 2 Law start-up Questo. Digital 2 Law advised Questo on the deal. 13-Jul EY Law (Radu Si Acting on behalf of Chep Equipment Pooling NV, the tax litigation practice of Radu si Asociatii obtained a ruling from the N/A Romania Asociatii) Court of Justice of the European Union on the right of non-resident taxpayers to obtain VAT refunds. 15-Jul CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised the Romanian subsidiary of the EMSA group, Bravo Europa, on an EUR 2.18 Romania intra-group corporate restructuring project, consisting of the transfer of 100% ownership of the German and Czech million subsidiaries of Bravo Europa. 16-Jul Stratulat Albulescu Stratulat Albulescu advised digital technology consulting company Brillio on the acquisition of Cognetik. N/A Romania 16-Jul Zamfirescu Racoti Vasile Zamfirescu Racoti Vasile & Partners successfully represented Banca Transilvania in a contract dispute before the Court N/A Romania & Partners of Justice of the European Union. 30-Jul Clifford Chance; Clifford Chance Badea advised the Kingspan Group, a company specialized in high-performance insulation and building EUR 85 Romania Jankovic Popovic Mitic; envelope solutions, on the acquisition of TeraSteel SA, TeraSteel DOO Serbia, and Wetterbest SA. Schoenherr advised million Schoenherr TeraPlast on the deal. 1-Aug CEE Attorneys; DLA CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised the Sparking Capital Venture Fund on a seed investment contract with N/A Romania Piper Bright Spaces. DLA Piper advised Bright Spaces. 1-Aug CEE Attorneys; Hamed CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised Sparking Capital Venture Fund on a seed investment contract with N/A Romania Roman & Ion Andreea EcoTree. Hamed Roman & Ion Andreea advised EcoTree. 1-Aug CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii assisted Vertical Seven Group (Romanian venture capital fund focused on N/A Romania start-ups) in executing a seed investment agreement with EasySales. 1-Aug CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys advised Moonlet on the launch of its cryptocurrency wallet, designed to store various types of crypto- N/A Romania assets. 1-Aug CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys advised the FBCPA Crypto software platform on structuring its SaaS platform to ensure compliance with N/A Romania applicable regulatory requirements. 1-Aug CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised Smartit Global, which operates the EasySales Platform, on the launch N/A Romania of DealWise. 4-Aug Filip & Company Filip & Company advised SoftwareONE Holding AG, a global provider of end-to-end software and cloud technology N/A Romania solutions, on the acquisition of B-lay, a provider of Software Asset Management advisory and managed services for SAP and Oracle solutions. Norton Rose Fulbright advised on Dutch and English Law. 10-Aug Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii successfully represented the interests of the Association of Romanian Construction N/A Romania Asociatii Companies and several other large construction companies before the Bucharest Court of Appeal. 11-Aug Zamfirescu Racoti Vasile Zamfirescu Racoti Vasile & Partners successfully represented Intermed Consulting & Management before the High RON 28 Romania & Partners Court of Cassation and Justice of Romania in a case involving industrial park real estate tax exemption. million
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 61 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 17-Aug BPV Grigorescu BPV Grigorescu Stefanica advised Romanian start-up Innoship on its acquisition of EUR 550,000 in seed funding from EUR Romania Stefanica GapMinder VC. 550,000 19-Aug Stratulat Albulescu Stratulat Albulescu successfully represented Romanian facility management company Compania Romprest Service S.A. N/A Romania in a dispute with the Ministry of European Funds in the Bucharest Court of Appeal. 24-Aug Wolf Theiss Adivising the European Fund For Southeast Europe S.A.,SICAV-SIFi on financing granted to Garanti BBVA Leasing to EUR 7 Romania expand financing opportunities for micro and small enterprises in Romania. million 31-Aug Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici, Nitu, Stoica & Asociatii advised Belgian developer VGP Parks on the acquisition of 40 hectares of real estate in N/A Romania Asociatii the Western Romanian city of Arad from an unnamed seller. 31-Aug CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised start-up Ringhel on a round of seed financing through the crowdfunding EUR Romania platform SeedBlink. 650.000 31-Aug CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii assisted food retailer Cora Romania during the company’s share capital EUR 6.5 Romania decrease (reduction of the client’s share capital against accounting losses) of EUR 5.1 million, as part of net equity million redressing process. 1-Sep Biris Goran; Noerr Noerr advised Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction on the acquisition by Romanian investment fund SIF Banat- N/A Romania Crisana of a 99.92% stake in the Doosan IMGB industrial platform. Biris Goran advised the buyer. 1-Sep CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised entrepreneur Andrei Cretu on his launch of the Pluria.co B2B platform, N/A Romania which offers access to an extended network of workspaces for company employees. 4-Sep Deloitte Legal (Reff & Reff & Associates advised Romania's Haier Tech on a refrigeration factory construction project in Prahova county, N/A Romania Associates) Romania. 4-Sep Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised Auchan in merger control proceedings before the Competition Council related N/A Romania Asociatii to My Auchan proximity stores operating in Petrom gas stations. 4-Sep CMS; Deloitte Legal CMS advised AFI Europe on its share acquisition of six companies owning four Class A office projects in Romania from EUR 300 Romania (Reff & Associates); NEPI Rockcastle. Herbert Smith Freehills and Reff & Associates – the Romanian member firm of Deloitte Legal – advised million Herbert Smith Freehills; the seller. Wolf theiss advised the financing banks. Wolf Theiss 7-Sep Kinstellar; PeliPartners Kinstellar advised a joint venture of Resolution Property and Zeus Capital Management on its acquisition of the Floreasca N/A Romania Park office complex in Bucharest from GLL Real Estate Partners. PeliPartners advised GLL Real Estate Partners. 9-Sep Deloitte Legal (Reff & Leroy and Associates advised Groupe Rocher on its acquisition of Romania's Sabon cosmetics and toiletries retailer, N/A Romania Associates); Leroy si and with subsequent merger control procedures before the Romanian Competition Council. Reff & Asociatii advised Asociatii the seller. 9-Sep Dentons Dentons advised TC Capital on its EUR 20 million acquisition of a grain and oilseed farm from France's Gespie SAS. EUR 20 Romania million 10-Sep Nestor Nestor Diculescu NNDKP advised shareholders Gheorghe Iana and Vlad Ardeleanu on the sale of a majority stake in Medima Health to N/A Romania Kingston Petersen Morphosis Capital. Schoenherr’s Bucharest office reportedly advised Morphosis Capital on the deal. 14-Sep Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica and Asociatii advised Auchan Retail Romania on its agreement with OMV Petrom to place 400 N/A Romania Asociatii; Schoenherr MyAuchan stores in the Petrom network of filling stations over the next five years. 15-Sep Nestor Nestor Diculescu Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised WDP, a Belgian developer and owner of logistics centers and warehousing, on N/A Romania Kingston Petersen; the acquisition of the Aquila Logistics Centre in Cluj from SNS Logistic Investment, the Craiova Logistics Centre in Dolj Popovici Nitu Stoica & from Tamo-Ko Development SRL, and the Dunca Logistics Centre in Timis from Dunca Imobiliare. NNDKP advised SNS Asociatii; Schwartz & Logistic investment and Schwartz & Asociatii advised Tamo-Ko Development on those two deals. Asociatii 17-Sep Glodeanu & Associates Glodeanu & Partners advised Blue Rock Investments on the acquisition of two logistic centers in Bucharest from N/A Romania unspecified sellers. 22-Sep CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys / Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised Romanian entrepreneur Andrei Cretu on the launch of the Pluria B2B N/A Romania platform. 22-Sep Popovici Nitu Stoica & PNSA advised Burda Group on the sale of its business in Romania to an unspecified buyer. N/A Romania Asociatii 24-Sep Bondoc & Asociatii Bondoc & Asociatii advised Eviva Energy on the restructuring of an outstanding commercial debt owed to it by an N/A Romania unspecified renewable energy operator in Romania. 25-Sep Filip & Company Acting on behalf of Hidroelectrica, Filip & Co successfully persuaded the European Court of Justice to, in the firm's words, N/A Romania confirm the free market status for all energy transactions by stating that imposing OPCOM as the sole transaction platform for producers is an unjustified restriction on the free movement of goods. 28-Sep Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised the Clever Business Transilvania media group on its acquisition of Prima TV in Romania. N/A Romania 30-Sep Nestor Nestor Diculescu Wolf Theiss advised Artis Bio Tech SRL on the transfer of part of its business to a global manufacturer of dental implants. N/A Romania Kingston Petersen; Wolf NNDKP advised the buyer. Theiss 1-Oct Suciu Popa Suciu Popa successfully represented Grup Feroviar Roman in its request that a bankruptcy claim filed against its N/A Romania subsidiary Rovit SA be dismissed. 2-Oct MPR Partners | Maravela, MPR Partners advised Interparking on its acquisition of the Bucur Obor Parking building in Bucharest from Parcaj N/A Romania Popescu & Asociatii Subteran Bucur Obor. 5-Oct Noerr; Stratulat Noerr advised Michael Jaffe, the insolvency administrator of Wirecard Sales International Holding GmbH, on the sale of N/A Romania Albulescu; Taylor all shares of its subsidiary Wirecard Romania SA to SIBS. Stratulat Albulescu and Taylor Wessing advised SIBS on the deal. Wessing 6-Oct Popovici Nitu Stoica & PNSA advised Bico Industries and majority shareholder Mihai Birliba on the acquisition of a 30% stake in Bico by Roca N/A Romania Asociatii Investments. 6-Oct BPV Grigorescu BPV Grigorescu Stefanica advised the Hornbach Group on the development of a DIY mega-store in Oradea, Romania. N/A Romania Stefanica
62 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 6-Oct Filip & Company; Nestor Filip & Co advised BCR on its sale of equal 33.3% stakes in the CIT One armored car company to BRD Groupe Societe N/A Romania Nestor Diculescu Generale and Raiffeisen Bank Romania. PNSA advised BRD Groupe Societe Generale on the deal, while NNDKP advised Kingston Petersen; Raiffeisen Bank Romania. Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii 7-Oct Stratulat Albulescu Stratulat Albulescu advised Bog’Art Residential on the acquisition of two land plots in Bucharest from OMV Petrom S.A. N/A Romania 9-Oct Digital 2 Law; Stratulat Stratulat Albulescu advised GapMinder Venture Partners on an unspecified investment in Cartloop, an eCommerce EUR Romania Albulescu conversational marketing platform start-up. Digital 2 Law advised Cartloop. 300,000 15-Oct Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii helped founders Florin Maxim, Eugen Zbircea, and Daniel Nanboe launch Comarket, a B2B N/A Romania marketplace for the Romanian hospitality industry. 16-Oct Musat & Asociatii; NNDKP advised Romanian entrepreneur Daniel Boaje on the sale of his 10% stake in Premier Capital SRL and Premier N/A Romania NNDKP Assets SRL to the Premier Capital Group. Musat & Asociatii advised the buyer on the deal. 16-Oct BPV Grigorescu BPV Grigorescu Stefanica helped Forty Management obtain a license from U.S.-based Crystal Lagoons to develop the N/A Romania Stefanica EUR 100 million Central District Lagoon City in Bucharest. 21-Oct Bondoc & Asociatii Bondoc & Asociatii advised Adient on the Romanian aspects of its global sale of its automotive fabrics manufacturing USD 175 Romania business, including its lamination business, to Sage Automotive Interiors. million 27-Oct Go2Law; Mills & Reeve; RTPR and Go2Law advised Innova Capital on its acquisition of PayPoint Services and Payzone from the PayPoint Group. N/A Romania RTPR; Vernon David & Vernon David & Associates, working in cooperation with the UK's Mills & Reeve law firm, advised PayPoint on the deal. Associates 28-Oct Stratulat Albulescu Stratulat Albulescu advised GapMinder Venture Partners and DayOne Capital on their joint investment in Romanian N/A Romania startup Soleadify. 30-Oct DLA Piper; Orrick; Orrick advised GapMinder on its participation in the EUR 3 million Series Seed financing of Romanian start-up Deepstas. EUR 3 Romania Wilson Sonsini Goodrich DLA Piper advised Deepstash and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati advised Connect Ventures, another investor. million & Rosati 14-Nov Popovici Nitu Stoica & Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised the Estoria Group on the development and sale of a big-box retail facility, EUR 20 Romania Asociatii including a commercial gallery, to Leroy Merlin, Kaufland, and Lidl, in a series of transactions. million 17-Nov D'Ornano Partners; D'Ornano Partners, PNSA, and Norton Rose Fulbright advised the Orange Group on its EUR 268 million acquisition of a EUR 268 Romania Dechert; Eversheds 54% stake in Telekom Romania from the OTE Group. Dechert and Eversheds Sutherland advised the OTE Group and million Sutherland; Freshfields; Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised Telekom Romania. Norton Rose Fulbright; Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii; Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii 18-Nov Allen & Overy; RTPR; Radu Taracila Padurari Retevoescu and Allen & Overy advised Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets on its acquisition N/A Romania Skils; Tuca Zbarcea & of the CEZ Group’s Romanian assets. Skils and Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised CEZ. Asociatii 18-Nov RTPR Radu Taracila Padurari Retevoescu advised Mitiska REIM on its subsidiary’s sale of property in Romania. N/A Romania 25-Nov Kinstellar; Nestor Nestor NNDKP advised CTP on the acquisition of the A1 Bucharest Park from Cromwell Property, acting as the Central European N/A Romania Diculescu Kingston Industrial Fund's intermediary. Kinstellar advised the seller on the deal. Petersen 26-Nov BPV Grigorescu BPV Grigorescu Stefanica advised Supernova on its acquisition of the Jupiter City Shopping Mall in Pitesti, Romania, N/A Romania Stefanica; PeliPartners from Mall Retail Rom. PeliPartners advised the seller on the deal. 26-Nov Allen & Overy; RTPR; RTPR and Allen & Overy advised EximBank as the coordinating mandated lead arranger and a syndicate of Banca EUR 150 Romania Simmons & Simmons; Comerciala Intesa Sanpaolo Romania, Banca Transilvania, CEC Bank, Garanti Bank, ING Bank’s Bucharest Branch, million Zamfirescu Racoti Vasile International Bank for Economic Co-operation, OTP Bank Romania, Raiffeisen Bank Romania, and UniCredit Bank on the & Partners refinancing and maturity extension of a USD 150 million revolving facility granted to Romanian aluminum producer Alro. Zamfirescu Racoti Vasile & Partners and Simmons & Simmons advised the borrower on the deal. 1-Dec Jinga & Asociatii; Tuca Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised Engie Romania on its purchase of a photovoltaic park with an installed capacity of 9.3 N/A Romania Zbarcea & Asociatii MW from Ever Solar SA, a subsidiary of German photovoltaic park developer Soventix and developer Alpin Solar. Jinga & Asociatii advised Ever Solar. 1-Dec Noerr Noerr advised Messer Romania Gaz on its acquisition of 34% of the shareholding in Messer Energo Gaz SRL from N/A Romania Energomontaj SA and of 66% of the shareholding in Messer Energo Gaz SRL from Messer Group GmbH. 1-Dec Bondoc & Asociatii; The Bondoc si Asociatii assisted UCB Romania with the negotiation of a long-term lease agreement with One United N/A Romania Law Chamber Properties. The Law Chamber advised the owner. 1-Dec CEE Attorneys CEE Attorneys/Boanta, Gidei si Asociatii advised Olympian Parks Group on the acquisition of 60,000 square meter N/A Romania property for the purpose of extending the development of the Olympian Est Bucharest logistics and industrial park. 1-Dec Schoenherr; Tuca Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised coordinator, mandated lead arranger, documentation agent, facility and security agent EUR 51 Romania Zbarcea & Asociatii Banca Comerciala Romana, along with mandated lead arrangers ING Bank N.V. Amsterdam, Bucharest Branch, Raiffeisen million Bank SA, and OTP Bank Romania SA, on a EUR 51 million syndicated loan to Pehart, which is owned by Abris Capital Partners. Schoenherr advised Pehart/Abris Capital Partners. 1-Dec DLA Piper; Tuca Zbarcea Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii advised entrepreneurs Bogdan Buta and Sveatoslav Veaceslav Vizitiu on the launch of an EUR Romania & Asociatii application called Extasy, including on an initial investment by the founders of EUR 500,000 and a subsequent pre-seed 850,000 investment of EUR 350,000 from Early Game Ventures and entrepreneur Voicu Oprean. DLA Piper advised Early Game Ventures. 3-Dec D&B David and Baias; RTPR and D&B David si Baias advised shareholders Doina and Roxana Cepalis on the sale of Te-Rox Prod to Sweden's N/A Romania RTPR; Wolf Theiss Holmbergs group. The Bucharest office of Wolf Theiss advised the buyer on the deal. 4-Dec Nestor Nestor Diculescu Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen advised a syndicate consisting of Banca Comerciala Romana as the EUR 90 Romania Kingston Petersen; bookrunner, mandated lead arranger, documentation agent, and facility and security agent, CEC Bank as mandated lead million Stratula & Asociatii arranger, and participating banks EximBank, Intesa Sanpaolo Romania, and OTP Bank Romania on an EUR 90 million loan facility to the Carmistin Group. Stratula & Asociatii advised the borrower on the deal. 9-Dec Orrick; Stratulat Stratulat Albulescu, working alongside Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, advised GapMinder Venture Partners on a follow- N/A Romania Albulescu on investment in Romanian start-up Deepstash.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 63 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 14-Dec Hogan Lovells; Schoenherr advised Allianz-Tiriac on the acquisition of Gothaer Asigurari Reasigurari from the Gothaer Group. Hogan N/A Romania Schoenherr Lovells advised the Gothaer Group on the transaction. 14-Dec PeliPartners; RTPR RTPR advised the OLX Group on its acquisition of Kiwi Finance from Oresa Ventures. PeliPartners advised the seller on N/A Romania the deal. 15-Dec Musliu & Asociatii; Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen advised Opel Groupe PSA on the sale of its Romanian business to Trust N/A Romania Nestor Nestor Diculescu Motors, an independent importer for the Peugeot, Citroen, and DS brands. Trust Motors was advised by Musliu & Kingston Petersen Asociatii. 15-Dec Hategan Attorneys; RTPR advised 123FormBuilder and its shareholders Catalyst Romania, Florin Cornianu, and Adrian Gheara on attracting N/A Romania RTPR an investment from the 212 venture capital fund. Hategan Attorneys advised 212 on the deal. 15-Dec Kinstellar; Pop Attorneys Kinstellar advised the Black Sea Fund I on the acquisition of Romanian dental imaging network DigiRay. Cluj-based Pop N/A Romania At Law Attorneys at Law advised the seller on the deal. 16-Dec Kinstellar; Peli Partners Kinstellar advised S Immo AG on the acquisition of Campus Buildings 6.2 & 6.3 — two class A office buildings in Bucharest EUR 97 Romania — from Skanska. Peli Partners advised Skanska on the deal. million 17-Dec Kinstellar; LC Legalproof Kinstellar advised Romania's Mirus Group on the acquisition of Romania's Nexia CRG from shareholders Luminita Ristea, N/A Romania Silvia Elena Ichimescu, and Marioara Zaifu. LC Legalproof advised the sellers on the deal. 18-Dec Bird & Bird; Stratulat Stratulat Albulescu, working alongside lead counsel Bird & Bird, advised Motion Equity Partners on its investment in N/A Romania Albulescu Educastream. 22-Dec Ijdelea Mihailescu Ijdelea Mihailescu and software company Ringhel Team were contracted by the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority N/A Romania to prepare a study on an energy supplier switch. 23-Dec Suciu Popa Suciu Popa successfully assisted Gianni Versace S.r.l., the owner of the Versace trademarks, with a series of judiciary N/A Romania and extra-judiciary procedures involving the defense of Versace's trademarks against an unauthorized producer and distributor based in the European Union. 23-Dec Allen & Overy; Filip & Filip & Company helped RCS & RDS S.A. and the companies in its group, Digi Communications N.V., DIGI Tavkozlesi (RCS EUR 150 Romania Company; Kinstellar & RDS' Hungarian branch), Invitel Tavkozlesi Zrt, and DIGI Spain Telecom S.L.U. (RCS & RDS's Spanish branch) obtain two million medium-term credit facilities worth a total of EUR 150 million and an incremental facility structure from a syndicate of Citigroup Europe plc - Dublin Romanian Branch, ING Bank N.V. Amsterdam Bucharest Branch, and Unicredit Bank S.A. Kinstellar and Allen & Overy advised the lenders. 29-Dec Bondoc & Asociatii; CMS CMS advised Hidroelectrica, the Romanian majority state-owned hydropower producer, on the acquisition of an N/A Romania operational 108 MW wind farm located in the Constanta county of Romania from Germany's STEAG group. Bondoc & Asociatii advised STEAG on the deal. 29-Dec Filip & Company; Filip & Company, working with Linklaters, advised the Ministry of Public Finance of Romania in a two-tranche Eurobond EUR 2.5 Romania Linklaters issue that drew over EUR 2.5 billion from the international markets. billion 29-Dec CMS CMS advised the National Bank of Greece on the disposal of a Romanian-risk corporate non-performing and sub- EUR 174 Romania performing loan portfolio to a consortium composed of Bain Capital Credit and APS. million 19-Nov D&B David And Baias; MPR Partners helped J. Christof E&P Services S.R.L. and Christof Private Firefighting Services S.R.L. provide notification N/A Romania; Karanovic & Partners; to Romanian and Serbian competition authorities of the economic concentration arising from OMV Petrom’s Serbia Maravela, Popescu & externalization of several operations and general surface services ancillary to extraction and production of petroleum as Asociatii well as natural gas, together with the relevant assets and dedicated staff. D&B David and Baias and Karanovic & Partners provided advice to J. Christof E&P and Christof Private Firefighting Services. 8-Jan Rustam Kurmaev & Rustam Kurmaev & Partners successfully represented Boris Dubrovskiy, the former governor of Russia's Chelyabinsk N/A Russia Partners region, in a dispute with the Antimonopoly Service of Russia. 17-Jan Egorov Puginsky Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners helped BlaBlaCar to obtain clearance from Russia's competition authority for its N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners purchase of Busfor, an online bus ticker aggregator. 30-Jan Alrud; Orrik Alrud, working alongside Orrick, advised the Soprema Group on its acquisition of 100% of both JSC Myagkaya Krovlya N/A Russia and JSC ET-Plast, which produce roofing and sound insulation products in Samara. 12-Feb Liniya Prava Liniya Prava is an official partner to Russia's Great Heart charity fund. N/A Russia 25-Feb Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised Enisey THC, a subsidiary of the Siberian Generating Company, on its RUB 10 billion RUB 10 Russia Paisner acquisition of Krasnoyarsk GRES-2 from OGK-2. billion 27-Feb Egorov Puginsky Egorov, Puginsky, Afanasiev and Partners advised the Uralsoloto Group of Companies on its acquisition of securities of N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners Petropavlovsk PLC. 27-Feb White & Case White & Case advised VTB Capital as auction organizer and financial advisor to UTLC on its RUB 60.3 billion auction of a USD 968 Russia controlling stake in Russian railway container operator TransContainer. million 28-Feb Debevoise Debevoise & Plimpton advised Norilsk Nickel on the upsizing and extension of its December 2017 syndicated facility USD Russia agreement. 1.65 billion 1-Mar Alrud Alrud advised Kernel Holding S.A. on the sale of a 50% stake in Taman Grain Terminal Holdings Limited. N/A Russia 12-Mar Macfarlanes; Rybalkin, Rybalkin, Gortsunyan & Partners and Macfarlanes advised AEON Corporation on its sale of a 28.34% stake in N/A Russia Gortsunyan & Partners Petropavlovsk Plc to the Yuzhuralzoloto Group. 18-Mar Alrud; Integrites; Norton Integrites and Switzerland's HFW law firm advised MUFG Bank and a syndicate of lending banks including Citi, Credit N/A Russia Rose Fulbright Agricole, and Societe Generale on a limited recourse term loan to finance Trafigura’s acquisition of copper cathodes from the Swiss trading arm of the Russian mining group Norilsk Nickel. Trafigura was advised by Norton Rose Fulbright and Alrud. 19-Mar Bryan Cave Leighton Linklaters advised Sovcombank as arranger on the RUB 5.7 billion domestic green project bonds issued by an orphan RUB 5.7 Russia Paisner; Linklaters special purpose vehicle, SFO RuSol 1 LLC, for the purpose of financing two of Solar Systems LLC's solar stations in the billion Astrakhan region of Russia. Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised the issuer. 26-Mar Stetom Stetom advised Skoda Transportation on its entrance into a joint venture with Sinara-Transport Machines. The joint N/A Russia venture company, Sinara-Skoda, will be based in St. Petersburg, and will produce trams, trolleybuses and subway kits for the Russian market.
64 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 2-Apr Alrud; Clifford Chance; The Moscow office of Clifford Chance formed part of a multi-jurisdictional team helping GE obtain US and global merger N/A Russia WilmerHale clearance in connection with the USD 21.4 billion sale of its BioPharma business to Danaher, advised by WilmerHale and Alrud. 8-Apr Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised PJSC RusHydro on that sale of a 90% shareholding in JSC International Energy N/A Russia Paisner Corporation to OJSC Hrazdan Power Company. As part of the transaction, OJSC refinanced MEK’s debt obligations to the EBRD and the Asian Development Bank. 8-Apr Kachkin & Partners Kachkin & Partners successfully defended the interests of the Mamoshin Architectural Workshop in a dispute over the RUB 22.4 Russia creation of a new stage at the Maly Drama Theater in St. Petersburg. million 22-Apr Baker Mckenzie Lawyers in Baker McKenzie's Moscow office were part of the firm's multi-jurisdictional team advising arrangers and USD 6.5 Russia dealers Citi and J.P. Morgan and dealers Barclays, BofA Securities, and HSBC on the establishment of a USD 6.5 billion billion Global Medium Term Note program by VEON. 28-Apr Baker Mckenzie; DLA DLA Piper advised Russian private equity firm Baring Vostok on the acquisition of a minority stake in Synergetic, a Russian N/A Russia Piper manufacturer of environmentally friendly detergents and cosmetics. Synergetic was advised by Baker McKenzie. 30-Apr White & Case White & Case advised VTB Bank on the USD 1.7 billion restructuring of Russian mining and metal company Mechel PAO USD 1.7 Russia and on various matters connected to the related sale of the Elga Coal Complex, one of Mechel's main assets. billion 4-May DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Debex on the sale of a minority stake in the company to Dmitry Shushkin, the managing director of N/A Russia ABBYY Russia. 8-May Alrud; Kirkland & Ellis; Alrud, working alongside Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Slaughter and May, advised Allergan plc. on the sale of shares to USD 63 Russia Slaughter and May; Weil, AbbVie. Kirkland & Ellis advised AbbVie. billion Gotshal & Manges 11-May Alrud; Monastyrsky, Alrud advised the Mechel Group on the sale of its 51% participatory interest in the companies which operate the Elga RUB 89 Russia Zyuba, Stepanov & coalfield project in Russia to A-Property. Monastyrsky, Zyuba, Stepanov & Partners advised A-Property on the deal, billion Partners which was valued at RUB 89 billion. 14-May Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised PJSC Sovcombank and Mobile Payments LLC on their entrance into a partnership N/A Russia Paisner; TA Legal with IDRAM LLC and IDBank CJSC, which were advised by TA Legal Consulting. Consulting 15-May Alrud; Gibson, Dunn & Alrud and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher advised Triton Partners on its acquisition of Lamina Technologies SA, a Swiss N/A Russia Crutcher manufacturer of carbide cutting tools. 18-May Akin Gump; Clifford Akin Gump advised PJSC Lukoil on its issuance of USD 1.5 billion Eurobonds listed on the Main Market of the London Stock USD 1.5 Russia Chance Exchange. Clifford Chance advised joint lead managers Citigroup, Societe Generale CIB, and Bank GPB International S.A. billion (Gazprombank). 25-May Debevoise & Plimpton Debevoise & Plimpton is advising PAO TMK, a producer of tubular products for the oil and gas industry, on the repurchase USD 300 Russia of its regular shares by subsidiary Volzhsky Pipe Plant JSC, and on the prospective delisting of TMK’s global depositary million receipts from the London Stock Exchange. 28-May Vegas Lex Vegas Lex won what it calls two crushing victories in the Arbitration Court of the North-Western District for N/A Russia pharmaceutical company Alium in disputes related to a contract for the construction of a large pharmaceutical plant. 28-May Liniya Prava Liniya Prava helped the VTB Group attract investors to Demeter Holding. N/A Russia 1-Jun White & Case White & Case advised Alliance Oil Company Ltd. on a tender offer and consent solicitation in respect of its USD 500 USD 500 Russia million 7.000% Guaranteed Notes due 2020. million 4-Jun Clifford Chance Clifford Chance advised the Russian Far East and Arctic Development Fund on a loan of RUB 5.7 billion (approximately RUB 5.7 Russia USD 80 million) for the Amur hydrometallurgical plant, a subsidiary of Polymetal. billion 9-Jun Baker Mckenzie; Bryan Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised Kopy Goldfields AB on Russian matters related to its acquisition of authorized N/A Russia Cave Leighton Paisner capital of the Russian gold mining company Amur Gold from HC Alliance Mining Group Ltd. and Lexor Group SA. Baker McKenzie advised the sellers. 11-Jun Noerr Noerr advised the Bauer Media Group on the sale of its interests in its Russian publishing companies to its current N/A Russia Russian management. The portfolio sold by BMG consists of interests in five Russian entities and around 90 magazines in total. 15-Jun Herbert Smith Freehills; White & Case advised Russian online video streaming service IVI on financing it received from Alfa Bank. Herbert Smith N/A Russia White & Case Freehills advised Alfa Bank on the deal. 23-Jun Debevoise Debevoise & Plimpton advised Sberbank on the acquisition of a 75% stake in 2GIS, an international digital maps and city N/A Russia guides company that provides geo-information and hyperlocal services. 23-Jun DLA Piper; Herbert DLA Piper advised Veon Holdings B.V.on the RUB 100 billion refinancing of its facilities with Russia's Sberbank. Herbert RUB 100 Russia Smith Freehills Smith Freehills advised Sberbank. billion 29-Jun Herbert Smith Freehills Herbert Smith Freehills advised RusChemAlliance, a joint venture of Gazprom and RusGazDobycha, on the Baltic LNG N/A Russia integrated gas processing and LNG project. 30-Jun Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised Sberbank Investments LLC on the acquisition of a 50% interest in Mayak LLC and N/A Russia Paisner Prima LLC, which are implementing projects related to the construction of a five-star hotel and apartments in Moscow. 1-Jul Alrud; Morrison Foerster Alrud and Morrison Foerster advised Taisho Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd on the purchase of UPSA SAS and the acquisition USD 1.6 Russia of the certain assets of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and its affiliates. billion 7-Jul Liniya Prava Liniya Prava assisted DNS Development with preparations for the first ever public-private partnership to build a school N/A Russia and kindergarten in the Primorsky Kraj territory of the Russian Far East. 10-Jul CMS CMS helped money transfer provider MoneyGram register as an operator of a foreign payment system with the Central N/A Russia Bank of the Russian Federation. 15-Jul CMS CMS Moscow successfully represented the interests of GE Healthcare in several court proceedings against the Russian N/A Russia healthcare regulatory authority Roszdravnadzor. 20-Jul Egorov Puginsky EPAM advised the VIS Group on the refinancing of a public-private partnership involving the construction of 12 social RUB 5.6 Russia Afanasiev & Partners infrastructure facilities in Yakutsk through the placing of secured social bonds worth over RUB 5.6 billion. The refinancing billion was arranged by BKS, Otkritie Bank, DOM.RF Bank, and Sovcombank.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 65 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 23-Jul Debevoise; Hogan Debevoise & Plimpton advised the NLMK Group on a EUR 600 million revolving credit facility, with an accordion option EUR 600 Russia Lovells allowing it to increase the funding limit up to EUR 1 billion. Hogan Lovells advised coordinating mandated lead manager million ING Bank N.V. and mandated lead arrangers Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, NATIXIS, SGBTCI, AO Raiffeisenbank, Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Designated Activity Company, Mizuho Bank, Ltd., Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch, Bank ICBC (JSC), UniCredit S.p.A., and Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Ireland Plc . 27-Jul Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner helped the PSA Group obtain Russian antitrust clearance for its merger with Fiat Chrysler N/A Russia Paisner Automobiles. 27-Jul Ivanyan & Partners Ivanyan & Partners represented the interests of the Russian Union of Railway Transport Operators and oil products N/A Russia transporter Transoil in antitrust proceedings against railway wheel manufacturer Vyksa Steel Works. 1-Aug Alrud; DLA Piper Alrud advised New Era Company LLC on the sale of its Vans retail business to VF International SAGL and VF CIS LLC. N/A Russia DLA Piper advised the buyers. 3-Aug White & Case White & Case advised the Moscow Exchange, Russia's largest securities exchange group, on its acquisition of a 17% N/A Russia stake in BierbaumPro AG and the right to acquire the rest from unidentified sellers. 11-Aug Baker Mckenzie; Baker McKenzie advised audio streaming service Spotify on its launch in 13 new markets, giving it a presence in 92 N/A Russia Semenov & Pevzner markets worldwide. Semenov & Pevzner advised Spotify on intellectual property issues related to its launch in the Russian market, as well as in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Kazakhstan. 12-Aug White & Case White & Case advised VTB Bank and a consortium of investors on the RUB 132 billion sale of a 55% stake in Tele2 Russia RUB 132 Russia to Russia's Rostelecom, and on the acquisition of an approximately 29% stake in Rostelecom. billion 14-Aug Egorov Puginsky Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners successfully represented Finland's Fortum energy company before the Russian N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners government's commission on foreign investments and before Russia's competition authority with regard to the company's acquisition of a majority stake in Germany's Uniper. 20-Aug Dentons The St. Petersburg office of Dentons advised Power Machines on the reform of its intellectual property management N/A Russia system. 21-Aug Egorov Puginsky Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners helped The Chatterjee Group and Rhone Capital obtain approval from the Federal N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners Antimonopoly Service of Russia for their acquisition of Lummus Technology from McDermott International. 21-Aug Egorov Puginsky Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners and Eversheds Sutherland successfully protected the patent rights of Bayer in N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners; appellate proceedings before the Intellectual Property Court in Russia. Eversheds Sutherland 31-Aug BGP Litigation BGP Litigation successfully represented Irina Zhivova against her ex-husband in a post-divorce process regarding N/A Russia challenges to agreements involving property, children, and alimony. 1-Sep Alrud; Tomashevskaya & Alrud advised Aram Davtyan on the acquisition by Up and Run LLC of 100% of A3 Sport LLC in return for a 20% share in N/A Russia Partners the newly-merged Up and Run, which become a JV. Tomashevskaya & Partners advised Up and Run. 1-Sep Alrud; Cooley; Morgan Alrud, NautaDutilh, and Cooley advised Uber B.V. on the contribution by Yandex N.V. of its car-sharing business to MLU N/A Russia Lewis & Bockius; B.V. as well as in connection with Yandex's restructuring of its self-driving business. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius advised NautaDutilh Yandex. 7-Sep Egorov Puginsky Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners advised DynaEnergetics on the sale of its Russian subsidiary. N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners 7-Sep White & Case White & Case advised Raiffeisenbank on a loan of up to USD 127 million to Rosvodokanal. USD 127 Russia million 8-Sep Egorov Puginsky Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners provided BNP Paribas Fortis Private Equity Belgium with a red flag analysis of N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners contracts for the provision of freight forwarding and customs representative services and storage. 8-Sep Egorov Puginsky Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners advised US-based Clemco International, a manufacturer of air-powered abrasive N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners blasting equipment, on IP, corporate, customs, and regulatory matters in Russia. 15-Sep Debevoise Debevoise & Plimpton advised longstanding client PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel on its USD 500 million Eurobond offering. USD 500 Russia million 18-Sep Hogan Lovells Hogan Lovells advised Netflix on its partnership with Russia's National Media Group. N/A Russia 18-Sep DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Sberbank Investments on a secured mezzanine loan to Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Region and N/A Russia Prosveshcheniye Group for the construction of a training and educational center. 21-Sep Debevoise; Rybalkin, Rybalkin, Gortsunyan & Partners, working with Debevoise & Plimpton and Henry King QC as part of PJSC Tatneft’s legal N/A Russia Gortsunyan & Partners team, successfully defended the right of Russian lawyers to claim attorney-client privilege in English court proceedings. 22-Sep DLA Piper DLA Piper advised the ADG group on the acquisition of Russian cinema operator Modern. N/A Russia 28-Sep DLA Piper DLA Piper advised VNV Global on its approximately USD 2 million investment in NaPopravku. N/A Russia 30-Sep Egorov Puginsky Egorov, Puginsky, Afanasiev & Partners helped aluminum producer Rusal register as a new resident of the Special N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners Administrative Region on Oktyabrsky Island in the Kaliningrad region of Russia. 30-Sep DLA Piper DLA Piper been appointed as a legal partner to provide pro bono legal assistance to the Russian Chapter: the Russian N/A Russia hub for the global platform on climate change that operates under the auspices of the World Economic Forum’s Climate Governance Initiative. 8-Oct Eversheds Sutherland; Eversheds Sutherland advised the Cherkizovo Group on its acquisition of Compas Foods LLC, a chicken processing N/A Russia Tomashevskaya & facility in the Tula region of Russia that is a subsidiary of Cargill Inc. Tomashevskaya & Partners advised Cargill on the Partners transaction. 15-Oct Kachkin & Partners Kachkin & Partners helped Russian general contractor STEP LLC reach a settlement with Pharmasintez-Nord JSC in a RUB 100 Russia dispute regarding payment for work and related claims. million 16-Oct Hogan Lovells; White White & Case advised sole global coordinator and bookrunner Morgan Stanley & Co International on Mail.ru's US 200 USD 600 Russia & Case million equity placing and further US 400 million convertible bonds offering due in 2025. Hogan Lovells provided legal million advisory services to Mail.ru. 20-Oct Baker McKenzie Baker McKenzie advised PJSC Koks on the issuance of new Eurobonds by subsidiary IMH Capital and a cash tender offer USD 350 Russia together with an exit consent solicitation to the holders of USD 500 million notes due 2022 issued by Koks Finance, million another subsidiary of PJSC Koks.
66 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 27-Oct Egorov Puginsky Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners successfully defended Ilya Averyanov, the former owner of the Menshevik N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners Confectionary in South-Eastern Moscow, against charges that he murdered a guard at the factory. 27-Oct Andrey Gorodissky & Andrey Gorodissky & Partners advised the founders of the Kitchen in the District service on their sale of an 87.4% stake N/A Russia Partners in the company to O2O, a joint venture of the Mail.ru Group and Sberbank. 30-Oct Egorov Puginsky Egorov, Puginsky, Afanasiev & Partners, working alongside lead counsel Goodwin Procter, advised TA Associates on an N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners; unspecified investment in Netwrix Corporation. Goodwin Proctor 30-Oct Egorov Puginsky White & Case advised global coordinator and bookrunner VTB Capital on PJSC Aeroflot's fundraising of more than USD 1 RUB 80 Russia Afanasiev & Partners; billion. Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners advised Aeroflot on the deal. billion White & Case 1-Nov Alrud; Egorov Puginsky Alrud advised indirect minority shareholders Elbrus Capital on the sale of 100% of Economy Development Center JSC to N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners Teksa JSC. Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners advised the buyers. 1-Nov Alrud; Shardul Alrud, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, and Simpson Thacher & Barlett advised KKR on its acquisition of 54% stake N/A Russia Amarchand Mangaldas & in J.B. Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd. Co; Simpson Thacher & Bartlett 3-Nov Latham & Watkins; Latham & Watkins advised arranger and lender VTB Bank in connection with the GBP 3 billion take-private offer for KAZ GBP 3 Russia Linklaters Minerals PLC made by Nova Resources, a consortium formed by two of KAZ Minerals’ largest shareholders. Linklaters billion advised KAZ Minerals on the deal. 17-Nov Clifford Chance; Clifford Chance advised BNP Paribas Personal Finance on the sale of its 20.8% stake in its Cetelem Bank joint venture to N/A Russia Debevoise JV partner Sberbank. As a result of the deal, Sberbank, which was advised by Debevoise, became the sole shareholder of Cetelem Bank. 18-Nov Korelsky Ischuk Astafiev Korelsky Ischuk Astafiev advised founders Philip Ilyin-Adaev, Kirill Ilin-Adaev, and Elena Ishcheeva on the sale of their N/A Russia stakes in Banki.ru to Elbrus Capital and another unspecified investment fund. Dentons advised the buyer on the deal. 20-Nov Semenov & Pevzner Semenov & Pevzner successfully represented the interests of Domino’s Pizza in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk in N/A Russia litigation against a former franchisee. 26-Nov Egorov Puginsky EPAM successfully represented ZMK 1520 in a dispute with New Forwarding Company over the replacement supply of N/A Russia Afanasiev & Partners railway wagons. 27-Nov Hogan Lovells Hogan Lovells advised Digital Assets on its acquisition of Zvuk, a Russian independent music streaming service. N/A Russia 1-Dec Alrud; Slaughter and May Alrud and Slaughter and May advised Trafigura on the acquisition of a 10% interest in Vostok Oil from Rosneft. N/A Russia 2-Dec Debevoise; Latham & Latham & Watkins advised the underwriters on the USD 1.1 billion initial public offering of Russian e-commerce platform USD 1.1 Russia Watkins Ozon Holdings PLC on Nasdaq. Debevoise & Plimpton advised Ozon Holdings on the deal. billion 3-Dec Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised Gazprom Neft PJSC on the creaion of Digital Industrial Platform, a joint venture N/A Russia Paisner; Dentons with the Tsifra Group. Dentons advised the Tsifra Group on the deal. 3-Dec Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised the HeadHunter Group, which operates Russian online recruiting platform hh.ru, RUB 3.5 Russia Paisner on the acquisition of the Zarplata.ru online recruiting platform from Hearst Shkulev Digital Regional Network B.V. The billion transaction, which is valued at RUB 3.5 billion, already been given the requisite regulatory approval and is expected to close in January 2021. 11-Dec Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised Teva on the sale of a pharmaceutical company located in the Yaroslavl Industrial N/A Russia Paisner Park to Russia’s R-Pharm Group. 14-Dec DLA Piper DLA Piper advised Sberbank Investments on its provision of a RUB 2 billion secured mezzanine loan to Russian RUB 2 Russia construction company Avtoban to finance the construction of Startup Facilities No 3 and No 4 of the Central Ring Road billion in the Moscow Region. 18-Dec August Debouzy; Noerr advised Axion Cyprus Holding Limited, a member of Russia's Softline Group, on its acquisition of a majority stake N/A Russia Houthoff Cooperatief; in Softline AG, a company listed on the open market segment of the Dusseldorf stock exchange, from its current major Noerr shareholder, Baden-Baden-based S.K. Management-und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH. Houthoff Cooperatief and August Debouzy also advised Axion on the deal. 21-Dec Akin Gump; Linklaters Akin Gump advised Equinor on its USD 550 million acquisition of a 49% stake in KrasGeoNaC from Rosneft. Linklaters’s USD 550 Russia Moscow office advised the seller on the deal. million 22-Dec Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised Gazpromneft-Snabzhenie on the establishment of the Iscource joint venture with N/A Russia Paisner Gazprombank. 22-Dec Revera Revera advised My.Games on its investments in Belarusian game development studios Mamboo Games, Appyfurious, N/A Russia and Purple Games. 23-Dec Bryan Cave Leighton Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner advised the ESN Group on the design and construction of a methanol plant in the Amur N/A Russia Paisner Region in Russia. 24-Dec Gowling Wlg Gowling WLG become a pro bono legal advisor to the Multimedia Art Museum in Moscow. N/A Russia 24-Dec Orrick Orrick advised JSC Sukhoi Civil Aircraft on its USD 1 billion sale, lease, and financing of a fleet of 31 Sukhoi Superjet 100 USD 1 Russia aircrafts to Ireland’s CityJet. billion 28-Dec DLA Piper; Rybalkin, Rybalkin Gortsunyan Partners advised the shareholders of Uchi.ru on the sale of a 25% stake in the educational platform, RUB 3.75 Russia Gortsunyan & Partners with an option of an increase to a controlling interest, to the Mail.ru Group and a consortium of investors formed by the billion Russian Direct Investment Fund and Russia-China Investment Fund. DLA Piper advised the buyers. 29-Dec Dentons Dentons advised the Zyfra Group on its establishment of a joint venture with Gazprom Neft PJSC. N/A Russia 1-May Alrud; Nagashima Ohno Alrud and Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu advised Komatsu Ltd. on its acquisition of a majority stake in BOT Leasing N/A Russia & Tsunematsu Eurasia. 1-Dec Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm assisted VTB with suretyships granted by Ronesans Insaat for non-cash loans extended to Ronesans RUB 70 Russia, Construction JSC amounting to approximately RUB 70 billion. billion Turkey 1-Dec Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm assisted Sberbank with the facility agreements and surety agreements for loans granted to Yamata EUR 200 Russia; Endustriyel and Yamata Yatirim for projects in Russia amounting to approximately EUR 200 million and RUB 2 billion. million Turkey and RUB 2 billion
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 67 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 14-Dec Durukan+Partners Durukan+Partners advised Sovcombank PJSC on the USD 300 million financing to Rosatom subsidiary Akkuyu Nukleer USD 300 Russia; A.S. for the Akkuyu NPP construction project, the first-ever nuclear power plant to be built in Turkey. million Turkey 3-Aug Alrud; Linklaters; Paul, Alrud, Slaughter and May, and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison advised Elanco Animal Health Incorporated on its USD 6.9 Russia; Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton acquisition of 100% of Bayer’s Animal Health Business. Linklaters advised Bayer. billion Turkey; & Garrison; Slaughter Ukraine and May 2-Mar Redcliffe Partners; White Redcliffe Partners advised Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited on the sale of a portfolio of over-the-counter and USD 200 Russia; & Case prescription pharmaceutical assets to Acino. White & Case advised the seller. million Ukraine 27-Oct White & Case Working pro bono, White & Case successfully represented a Crimean applicant in his request for asylum in the United N/A Russia; States. Ukraine 14-Jan BDK Advokati; BDK Advokati advised Biomin GmbH on the acquisition of Vinfeed doo, a Serbian distributor of animal nutrition products. N/A Serbia Samardzic, Oreski & The unidentified sellers were advised by Samardzic, Oreski, & Grbovic. Grbovic 17-Jan Jankovic Popovic Mitic JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic provided legal support to Gastrans d.o.o., Serbia (a 100% subsidiary of a OAO Gazprom and N/A Serbia Srbijagas joint venture) on the construction of Gazprom's 400 km long Turkish Stream gas pipeline through Serbia, which Srbijagas Director Dusan Bajatovic has recently declared complete. 30-Jan CMS CMS advised Turkey’s DenizBank and Ziraat Bank on a loan of approximately EUR 220 million granted to the Ministry of EUR 220 Serbia Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia for the design, construction, and/or reconstruction million of the Novi Pazar-Tutin, Sremska Raca-Kuzmin, and Pozega-Kotroman sections of the motorway and a bridge over the River Sava. 31-Jan CMS CMS Belgrade advised BMTS Technology on the opening of a manufacturing plant in Serbia. EUR 50 Serbia million 6-Feb Andric Law Office; BDK BDK Advokati advised the shareholders of Serbian IT company Logo doo on the sale of a 60% stake to GetSwift. Dentons N/A Serbia Advokati; Dentons and Andric Law advised GetSwift on the deal. 17-Feb Karanovic & Partners Karanovic & Partners advised Sweden's Backer AB on the acquisition of shares in Serbia's Elektrotermija d.o.o. N/A Serbia 1-Mar Harrisons Harrisons advised the EBRD on a senior loan to Banca Intesa ad Beograd. EUR 15 Serbia million 2-Mar Zivkovic Samardzic Zivkovic Samardzic advised Serbia’s national commercial broadcaster B92, a subsidiary of the Kopernikus Corporation, N/A Serbia on its transformation from a joint-stock company into a limited liability company. 4-Mar Zivkovic Samardzic Zivkovic Samardzic advised Israeli company Sizmek Technologies Ltd. on Serbian aspects of Amazon's acquisition of N/A Serbia Sizmek’s ad serving and dynamic content optimization businesses. 9-Mar NKO Partners NKO Partners advised Mercata, a Serbian distributor of fast-moving consumer goods, on its merger with Veletabak, a N/A Serbia Serbian tobacco and consumer goods distributor. Veletabak was advised by solo practitioner Zeljko Marovic. 23-Mar Samardzic, Oreski & SOG advised Tesla on the launch of its first fast-charging station in Serbia. N/A Serbia Grbovic 1-Apr CMP Studio di Avvocati; Karanovic & Partners, working alongside Italian counsel CMP Studio di Avvocati, advised Gucci, a company incorporated N/A Serbia Karanovic & Partners in the Netherlands, on the acquisition of a 70% stake in Serbian shoe manufacturer F.lli Rossi Shoes doo. 2-Apr JSP Law; Samardzic, Samardzic, Oreski & Grbobic advised Serbian construction and infrastructure company Compact Industry on its EUR 8 EUR 8 Serbia Oreski & Grbovic million construction deal with Swiss lighting manufacturer Regent Lighting. JSP Legal advised Regent Lighting on the million deal. 6-Apr CMS CMS, in cooperation with GFA Consulting Group, helped the EBRD prepare a tendering process for the Serbian City of N/A Serbia Pirot for the selection of a private partner in a PPP project titled Reconstruction and Maintenance of the Public Lighting System in the City of Pirot. 15-Apr JPM Jankovic Popovic JPM advised the German School Belgrade on its implementation of a GDPR program. N/A Serbia Mitic 28-Apr DLA Piper; Harrisons Harrisons, working with DLA Piper as the global advisor, represented ALD S.A. and Mitsubishi UFJ Lease & Finance N/A Serbia Company Limited before the Commission for Protection of Competition of the Republic of Serbia in its attempt to obtain approval for the concentration which will occur as a result of its creation of a joint venture in Malaysia with MUL. 25-May BDK Advokati BDK Advokati has been appointed to act as the local representative for Google under the Serbian Data Protection Act. N/A Serbia 26-May Samardzic, Oreski & Samardzic Oreski & Grbovic advised Bravos Holding on the acquisition of a high-class office building in Belgrade from N/A Serbia Grbovic DUTB. 26-May NKO Partners NKO Partners advised Dr. Max, the largest pharmacy network in Central Europe, on a public-private partnership project N/A Serbia involving the concession of 27 state owned pharmacies located in the City of Krusevac and the Rasina District of Serbia. 27-May Karanovic & Partners; Karanovic & Partners advised Canadian precious and base metals exploration company Tethyan Resource Corp on its N/A Serbia NKO Partners acquisition of ten percent of the shares and management control over the of the Serbian geological company EFPP. NKO Partners advised EFPP on the deal. 27-May NKO Partners NKO Partners advised industrial real estate developer CTP on its EUR 2.1 million acquisition of six hectares of land in EUR 2.1 Serbia Kragujevac, Serbia, from the City of Kragujevac. million 1-Jun Harrisons Harrisons acted as Serbian legal counsel to the EBRD on a loan to Eurobank ad Beograd under the COVID-19 Resilience EUR 40 Serbia Framework to be on-lent to eligible sub-borrowers. million 1-Jun Harrisons Harrisons advised the EBRD in relation to a senior unsecured loan to ProCredit Bank Serbia ad Beograd. The loan shall be EUR 40 Serbia used for on-lending to eligible beneficiaries in Serbia. million 1-Jun Harrisons Harrisons advised the EBRD in relation to senior loan to UniCredit Bank Serbia under the COVID-19 Resilience EUR 75 Serbia Framework. million 3-Jun Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Korea's Kyungshin Cable on the construction of a 12,000-square-meter factory in the Serbian town EUR 20 Serbia of Smederevska Palanka. million 3-Jun NKO Partners NKO Partners advised Lola Real Estate on its acquisition of 9,376 square meters of land in a public tender procedure from EUR 7 Serbia the Belgrade Land Agency, then advised Lola Real Estate sole shareholder Loran Soco on the sale of the company to the million Czech Republic's UDI Group. Sole practitioner Aleksandra Nedeljkovic advised UDI on the latter deal.
68 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 15-Jun JPM Jankovic Popovic JPM helped Gastrans d.o.o. Novi Sad draft the Natural Gas Transmission System Network Code, which, with the consent N/A Serbia Mitic of the Energy Agency of the Republic of Serbia, entered into force on May 30, 2020. 16-Jun Karanovic & Partners Karanovic & Partners advised Serbian IT company 3Lateral on its EUR 7.7 million acquisition of a 6,500-square-meter lot EUR 7.7 Serbia from the City of Novi Sad. million 23-Jun JPM Jankovic Popovic JPM Jankovic Popovic Mitic advised sellers Milija Babovic and Apsara on the sale of a 67% stake in the Victoria Group to N/A Serbia Mitic the MK Group. 29-Jun NKO Partners NKO Partners helped Konica Minolta Serbia, a part of a Japanese multinational technology company, obtain a favorable N/A Serbia judgment from the Administrative Court of Serbia, which annulled a fine previously levied against the company by the Serbian Competition Commission for allegedly entering into restrictive agreements. 1-Jul Freshfields; Karanovic & Karanovic & Partners, working with international counsel Freshfields, advised Guangdong Wencan Die Casting Co. on its N/A Serbia Partners acquisition of Le Belier. 1-Jul Harrisons; Reed Smith Harrisons, working with lead counsel Reed Smith, advised the EBRD in relation to a loan to Coral SRB doo Beograd to EUR 10 Serbia finance the expansion of Shell-branded gas stations and implement energy efficiency and environmental solutions. million 1-Jul Harrisons Harrisons acted as legal counsel to the EBRD in relation to two loans to Erste Bank Serbia for the purpose of making sub- EUR 60 Serbia loans in accordance with the SME Policy Statement. million 2-Jul Zivkovic Samardzic Zivkovic Samardzic achieved a victory in the Appellate Court in Belgrade for the Crime and Corruption Reporting N/A Serbia Network (KRIK), a non-profit organization established to improve investigative journalism in Serbia. 3-Jul CMS; Nko Partners NKO Partners advised industrial real estate developer CTP on a EUR 16.5 million financing for its real estate projects in EUR 16.5 Serbia Serbia from Raiffeisen Bank Serbia. CMS advised Raiffeisen Bank on the transaction. million 6-Jul Bojovic Draskovic Bojovic Draskovic Popovic & Partners is advising PEPCO on its plans to enter the Serbian market. N/A Serbia Popovic & Partners 6-Jul Clifford Chance; Harrisons represented Al Dahra and ADQ before the Commission for Protection of Competition of the Republic of N/A Serbia Harrisons; Stephenson Serbia in its application for approval for the concentration that will occur as a result of ADQ's acquisition of 50% of the Harwood share capital and voting rights of Al Dahra. Stephenson Harwood was the global adviser on competition matters to Al Dahra while Clifford Chance was the global adviser on competiton matters to ADQ. 22-Jul PR Legal PR Legal successfully defended the interests of coffee producer and manufacturer Strauss Adriatic in a dispute over the EUR Serbia alleged infringement of the C Kafa trademark. 45,000 4-Aug CMS; NKO Partners NKO Partners advised CTP on financing of EUR 13.5 million from the EBRD for real estate project development in Serbia. EUR 13.5 Serbia CMS advised the EBRD on the transaction. million 7-Aug Bojovic Draskovic Jankovic Popovic Mitic advised French multinational company C.D Holding Internationale SAS on its EUR 5 million EUR 5 Serbia Popovic & Partners; JPM acquisition of an additional stake in Emergo Sport d.o.o., the Serbian subsidiary of Fitpass Limited. Fitpass was advised million Jankovic Popovic Mitic by Bojovic, Draskovic, Popovic, and Partners. 19-Aug Jankovic Popovic Mitic Jankovic Popovic Mitic helped sporting good retailer Intersport S Trgovina doo comply with the Serbian Data Protection N/A Serbia Act. 21-Aug NKO Partners NKO Partners advised BizLink Holding on what the firm calls an intercompany restructuring that resulted in the company N/A Serbia becoming the sole shareholders of its subsidiary, BizLink Serbia. 25-Aug Karanovic & Partners Karanovic & Partners provided its analysis of the Serbian railway freight transport market to the World Bank Group and N/A Serbia the Serbian Competition Commission regarding. The firm's analysis was provided as part of the Program for Improving the Business Environment in Serbia. 26-Aug BDK Advokati BDK Advokati advised the EBRD and the Enterprise Expansion Fund on a EUR 12 million secured credit facility loan to EUR 12 Serbia High Tech Engineering Center, a software developer and technology research and development service provider in million Serbia. 27-Aug Mikijelj Jankovic & Mikijelj, Jankovic & Bogdanovic successfully represented the interests of Serbian TV hosts Zoran Kesic and Ivan Ivanovic N/A Serbia Bogdanovic before the Press Council of Serbia regarding an alleged violation of the Code of Ethics of Serbian Journalists by daily newspaper Telegraf and the news portal Republika.rs. 10-Sep Mikijelj Jankovic & Mikijelj Jankovic & Bogdanovic advised the Belgrade-based Nelt Grupa on its acquisition of baby food brand Bebi from N/A Serbia Bogdanovic Atlantic Grupa. 14-Sep CT Legal; Zivkovic Zivkovic Samardzic advised Manchester-based biotech firm APIS Assay Technologies Ltd on the Serbian aspects of its N/A Serbia Samardzic acquisition of BeoGenomics. CT Legal advised the unnamed seller of BeoGenomics on the deal. 22-Oct Fieldfisher; LMS Studio Prica & Partners as Serbian counsel and LMS Studio Legale Milano as Italian counsel have advised Ferrero on Serbian N/A Serbia Legale; Prica & Partners merger clearance aspects related to Ferrero's acquisition of Fox’s Biscuits. Fieldfisher advised CTH Invest, a Belgian holding group associated with Ferrero Group, on the underlying acquisition. 3-Nov NKO Partners NKO Partners helped Belgrade Waterfront open the Galerija Belgrade shopping center by assisting Belgrade Waterfront N/A Serbia in drafting and negotiating all lease agreements for the shopping mall, including those with anchor tenants. 3-Nov Harrisons Harrisons advised the EBRD on its EUR 20 million loan to Banca Intesa Beograd. EUR 20 Serbia million 5-Nov Harrisons Harrisons advised the EBRD on an EUR 25 million loan, which will be matched by Raiffeisen Banka Beograd, to Sojaprotein. EUR 25 Serbia AP Legal advised Raiffeisen Banka on the deal. million 11-Nov Karanovic & Partners Karanovic & Partners helped set-up Ventu.rs, the first Serbian crowd-investing platform. N/A Serbia 13-Nov Schoenherr Schoenherr advised Serbian holding company Delta Holding on its acquisition of Sava Centar from the City of Belgrade. N/A Serbia 16-Nov Jankovic Popovic Mitic Jankovic Popovic Mitic helped chemical company BASF implement GDPR best practices in Serbia. N/A Serbia 20-Nov BDK Advokati; BDK Advokati, working alongside Sweden's Gernandt & Danielsson Advokatbyra KB, advised the Embracer Group AB on N/A Serbia Gernhandt & Danielsson the acquisition of all issued shares of Mad Head Games d.o.o., a game development studio in Novi Sad, Serbia. Sunjka Advokatbyra KB; Sunjka Law advised Mad Head Games shareholders Nenad Tomic, Uros Banjesevic, and Aleksa Todorovic on the deal. Law 26-Nov Zivkovic Samardzic Zivkovic Samardzic was appointed the representative of SNAP Inc. under the Serbian Data Protection Act, following a N/A Serbia decision by the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 69 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 27-Nov Andric Law Office; Dentons advised Umweltbank Aktiengessellschaft, GLS Gemeinschaftsbank EG, and two investment funds managed N/A Serbia Dentons; Schoenherr by Triodos Investment Management on the acquisition of a majority stake in Opportunity Banka a.d. Novi Sad from Opportunity Transformation Investments inc. Andric Law Office provided Serbian advice to the buyers, and Schoenherr advised Opportunity Transformation Investments. 1-Dec Zivkovic Samardzic Zivkovic Samardzic was appointed the representative for Yandex LLC pursuant to the Serbian Data Protection Act, N/A Serbia following a decision by the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection of Serbia. 3-Dec Andrejic & Partners; NKO NKO Partners advised CTP Invest on its acquisition of a part of Eyemaxx Real Estate’s portfolio in Serbia. Andrejic & N/A Serbia Partners Partners advised the seller. 3-Dec Harrisons Harrisons advised the EBRD on Serbian law matters related to a loan to Intesa Leasing doo Beograd. EUR 10 Serbia million 15-Dec BDK Advokati BDK Advokati advised Affidea Diagnostic B.V. on the sale of Affideal Special Hospital in Belgrade to Medigroup System. N/A Serbia 16-Dec CMS; Jankovic Popovic Jankovic Popovic Mitic advised BASF on the sale of its Construction Chemicals business in Serbia to an affiliate of private N/A Serbia Mitic equity firm Lone Star. 22-Dec NKO Partners NKO Partners advised the BizLink Group on its EUR 3.5 million acquisition of a commercial property and production EUR 3.5 Serbia facilities in Prokuplje, Serbia, from Gama Investor Solutions. Attorney-at-law Aleksandar Kuljak advised the seller on the million deal. 23-Dec Samardzic, Oreski & Samardzic, Oreski, Grbovic been appointed AiCure’s data protection representative in Serbia by the Commissioner for N/A Serbia Grbovic Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection. 25-Dec Bopa Bojanovic Partners; Schoenherr advised Oaktree Capital Management on its acquisition of Serbian edible oil business Victoriaoil from the N/A Serbia Markovic Vukotic Victoria Group. Bopa Bojanovic Partners and Markovic Vukotic Jovkojic advised the seller. Jovkojic; Schoenherr 31-Dec Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Croatia's Arena Hospitality Group on the acquisition by its Serbian subsidiary of the 88 Rooms Hotel EUR 5.95 Serbia in Belgrade. million 1-May Harrisons Harrisons advised the EBRD on a senior secured loan granted to Javno Gradsko Saobracajno Preduzece Novi Sad, a EUR 7 Serbia public transport company fully owned by the City of Novi Sad to finance the acquisition of 30 compressed natural gas million buses. 1-Jun Harrisons Harrisons advised the EBRD on a senior loan granted to Sabac District Heating Company to finance the implementation EUR 2.5 Serbia of energy efficiency measures in up to 40 residential multi-storey buildings in the City of Sabac. million 14-Jan Allen & Overy; Stanek Allen & Overy advised Vseobecna Uverova Banka on the sale and leaseback of a real estate portfolio. Stanek Verak & N/A Slovakia Verak & Partners Partners advised the buyer. 23-Jan EY Law; Noerr Noerr advised NEI, an Indian bearings manufacturer and exporter, on its acquisition of international bearings producer N/A Slovakia Kinex Bearings and bearing trading company Global Supply. The sellers were advised by Ernst & Young. 24-Jan CMS; MCL MCL advised MiddleCap Real Estate Ltd. on its acquisition, reconstruction, and development of the Gorkeho 4 office N/A Slovakia project and subsequently on the sale of the project to Kooperativa Insurance company, a member of the Vienna Insurance Group. Kooperativa Insurance was advised by CMS. 5-Mar Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Hungary-based financial group OTP Bank on the sale of its 99.44% stake in its Slovak operations to N/A Slovakia Belgium's KBC Group. 11-Mar Kinstellar; Skubla & Kinstellar advised Austrian company European City Estates on its acquisition of the Rosum office complex in Bratislava N/A Slovakia Partneri from Penta Real Estate, which was advised by Skubla & Partneri. 11-Mar Havel & Partners; Havel & Partners advised GTH Catering a.s., a company in the portfolio of the Genesis Capital fund, on its entry to the N/A Slovakia Schoenherr Slovak market and on its acquisition of Sodexo s.r.o., the Slovak subsidiary of French group Sodexo. Schoenherr advised the seller. 24-Mar Cechova Partners; Cechova Partners, working with Chiomenti, advised on the acquisition of part of the Noovle group, including the indirect N/A Slovakia Chiomenti; Nctm Studio acquisition of Noovle Slovakia. Nctm Studio Legale advised the sellers Legale 31-Mar PRK Partners PRK Partners advised co-lead managers J&T Banka (which also acted as arranger), Ceska Sporitelna, Komercni Banka, CZK 7.5 Slovakia and UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia on the preparation of the base prospectus and other documentation for billion a senior secured bonds issuance by EPH Financing. 17-Apr Dentons; Majernik & Majernik & Mihalikova advised Livedispatcher and its founders on the sale of their entire shareholding to REEF N/A Slovakia Mihalikova Technologies. The buyers were advised by Dentons. 22-Apr White & Case White & Case advised lead managers Ceskoslovenska Obchodna Banka, Slovenska Sporitel’na, and Tatra Banka on the EUR 1.5 Slovakia Slovak Republic's issuance of EUR 1.5 billion 1.000% notes due in 2030. billion 1-May Allen & Overy; Capitol Allen & Overy represented ZSE Energia, a.s. in a dispute initiated by the European Institute for Consumer Protection N/A Slovakia Legal Group regarding the manner of charging the tariff for system operation to electricity end consumers. Capitol Legal Group represented the EICP. 13-May Majernik & Mihalikova Majernik & Mihalikova advised Proer, which is developing a solution for testing air quality, and its founders, on an N/A Slovakia investment received from the Crowdberry fund. 28-May White & Case White & Case advised lead managers Barclays Bank, Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Bank AG, HSBC, and EUR 4 Slovakia Intesa Sanpaolo Group member Vseobecna Uverova Banka on the Slovak Republic's dual tranche issuance of EUR 2 billion billion 0.250% notes due 2025 and EUR 2 billion 1.000% notes due 2032. 10-Jun Bohm & Partners; Havel Havel & Partners advised Deutsche Telekom group member Slovak Telekom a.s. on the sale of Zoznam s.r.o. Bohm & N/A Slovakia & Partners Partners advised the buyer. 15-Jun Bartosik Svaby; Majernik Majernik & Mihalikova advised Groupsolver, on raising of capital in Slovakia. Bartosik Svaby advised investor Eterus N/A Slovakia & Mihalikova Capital.. 9-Jul Bartosik Svaby Bartosik Svaby advised the Eterus Capital fund on its EUR 1.5 million acquisition of a 12.36% stake in Eyerim. EUR 1.5 Slovakia million 22-Sep Freshfields; Kinstellar Kinstellar advised E.ON on its acquisition of a 49% stake in electric utility Vychodoslovenska Energetika Holding from N/A Slovakia the German's RWE. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised the seller on the deal. 29-Oct Majernik & Mihalikova Majernik & Mihalikova advised Powerex, a company developing smart grid solutions, and its founder, on an investment N/A Slovakia into the company by Manifesto.
70 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 30-Oct Dentons; Relevans Dentons advised Vseobecna Uverova Banka and UniCredit Bank on a EUR 105 million loan to J&T Real Estate for the EUR 105 Slovakia construction of the Eurovea Tower in Slovakia. Relevans advised the unidentified borrower on the deal. million 6-Nov Dentons Dentons helped petitioners obtain three favorable rulings from the Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic. N/A Slovakia 17-Nov Havel & Partners Havel & Partners advised Vision Ventures on its investment in Slovakian start-up Eatster, which operates an online food N/A Slovakia order application. 16-Dec Majernik & Mihalikova Majernik & Mihalikova advised on the sale of shares in SEC Technologies, a fast-growing scale up developing laser based N/A Slovakia detectors of chemicals, between its shareholders. 14-Jan Rojs, Peljhan, Prelesnik Selih & Partnerji advised Supernova on its EUR 220 million acquisition of seven shopping malls and five smaller shopping N/A Slovenia & Partners; Selih & centers from Centrice Real Estate GmbH, a member of America's Lone Star fund. The sellers were advised by Rojs, Partners Peljhan, Prelesnik & Partnerji. 26-Feb Law Firm Prodan Juric; Miro Senica represented Petrol d.d. in its acquisition of 100% of electricity distributor E-3 d.o.o. from Elektro Primorska. N/A Slovenia Miro Senica The Law Firm Prodan Juric advised the seller. 23-Mar ODI Law ODI Law advised Agromarket’s local Slovenian entity on its acquisition of Semenarna Ljubljana from Dezelna Banka N/A Slovenia Slovenije. 3-Apr Jadek & Pensa; Kavcic Jadek & Pensa advised Abanka on its acquisition by NKBM from the Republic of Slovenia. NKBM was advised by Wolf N/A Slovenia Bracun & Partners; Wolf Theiss, while Kavcic, Bracun & Partners advised the seller. Theiss 22-Apr Linklaters; ODI Law ODI Law worked alongside lead counsel Linklaters in advising cryptocurrency software development and research N/A Slovenia company nCHAIN on its acquisition of CREA, a Slovenia-based software development firm. 30-Jun Miro Senica Miro Senica advised Heba investicije d.o.o. on its purchase of a vacant building plot intended for a shopping center, as EUR Slovenia well as on the construction agreement and building permit issuance. 916,220 9-Jul ODI Law ODI Law advised Hranilnica Lon on a new issuance of shares. N/A Slovenia 20-Sep N/A Miro Senica represented subcontractor IMP, d.d. in a dispute with the main contractor for the construction of the Olympic EUR Slovenia Centre Koper project, consisting of an Olympic swimming pool, football field, and other sports and administration 900,000 facilities, involving the contractor's withholding payment of EUR 900,000 out of a total of EUR 2.2 million due to alleged defects. 1-Oct Cooley; Miro Senica Miro Senica was engaged by American company Vertica Capital Partners to perform legal and tax due diligence of N/A Slovenia Slovenian IT company Bunnyway d.o.o. related to its intended acquisition of an 80% stake in Bunnyway, although the transaction did not go forward due to commercial issues. Cooley advised on US law. 30-Dec Clifford Chance; Schoenherr and Poellath, working alongside Clifford Chance, advised Deutsche Private Equity on Slovenian matters EUR 21 Slovenia Poellath; related to its acquisition of a majority stake in Mehler Vario System, a Germany-based manufacturer of bulletproof vests million SchoenherrShearman & and protective systems, from Munich-based industrial holding firm Armira. Shearman & Sterling advised the seller. Sterling 1-Jan Akol Law Firm; Allen & TheAkol Law Firm and Linklaters assisted Turkiye Sinai Kalkinma Bankasi A.S. with a 144A/Reg S placement of USD 350 USD 350 Turkey Overy; Linklaters million sustainable Eurobonds with 5-year maturity, which was underwritten by Citi, ING, Standard Chartered, BNP million Paribas, Commerzbank, Bank ABC, and SMBC Nikko. The joint lead managers were advised by Allen & Overy. 9-Jan Pelister Atayilmaz Enkur; The Pelister Atayilmaz Enkur Law Office advised the Hoshizaki Corporation on its acquisition of 28.6% of shares in N/A Turkey Taboglu Oztiryakiler Madeni Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret via a share transfer from the Oztiryakiler family and the subscription of new shares following a capital increase in Ozti. The Oztiryakiler family was advised by Taboglu Attorneys at Law. 15-Jan Ozbek Attorney Turunc advised BigChefs on its acquisition of Turkey's NumNum cafe/restaurant chain from the Is Girisim private equity N/A Turkey Partnership; Turunc fund and Chef Mehmet Gurs. The sellers were advised by the Ozbek Law Firm. 4-Feb Bezen & Partners Bezen & Partners successfully represented Turkish football player Omer Kerim Ali Riza in a dispute with the Turkish N/A Turkey Football Federation before The European Court of Human Rights. 4-Feb Gibson, Dunn & Paksoy worked alongside global counsel Winston & Strawn in advising Danfoss A/S, a Danish manufacturer of heat USD 3.3 Turkey Crutcher; Paksoy; transfer solutions, on its acquisition of Eaton Corporation’s hydraulics business. Gibson & Dunn advised Eaton on the billion Winston & Strawn transaction. 21-Feb Paksoy Paskoy advised Novartis on the sale of one of Sandoz Turkey’s manufacturing facilities to Turkish pharmaceutical N/A Turkey company Generica Ilac. 28-Feb Baker Mckenzie (Esin Gide Loyrette Nouel advised Groupama Holding Filiales et Participations on the sale and transfer of its 10% stake in N/A Turkey Attorney Partnership); Turkish insurance company Gunes Sigorta A.S. to TVF Finansal Yatirimlar Anonim Sirketi, a subsidiary of the Turkey Gide Loyrette Nouel Wealth Fund. Baker McKenzie advised TVF on the transaction. (Ozdirekcan Dundar Senocak) 31-Mar Guden Law Firm The Guden Law Firm advised Turkish petroleum exporter BDY Group Yatirim A.S. on questions related to the impact of N/A Turkey the growing COVID-19 crisis on their company's master sale and purchase agreements. 31-Mar Akol Law Firm; DLA Piper The Akol Law Firm, working with DLA Piper, advised both sides on Turkish matters related to Danaher-General Electric's N/A Turkey USD 21.4 billion global sale of Biopharma. 1-Apr Akol Law Firm; Herbert The Akol Law Firm, working with Herbert Smith Freehills, assisted Chevron in the disposal of interests in the Azeri Chirag USD Turkey Smith Freehills; White and Deep Water Gunashli field and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas Public Limited Company. 1.57 & Case White & Case was global transaction counsel to MOL. billion 24-Apr Aksan; BTS & Partners; Turunc advised ELBA HR Insan Kaynaklari Egitim ve Danismanlik Anonim Sirketi (doing business as Peoplise) and its N/A Turkey Kolcuoglu Demirkan founding shareholders on the acquisition of 86.7% of the company from them and Revo Capital and 500 Startups by Kocakli; Turunc LOGO. Yazilim Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. BTS & Partners and Aksan advised Revo Capital and 500 Startups, respectively, and Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kockali advised LOGO. 1-May Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm assisted Tarim Kredi Holding and its 12 group companies with a forced initial public offering. N/A Turkey 5-May Allen & Overy; Turunc; Turunc advised Yu-Ce Medical and its shareholders, Cengiz Balcik and Yumnu Balcik, on the acquisition of the remaining N/A Turkey Yuksel Legal 28% of Yu-Ce shares from the Anatolia Growth Capital Fund. Yuksel Legal and Allen & Overy advised the Anatolia Growth Capital Fund on the deal. 12-May Linklaters; Paksoy Paksoy and Linklaters advised I Squared Capital LLP on its indirect acquisition of 45% of the shares in Rubis Terminal. N/A Turkey
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 71 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 2-Jun BTS & Partners; Ilhanli BTS & Partners advised Turkish logistics company Yolda and its founders on their receipt of an investment of USD USD Turkey Baser 835,000 from Collective Spark, an investment fund focusing on tech companies, and various angel investors. Ilhanli 835,000 Baser advised Collective Spark on the investment. 3-Jun Abcoo; Baker Mckenzie; White & Case and its associated Turkish firm, GKC Partners, advised interactive entertainment company Zynga Inc. USD 1.8 Turkey Baker Mckenzie (Esin on its USD 1.8 billion acquisition of Istanbul-based Peak Oyun Yazilim ve Pazarlama, A.S. Baker McKenzie, working with billion Attorney Partnership); its Turkish affiliate, the Esin Attorney Partnership, advised Peak on the transaction. Dentons, along with its affiliate BTS & Partners; Balcioglu Selcuk Ardiyok Keki Avukatlik Ortakligi, advised Hummingbird Ventures CVA as the investor seller. BTS & Dentons; Dentons Partners advised Endeavour Catalyst, as an investor seller, and Abcoo had advised Peak Founder and CEO Sidar Sahin. (Baseak); GKC Partners; Verdi Law Firm; White & Case 10-Jun Allen & Overy; Gedik & Allen & Overy and Gedik & Eraksoy advised Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of America as arrangers of an ESG-linked N/A Turkey Eraksoy syndicated loan facility for Turkey’s Garanti BBVA. 15-Jun BTS & Partners; Norton BTS & Partners advised the shareholders of mobile payment and bank transfer service provider Payguru on the sale of N/A Turkey Rose Fulbright; Norton 100% of its shares to Tpay Mobile. Norton Rose Fulbright London and the Inal Kama Attorney Partnership advised Tpay Rose Fulbright (Inal Kama Mobile on the deal. Attorney Partners) 26-Jun BTS & Partners BTS & Partners advised the Growth Circuit venture capital firm on an unspecified investment in Invidyo — a developer of N/A Turkey child monitoring devices that rely on artificial intelligence. 8-Jul BTS & Partners; Uysal BTS & Partners advised QNBeyond Ventures, the venture arm of QNB Finansbank, on an unspecified investment in N/A Turkey Law Firm cloud-based accounting software and financial application platform Kolaybi. The Uysal Law Firm advised Kolaybi's shareholders, including its founders and HUB Venture Capital. 8-Jul Cakmak Cakmak advised Landesbank Baden-Wurttemberg and KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH on the financing of 132 MW Phase 2 USD Turkey investment in Lodos Karaburun Elektrik Uretim A.S’s wind farm in the Izmir province of Turkey. 134.5 million 10-Jul Caliskan Okkan Toker; The Turunc Law Firm, working alongside Travers Smith, represented Micro Focus in its acquisition of Atar Labs from N/A Turkey Travers Smith; Turunc founders Burak Dayioglu, Murat Tora, and Gokhan Say and investor Diffusion Capital Partners. The sellers were represented by Caliskan Okkan Toker. 15-Jul Akol Law Firm; CMS The Turunc Law Firm advised a group of private investors led by Cetin Yilmaz on their acquisition of MCI's majority N/A Turkey (Yalcin Babalioglu stake in online travel agency Tatilbudur from Polish private equity fund MCI. The Yalcin Babalioglu Kemahli Attorney Kemahli Attorney Partnership advised MCI on the deal, while Akol Law advised shareholder Is Girisim. Tatilbudur was advised by Yondem Partnership); Turunc; Yigit Uclertopragi. Yondem Yigit Uclertopragi 22-Jul Cooley; Moroglu Turunc and Cooley advised US-based private equity fund Riverwood Capital on its investment in Insider, a growth USD 32 Turkey Arseven; Rajah & Tann; management platform for digital marketers. Riverwood led the USD 32 million investment round, which included million Turunc participation from Sequoia, Wamda, and Endeavor Catalyst. Moroglu Arseven and Rajah & Tann advised Insider. 24-Jul Aksan Aksan advised Paket Mutfak Gayrimenkul Isletmeciligi ve Hizmetleri Anonim Sirketi and its shareholders on its latest N/A Turkey investment round. 24-Jul Dentons; Dentons Balcioglu Selcuk Akman Keki Attorney Partnership advised Anatolia B.V., a subsidiary of agricultural exporter Tiryaki N/A Turkey (BASEAK); Herguner Agro Foods Industry, on the sale of 25.58% shareholding in Sunrise Foods International Inc. to Hassad Holdings Canada. Bilgen Ozeke Dentons advised Tiryaki on English law matters, and Herguner Bilgen Ozeke advised Hassad Holdings. 24-Jul Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Vivense and its CEO and founder Kemal Erol on a USD 130 million investment into the company by the USD 130 Turkey Actera Group, a private equity firm focusing on investments in Turkey. million 1-Aug Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm assisted TSKB with the approximately EUR 17 million financing of the 9.8 MW Inegol-2, 2.312 MW EUR 17 Turkey Orduzu, and 2.4 MW Kapikaya Biogas Power Plant Projects realized by Dogu Star (a direct subsidiary of Biotrend and an million indirect subsidiary of Doganlar Yatirim Holding). 1-Aug Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm assisted TSKB with the approximately EUR 8 million financing of the 4.2 MW Bergama Biogas Power EUR 7 Turkey Plant Project realized by Izmir Dogu Star (a direct subsidiary of Biotrend and an indirect subsidiary of Doganlar Yatirim million Holding). 1-Aug Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm assisted TSKB with the approximately EUR 3 million financing of the 2.4 MW Inegol-1 Biogas Power EUR 3 Turkey Plant Project realized by Novtek Enerji (a direct subsidiary of Biotrend and an indirect subsidiary of Doganlar Yatirim million Holding). 1-Aug Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm assisted TSKB with the approximately EUR 20 million financing of the Simay Wind Power Plant project USD 20 Turkey realized by Simay Elektrik (owned by Nokta Yatirim Holding and Yilsan Yatirim Holding). million 1-Aug Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm assisted TSKB with the approximately USD 7.5 million financing for Doganlar Yatirim Holding's USD 7.5 Turkey acquisition of Maven Enerji shares. million 1-Aug Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm assisted TSKB with the approximately USD 3.5 million financing of the 2.8 MW Sivas Biogas Power USD 3.5 Turkey Plant Project realized by Nov Enerji (a direct subsidiary of Biotrend and an indirect subsidiary of Doganlar Yatirim Holding). million 5-Aug Aksan Turkey's Aksan Law Firm advised Albaraka Asset Management on its investment in Clotie, an e-commerce company that N/A Turkey provides personalized clothing services. 6-Aug BTS & Partners BTS & Partners advised TechOne Venture Capital and Twozero Ventures, funds managed by Actus Asset Management, N/A Turkey on an unspecified investment in FineDine Digital Menus for Restaurants, Cafes & Bars. 11-Aug Dentons; TOCC The TOCC Attorney Partnership advised Akbank subsidiary AKLease on its EUR 40 million financing from the EBRD. EUR 40 Turkey Attorney Partnership Dentons reportedly advised the EBRD on the deal. million 12-Aug Caliskan Okkan Toker; White & Case and its associated Turkish firm, GKC Partners, advised Zynga Inc. on its USD 168 million acquisition of USD 168 Turkey GKC Partners; White an 80% stake in Rollic, a mobile games developer and publisher, from Mehmet Can Yavuz, Deniz Basaran, Burak Vardal, million & Case Volkan Bicer, Mehmet Ayan, and Yunus Emre Gonul. Caliskan Okkan Toker advised the sellers on the deal. 24-Aug AK Law Firm; Paksoy; Paksoy and Germany's Schulteriesenkampff law firm advised Imerys on the acquisition by its subsidiary, Calderys N/A Turkey Schulteriesenkampff Deutschland GmbH, of a 60% stake in the Haznedar Group, from several individual shareholders. The AK Law Firm advised the sellers on the deal.
72 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 24-Aug BTS Partners BTS Partners advised Qnbeyond ventures on an unspecified investment in Ikas, a software-as-a-services commerce N/A Turkey platform for small-and-medium enterprises. 25-Aug Gun & Partners; Moral & Moral & Partners advised Taxim Capital on its acquisition of Doganay Gida, a Turkish manufacturer of non-carbonated N/A Turkey Partners beverages, sauces, and vinegars. Gun & Partners advised the unidentified sellers. 28-Aug Moral & Partners Moral & Partners advised the minority shareholders of Turquoise Yacht — formerly known as Proteksan — on the sale of N/A Turkey 40% of the shares of the company to the Al Barwani Group. 2-Sep Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm advised Cizmeci Time on the acquisiton of a production and storage facility. N/A Turkey 4-Sep BTS & Partners; EY BTS & Partners advised the founders of Entekno Global and Diffusion Capital Partners on Croda International Plc.'s GBP 1.5 Turkey Legal (KS Attorney recent GBP 1.5 million acquisition of a minority stake in the company. The KS Attorney Partnership, the local legal arm of million Partnership) EY Turkey, advised Croda on the deal. 8-Sep Cakmak; Paksoy Cakmak advised Voodoo on an unspecified investment in Fabrika Games. Paksoy advised Fabrika Games on the deal. N/A Turkey 14-Sep Bezen & Partners Bezen & Partners advised MB UAE Investment LLC on its buy-out of minority shareholders in the company's Turkish N/A Turkey subsidiaries. 14-Sep Akol Law Firm The Akol Law Firm advised Garanti Bank on an approximately EUR 62 million financing for the acquisition of Sesa Ambalaj EUR 62 Turkey by an indirect SPV of Dogan Holding. million 14-Sep Akol Law Firm; Kolcuoglu The Akol Law Firm advised Dogan Holding subsidiary Oncu Girisim Sermayesi Yatirim Ortakligi a.s., on its indirect EUR 58 Turkey Demirkan Kocakli acquisition of 70% of Sesa Ambalaj ve Plastik Sanayi Ticaret A.S. Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli advised the sellers. million 13-Oct Erdem & Erdem Erdem & Erdem advised the Sisecam Group on its acquisition of five Turkish companies: Anadolu Cam, Denizli Cam, N/A Turkey Pasabahce, Soda Sanayii, and Trakya Cam. 16-Oct HS Attorney Partnership HS Attorney Partnership advised Poland's Ster Sp. z.o.o on its acquisition of 51% of the shares of Fource Koltuk Sistemleri N/A Turkey from shareholders Koray Ucar, Nedim Guler, and Tuncer Cevik. 21-Oct Akol Law Firm; Clyde & The Akol Law Firm advised Global Ports Holding Plc on the sale of a 99.9% stake in Port Akdeniz, a commercial port in USD 140 Turkey Co; Kolcuoglu Demirkan Antalya, to Qatari commercial port operating company QTerminals W.L.L. Clyde & Co and Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli million Kocakli advised the buyer. 22-Oct Pelister Atayilmaz Enkur; Pelister Atayilmaz Enkur advised Greece's Elton Group on the acquisition of the final 20% of Turkish chemical resellers N/A Turkey PwC Legal Elton Marmara Kimya Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi from the Senlen Family. PwC Legal advised the sellers. 23-Oct Allen & Overy; Aksu Durukan+Partners advised Emaar Properties PJSC and its Turkish subsidiary Emaar Libadiye Gayrimenkul Gelistirme USD 500 Turkey Caliskan Beygo A.S. on the amendment of the USD 500 million loan facility extended to them by HSBC Bank plc, Standard Chartered million Attorney Partnership; Bank, and Emirates NBD Bank PJSC, and on the creation of easement rights and perfection of new mortgages as security Durukan+Partners; interest. Hogan Lovells and Norton Rose Fulbright advised the borrowers on English law. The lenders were advised Hogan Lovells; Gedik by Latham & Watkins and Allen & Overy on English law and by Aksu Caliskan Beygo Attorney Partnership and Gedik & & Eraksoy; Latham & Eraksoy on Tuskish Law. Watkins; Norton Rose Fulbright 26-Oct Kolcuoglu Demirkan Schoenherr advised Istanbul-based payment software provider Paycore on Mediterra Capital's acquisition of a majority N/A Turkey Kocakli; Schoenherr stake in the company. Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli advised the buyer. 26-Oct Freshfields Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer advised the EBRD, SACE, DEG, IFC, the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, EUR 1.1 Turkey Intesa Sanpaolo, Barings, Credit Agricole CIB, Deutsche Bank, UniCredit, Akbank, Isbank, and the Turkish Industrial billion Development Bank on the EUR 1.1 billion restructuring of the PPP agreement related to the development, construction, maintenance and operation of the Ankara Etlik Integrated Health Campus. 5-Nov BASEAK The Balcioglu Selcuk Ardiyok Keki Attorney Partnership advised Sabanci Holding and the PPF Group on the acquisition by N/A Turkey each of a 50% stake in Temsa Ulasim Araclari Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi. 6-Nov Baker Mckenzie; Esin Baker McKenzie and The Esin Attorney Partnership advised joint global coordinators Bank of America and J.P. Morgan, USD 650 Turkey Attorney Partnership; joint lead manager HSBC, and co-managers Radobank and Renaissance Capital on Ulker Biskuvi Sanayi's issuance of million White & Case USD 650 million Eurobonds due 2025. White & Case advised the issuer on the deal. 17-Nov Kirkland & Ellis; Paksoy; Paksoy and Shearman & Sterling advised Canada’s Telus International on the USD 935 million acquisition of Lionbridge USD 935 Turkey Shearman & Sterling AI. Kirkland & Ellis acted as legal advisor to Lionbridge AI. million 20-Nov Caliskan Okkan Toker; Paksoy advised Volex on its entrance into a EUR 61.8 million share purchase agreement for the acquisition of the entire EUR 61.8 Turkey Paksoy issued share capital of DE-KA Elektroteknik in Turkey. Caliskan Okkan Toker advised the seller on the deal. million 1-Dec Akol Law Firm; Allen & The Akol Law Firm and Mayer Brown assisted Turkiye Vakiflar Bankasi T.A.O. with its issuance of USD 750 million 6.500% USD 750 Turkey Overy; Mayer Brown notes due 2026 under its USD 7 billion Global Medium Term Note Programme. The joint lead Mmnagers were advised million by Allen & Overy. 1-Dec Akol Law Firm; Baker The Akol Law Firm, working with global advisor Skadden, Arps ,Slate, Meagher & Flom, advised Coty Inc on Turkish law N/A Turkey McKenzie; Skadden, matters related to the global sale of Coty’s Professional and Retail Hair business to KKR. Baker McKenzie advised KKR. Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom 2-Dec Ciftci; Clifford Chance; GKC Partners and White & Case advised the Qatar Investment Authority on its acquisition of a 10% stake in the Borsa N/A Turkey GKC Partners; White Istanbul stock exchange from the Turkey Wealth Fund, which retains an 80.6% stake. Clifford Chance and the Ciftci Law & Case Firm advised the Turkey Wealth Fund on the transaction. 3-Dec Bener Law Office; Paksoy advised chemical distributor IMCD on its acquisition of the Ejder Kimya Ilac Danismanlik Sanayi ve Ticaret N/A Turkey Paksoy personal care business from Pervin Ejder. Bener advised the sellers. 4-Dec Akol Law Firm; Cakmak The Akol Law Firm advised Palmet Enerji A.S. on its acquisition of the entire share capital of Baymina Enerji A.S., Gazko N/A Turkey Enerji Ticaret A.S. (itself the owner of 90% of the share capital of Izgaz Izmit Gaz Dagitim Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.), and Engie Yonetim Enerji Hizmetleri ve Ticaret A.S. Cakmak advised the sellers. 14-Dec TOCC Attorney TOCC Attorney Partnership advised AKLease, the leasing subsidiary of Turkey' AKBank, on a USD 25 million loan from USD 25 Turkey Partnership Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO for the financing of eligible green projects in line with FMO’s Green million Principles and Criteria. 14-Dec Akol Law Firm Akol Law advised Turkish candy producer Kervan Gida on the initial public offering of its shares and their listing on the TL 465.7 Turkey Istanbul Stock Exchange. Akol Law also advised Oyak Yatirim, which acted as the broker on the deal. million
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 73 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 16-Dec Kinstellar; Linklaters; Kinstellar advised Turkey's Dogus Holding on the sale of a 30% stake in Istanbul's Istinye Park shopping mall to Doha- N/A Turkey Paksoy based investment house Qatar Holding LLC, which is part of the Qatar Investment Authority. Linklaters and Paksoy advised Qatar Holding on the deal. 18-Dec Cerrahoglu; Gleiss Lutz; Cerrahoglu, working alongside lead counsel Gleiss Lutz, advised Gelita on the acquisition of a 65% stake in SelJel Jelatin N/A Turkey Somay Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S, via Gelita Internationale Gelatine GmnH, from Sel Sanayi Urunleri Ticaret ve Pazarlama A.S. Somay advised the sellers on the deal. 21-Dec Kolcuoglu Demirkan Moral & Partners advised minority shareholder Murat Can Ertoz on the sale of Cigli Su Teknolojileri Anonim Sirketi, the N/A Turkey Kocakli; Moral & holding company of the Vansan Group Companies, to the Ebara Corporation. Majority shareholder Aquaman B.V., a Partners; Paksoy subsidiary of Turkven Private Equity, was advised by Kolcuoglu Demirkan Kocakli. Paksoy advised the Ebara Corporation. 22-Dec Paksoy Paksoy advised Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality on its USD 580 million bond issuance. USD 580 Turkey million 10-Jan Eversheds Sutherland; Nobles and Italy's LCA Studio Legale advised Dreamgroup Management, an Eastern European hostel operator, on the EUR 3.7 Ukraine LCA Studio Legale; sale of its hostels in Warsaw, Prague, and Bratislava to London-based hostel operator Safestay plc. Eversheds Sutherland million Nobles advised Safestay on the transaction. 13-Jan Eterna Law Eterna Law helped Baltic power trader Axton Commodities launch its Ukrainian operations and obtain a power trading N/A Ukraine activities license in Ukraine. 14-Jan Baker Mckenzie; Gestors Baker McKenzie and Attorneys' Association Gestors assisted ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih in an anti-dumping investigation N/A Ukraine regarding the imports of carbon and other alloy steel rods originating from Belarus and Moldova. 14-Jan Avellum; Latham & Sayenko Kharenko and White & Case advised the JSC State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine on the issuance of USD 100 USD 300 Ukraine Watkins; Sayenko million subordinated loan participation notes, listed on the London Stock Exchange. Latham & Watkins and, reportedly, million Kharenko; White & Case Avellum, advised J.P. Morgan and Morgan Stanley, the joint leaders on the transaction. 15-Jan Asters Asters advised the EBRD on a EUR 10 million financing to the Kormotech Group. EUR 10 Ukraine million 17-Jan Asters; Deacons Asters successfully represented ASK Technology Limited, a Hong Kong-based manufacturer of multi-GPU systems for N/A Ukraine mining, rendering, and AI, in a dispute with a Finnish company over a contract for the supply of mining equipment in the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce. Deacons provided Hong Kong-law expertise. 21-Jan Clifford Chance; Redcliffe Partners advised the EBRD on Ukrainian aspects of its loan of an additional two million euros to Aquanova N/A Ukraine Linklaters; Redcliffe Development LLC for the construction, equipment, and placing in operation of a 3.5 MWp solar PV plant in the Partners Zakarpattya Region of Ukraine. Clifford Chance and Linklaters advised the EBRD on English and Italian law, respectively. 21-Jan Aequo; Baker McKenzie Aequo advised the Epicentr Group on its receipt of a USD 70 million multi-currency secured loan from the Black Sea USD 70 Ukraine Trade and Development Bank. Baker McKenzie advised BSTDB on the deal. million 27-Jan Eterna Law Eterna Law extended its agreement to provide legal assistance to the Ukrainian Tennis Federation for another year. N/A Ukraine 31-Jan Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners helped Druzhkovka Hardware Plant PrJSC initiate an anti-dumping investigation into imports of steel N/A Ukraine fasteners from the People’s Republic of China into Ukraine. 31-Jan Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko acted as legal counsel to the winners of both pilot tenders for the concession of Ukraine's Kherson N/A Ukraine and Olvia seaports. 31-Jan Vasil Kisil & Partners Vasil Kisil & Partners advised Lekhim-Obukhiv LLC on the acquisition of two land plots from Helikom LV, a manufacturer N/A Ukraine of wood-plastic composites in the Ukrainian community of Obukhiv. 1-Feb Avellum; Harneys Avellum acted as the Ukrainian legal counsel to the EBRD in connection with a EUR 52.5 million loan to an Odessa EUR 52.5 Ukraine Aristodemou, Loizides, shopping mall. The EBRD was also advised by Watson Farley & Williams on English law, by LK Shields on Irish law, and million Yiolitis; LK Shields; Harneys Aristodemou, Loizides, Yiolitis on Cypriot law. Watson Farley & Williams 3-Feb Ilyashev & Partners Acting on behalf of Hemoplast PJSC, Ilyashev & Partners persuaded Ukraine's Interdepartmental International Trade N/A Ukraine Commission to initiate a safeguard investigation into syringe imports into Ukraine. 6-Feb Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners is providing pro bono advice to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society on the day-to-day business activities N/A Ukraine of its organizations. 6-Feb Arzinger; Baker Baker McKenzie advised the shareholders of Biopharma, a Ukrainian manufacturer of pharmaceuticals and healthcare N/A Ukraine Mckenzie products, on the sale of its non-plasma business to Stada AG. Arzinger advised Stada on the deal. 6-Feb Avellum; Latham & Sayenko Kharenko and Latham & Watkins advised BNP Paribas, JP Morgan, and Raiffeisen Bank International as the joint EUR 1.25 Ukraine Watkins; Sayenko lead managers of Ukraine’s EUR 1.25 billion Eurobond issuance. Avellum and White & Case advised Ukraine's Ministry of billion Kharenko; White & Case Finance on the issuance. 7-Feb Eterna Law Eterna Law advised British company Spacebit on its attempt to perform the first British landing on the moon. USD 40 Ukraine million 11-Feb Integrites Integrites successfully protected the interests of Euronet Ukraine, the Ukrainian representative of the Euronet UAH 64 Ukraine Worldwide group, in a tax dispute with the Kyiv State Fiscal Service. million 12-Feb Clyde & Co; Kinstellar Kinstellar, in coordination with lead counsel Clyde & Co, represented Qatari port operator QTerminals in its successful USD 123 Ukraine tender for the port concession project involving the Black Sea Port of Olvia. million 13-Feb Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners helped GE Capital, the financial services division of General Electric, obtain clearance from Ukraine's N/A Ukraine competition authority for its sale of the PK AirFinance aviation lending business to Apollo Global Management and Athene Holding Ltd. 19-Feb Baker Mckenzie Baker McKenzie advised the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank on its up USD 70 million loan to Epicentr K LLC and USD 70 Ukraine Renvior Trading Limited. million 20-Feb Marchenko Partners Marchenko Partners advised the Western NIS Enterprise Fund on loans granted to CCE Dnipro Training and Production N/A Ukraine Enterprise of the Ukrainian Society of the Blind and the Printing House Center for Labor Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons. 21-Feb CMS CMS advised the TIS Group on English and Ukrainian law aspects of a joint venture involving DP World's entry into N/A Ukraine Ukraine. Marchenko Partners advised DP World on the deal. 24-Feb Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, a development finance institution and USD 20 Ukraine subsidiary of KfW Bankengruppe, on a USD 20 million credit facility for Nibulon, an agricultural commodities exporter million and producer in Ukraine. Clifford Chance's Frankfurt office advised DEG on matters of English law.
74 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 25-Feb DLA Piper DLA Piper advised food chain Billa on an eight-year lease extension with the Kyiv City Council for Billa's flagship store in N/A Ukraine Kyiv's Bessarabskyi Market. 26-Feb Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners advised the EBRD on a risk participation agreement with Piraeus Bank Ukraine with a total value of EUR 10 Ukraine EUR 10 million. million 26-Feb Everlegal Everlegal successfully represented Turkish airline Onur Air in a claim to recover USD 43 million. USD 43 Ukraine million 27-Feb Vasil Kisil & Partners Vasil Kisil and Partners successfully represented Rost Agro, a Ukrainian-based seed producer and exporter, in an N/A Ukraine administrative appeal procedure with the State Tax Service of Ukraine. 1-Mar Avellum; OMP Avellum advised Epicentr on its acquisition of the Svarog Group. OMP advised the seller. N/A Ukraine 1-Mar Avellum; White & Case Avellum and White & Case advised the Ukrainian Government on a loan granted to it by the French Government for 30 EUR 64 Ukraine years with a 10-year grace period and at a rate of 0.08% annual interest. The loan is designed help an unnamed large million industrial Ukrainian city modernize its water supply system. 1-Mar Avellum; Kinstellar; Kinstellar advised West Solar LLC – a project company of SESS Solar – in connection with financing by the EBRD. Avellum EUR 4.8 Ukraine Watson Farley & Williams and Watson Farley & Williams advised the EBRD. million 1-Mar Avellum; Kinstellar; Kinstellar advised Snyatinenergoinvest LLC – a project company of SESS Solar – in connection with financing by the EUR 5.1 Ukraine Watson Farley & Williams EBRD. Avellum and Watson Farley & Williams advised the EBRD. million 4-Mar Eterna Law Eterna Law advised the MET Group on its agreement to assist Ukrenergo on the latter's plan to reconstruct its N/A Ukraine infrastructure in Ukraine. 4-Mar Kinstellar Kinstellar helped Qatar-based QTerminals obtain merger control approval from the Antimonopoly Committee of N/A Ukraine Ukraine for the appropriation of assets belonging to the State Enterprises Stevedoring Company Olvia and the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, both in Mykolaiv, which enable stevedoring activities in the Specialized Sea Port Olvia. 4-Mar Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners successfully protected the interests of Ukrainian manufacturers and members of the Ukrainian N/A Ukraine Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Producers Association in an anti-dumping investigation related to imports of gas- concrete blocks originating in the Republic of Belarus. 5-Mar Eterna Law Eterna Law advised the Ukrainian subsidiary of AIG on its restructuring. N/A Ukraine 5-Mar Avellum; DLA Piper Avellum advised arrangers J.P. Morgan Securities Plc and Raiffeisen Bank International AG on a USD 464 million bridge USD 464 Ukraine loan financing for Bakcell’s acquisition of PSJC Vodafone Ukraine. DLA Piper advised Bakcell on the deal. million 6-Mar Cai & Lenard Cai & Lenard is advising Ukrainian teenage dance troupe Light Balance Kids on the next phase of what the firm calls its N/A Ukraine creative development. 9-Mar Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised Promprylad.Renovation, a project within the premises of a revitalized Soviet-era plant in N/A Ukraine Ivano-Frankivsk, on its buying-out of plant facilities. 12-Mar Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners successfully represented Ukrainian mobile operator Lifecell in connection with an investigation by the N/A Ukraine Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine into the use of 28-day service packages by mobile operators. 17-Mar Clifford Chance; Redcliffe Partners and Clifford Chance participated in a global mapping survey for the United Nations Special Rapporteur N/A Ukraine Redcliffe Partners for Human Rights and the Environment related to the existence (or non-existence) of a fundamental human right to a healthy environment. 17-Mar Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners provided an analysis of Ukrainian law (including tax law and various statutory incentives), and other N/A Ukraine jurisdictions' approach to supporting gas extraction from depleted wells, to the Ukrainian Oil and Gas Association, and helped prepare a proposal to governmental stakeholders on tax incentives that Ukraine could introduce to support the use of abandoned wells and wells with poor conditions. 19-Mar Eterna Law Eterna Law successfully helped PZU Zycie complete an insurance case investigation. N/A Ukraine 25-Mar Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised OH Holding Limited on the sale of a 51% stake in the Luxoptica Group and the creation of a N/A Ukraine joint venture with Essilor Nederland Holding B.V. 26-Mar Avellum Avellum advised the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank on a long-term secured loan of up to USD 10 million to USD 10 Ukraine Butsefal LLC and Prometey Swiss SA. million 27-Mar Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised the EBRD on its provision of a four-year loan of up to EUR 15 million to OTP Leasing. The loan EUR 15 Ukraine will be available for disbursement as Ukrainian hrivnya synthetic and/or euro denominated facilities. million 30-Mar Asters Asters advised British oil and gas company Regal Petroleum on its acquisition of Arkona Gas-Energy, a Ukrainian USD Ukraine company holding the license to explore, develop, and produce hydrocarbons in the Svystunkivsko-Chervonolutske field, 8.63 in the Poltava region of Ukraine. million 31-Mar Avellum; Watson Farley Avellum and Watson Farley & Williams advised the EBRD on a long-term secured loan of up to EUR 52.5 million to Novi EUR 52.5 Ukraine & Williams Biznes Poglyady. million 1-Apr Esquires Attorneys Ukraine's Esquires Attorneys at Law successfully represented Trade and Logistic Complex Arctic LLC in a dispute N/A Ukraine At Law involving the unlawful transfer by a former director of the company of equipment related to the supply of electricity to a complex of storage and food production facilities to the ownership of another company that he was affiliated with. 1-Apr Marchenko Partners Marchenko Partners completed representation of Next PLC in litigation and th enforcement of a settlement connected N/A Ukraine with protectingits trademark and copyright against a local retailer. 5-Apr Marchenko Partners Marchenko Partners represented Next Retail and Next PLC in opposing bad faith registrations of trademarks similar to N/A Ukraine its own. 7-Apr Bird & Bird Bird & Bird won a USD 149 million judgment from the English Commercial Court for Carpatsky Petroleum Corporation, USD 149 Ukraine a subsidiary of Kuwait Energy, in a dispute with PJSC Ukrnafta arising out of a joint activity agreement relating to gas million fields in Ukraine. 10-Apr Integrites Integrites helped the Agro Group complete a competition investigation project involving the sugar beet processing N/A Ukraine market initiated by the regional department of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine in the country's Chernihiv region. 14-Apr Avellum Avellum advised Ukrainian development company UDP on the acquisition of a 33.35% stake in Ocean Plaza, a shopping N/A Ukraine and entertainment center in Ukraine. 14-Apr Integrites Integrites successfully defended the interests of renewable energy producer EuroCape Ukraine in a dispute against the N/A Ukraine Head Office of the State Tax Service in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 75 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 15-Apr Marchenko Partners Marchenko Partners advised British Airways on the appropriate procedure for reducing staff at its representative offices. N/A Ukraine 21-Apr CMS; Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners advised UkrGasVydobuvannya in connection with the rehabilitation of oil and gas reservoirs through USD 30 Ukraine the use of a Production Enhancement Contract with Expert Petroleum. CMS advised Expert Petroleum. million 29-Apr Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised the EBRD on its provision of an up-to-EUR 7.5 million synthetic loan in Ukrainian currency to EUR 7.5 Ukraine Bank Lviv under the EU4Business-EBRD Credit Line. million 29-Apr Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised the EBRD on its provision of a four-year loan of up to EUR 15 million equivalent to OTP EUR 15 Ukraine Leasing. million 30-Apr Baker Mckenzie The Kyiv office of Baker McKenzie assisted with drafting new regulations of the National Securities and Stock Market N/A Ukraine Commission of Ukraine for the issuance of UAH-denominated bonds by international financial institutions in Ukraine. 30-Apr KPD Consulting KPD advised Werner Wirth on its establishment of a joint venture with an unnamed Ukrainian partner and on making a N/A Ukraine cross-border intra-group loan to the joint venture. 4-May CMS CMS advised the Bank of Cyprus on Ukrainian law matters following its 2014 sale of the Ukrainian subsidiary of Bank of EUR 68 Ukraine Cyprus and associated debt to Alfa Group and on the refinancing by the EBRD of a EUR 68 million facility. million 7-May Marchenko Partners Marchenko Partners helped Carlsberg Ukraine conduct a competition compliance spot check. N/A Ukraine 11-May LCF Law Group The LCF Law Group helped Scatec Solar and Partners launch a 54 MW Boguslav-2 PV-power-plant in Ukraine. N/A Ukraine 11-May Vasil Kisil & Partners Vasil Kisil and Partners advised Ingersoll-Rand on its merger with Gardner Denver. N/A Ukraine 12-May Everlegal Everlegal advised UDP Renewables on the development and construction of the 20 MW Terslav solar power plant in the N/A Ukraine Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine. 14-May Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko successfully defended the interests of pharmaceutical manufacturer Bayer AG before the Supreme N/A Ukraine Court of Ukraine regarding a patent dispute over the drug Rivaroxaban. 14-May VB Partners VB Partners successfully represented the interests of educational start-up SkyEng in a trademark registration N/A Ukraine proceeding in Ukraine. 18-May LCF Law Group Ukraine's LCF Law Group became a legal partner of the Ukrainian Association of Renewable Energy. N/A Ukraine 18-May Kinstellar Kinstellar advised UMG Investments on the acquisition of a minority stake in Feednova LLC, a Ukrainian company N/A Ukraine focusing on the production of feed additives for farm animals and pets, and the subsequent establishment of a joint venture with Effective Investments Group and other stakeholders of Feednova. 18-May Vasil Kisil & Partners Vasil Kisil and Partners successfully represented the interests of Czech national Vasil Sadocha in a case against Ukraine N/A Ukraine before the European Court of Human Rights. 21-May Antika Ukraine's Antika law firm successfully defended the interests of the Persha insurance company in a dispute involving the N/A Ukraine recovery of funds by subrogation. 22-May Esquires Attorneys Ukraine's Esquires law firm successfully defended the interests of Diezelmashservice KR LLC in the first-instance USD Ukraine At Law Dnipropetrovsk District Administrative Court and then the Third Administrative Court of Appeal in a VAT dispute with 100,000 Ukraine's tax authorities. 27-May Integrites Integrites advised Sibelco on the acquisition of Ukrainian clay producers Euromineral LLC and Kurdyumovsky Plant N/A Ukraine PrJSC. The seller was advised by in-house counsel Yana Petrova. 1-Jun Ilyashev & Partners The International Trade Practice team of Ilyashev & Partners secured the introduction of provisional anti-dumping duties N/A Ukraine on imports to Ukraine of steel fasteners originating in the People’s Republic of China. 3-Jun Asters Asters advised the EBRD on financing provided to Lantmannen Axa, a producer of breakfast cereals in Ukraine that is N/A Ukraine owned by Sweden’s agribusiness cooperative Lantmannen. 3-Jun Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners successfully protected the interests of Ukrainian Match Factory LLC in an anti-dumping investigation N/A Ukraine on the importation of matches originating in the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation into Ukraine. 10-Jun Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised Dobrobut on the acquisition of the Doctor Sam medical network, which operates three N/A Ukraine clinics in Kyiv. 11-Jun Asters Asters successfully defended PrivatBank CB JSC, the largest bank in Ukraine by assets, in a defamation dispute with O. N/A Ukraine Dubilet, the former chairman of the bank's board, before the Civil Court of Cassation of the Supreme Court in Ukraine. 11-Jun Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised the EBRD on its up-to-USD 60 million secured loan to the Fozzy Group. USD 60 Ukraine million 11-Jun Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners advised Citibank Ukraine on an up-to USD 30 million loan to Myronivsky Hliboproduct. USD 30 Ukraine million 17-Jun Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko successfully represented the interests of PJSC Manufacturing Association Stalkanat-Silur in a sunset N/A Ukraine review of antidumping measures against the import of wire ropes originating from China into Ukraine. 17-Jun Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised JSC Novokramatorsky Machine Building Plant in a sunset review of anti-dumping measures N/A Ukraine against the import of casting rollers originating from Ukraine into the Eurasian Economic Union. 19-Jun Aver Lex Aver Lex persuaded Ukraine's cassation Administrative Court to uphold the judgments of lower courts that the dismissal N/A Ukraine of Ukraine's Sergey Bochkovskiy from the Head of the Emergency Service of Ukraine was unlawful and groundless. 19-Jun Esquires Attorneys Esquires successfully defended Solum LLC in a dispute over real estate property rights valued at USD 8.5 million. USD 8.5 Ukraine At Law million 22-Jun Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners persuaded the District Administrative Court of Kyiv to suspend the June 9, 2020 decision of the N/A Ukraine General Director of Ukroboronprom, Aivaras Abromavicius, dismissing Oleksandr Donets, the president of the Antonov State Enterprise. 22-Jun Dechert; Redcliffe Redcliffe Partners and Dechert advised Scientific Games Corporation on its acquisition of Come2Play, a company N/A Ukraine Partners developing non-cash, social games. 26-Jun Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko helped the EBRD prepare its input into Ukraine’s new law On Amendments to Certain Legal Acts to N/A Ukraine Facilitate Attraction of Investments and to Introduce New Financial Instruments. 1-Jul Marchenko Partners Marchenko Partners advised Western NIS Enterprise Fund on a second loan to Kyiv's Veterano Pizza restaurant, which N/A Ukraine supports veterans of the military conflict in the Eastern Ukraine by employing them and remitting 10% of its profits to families of deceased veterans.
76 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 1-Jul Asters Asters advised the EBRD on a EUR 25 million loan to Yuria-Pharm, a Ukrainian manufacturer of intensive care medicines, EUR 25 Ukraine medical devices, and antiseptics. million 3-Jul Doubinsky & Osharova Doubinsky & Osharova successfully represented Jack Daniel before the Ukrainian Supreme Court in a trademark dispute. N/A Ukraine 6-Jul CMS; Everlegal Everlegal advised the first innovation park in Ukraine, UNIT.City, on its receipt of EUR 50 million in financing from the EUR 50 Ukraine European Investment Bank. CMS advised EIB on the deal. million 7-Jul Aequo Aequo advised Dragon Capital on the acquisition of a six-story building in Kyiv. N/A Ukraine 8-Jul Asters advised the EBRD on financing provided to the Grain Alliance Group. N/A Ukraine 8-Jul Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners successfully represented JS Corrugating Machinery Co. Ltd. in the Kyiv Court of Appeals, which USD 5 Ukraine upheld the recognition and enforcement in Ukraine of China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission's million USD 5 million award in favor of the company against LLC South Cardboard Ukraine, plus penalties and arbitration fees. 16-Jul Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners Law Firm successfully defended the interests of Ukrainian pharmaceutical manufacturer Biopharma N/A Ukraine in a case involving the protection of competition in Ukraine's immunoglobulins market. 16-Jul CMS CMS advised the EBRD on a loan of approximately USD 13.9 million to Ukraine's Irshanska SES LLC. USD Ukraine 13.9 million 21-Jul Baker Mckenzie Baker McKenzie successfully defended the interests of Prandicle Limited – a company owned by former Ukrainian Vice N/A Ukraine Prime Minister and former Naftogaz CEO Oleh Dubyna – against proprietary and unjust enrichment claims. 22-Jul Aequo Aequo advised Allrise Capital Inc. on the acquisition of the Chornomorets stadium in Odessa from Imeksbank. The sale, N/A Ukraine which was conducted by auction, was arranged by the Deposit Guarantee Fund. 22-Jul Asters Asters advised the IFC on a USD 20 million loan to Nyva Pereyaslavshchyny, a Ukrainian pork producer. USD 20 Ukraine million 23-Jul Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners advised the EBRD on an up to EUR 25 million term loan to be provided to Ukrainian State Air Traffic EUR 25 Ukraine Services Enterprise for working capital needs. million 24-Jul Vasil Kisil & Partners Vasil Kisil & Partners’ successfully represented McDonald's Ukraine in a case against the Ukrainian League of Copyright N/A Ukraine and Related Rights. 27-Jul Integrites Integrites represented Metro Cash & Carry Ukraine in a dispute with a former energy supplier who filed a claim against N/A Ukraine one of the company's stores demanding that it be fined for changing its electricity supplier. 27-Jul Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners helped Saudi Basic Industries Corporation obtain merger clearance from the Ukrainian competition N/A Ukraine authority for the USD 69.1 billion sale of 70% of its shares by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia – the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – to the Saudi Arabian Oil Company. 4-Aug Avellum; Latham & Latham & Watkins and Sayenko Kharenko advised JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs as the joint lead managers and joint EUR 2 Ukraine Watkins; Sayenko dealer-managers on Ukraine’s successful completion of the settlement of its new USD 2 billion 7.253% Eurobond due billion Kharenko; White & Case 2033, as well as on its first-ever intra-day switch tender offer in relation to its outstanding USD-denominated 7.75% senior notes due 2021 and USS-denominated 7.75% senior notes due 2022. Avellum and White & Case advised the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine. 11-Aug Vasil Kisil & Partners Vasil Kisil & Partners advised St Sophia Homes on its lease of office space in Kyiv to Goethe-Institut. N/A Ukraine 11-Aug Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners advised the EBRD on a USD 27 million short-term secured loan to Nibulon LLC, a Ukrainian agricultural USD 27 Ukraine company. million 12-Aug Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on its entry into the 1992 ISDA N/A Ukraine Master Agreement with the National Bank of Ukraine. 19-Aug Baker McKenzie Baker McKenzie successfully represented Berlin-Chemie AG — the maker of the Nimesil anti-inflammatory drug — in its N/A Ukraine trademark challenge to the Nimesin brand. 19-Aug CMS; Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners advised the YayPay financial technology company on the EUR 17 million sale of a majority stake in the EUR 17 Ukraine company to Quadient. The buyer was advised by CMS. million 25-Aug Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised Oleksandr Yaroslavsky, the owner and president of the DCH group, on his acquisition of all N/A Ukraine shares of Bank Credit Dnipro from Cyprian Brancroft Enterprises Limited. 26-Aug EY Law; Kinstellar Kinstellar advised Qatari port operator Qterminals and its Ukrainian subsidiary, Qterminals Olvia, on their entrance into EUR Ukraine a 35-year concession agreement for the Olvia port with the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Sea 122.9 Ports Authority. EY Law advised the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Sea Ports Authority on the deal. million 31-Aug Asters Asters advised the EBRD and IFC on a USD 70 million loan to OJSC Concern Galnaftogaz, which operates a chain of more USD 70 Ukraine than 400 fuel stations in Ukraine. million 31-Aug GoLaw GoLaw acted as a lead counsel for the Czech Republic's Export Guarantee and Insurance Corporation and Germany's USD 68 Ukraine Erste Abwicklungsanstlat in their USD 68 million debt restructuring, including motivating debtors PJSC Eurocar and LLC million RIC to repay their loans to the creditors in an acceptable amount. 1-Sep Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners successfully defended the interests of Danube Shipping and Stevedoring Company LLC in a dispute N/A Ukraine with the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority over the use of the berth and berthing infrastructure at the Mykolaiv Sea Port. 1-Sep Avellum; White & Case Avellum and White & Case advised the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine on a EUR 250 million bilateral loan from Cargill EUR 250 Ukraine Financial Services International. million 4-Sep Avellum; White & Case Avellum and White & Case advised Argus Media Ltd on its acquisition of Agritel International, which provides information, N/A Ukraine consulting, and forecasting on agricultural and agro-industrial markets. 7-Sep Clifford Chance; Redcliffe Partners assisted Saudi Arabian chemical company Sabid obtain merger clearance in Ukraine for its acquisition N/A Ukraine Homburger; Redcliffe of a minority stake in the Clariant chemical company. Clifford Chance was international counsel to Sabic, while Partners Homburger was international counsel to Clariant. 8-Sep Aequo Aequo advised Raiffeisen Bank International and Creative Dock on the launch of the Fairo mobile application. N/A Ukraine 8-Sep Asters; Integrites Integrites successfully protected the interests of Lifelong Meditech, an Indian producer and exporter of medical N/A Ukraine equipment, in a safeguard investigation initiated by the Ukrainian producer Hemoplast concerning the import of syringes in Ukraine. Asters successfully represented the Association of Market Operators of Medical Devices and other Ukrainian importers during the investigation.
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 77 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 8-Sep Baker McKenzie; Sayenko Kharenko advised the Orexim Group on the sale of Ukraine's Everi port terminal to Renaisco B.V., a subsidiary of N/A Ukraine Sayenko Kharenko Glencore Agriculture Limited. Baker McKenzie advised the buyers on the deal. 9-Sep Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised ADM, Bunge, Cargill, COFCO, the Louis Dreyfus Company, and Glencore Agriculture on N/A Ukraine obtaining clearance from the Anti-Monopoly Committee of Ukraine for their establishment of a joint venture. 9-Sep Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko helped AbbVie Inc. obtain merger clearance in Ukraine from the country's Anti-Monopoly Committee USD 63 Ukraine for its global USD 63 billion acquisition of Allergan plc. billion 10-Sep Avellum Avellum advised the Ukrainian Ministry of Finance in connection with a new macro-financial assistance program from EUR 1.2 Ukraine the European Union. billion 10-Sep Avellum; Sayenko Sayenko Kharenko advised J.P. Morgan on the purchase of the USD 329 million Eurobond tap issue by Ukraine. Avellum USD 329 Ukraine Kharenko advised Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance. million 15-Sep Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners initiated a safeguard investigation into the import of wires to Ukraine, regardless of the country of N/A Ukraine origin and export, on behalf of clients PJSC Odesa Cable Plant and PJSC Yuzhkabel Plant. 16-Sep Baker Mckenzie Baker McKenzie conducted legal due diligence for the State Property Fund of Ukraine related to its privatization of the UAH Ukraine Dnipro Hotel, which was sold at auction with a winning bid of UAH 1.111 billion. 1.111 billion 18-Sep Asters Asters reached a settlement following an anti-dumping investigation concerning imports into Ukraine of hot rolled N/A Ukraine seamless steel pipes originating from the People's Republic of China. 21-Sep Integrites Integrites successfully defended Orlen Lietuva in a dispute with the Zhytomyr office of the State Fiscal Service of UAH 1.5 Ukraine Ukraine. million 22-Sep Aequo; Dentons Aequo advised Novus Ukraine on the acquisition of the Billa supermarket chain in Ukraine from the REWE Group. N/A Ukraine Dentons advised the seller on the deal. 23-Sep Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko analyzed data protection regimes in the UK, Germany, California, Israel, and Turkey as part of a N/A Ukraine technical assistance project supported by Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation and the USAID Competitive Economy Program in Ukraine. 24-Sep Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners is defending Ukrainian trade and economic interests in a dispute between Ukraine and the EU relating N/A Ukraine to a temporary export ban on unprocessed timber. 24-Sep Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners registered the copyright for lyrics written by Ukrainian musician Stanislav Zolotov that were placed N/A Ukraine on YouTube. 1-Oct Ilyashev & Partners lyashev & Partners successfully defended the interests of Municipal Enterprise International Airport Kyiv and Master- N/A Ukraine Avia LLC in a dispute involving allegations that they had acted together to improperly restrict competition in the Kyiv airport's ground handling market. 6-Oct Esquires Ukraine's Esquires law firm helped Skytrans LLC enforce a goods transportation agreement it had with an unidentified USD Ukraine customer. 85,000 8-Oct Kinstellar Kinstellar helped the Turkey Wealth Fund obtain merger control approval from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine N/A Ukraine for the acquisition of a controlling interest in Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. 8-Oct Arzinger Arzinger assisted with Water Empire Ukraine's successful appeal of a decision of the Antimonopoly Committee of UAH 2.7 Ukraine Ukraine involving the company’s alleged market violations. million 8-Oct Arzinger Arzinger advised the IFC on a loan to OTP Leasing in Ukraine. USD 50 Ukraine million 9-Oct Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised the Power Construction Corporation of China, Ltd. on matters related to the construction of N/A Ukraine the 245.7 MW Syvash Wind Farm in Ukraine. 12-Oct Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners advised Ukrainian HR tech product manufacturer Hurma System on seed financing from European N/A Ukraine venture capital firm Pragmatech Ventures. 13-Oct Vasil Kisil & Partners Vasil Kisil & Partners successfully represented the interests of the Rele construction company in a dispute with the Kyiv N/A Ukraine City Council over its failure to recognize Rele's transfer of the right to use land. 13-Oct DLA Piper; Sayenko Sayenko Kharenko advised Myrwayton Holding Limited on its sale of an unspecified railway operator to Renaisco, a N/A Ukraine Kharenko subsidiary of Glencore Agriculture. DLA Piper advised the buyer on the deal. 20-Oct Allen & Overy; Avellum; Sayenko Kharenko and Linklaters have advised joint bookrunners Deutsche Bank, Natixis, IMI Intesa Sanpaolo, and EUR 333 Ukraine Linklaters; Sayenko Raiffeisen Bank International on Metinvest's USD 333 million Eurobond issue. Allen & Overy and Avellum advised million Kharenko Metinvest. 27-Oct Integrites Integrites successfully represented the interests of AKW Ukrainian Kaolin Company before the Antimonopoly N/A Ukraine Committee of Ukraine regarding an alleged infringement by the rail operator in the Vinnytsia region of Ukraine. 27-Oct CMS CMS advised ING Bank N.V. on restructuring the financing facility for the ViOil Group to reflect changes in ViOil's N/A Ukraine corporate structure. 28-Oct Arzinger Arzinger convinced the Board of the Appeals Chamber of Ukraine's Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and N/A Ukraine Agriculture to recognize the lifecell trademark as well-known in Ukraine, thereby officially confirming the high position of the lifecell brand in the telecommunications services market. 28-Oct Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised Elementum Energy on its acquisition of the minority stake in the joint venture company EE N/A Ukraine had entered into with the Volterra Energy Group. 30-Oct Akin Gump; Allen & Redcliffe Partners and Clifford Chance advised ED & F Man Treasury Management plc, the treasury management arm of EUR 1.82 Ukraine Overy; Asters; Clifford ED & F Man, a UK-based international commodities trader, on Ukrainian law aspects on the refinancing and restructuring billion Chance; Redcliffe of nearly USD 1.5 billion of debt and raising an extra USD 320 million in working capital. Allen & Overy and Akin Gump Partners Strauss Hauer & Feld advised the scheme creditors and note-holders, respectively, and Asters advised the unidentified lenders on Ukrainian law aspects of the deal. 2-Nov Hillmont Partners Hillmont Partners successfully defended the interests of Delta Wilmar Ukraine in a dispute with the State Environmental N/A Ukraine Inspectorate of Ukraine. 2-Nov Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko helped the Ukrainian Parliament form a strategy to obtain recognition from the EU Commission that N/A Ukraine Ukraine provides adequate protection of personal data.
78 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 5-Nov Asters Asters helped the Tabletochki Fund organize the DobroRun charity race, involving over 1200 individuals from Ukraine N/A Ukraine and 16 other countries. 6-Nov Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised Wind Farm LLC on its entry into an engineering, procurement, and construction agreement N/A Ukraine with Powerchina for the joint development of an 800 megawatt wind farm in the Donetsk region in Ukraine. 6-Nov Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners successfully represented Challenging Shipping Ltd. in its appeal of a decision of the State Ecological UAH Ukraine Inspection of Ukraine imposing an administrative penalty onto the captain of one of its ships, New Challenge, for 13.5 contaminating the harbor waters in the Mykolayiv seaport. million 10-Nov DLA Piper DLA Piper advised TechHosting LLC on the lease of 7,656 square meters of office space to serve as the company’s new N/A Ukraine co-working space. 11-Nov Marchenko Partners Marchenko Partners advised the Western NIS Enterprise Fund on a loan to Walnut House, a bakery based in Lviv, Ukraine. N/A Ukraine 11-Nov Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners, working pro bono on behalf of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society, persuaded a large network of medical N/A Ukraine centers in Ukraine to discontinue its unauthorized use of the Red Cross emblem. 16-Nov CMS CMS helped the PrimoCollect Group secure the approval of the National Bank of Ukraine for its acquisition of a substantial N/A Ukraine interest in the Kredyt-Kapital LLC financial institution. 16-Nov Integrites Integrites successfully defended the interests of Dominoni, an Italian manufacturer of agricultural machinery, in an N/A Ukraine unfair competition claim made to the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine. 19-Nov Asters Asters advised the EBRD on its EUR 3.3 million loan to the Kormotech Group. EUR 3.3 Ukraine million 20-Nov Eterna Law Eterna Law helped the War Childhood Museum project open a museum in Ukraine. N/A Ukraine 23-Nov Aequo Aequo successfully defended the rights of Ukraine's Darnitsa pharmaceutical company to the shares of the N/A Ukraine Borshchahivskiy chemical-pharmaceutical plant in the Supreme Court of Ukraine. 23-Nov Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised the EBRD on its provision of a USD 100 million secured financing package to Novus. EUR 100 Ukraine million 24-Nov CMS CMS advised Discovery Life Sciences, a US-based bio-specimen, genomic sequencing, cell, and immunohistochemistry N/A Ukraine services firm, on its acquisition of East West Biopharma, a Ukraine-based human bio-specimen solutions organization. 24-Nov Asters Asters successfully represented the Globus shopping center in a dispute with the Ukrainian tax authority. UAH 300 Ukraine million 26-Nov Asters Asters advised Naftogaz Energoservice on the construction of a 33 megawatt solar power plant in Chudniv, Ukraine. N/A Ukraine 27-Nov Antika Antika Law Firm successfully assisted Ukrainian insurance company Persha with its claim for reimbursement of legal fees N/A Ukraine from a previous dispute. 27-Nov Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners successfully represented Light Converse Ltd in a dispute regarding the cancellation of the N/A Ukraine Lightconverse and LC trademarks due to non-use. 27-Nov Asters Asters successfully defended PrivatBank CB JSC in a dispute with the Bukovel Ski Resort heard by the Commercial Court UAH 7.5 Ukraine of Cassation of the Supreme Court of Ukraine. billion 30-Nov Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners successfully protected the interests of Karpatnaftochim LLC in a safeguard investigation regarding N/A Ukraine the import of polymeric materials to Ukraine. 30-Nov Redcliffe Partners Redcliffe Partners sucessfully represented Ontario Inc. before the Patent Office of Ukraine regarding the filing an N/A Ukraine opposition to a trademark application. 30-Nov Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko successfully represented the interests of the Auchan Group in a case involving the illegal alienation of EUR 10 Ukraine land plots belonging to it in the Odessa region of Ukraine. million 30-Nov Dentons Dentons advised Innovatus Capital Partners on a USD 10 million pre-export secured facility to an unidentified group of USD 10 Ukraine companies dealing with producing and trading of grains, oilseeds and byproducts of oilseeds, and other farming services. million 1-Dec Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners, representing the interests of OBIO LLC, persuaded Ukraine's Interdepartmental Commission on N/A Ukraine International Trade to initiate an anti-dumping investigation of the import of heat-insulating materials to Ukraine from the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. 1-Dec Esquires Attorneys Esquires successfully reversed the seizure of immovable property on behalf of Entertainment Center of Sport, a hotel N/A Ukraine at Law and entertainment complex with a total area of more than 3.500 square meters located in the suburbs of Kyiv. 1-Dec Avellum; Latham & Avellum and White & Case advised the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine on a USD 600 million tap issue of Ukraine’s USD 600 Ukraine Watkins; Sayenko outstanding USD 2 billion 7.253% notes due 2033. The additional issuance was priced at a 6.20% yield. Sayenko million Kharenko; White & Case Kharenko and Latham & Watkins advised joint lead managers BNP Paribas and Goldman Sachs International. 1-Dec Avellum; Clifford Chance Avellum and Clifford Chance advised Joint Stock Company The State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine and Goldman Sachs USD 316 Ukraine International as dealer manager on The State Export-Import Bank of Ukraine's USD 316 million cash tender offer. million 1-Dec Avellum; Clifford Avellum and White & Case advised the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine on a term loan facility from Deutsche Bank AG to USD 350 Ukraine Chance; Sayenko be used for general budgetary purposes to cover short-term liquidity needs. Sayenko Kharenko and Clifford Chance million Kharenko; White & Case advised Deutsche Bank. 1-Dec Avellum Avellum acted as Ukrainian legal counsel to BSTDB on its provision of a EUR 30 million loan to Ukrgasbank to promote EUR 30 Ukraine financing for environmentally friendly projects and to help Ukrainian small and medium-sized enterprises recover after million the pandemic crisis. 4-Dec Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners successfully challenged the arrest of 50.3% of the shares of Ferrexpo Poltava Mining, owned by N/A Ukraine Ferrexpo AG Switzerland. 4-Dec Aequo Aequo helped Estonia's SupplierPlus Group OU launch SupplierPlus, a supply chain finance solution, in Ukraine. N/A Ukraine 9-Dec Aequo; KPMG Legal Aequo advised Dragon Capital on the acquisition of Industrial Park Ryasne-2 from European industrial park developer N/A Ukraine CTP. KPMG Ukraine advised CTP on the deal. 11-Dec Asters Asters advised the EBRD on its issuance of a loan to Ukraine’s Enzym yeast manufacturer. EUR 10 Ukraine million 11-Dec Everlegal; Integrites Integrites advised JSB Ukrgasbank on a EUR 50 million deal with UFuture to finance its UNIT.City project in Ukraine. EUR 50 Ukraine Everlegal advised UFuture on the deal. million
CEE LEGAL MATTERS 79 MAY 2021 CEELM INDEX
Date Deal Firms Involved Deal/Litigation Country covered Value 15-Dec Avellum Avellum helped LVN Limited obtain clearance from the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine for the privatization of a N/A Ukraine part of the assets of Ukrspyrt – Ukraine’s state-owned producer of alcohol and liquor. 15-Dec Asters; Bryan Cave Everlegal advised Novopecherska School on a EUR 10 million loan agreement with the Black Sea Trade and Development EUR 10 Ukraine Leighton Paisner; Bank for the construction of a school in the UNIT.City innovation park. Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and Asters advised million Everlegal BSTDB on the deal. 21-Dec Ilyashev & Partners Ilyashev & Partners successfully represented China's J.S. Corrugating Machinery Co., Ltd. in its request that Ukraine's USD 5 Ukraine Supreme Court enforce an arbitral award issued on its behalf by the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration million Commission for the recovery of over USD 5 million from Ukrainian debtor South Cardboard LLC. 23-Dec Doubinsky & Osharova Acting on behalf of Ukraine's Three Bears ice cream company, Doubinsky & Osharova persuaded Ukraine's Northern N/A Ukraine Commercial Court of Appeal to uphold the decision of the Commercial Court of Kyiv that the designation KASHTAN had become commonly used and thus qualified as generic. 23-Dec SDM Partners SDM Partners successfully represented the interests of Wrigley Ukraine in a tax dispute valued at UAH 28 million. UAH 28 Ukraine million 24-Dec Aequo Aequo advised Onit on the acquisition of Axdraft, a Y Combinator-backed document automation company. N/A Ukraine 24-Dec Doubinsky & Osharova Doubinsky & Osharova successfully represented the interests of Jack Daniel’s in a cassation appeal made by Strongdrink N/A Ukraine LLC to the Supreme Court of Ukraine. 24-Dec Arendt & Medernach; Sayenko Kharenko and Latham & Watkins advised joint lead managers Credit Agricole, J.P. Morgan, and Natixis on the USD 300 Ukraine Avellum; Borel & Barby; USD 300 million 7-year 6.75 percent Eurobond issue by Kernel. The issuance was coupled with a tender offer to the million Latham & Watkins; holders of Kernel’s existing USD 500 million 5-year 8.75 percent Eurobond due in 2022. Avellum advised Kernel on Linklaters; Sayenko Ukrainian aspects of the issuance, with Linklaters advising on matters of English and US law, Arendt & Medernach on Kharenko Luxembourg law, and Borel & Barbey on Swiss law. 24-Dec Marchenko Partners Marchenko Partners advised EnergoGroup on the restructuring of its approximately USD 1 billion debt under a PXF USD 1 Ukraine facility granted in 2013 by a syndicate consisting, among others, of ING Bank N.V., UniCredit Bank AG, VTB Bank SA, and billion Raiffeisen Bank International AG. 29-Dec Aequo Aequo advised the EBRD on a USD 10 million loan to agribusiness operator Astarta. USD 10 Ukraine million 29-Dec Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko advised the EBRD on a EUR 25 million financing to OTP Leasing to support micro, small, and medium- EUR 25 Ukraine sized enterprises in Ukraine. million 30-Dec Aequo Aequo successfully defended the intellectual property rights of the Darnitsa Pharmaceutical company to the Citramon N/A Ukraine trademark in Ukraine. 31-Dec DLA Piper; Redcliffe Redcliffe Partners advised UkrGasVydobuvannya on the preparation and negotiation of the Production Sharing N/A Ukraine Partners Agreement for the Berestianska block. DLA Piper advised the Ukrainian Government.
80 CEE LEGAL MATTERS 2020 TABLE OF DEALS MAY 2021 Thank You To Our Country Knowledge Partners For Their Invaluable Input and Support
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