In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. This time around, we asked: For 2025, what is the one sector or industry in the country that shows the most promise for growth, and why?

Dentons has advised Segro European Logistics Partnership on its acquisition of a fully-leased logistics park located in Sazava, near Prague, from UDI Group.

Kosian Solc Balastik Founder Alexandr Kocian has passed away.

Reals has advised Upvest on the first phase of mezzanine financing for the Goodwill shopping center portfolio, beginning with OC Kastanova, in the Czech Republic.

Rowan Legal has advised Czech Railways on the sale of land in the southern section of Prague’s Zizkov freight station complex to Sekyra Group. Havel & Partners advised the buyer.

Kocian, Solc, Balastik has advised Seyfor on its acquisition of the remaining stake in Dotykacka CR from Redwood Capital. Kaiser reportedly advised Redwood Capital.

Norton Rose Fulbright, its Turkish affiliate law firm Pekin Bayar Mizrahi, Kinstellar, and Havel & Partners have advised Benefit Systems on a PLN 1.775 billion (approximately EUR 414 million) financing package extended by Santander Bank Polska and Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego to support the full acquisition of Mars Spor Kulubu ve Tesisleri Isletmeciligi. A&O Sherman reportedly advised the lenders.

Baker McKenzie has advised Georg Fischer on its acquisition of the VAG Group from Aurelius for approximately CHF 200 million. Latham & Watkins reportedly advised Aurelius.

Big law firms can coast on boring slogans. They’ve got the clout, the infrastructure, and the impressive list of past clients to do the talking. But if you’re a smaller firm and your website sounds like everyone else’s, you are disappearing into the beige background of legal marketing noise.

Kinstellar and Greenberg Traurig have advised CCC on its recent PLN 3.66 billion (approximately EUR 850 million) financing increase provided by a consortium including mBank, the EBRD, Bank Pekao, BNP Paribas Bank Polska, PKO Bank Polski, Santander Bank Polska, and Bank Handlowy w Warszawie, alongside Santander Factoring, mFaktoring, PKO Faktoring, and BNP Paribas Faktoring. Clifford Chance and Lakatos, Koves and Partners advised the banks.

The European Accessibility Act (EAA), approved in 2019, takes effect on June 28, 2025. The Act requires a wide range of products and services – such as consumer electronics, vending machines, websites, and mobile apps – to meet accessibility standards for people with disabilities.

Allen Overy Shearman Sterling has advised Wolters Kluwer on its acquisition of Inisoft Group. Svoboda & Koubkova advised the sellers.

The latest amendment to the Labour Code, the so-called Flexinovela, which will be effective from 1 June 2025, introduces a number of changes that need to be reflected in employment documentation. We focus on the following key areas where we recommend making adjustments:

Eversheds Sutherland has promoted former Counsel Michal Hrabovsky to Partner.

Given the growing emphasis on sustainability and responsible business practices, obligations in the field of ESG are becoming increasingly significant. The banking sector is emerging as one of the key players in this transformation, with evolving regulatory frameworks influencing its operations.

PRK Partners has promoted Daniel Vejsada, Jan Ditrych, Robert Reiss, and Shiyang Zhang to Associate Partners.

CMS has advised the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on a EUR 120 million regional loan to AFI Europe to support its development pipeline across Serbia, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic.