Corporate/M&A | Europe

Clifford Chance boasts well-regarded corporate teams in Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania that are well placed to advise on major regional acquisitions, investments and joint ventures for significant clients. The law firm's key partners in the Prague office often lead notable CEE-wide transactions. Clifford Chance is particularly active in the e-commerce, consumer goods, energy and natural resources sectors.

CMS is widely recognised as a superb CEE practice that can fulfil various roles in major cross-border M&A transactions in the region, as well as significant investments and restructurings. The law firm is active across a range of sectors including TMT, life sciences, finance and energy. CMS coordinates work between its several branches across the region.

Dentons leads regional M&A mandates from a key Budapest office that maintains strong relationships with CEE-based private equity clients. The top-rated team boasts experience in major acquisitions, divestments and financings, as well as global infrastructure projects and corporate restructurings. The law firm's clientele stems from sectors including TMT, pharmaceuticals and energy. Dentons is also highlighted for its strong real estate practice.

The firm boasts teams based in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland that lead regional M&A mandates on behalf of CEE-based corporate clients. The law firm's Brussels and London offices provide additional assistance to CEE colleagues in the region. The diligent team is well placed to assist with matters such as sales, acquisitions, investments, joint ventures and corporate reorganisations. The law firm remains a favourite amongst clients from the energy, TMT and financial services sectors. On 1st May 2024, Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling merged to form A&O Shearman.

Schoenherr has a vast network covering the CEE and SEE regions, with highly regarded partners based in Serbia, the Czech Republic and Austria who stand out for their proven ability to coordinate cross-border teams on the due diligence and transactional aspects of international deals, mergers and joint venture agreements. The law firm leads on multi-jurisdictional acquisitions and disposals, as well as associated restructuring operations. The team is comfortable assisting clients across a wide range of industries, notably energy, technology, manufacturing and finance.

Wolf Theiss leverages vast resources spread across a number of CEE jurisdictions, acting on global transactions that revolve around acquisitions, takeovers, disposals, joint ventures and investments. Clients also turn to the team for its expertise in due diligence as well as regulatory tasks. The law firm is also often selected by European and global corporate clients to handle the CEE aspects of wider group restructurings and reorganisations. The team regularly works in close collaboration with employment and competition partners.

Kinstellar is well placed to secure roles on the local law aspects of global M&A transactions that require input from multiple CEE jurisdictions. The firm has a significant client list that includes multinationals in the energy, banking and TMT sectors. The law firm advises CEE-headquartered companies on the corporate restructuring of subsidiaries, as well as investments and real estate developments. Kinstellar has an extensive geographic presence across the region.

White & Case boasts a strong client roster of important private equity firms, healthcare companies and real estate developers that instruct key partners in London, Warsaw, Bratislava and Prague on acquisitions and disposals across various jurisdictions within the CEE region. The law firm demonstrates further expertise in the finance, TMT and defence sectors.

Baker McKenzie is a well-known brand with a strong regional presence and transactional practices across the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. The law firm boasts significant strength in acquisitions spanning multiple CEE jurisdictions. It has significant acumen in cross-border business transfers for well-known multinational corporate entities.

DLA Piper has broad expertise in corporate and M&A transactions across the CEE region, frequently handling multi-jurisdictional acquisitions, disposals, investments and corporate restructuring mandates. Experienced teams in the law firm's offices in Hungary, Romania and Poland frequently assist leading infrastructure and energy companies, as well as global corporates from the construction, life sciences and manufacturing sectors.

Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer attracts attention for work on large CEE-wide mandates, advising on high-stakes disposals and acquisitions on behalf of multinationals and global asset management companies. The law firm's key partners in various offices collaborate with highly regarded domestic law firms to advise on major cross-border transactions, including those that touch on several CEE jurisdictions. The team also advises corporate entities on the sale of their regional subsidiaries.