en

Chambers Europe 2015

The GWW law firm and Piotr Woźny have maintained their positions as leaders in the field of legal services for TMT companies (telecommunications, media, new technologies) in the current edition of the rankings. Weve held this position continually since 2007.

In this field we achieved excellent assessments from respondents, who justified their choice as follows:

  • Piotr Woźny – “He has phenomenal understanding of the market” and “extremely sharp business instincts.”
  • the TMT team – (1) “The lawyers are extremely well versed in legal and regulatory matters as well as technological and economic issues. They are also exceptionally creative.” (2) “It is hard to find another firm with the same depth of technical expertise.” (3) “It understands our business and has an intuitive feeling for our needs; this proactive approach creates new business opportunities which we can benefit from.”

At the same time, the title of recommended lawyer in their leading practices was won by:

  • Wacław Knopkiewicz / TMT (jumped into the TOP3) – “Peers gladly refer regulatory work to him, while clients enthuse: “The precision and care of his legal analysis make him the ideal lawyer.” He is also praised for his “unparalleled knowledge of the legislative process.”;
  • Krystian Szostak, former partner at GWW, heading the trial practice, as of 19 February 2015 Management Board Member for Legal and Regulatory Affairs at InPost / litigation and arbitration.

 

GWW was also chosen as a recommended law firm in the following areas of law:

  • real estate and the construction sector / on the list of recommended firms continually since 2012 – “The lawyers have huge knowledge in this area, are very meticulous in their work and are always ready to help.”;
  • litigation and arbitration disputes / continually since 2010 – (1) “The service level is really high. There are no delays and everything is delivered on time. It also gives clear advice on which option is the best one to follow.” (2) “The lawyers are flexible and open to new ideas for dealing with difficult cases”;
  • energy and natural resources / continually since 2012 – “A proactive team that is flexible and creative when it comes to solving problems”;
  • corporate law and M&A / continually since 2010 – “Noted in the market for its specialisation in the telecommunications and technology sectors.”.

Moreover, our tax practice featured in the Ranking in the “Recognised Practitioner” listing, which means that respondents regarded GWW as an important and active firm in the field of taxes.

The Chambers Europe listing is prepared by an independent firm analysing the legal services market worldwide – Chambers and Partners. Titles are granted on the basis of recommendations obtained directly from clients and other lawyers.

Labour law: GWW’s success before the Supreme Court

COMMENTARY – Attorney at law (admitted as radca prawny) Katarzyna Blachowicz, who heads the labour law practice at GWW:

This is a precedent-setting ruling which is very good news for employers, which have so far been regarded as the stronger party in a relationship and have in effect often been treated more severely. The Supreme Court held that extending the termination notice period does not have an influence on the amount of compensation which an employee can demand in the event of an unlawful and unjustified termination of an employment contract, even if the employment contract introduces a longer termination notice period than the maximum stated in the Labour Code.

In practice this means that merely reserving a termination notice period longer than the statutory one is insufficient for compensation to be obtained in an amount corresponding to the remuneration for the entire termination notice period. An employee will not receive compensation in an amount higher than the remuneration for a three-month termination notice period unless the contract pointedly states that, in the event of its defective dissolution, the employee can claim compensation equal to the remuneration for the extended termination notice period. If, therefore, the parties to an employment contract want to increase the compensation, this must be clearly stated in the contract.

BACKGROUND:
The Supreme Court considered the case of a CFO who had a guaranteed six-month termination notice period in his employment contract (it was to end at the end of a quarter). The company terminated his agreement during restructuring, and he took the matter to court. The four-year dispute ended positively for GWW’s client – the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the second-instance court and held that the employee was entitled to compensation for a maximum of three, and not six, salaries, because the parties had not written a higher compensation amount into the employment contract, but merely a longer termination notice period. The compensation provided for in the Labour Code is therefore applicable.

 

Posted in Uncategorised

LEGAL 500 EMEA 2015 RECOMMENDS GWW

We wish to emphasise, in particular, the recommendations for the Law Firm and individual GWW lawyers in areas of law connected with regulated sectors – TMT as well as energy law and natural resources. In the current Ranking:

  • 1st place and the title of leader went to our TMT Team; 
  • the title of “leading individual” (outstandingly recommended lawyer) in the TMT category was awarded to Piotr Woźny / who has held this title since 2009;
  • the title of “recommended lawyer” in the energy and natural resources law category was awarded to Wacław Knopkiewicz / who has held this title since 2012;
  • the title of “recommended firm” in the energy and natural resources law category, which we have held continually since 2011.

 

Legal 500 EMEA also awarded GWW recommendations in the following six areas of law:

  • Tax – 2nd place in the listing of recommended firms, continually since 2012;
  • Energy and natural resources;
  • Real property and the construction industry; 
  • Intellectual property;
  • Litigation and arbitration;
  • Corporate law / M&A;

Individually recommended or mentioned lawyers include:

TMT

Energy and natural resources

Tax

Real Estate & Construction

Dispute Resolution

  • Krystian Szostak, former partner at GWW, heading the trial practice, as of 19 February 2015 Management Board Member for Legal and Regulatory Affairs at InPost.

Complete ranking results are available on the website of Legalease.

 

Posted in Uncategorised