We are handing over to you the winter edition of the Newsletter for individual clients and family businesses. It covers the most important developments of recent months. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the material.
Author: kancelaria
GWW at the 12th edition of the Legal Internship and Job Fair
The autumn edition of the Legal Internship and Job Fair 2023 took place on 17 October 2023 at the Powiśle Power Station.
Law students and graduates had the chance to speak directly with our associates and apply to GWW directly at the fair. Each successive edition of the fair leaves memories of many interesting meetings and conversations not only about working at our law firm, but also about the legal market, trends and developments in particular branches of law.
WARS.ZAM 2023 Conference
The public procurement conference, which will discuss the issue of business secrecy in public procurement, starts on 5.12-07.12-2023.
You will have the opportunity to hear Marta Lipinska, legal advisor in GWW’s public procurement team, on 7 December, the third day of the conference WARS.ZAM 2023 – Public Procurement Law in Practice.
Organised by Zamawiający. Zamówienia Publiczne w Praktyce
Programme and registration: https://konferencje.mustreadmedia.pl/wars-zam/
The XXVI International trade fair Business. Food. Medicine. Autoflot.
08.11-09.11.2023 took place the XXVI international trade fair Business. Food. Medicine. Autoflot, organised by our client SPECJAŁ Capital Group. The fair brought together over 300 exhibitors from Poland and abroad at the G2A Arena in Jasionka near Rzeszów.
We offered participants a lecture on KSeF.
We were represented at the fair by Angelika Dahms, LL.M., Piotr Świstak and Małgorzata Militz.
The 21st Berlin Conference of European Lawyers’ Associations
The 21st Berlin Conference of European Lawyers’ Associations (Berliner Konferenz der Europäischen Rechtsanwaltschaften), held on 2-3 November, hosted representatives from 18 countries. The delegation from Poland included Michał Sękowski, legal adviser, GWW partner on behalf of the District Chamber of Legal Advisers in Warsaw (OIRP).
The participants discussed constitutional scrutiny of democratic legislative processes, their threats and the special role of legal self-governments in these processes. The Polish delegation made special reference to Poland’s experience in recent years, as well as to the challenges we face in the new political reality.
The Berlin conference is an important discussion forum for exchanging experiences and views on the role of legal self-governments in the defence of constitutional justice.
Overview of the jurisdiction of European Works Councils
TELFA – Trans European Law Firms Alliance has published an overview of the jurisdiction of European Works Councils (#EWCs)
The European Works Councils Directive requires companies operating in at least two EU Member States with at least 1,000 employees to set up a #EWC or engage in other forms of cross-border consultation and information exchange with their employees.
TELFA’s Employment Practice Group, including GWW experts (Dr Joanna Łukaszczuk, Justyna Gunia, Jacek Olma), has prepared a comprehensive overview to equip employers, employee representatives, lawyers and policy makers with a basic understanding of the legal landscape surrounding EWCs, supporting compliance with the EWC Directive and enabling effective transnational cooperation.
Ranking The Legal 500 EMEA 2022
The Legal 500 EMEA 2022 ranking has announced the results of its 2021 research.
The GWW team was distinguished in the Tax, Private Clients and Technology, Media, Telecommunications (TMT) categories.
Individual distinctions went to Aldona Leszczyńska-Mikulska, the head of the Private Clients team, and Wacław Knopkiewicz, the head of the TMT team.
TAX (Tier 3)
Practice heads: Artur Cmoch, Andrzej Ladziński.
Other key lawyers: Andrzej Próchnicki, Mariusz Tkaczyk, Piotr Świstak, Małgorzata Militz.
Testimonials:
“Customer oriented, cautious, but to the point tax advice and clear communication.”
“Availability, collaboration and speed of action.”
“Małgorzata Militz and Piotr Świstak are very open-minded, they listen to our experience – every idea is potentially good for them and worth to think it through. Their experience is of very high value, as well. Very good communication with them.”
Work highlights:
- Advised Polsat Group and Polkomtel on the tax aspects of an agreement between them and Cellnex Telecom to sell 99.99% of Polkomtel Infrastruktura.
- Advised Archicom’s founders on an agreement with Echo Investment to sell a majority stake (66.01%) of Archicom company.
- Advised Cyfrowy Polsat Group on the purchase of 10% of shares of eObuwie.pl by Cyfrowy Polsat.
PRIVATE CLIENT (Tier 2)
Practice heads: Aldona Leszczynska-Mikulska.
Other key lawyers: Tomasz Krzywanski, Tomasz Piejak.
Testimonials:
“The team is client-focused, empathetic and very often ahead of the market with good communicators.”
“The team’s key strengths and capabilities are the following: A pragmatic and straightforward approach to efficiently provide suitable solutions, great international experience and a deep understanding of specific needs of the industry.”
“This team makes a great go-between with their clients and the foreign law firms working on personal taxation matters. They always ask the right questions, look for alternatives and communicate well the conclusions to their clients.”
Work highlights:
- Advised the owner of a €100m fortune on designing a succession planning structure, with the use of a private family foundation in Liechtenstein.
- Advised the settlor of a structure worth €150m on crafting a complex list of wishes and instructions, regulating in detail distributions available to the next generations of his heirs.
- Advising on the relocation of a family from the US to Poland and related wealth planning which involves cooperation with US advisors.
TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA, TELECOMMUNICATIONS (Tier 3)
Practice heads: Wacław Knopkiewicz.
Testimonials:
“Excellent knowledge of telecommunications law and regulation. Fast and reliable advice and assistance in local administrative procedures.”
“The GWW TMT Practice Team has unique experience in the market. Lawyers of GWW participate in the biggest telecommunication projects in Poland and share their knowledge with clients. In their work they use not only theoretical skills but also a highly practical approach, which is needed in business. They are reliable and flexible simultaneously, looking for solutions, not for problems.”
“Wacław Knopkiewizc has outstanding expertise in telecommunications law and regulation.”
Work highlights:
- Advised a division of INEA into wholesale (infrastructure) and retail telecommunication companies.
- Advised a client on the terms of access to the optical fibre infrastructure, including the optical fibre infrastructure co-financed from EU funds.
- Advised the Office of Electronic Communications on the legal aspects of the investment agreement referred to art. 139a of the Telecommunication Law.
Full results of the Legal 500 EMEA 2022 ranking: https://www.legal500.com/c/poland/
The Legal 500 EMEA 2021 ranking
The Legal 200 EMEA 2021 ranking covering countries of Europe, the Middle East and Africa has announced results of its surveys for 2020.
The GWW team was awarded in the Taxes and Technologies, Media, Telecommunications (TMT) category.
An individual award was granted to Wacław Knopkiewicz, supervisor of the TMT team.
Taxes
- Team leaders: Artur Cmoch; Andrzej Ladziński
- Leading lawyers: Małgorzata Militz; Kamil Szczęsny
Clients’ comments on our work:
‘Compared to other Polish law firms I have worked with, GWW stands out in terms of professionalism and knowledge of international tax developments. They are very responsive and always to the point (they are not afraid to give a firm and definitive answer).’
‘As they are always willing to work on a fixed fee basis, you will never face unexpected bills.’
Technologies, Media, Telecommunications
- Team leaders: Wacław Knopkiewicz
- Leading lawyers: Rafal Duczek; Wojciech Krupa
Clients’ comments on our work:
‘GWW has a strong team of devoted and professional lawyers.’
‘Strong telecommunication team including: Mr Rafal Duczek and Mr Wojciech Krupa’.
Chambers Europe 2021
In this year’s edition of the Chambers Europe ranking in the tax category, the GWW tax advisory team was again awarded (Band 3).
Apart from the place on the podium for the entire tax team, the practice leaders – Andrzej Ladziński and Artur Cmoch, tax advisors and managing partners at GWW Tax – received individual distinctions.
The rankings prepared by the Chambers & Partners publishing house are considered to be among the most prestigious rankings in the legal world. We are proud to be once again in the top of the best tax advisory companies in Poland.
https://chambers.com/department/gww-tax-europe-7:49:173:1:126560
Legal 500 EMEA 2019 ranking
In the current edition of the prestigious Legal 500 EMEA ranking, GWW was awarded in the following areas:
- TMT / 2nd place – TMT practice has been at the top of the ranking since 2009.
Justification: GWW has an active TMT regulatory practice, on both the advisory and contentious fronts. The team is led by Wacław Knopkiewicz, who has significant expertise in telecoms issues. Rafał Duczek is another key individual. - Taxes/ 2nd place – GWW tax practice has been continuing to maintain the second place in the list of recommended companies since 2012.
Justification: GWW’s lawyers have ‘an excellent and up-to-date knowledge of international tax developments and how they impact upon business activities in Poland’. They successfully defended the Municipality of the City of Włocławek in tax proceedings against the authorities before administrative courts in a complaint concerning the right to deduct the calculated VAT in connection with the client’s investments. Tax litigator Andrzej Ladziński and tax structuring expert Artur Cmoch are the practice heads. - Private Client / 2nd place – consulting practice for individual clients was awarded for the first time!
Justification: GWW’s team is noted for its ‘forward-thinking’ approach to private client work. As well as a strength in tax advice, the firm also handles inheritance disputes, succession planning and restitution claims. ‘An unquestionable expert’ in family businesses and succession planning, Aldona Leszczyńska leads the group, which includes tax structuring expert and managing partner Artur Cmoch.
An individual award in the TMT category was granted to Wacław Knopkiewicz, attorney-at-law, legal counsel, partner.
Full ranking results are available at: http://www.legal500.com/c/poland