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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 dug deeper into a discussion point that came up during our last event: During our annual General Counsel Summit held in Prague recently, we’ve learned that even with the inflation in CEE having hovered around 14-20% in recent years, legal fees have remained static or have even decreased in some jurisdictions. Given that, how has your firm managed to consistently deliver high-quality service under these constraints?

Ukrainian taxpayers operating within multinational enterprise groups (MNEs) with consolidated annual revenues exceeding EUR 750 million may, for the first time in 2025, be required to independently file Country-by-Country (CbC) reports. This applies in particular to companies that are part of MNEs with a U.S.-based ultimate parent entity.

Kinstellar and its Turkish affiliate KST Law, working with Latham & Watkins’ Duesseldorf office, have advised Allison Transmission Holdings on the acquisition of the Off-Highway business of Dana Incorporated for approximately USD 2.7 billion. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison advised Dana Incorporated.

Kinstellar has advised Mitiska REIM investment fund Mitiska European Real Estate Partners 3 on the entry of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development into a joint venture with property developer OPC Group for the development and operation of five retail parks in Slovakia.

I still vividly remember the sunny September day when, as a young lawyer, I arrived in Prague. I was joining a US law firm that had just opened offices in the old city. Its immense beauty, at that time still unknown but immediately close to me, was captivating.

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.

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.

Kinstellar and Potamitis Vekris, working alongside Milbank, have advised Advent on its acquisition of TBI Bank from 4finance Holding. Koutalidis, working with White & Case, advised 4finance Holding. Arendt reportedly advised Advent as well.

Kinstellar at a Glance

Kinstellar is a leading independent law firm in Emerging Europe, Turkey and Central Asia, with offices in Bulgaria (Sofia), Croatia (Zagreb), the Czech Republic (Prague), Hungary (Budapest), Kazakhstan (Almaty and Astana), Romania (Bucharest), Serbia (Belgrade), Slovakia (Bratislava), Turkey (Istanbul), Ukraine (Kyiv), and Uzbekistan (Tashkent).

Operating as a single fully integrated firm, Kinstellar delivers consistently high quality services across all jurisdictions in an integrated and seamless style. We are particularly well suited to servicing complex transactions and advisory requirements spanning several jurisdictions.

Firm's website.