On the evening of April 1, 2025, the Deal of the Year Awards Banquet brought together, under the same roof, over 200 top-tier lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe's leading law firms and General Counsel from across the region in Prague.

CMS Partners Horea Popescu, Alexander Rakosi, and Ryszard Manteuffel discuss the ebb and flow of M&A deals in CEE, highlighting that the M&A landscape experienced a significant drop in overall deal values prompting strategic shifts amid ongoing geopolitical and financing challenges.

Linklaters has advised Nhood and Ceetrus on their partnership with Apsys. Dentons advised Apsys.

Clifford Chance has advised on the sale of Punkta Group's retail business to CUK Ubezpieczenia. SSW Pragmatic Solutions reportedly advised CUK Ubezpieczenia.

Wolf Theiss, working with Kirkland & Ellis, has advised Thoma Bravo on its acquisition of PCMI. Goodwin Procter reportedly advised PCMI.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2024 behind us, we asked: Looking at transactional volumes for this year, would you say that 2024 was better or worse than what you originally expected it to be, and why?

The inherent volatility of the financial market offers many opportunities but also poses significant risks. Following the 2007-2008 financial crisis, legislators in the European Union struggled to contain the non-performing exposure (NPE) cycle through legislative action.

Schoenherr has advised Dealavo on its sale to JTL-Software. DWF advised JTL-Software.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised Innova Capital on the acquisition of a majority stake in ProService Finteco and a 50% stake in Investment Funds Depositary Services. Linklaters ProService Finteco.

Gide has advised BNP Paribas Bank Polska on granting a new facility to finance three retail projects from the portfolios of Newgate Investment and Torwell Investment including Galeria Sieradzka, Wysockiego Retail Park in Bialystok, and Certe Convenience Shopping Center in Gdansk-Suchanino.

Paksoy, working with Linklaters, has advised Actera Group and Esas Holding on their exit from Mars Spor Kulubu to Benefit Systems. Herguner Bilgen Ucer and Moskwa Jarmul Haladyj advised Benefit Systems.

Rymarz Zdort Maruta has advised Innova Capital on the acquisition of Punkta Group from Pollen Street Capital. Clifford Chance advised Punkta on the deal.

Norton Rose Fulbright has advised BBI Development on the issuance and allocation of 44,740,000 new bonds with a total nominal value of PLN 44.74 million.

Schoenherr has advised Enterprise Investors on a debt financing transaction aimed at supporting the growth of Expobud Domy. Greenberg Traurig advised mBank on the financing of the transaction.

Wolf Theiss, working with Goodwin Procter, has advised Kingswood Capital Management on its investment in Infotree Global Solutions. Foley & Lardner reportedly advised Infotree Global Solutions.

Schoenherr has advised the shareholders of Nortec Pharma on the sale of a majority stake to Frewitt.

Burgundy Capital Management has appointed Cezary Cienkowski as its new General Counsel.

Allen Overy Shearman Sterling has advised FLE on its acquisition of the Havi Distribution Center from Carroll International Investments. Linklaters advised Carroll International Investments.