Kinstellar to continue the operation of Noerr’s CEE practice
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Kristóf Ferenczi is appointed Firm Managing Partner of Kinstellar

News, deals & insights

Deals June 2024

Kinstellar advises MOL in connection with their landmark Polyol Project in Hungary – MOL’s largest organic investment to date

Kinstellar is proud to have advised the MOL Group, a leading international integrated oil and gas company, in connection with legal aspects of the MOL Group’s flagship EUR 1.3 billion new polyol complex in Tiszaújváros, Hungary. The new polyol complex, which has just been inaugurated, has the capacity of producing around 200,000 tonnes of polyol per year, and providing long-term employment for nearly 300 people. This landmark project had started in 2017 and Kinstellar has been assisting MOL in connection with the project from 2020. As a result of this project MOL has become the first company in the CEE region to have a fully-integrated value chain from crude oil to polyol production. The Kinstellar team

News June 2024

Luke Wochensky, Central & Eastern Europe/Central Asia Risk and Investigations expert, joins Kinstellar as Partner and Head of Firmwide Risk and Investigations Service Line

Kinstellar is pleased to announce that Luke Wochensky has joined the Firm as Partner and Head of the firm-wide Risk and Investigations Service Line. Luke is a civil- and common-law qualified lawyer with an extensive track record in internal and government investigations, cross-border disputes, and providing commercially sensitive and practical counsel to clients operating in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Qualified to practice in New York and a US citizen, Luke has over 15 years of experience representing US and multinational corporations operating in the region. He regularly counsels clients in risk mitigation, compliance, and integrity issues, particularly those involving cross-border internal and

Deals May 2024

Kinstellar advises Globalworth on the sale of logistics portfolio in Romania to CTP

Kinstellar is delighted to announced that it has advised Globalworth, a leading office investor in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), on the sale of a part of its logistics portfolio to CTP, the largest owner and developer of logistic and industrial spaces by gross leasable area in CEE. The transaction was signed in March 2024 with closing having occurred in May 2024. This transaction is the largest real estate deal in Romania in 2024 so far. The portfolio comprises almost fully-let logistics and light-industrial facilities in Chitila and Afumati (near Bucharest), Oarja (near Pitesti), Giarmata (near Timisioara), Oradea and Arad. Kinstellar advised on all transactional matters, including drafting, negotiation and execution

News May 2024

Kinstellar welcomes new Managing Associate Iva Bilinská to its employment team

Kinstellar is pleased to welcome Iva Bilinská to serve in the position of Managing Associate, covering the employment law agenda within our Prague team. Iva Bilinská brings extensive expertise and a wealth of experience to Kinstellar, particularly in the area of employment law, having practiced in this field for over a decade. A passion for her work serves as a strong motivation to grow professionally and to find innovative solutions for clients. Moreover, such a crucial specialization enables the effective tackling of even the most complex employment law problems, which makes Iva an invaluable addition to our team. Iva offers an extensive work history, including holding positions at renowned firms such as Kooperativa

Insights May 2024

Redomiciliation under AIFC Laws revisited: Definition, benefits, process and booming trend

The Astana International Finance Centre ("AIFC") continues to be a destination point for foreign companies seeking growth and stability in their operations. In addition to the traditional incorporation of companies, the AIFC enables the registration of foreign companies under the “Transfer of incorporation” scheme, i.e., through redomiciliation. It has been five years since the first successful case of “Transfer of incorporation” by Kazakhstan Energy Reinsurance Company Ltd. ("KERC") from Bermuda to the AIFC. Kinstellar acted on this first-of-its-kind redomiciliation project, which set a precedent for the transfer of other foreign operations and capital from overseas to the AIFC. Thus, considering the growing interest

News May 2024

Kinstellar and Strategy Council present the Ukrainian Drone Defence Forum in London

Kinstellar and Strategy Council, supported by D3 Venture Capital, organised the Ukrainian Drone Defence Forum, "Drones: Delivering Victory" at the prestigious Royal United Services Institute in London on May 21. Purpose. In connection with the recent defence partnership signed between the United Kingdom and Ukraine, the Forum’s endeavoured to enhance the collaboration between Ukrainian and British drone manufacturers and technology firms to scale up drone and electronic warfare production – a top partnership priority. The UK government has allocated £325m to support this effort. In this context, we were pleased to work together with the Government of the United Kingdom to deliver an event that would complement

Insights May 2024

Changes to the Ukrainian mobilization laws

Ukraine’s mobilization laws have undergone significant changes. The laws, among other things, introduce new obligations for persons liable for military service, as well as possible sanctions for violations of the law provisions. Please read the complete overview below in English or in Ukrainian. Download in English: Download in Ukrainian:

Insights May 2024

Kinstellar Sofia authors the Bulgarian chapter of the GAR Commercial Arbitration

Kinstellar’s team in Sofia authored the Bulgarian chapter on Commercial Arbitration 2024, published by the Global Arbitration Review (GAR), the leading resource on international arbitration news and community intelligence. Our Bulgarian experts contributed with answers to a total of 51 questions across a variety of topics such as the infrastructure for international arbitration in Bulgaria, requirements for an arbitration agreement, the arbitral procedure, and enforcement. The publication was put together by Boryana Boteva (Senior Counsel), thanks to her significant experience in advising and representing clients in international and domestic arbitration proceedings on commercial and investment disputes, and in litigations

Insights May 2024

Exclusive distribution agreements in the pharma sector in focus of the Serbian Competition Authority  

In Serbia, most of the exclusivity arrangements between pharma companies need to be, prior to their implementation, individually exempt by the Serbian Competition Authority (“SCA”). Most recently, the SCA issued two decisions in the individual exemption process. In one it denied, while, in the other it only conditionally approved individual exemptions for exclusive distribution agreements between pharmaceutical companies. These developments show a noticeable shift in the SCA’s stand towards exclusivity arrangements with the SCA taking a stringent approach, limiting the parties' ability to contract exclusivity arrangements in the sector. Below we provide an overview of the individual exemption application requirement

About us

Kinstellar acts as trusted legal counsel to leading investors across Emerging Europe and Central Asia. Our reputation for quality, excellence and integrity speaks for itself.

With offices in eleven jurisdictions and over 300 local and international lawyers, we deliver consistent, joined-up legal advice and assistance across diverse regional markets – together with the know-how and experience to champion your interests while minimising exposure to risk.

Our clients include leading international and regional corporations, banks and other financial institutions, state bodies, multi-lateral institutions, and international law firms with clients that require top-quality legal counsel in our jurisdictions. We handle the most important and complex assignments for clients across diverse industries and business sectors.

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*2022 rankings in core practice areas in international legal directories (Chambers & Partners, Legal 500, IFLR1000)

Meet our people

With expert local knowledge and a track record at the international level, our lawyers provide top-tier advice and client service in Emerging Europe and Central Asia.

Our Team

Newsfeed

📢 Meet us at Money20/20 Europe! 📌 Join us in 📍 #Amsterdam from 📅 June 4-6, for Money20/20 #Europe! Illya Muchnyk, Partner and Firmwide Head of #Fintech, will be there to share insights and connect with industry leaders. 🙌 Don't miss this opportunity to discuss the future of fintech and innovation in the financial services sector. See you there! 👉 https://www.money2020.com/ #intheknow #Money2020Europe #Fintech #Innovation #Networking #Amsterdam2024

Money20/20 | Fintech Events and Conferences 2024

📣 We are proud to share an incredible feedback from the economist Timothy Ash about the Ukrainian Defence Forum, which Kinstellar and Strategy Council, supported by D3 Venture Capital, organized in London last month. 💬 Ash writes, "I attended a fabulous session at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) this week, organised by the Strategy Council and the Kinstellar law firm, "The Ukrainian Defence Forum", which aimed to bring together Ukrainian and UK defence innovators to help Ukraine win the war against Russian aggression. It was truly inspiring to hear Ukrainian defence innovators talk about their products - which have shown extraordinary development (forced) thru testing in combat. I hope here that the UK military, and its allies, figure out that riding on the coattails, and actually fully supporting Ukraine, will enable them to make the leap in terms of defence technologies able to best compete against those same authoritarian regimes noted above. A small investment in Ukraine now, could see a multiples return in terms of future defence capability." ✨ We thank Timothy Ash for his participation and commendable comments regarding the event. We are honoured to have facilitated such an impactful event, showcasing the extraordinary advancements in the Ukrainian defence technology. 🔗 Read more here 👇 https://lnkd.in/dBb4B3VP #UkrainianDefenceForum #Kinstellar #Innovation #DefenceTechnology #Ukraine #StrategyCouncil #DefenceSector #DroneDefence #DroneTechnology #UkrainianInnovation #ElectronicWarfare #DefenceCollaboration #MilitaryTechnology #MilitaryEquipment #Innovation #TechPartnerships #UKGov #DefenceIndustry

Ukraine - innovation is key

🎙️ Kamil Blazek, Partner at Kinstellar, was recently a guest of Taťána Lysková on Forbes Czech Republic. Discover his insights on Czechia's strong legal framework, competitiveness, innovation, and why it stands out as a prime destination for investors. Read the full interview below #Kinstellar #ForbesCzech #Law #Innovation #InvestmentOpportunities #EuropeanPerspective

Česko je skvělá země už dnes. V právu jsme dohnali Švýcarsko, říká advokát — Forbes

📢 🇨🇿  Kinstellar is pleased to announce that it is welcoming Iva Bilinska to serve in the position of Managing Associate, covering the employment law agenda within our team. 🌟 Iva Bilinská brings extensive expertise and a wealth of experience to Kinstellar, particularly in the area of employment law, having practiced in this field for over a decade. A passion for her work serves as a strong motivation to grow professionally and to find innovative solutions for clients. Moreover, such a crucial specialization enables the effective tackling of even the most complex employment law problems, which makes Iva an invaluable addition to our team. 👇🏻 #exceptionaltogether #leadinglawyers https://lnkd.in/e9WgGcpq

Kinstellar welcomes new Managing Associate Iva Bilinska to its employment team (Detail) - Kinstellar

We are proud to share that Kristina Pavlović, Managing Associate in our Employment and Labour Law team in Belgrade, had the pleasure of moderating a key panel discussion titled “Four Months Since the Implementation of Amended Foreigner Regulations – Challenges in Practice.”

Kristina Pavlović moderates a panel discussion entitled “Four Months Since the Implementation of Amended Foreigner Regulations – Challenges in Practice."

🚀 Join us on 📅 Tuesday, 4 June, ⏰ at 15:00 CET, for a #webinar on the latest #legal and #regulatory updates in #CEE for companies operating in the life sciences and #healthcare sector. 💡 Topics include: #AI, #employment law, #regulatory developments, and #competition law. 🎤 Our expert speakers: ⭐Tomas Cihula, Partner, #Czech Republic, head of the firm-wide Life Sciences & Healthcare sector and co-head of the firm-wide Competition & State Aid service line; ⭐Nina Tsifudina, Partner, #Bulgaria, head of the firm-wide Employment & Labour Law service line; ⭐Olga Šipka, Special Counsel, #Serbia, co-head of the firm-wide Competition & State Aid service line; ⭐Petr Bratský, Managing Associate, #Czech Republic, head of the local #TMT sector; ⭐Eszter Takacsi-Nagy, Senior Associate, #Hungary. 👉 Click here for registration https://lnkd.in/d5W43-Vk Look forward to meeting you! 🙌 #intheknow #LifeSciences #HealthcareIndustry #LegalUpdates #RegulatoryUpdates #CEELaw #Webinar2024 #ExpertTalks #IndustryTrends

Life Sciences & Healthcare Current developments in Central and Eastern Europe

Earlier this week, the "3rd Annual Restructuring Day” took place in Bratislava. The event was organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in the Slovak Republic (AmCham Slovakia) and co-sponsored by Kinstellar and Slovenská sporiteľňa (Erste).

The Third Annual Restructuring Day in Bratislava

🇪🇺 #EU legislation: Implementation status in Kinstellar jurisdictions 📢 📰 Read below an #overview of recent developments in key EU Directives and regulations in the #technology sector and #consumer protection. 👇 🖥️ #NIS2 Directive Update: The NIS2 Directive, a pivotal #cybersecurity initiative aimed at improving overall cybersecurity across the EU. 📅 Member States are required to implement this directive by ⌛ 17 October 2024. 📝 #Digital Services Act (#DSA) Implementation: The Digital Services Act (Regulation (EU) 2022/2065) updates the Electronic Commerce Directive 2000, addressing illegal content, transparent advertising, and disinformation in the digital space. 🙌 Representative Actions Directive (RAD) Progress: The Representative Actions Directive (EU) 2020/1828 empowers consumers to undertake collective legal actions against companies for rights violations, enhancing consumer protection and access to justice. 🗞️ 💡 Follow us to stay informed with the latest updates from our #TMT team on how these regulations are being adopted in different EU jurisdictions and more news and insights. #intheknow #EULaw #Cybersecurity #DigitalServicesAct #TechnologySector #ConsumerProtection #ProductSafety #Kinstellar #LegalUpdate #NIS2 #RAD #DSA

We are delighted to share that Yulia Eismont, Counsel in our Kyiv office, has been named one of the Rising Stars: Europe's Best Up-and-Coming Female Lawyers for 2024 by Law.com International! 

Yulia Eismont named one of the Rising Stars: Europe's Best Up-and-Coming Female Lawyers for 2024