Setting the stage at the recently held CEE Legal Matters GC Summit in Istanbul, top-tier legal professionals at prominent companies and law firms alike – from across CEE and beyond – shared their insights on what General Counsels must have in their toolbox to guarantee the delivery of high-quality work. Specifically, the experts considered the importance of the GC role as a trusted advisor, getting the most out of negotiations, and the specifics of client service from a GC perspective.

Bulgaria’s infrastructure sector has seen major projects completed and many more are planned. With the country facing political turmoil and corruption still an infrastructure buzzword, Kinstellar Partner Antonia Mavrova and Gugushev and Partners Senior Partner Victor Gugushev navigate the intricacies of Bulgarian infrastructure.

For Bulgaria’s capital markets, the past ten years saw several landmark developments, large IPOs, and programs and initiatives tailored for small and medium-sized enterprise needs. Penkov Markov & Partners Associated Partner Boris Lazarov, Djingov Gouginski Kyutchukov & Velichkov Partner Gergana Monovska, and Tokushev and Partners Managing Partner Viktor Tokushev walk us through the highlights.

In recent years, the major development in Hungary’s banking system is the establishment of the country’s superbank through the merger of Budapest Bank, MKB Bank, and the Takarek Group. DLA Piper Partner Andras Nemescsoi, Forgo Damjanovic & Partners Managing Partner Gabor Damjanovic, and Jalsovszky Law Firm Managing Partner Pal Jalsovszky share insights into the driving forces behind this development, its current status, and its anticipated impact on Hungary’s banking sector.

Hungary has traditionally been the go-to hub for filming in Continental Europe. DLA Piper Partner Monika Horvath and Dentons Partner Timea Bana talk about the evolution of Hungary’s film industry over the past decade and whether the country has maintained its position as the primary European filming destination.

Alexey Amvrosov, Lead Counsel for IBM Consulting in CEE, based in Vienna, highlights the soft skills that will differentiate successful legal leaders from those less so.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. Keeping in mind last year’s complexities and the uncertainties ahead, this time we asked: Has your team shrunk or increased in the last 12 months and what are your expectations for 2023?

Following a tumultuous year marked by the ongoing conflict in the region and rising financing expenses, we reached out to experts across CEE to gain a deeper understanding of the real estate landscape, including key factors driving the industry and the primary obstacles it faces.

Adaptability in times of change is one of the most needed qualities in individuals, but societies at large also need to have it, to better take advantage of shifting times. Are the CEE region and its legal profession able to adapt to the changes it is facing?

Every magazine issue, I inevitably glance over the Letters to the Editors text: an invitation for our readers and contributors to critically engage with us and the articles we publish. Sadly, we get much fewer such letters than I’d like. Still, today I realized that – while they might not start with the customary Dear Editor – we do get a large number of emails that would fit the bill.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and stay up to date with the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas. 

An in-depth look at Katarina Kresal of Senica & Partners covering her career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about her as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.

Over the past few years, there has been a significant surge in the number of collective actions being filed by consumer organizations in Slovenia. Rojs, Peljhan, Prelesnik & Partners Partner Aljosa Krdzic and Jadek & Pensa Partner Mitja Podpecan discuss the current surge of collective actions being taken against companies, along with the primary factors driving it, and make predictions regarding the outcome of such litigations.

In the spirit of CEE Legal Matters’s upcoming Tenth Anniversary, Fatur Menard Head of M&A Practice Lea Vatovec Miklavcic and Senica Managing Partner Uros Cop provide an evolutionary insight into the Slovenian market from a legal, economic, and business standpoint.

An in-depth look at Ursula Rath of Schoenherr covering her career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about her as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.

A December 2022 decision by the Austrian Constitutional Court to annul the media privilege in the Austrian Data Protection Act has raised questions on how the country’s approach to the legal landscape regulating the media will change. Wolf Theiss Partner Kurt Retter and DLA Piper Counsel Stefan Panic analyze the ruling’s implications.

Investment activity in Austria’s technology sector remained strong in 2022, despite the global economic downturn caused by the pandemic. Cerha Hempel Partner Christoph Reiter, Schoenherr Partner Thomas Kulnigg, and Dorda Managing Partner Axel Anderl talk about where the money is coming from, where it is going, and what can be expected for 2023.

Looking ahead to 2023, white-collar crime is likely to be a subject of close scrutiny by local and EU authorities across CEE. CMS CEE Partner Nedeljko Velisavljevic, from Serbia, and CMS Head of the Criminal Defense Practice in Romania Mihai Jiganie-Serban explore the current context, latest developments, and outlook of white-collar crime practices in CEE.