Noerr has announced it is taking "a new direction in its business in the markets of Central and Eastern Europe," with its Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, and Slovak offices to be transferred to Kinstellar.
"Noerr and Kinstellar have agreed to transfer these practices after the details of the integration are fully worked out," Kinstellar reported, with the firm adding: "Several important operational and technical aspects, including investments in IT systems, leasehold premises are being worked out and the deal will complete after all necessary regulatory consents and internal approvals have been obtained." Noerr and Kinstellar will also cooperate on a non-exclusive basis to serve their clients across these jurisdictions following the closing of the transaction.
"As part of our regular review of the firm’s positioning, we have concluded that forming a strategic partnership in the Central and Eastern European markets is the best approach for enhancing the quality of our advisory services moving forward," Noerr Co-Managing Partner Alexander Ritvay commented, adding: "We have been pursuing a strategy of qualitative growth for many years. While this strategy is working very well in Germany, we have to recognize that the CEE markets have not developed in a comparable way." Noerr's release also stated that "all of Noerr’s staff will be offered the opportunity to work for Kinstellar in [the] future."
"This is an exciting chapter in Kinstellar’s journey," Kinstellar Senior Partner Jason Mogg commented. "We will be welcoming the Noerr teams in Budapest, Bratislava, Bucharest, and Prague and this enhances Kinstellar’s strength and capabilities and diversifies our expertise and clientele. Kinstellar and Noerr share similar values and culture, which will make the integration very smooth. Both firms are highly regarded for their commitment, teamwork approach, strong work ethic, and their excellent service to clients. We are confident that this project will benefit the Noerr team in these cities, all our people, and, most importantly, our clients."
"We see the deal and future cooperation with Kinstellar as very positive and a win-win for our clients, people, and firms," Ritvay added. "It will give Noerr both the possibility to concentrate on achieving its goals in Germany and other Western markets and a reliable and committed first-class partner firm in the region."
While the Polish office was not included in the announcements, when asked if the office there is staying with the firm, a Noerr spokesperson told CEE Legal Matters: "We are exploring other options for our Warsaw office."
This is the latest in a series of expansions of Kinstellar in CEE, after the addition of the former DLA Piper office in Ukraine (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on June 14, 2021), the integration of the Zuric i Partneri (ZiP) law firm in Croatia (as reported on January 26, 2022), and its strategic partnership in Serbia with the local SOG Law Firm (as reported on July 4, 2023). A recent March 2024 interview on the Serbian move is available here.