Kinstellar successfully completes the acquisition of Noerr’s Bucharest operations, following the acquisition of Noerr’s Offices in Bratislava and Prague
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Kristóf Ferenczi is appointed Firm Managing Partner of Kinstellar

News, deals & insights

News November 2024

Important notice to our valued Clients: Beware of impersonation emails

22 November 2024 – It has come to our attention that some companies in Hungary have received unauthorised fraudulent emails falsely claiming to originate from Kinstellar's Bratislava office. This appears to be part of an illegal scam campaign. We assure you that these emails did not come from our official Kinstellar domain and have nothing to do with our Firm. Our IT and Risk & Compliance teams are giving this matter their highest priority and are actively investigating the issue. We are bringing this matter to the relevant authorities. Importantly, this illegal scam campaign appears to have been sent from various email accounts. Please verify the sender's domain in any email claiming to be from Kinstellar and

Insights November 2024

The National Bank of Ukraine introduced additional changes to currency restrictions

The National Bank of Ukraine published amendments to currency restrictions that were introduced in February 2022 at the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. The changes relate to payments under international technical assistance projects, transfers for the import of goods, dividend payments, and lending for the purchase of foreign currency-denominated government bonds. While the first two categories involve the easing of restrictions, dividend payments and lending for purchasing foreign currency-denominated government bonds are now subject to stricter regulation.Click on one of the images below or use the following links to read our overview in English or in Ukrainian. Download

Deals November 2024

Kinstellar advises Eleven Ventures on its investment in Cloud Office

Kinstellar has advised Eleven Ventures, a pioneer in early-stage investing in Central and Eastern Europe, on the investment in Cloud Office, a leading Google Cloud Partner serving 650+ customers across EMEA, with a team of 60+ engineers, through subscription of preference shares and convertible debt instrument. One of Eleven's largest investments in a Bulgarian company to date, the funds will support Cloud Office's expansion into Greece. The team was led by Nina Tsifudina (Partner) and included Georgi Kanev (Managing Associate), Nikolay Gergov (Senior Associate), Simona Damyanova (Junior Associate).

News November 2024

Kinstellar and Strategy Council present the second UK – Ukraine Defence Tech Forum in London

 With the support of the Embassy of Ukraine in the UK, Kinstellar was proud to partner with Stephen Butler and his team at Strategy Council to host the UK-Ukraine Defence Tech Forum, themed "Financing Ukraine's Victory: Access to Capital and Scaling Defence Technologies" at the prestigious Royal United Services Institute in London on 8 November. Purpose Following on from the success of the previous drone-themed defence forum held in May, the UK-Ukraine Defence Tech Forum reconvened to promote investment by venture capital firms in Ukrainian miltech innovators. Ukrainian tech firms, UK and international VCs, and the governments of the UK and Ukraine exchanged views and experiences on the evolving role

Deals November 2024

Kinstellar advises on Central Asia’s largest healthcare PPP project

Kinstellar is proud to announce its involvement in the development of Central Asia's largest public-private partnership (PPP) medical facility in Kokshetau, Kazakhstan. With financing led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), this project marks the region's first healthcare PPP, supported by a EUR 365 million financing package from six major financial institutions. The 630-bed, multi-disciplinary hospital will operate under a greenfield PPP model, serving over 730,000 residents in Kokshetau and the broader Akmola region. Designed to achieve both LEED "Silver" and EDGE certifications, the facility embodies a strong commitment to sustainability

Insights November 2024

Update on the ESG reporting obligations in Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (EU) 2022/2464 (the "CSRD") required EU member states to complete its transposition by 6 July 2024. However, uneven implementation led the EU Commission to initiate infringement proceedings against 17 member states, including the Czech Republic and Romania, on 26 September 2024, citing their failure to fully communicate the necessary transposition measures. These states now face a two-month deadline to finalise the process and respond to the formal notice. While the CSRD's transposition is nearing completion, attention is turning to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (EU) 2024/1760 (the "CSDDD"), an equally significant piece of legislation.

News November 2024

Upozornění společnosti zúčastněné na přeměně

Orion CZ s.r.o., se sídlem Na příkopě 1096/19, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha 1, IČO: 27121810, zapsaná v obchodním rejstříku vedeném Městským soudem v Praze, oddíl C, vložka 173446 (dále jen "Zanikající společnost" nebo "Orion CZ s.r.o.") a Kinstellar, s.r.o., advokátní kancelář, se sídlem Na příkopě 1096/19, Staré Město, 110 00 Praha 1, IČO: 26423782, společnost zapsaná v obchodním rejstříku vedeném Městským soudem v Praze, oddíl C, vložka 146391 (dále jen "Nástupnická společnost" nebo "Kinstellar, s.r.o., advokátní kancelář") (Zanikající společnost a Nástupnická společnost dohromady také jako "Zúčastněné společnosti" nebo "osoby zúčastněné

Insights November 2024

Understanding Hungary’s Guarantee of Origin: A new era for renewable gas

Stay competitive in Hungary's evolving energy market by understanding the Guarantee of Origin, a crucial certification now available for renewable gas. This change could open doors for businesses focused on sustainability and compliance. Earlier this year, the amendment to the Act XL of 2008 - Natural Gas (the "Natural Gas Act") brought a significant shift: the introduction of a Guarantee of Origin for renewable gas, similar to what we have seen in the electricity market. The guarantee of origin is an electronic document designed solely to certify, using objective, transparent, and non-discriminatory criteria, that a given share or quantity of gas produced by a specific generation unit qualifies as renewable

Deals November 2024

Kinstellar advises Ardian on the Romanian side of the transaction for the acquisition of a majority interest in Vista Vision

Kinstellar is proud to have advised Ardian, one of the world's leading private equity investment companies, on the Romanian side of the transaction for the acquisition of a majority interest in Vista Vision, a leading provider of healthcare services specialising in ophthalmic and refractive surgery. The transaction includes the indirect acquisition of 100% of the shares in two Romanian subsidiaries, Vista Vision and SIM Vision. Headquartered in Milan, Vista Vision was founded in 2003 and currently operates 12 clinics across Italy and five in Romania. The company is a leader in opthalmology healthcare, specialized in laser eye surgery for the correction of myopia and cataract surgery. Kinstellar's legal team

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.

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Newsfeed

🌟 Join us on 28 November 2024 at 3:00 PM CET for an exclusive webinar exploring key trends and challenges in the life sciences & healthcare sector across CEE! 🌍💡 📌 Topics include: 🔹 Evolving distribution models in Romania 🔹 EU pharma legislation changes 🔹 Serbia's emerging biotech scene 🔹 AI's impact on life sciences 🎙️ Speakers: Tomas Cihula, Luiza Bedros, Tijana Kovacevic, Eszter Takacsi-Nagy and Petr Bratský. 💻 Register now at #LifeSciences #Healthcare #CEE #Webinar #Kinstellar

📌 Join the Virtual Danube Joint KnowledgeNet meeting hosted by the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PRIVACY PROFESSIONALS (“IAPP”) on the topic 📣 Interplay Between the DGA, the Data Act the GDPR and the Potential Effects of Data Altruism on AI Development. Lukas A. Mrazik, firmwide Co-Head of Data & Cybersecurity Law and the Chair of the Slovak IAPP KnowledgeNet Chapter, will 🎤speak at this upcoming seminar, which will be held online on 📅 3 December.   The Data Governance Act (DGA), Data Act and the GDPR are pivotal EU regulations shaping how data is shared and managed, including in cutting-edge research contexts. They aim to ensure secure, transparent, and compliant data sharing while fostering collaboration and innovation. These frameworks impose important obligations and are crucial for both larger companies and SMEs to unlock the potential of data-driven research and advance knowledge in a responsible way.    The speakers will discuss the relationships between these rules, share their insights and highlight potential issues that may arise. 📝The event is a special joint meeting with the Austrian, Slovak, Bulgarian, Croatian, Hungarian, Ukrainian, and Munich chapters of the IAPP—where the Danube river flows. Let us know if you are interested to attend this webinar or register here https://lnkd.in/epPnueVz #exceptionaltogether #intheknow

📢 🇸🇰  The Slovak government recently approved the proposed measures of the Ministry of Interior entitled "Systemic solution for the safety of persons in primary and secondary school facilities and in other high-risk facilities with public access", which local media have referred to as a project to introduce cameras 🎥 in schools. Several critical views have appeared in this context commenting on the planned measures from various perspectives.    Lukas A. Mrazik (Managing Associate, Co-Head of Data & Cybersecurity) and Tomas Vick (Senior Associate) at Kinstellar’s Bratislava office provide a closer look 🎯 at the potential implementation of artificial intelligence (“AI”) in this respect and its compliance with the AI Act. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ewP9G6ae #exceptionaltogether #AI #intheknow

🌟 🇭🇺 We are delighted to announce the launch of the 𝐓𝐌𝐓 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦, a series of thought-provoking events exploring current trends and challenges in #Technology, #Media, #Telecommunications, #Data Privacy, #IP, and #AI. 💡 Join us on 📅 Tuesday, 10 December, 🕘 from 9 am, 📍 in our Budapest office, for a roundtable discussion with leading experts and stakeholders to tackle critical questions about fostering innovation while safeguarding privacy in an #AI-driven world. 📧 Register by emailing your name, company and position to: . 👉 The number of available spots is limited, and a confirmation will be sent upon successful registration. Speakers: 🔑 Opening Remarks & Moderator: Tímea Bana LL.M, #Partner, Head of Technology, Media & Telecommunications, Kinstellar's #Budapest office 🎙️ Guest of Honour: Péterfalvi Attila, PhD, President of the Hungarian Data Protection Authority 📢 Panellists: Nicolas de Bouville, AI and Privacy Policy Manager, #Meta Judit Firniksz PhD, LL.M, #4iG Nyrt. Éva Derzsényi, Head of Public Policy and International Relations at #IVSZ - Digital Association of Hungary 💬 The event will held in #Hungarian and #English. We look forward to connecting with you at our event. 🙌 🖥️ Stay tuned for further details! #intheknow #TMTForum #Innovation #dataprivacy #dataprivacyandAI #DPAs

📢 🇷🇴 We are excited to announce that our #employment law experts will be participating in the People #Empowering Business Forum and #Awards, organised by The Diplomat Bucharest, on 📅 26 November, starting at 🕓 4 pm. 🎤 During the 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐬 panel, Remus Codreanu (Partner), Lidia Zarnescu (Managing Associate) and Andrada Popescu (Senior Associate), will dive into key #workplace topics, including: 📋 Navigating #firings and ensuring #compliance with best practices; 🤝Tackling harassment and #discrimination in the workplace; 🧘♂️ Promoting work-life balance in an ever-evolving professional landscape. Looking forward to seeing you there! #exceptionaltogether #EmploymentLaw #HRCompliance #WorkplaceWellbeing #WorkplaceEthics #WorkplaceCulture #LegalInsights #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceBestPractices #HumanResources #Kinstellar #BusinessForum #EmploymentLawyers #ProfessionalGrowth #WorkplaceChallenges #DiversityAndInclusion #WorkLifeBalance

🎉 Congratulations to our #Bratislava office for 🏆 winning the category “Best Real Estate Law Firm” at the 2024 CIJ Awards Slovakia!   The CIJ Awards Slovakia, organised by the Construction and Investment Journal, are the longest-running commercial property awards event in Slovakia, with winners recognised by both an independent panel of top industry professionals and the readers of CIJ. 📌 The 2024 award ceremony took place in Bratislava on 20 November, where Kinstellar was recognised for its exceptional achievement in the legal real estate sector.   We are pleased to stand out in the competition among strong local and international law firms 💪 and believe that this award is a testament to the capabilities of our dedicated #realestate team, confirming our long-term commitment to provide top-quality services for our clients in this sector.   👏Thanks to the organisers and congrats to winners of the other categories!   #CIJAwards #Kinstellar #exceptionaltogether #winner

🇺🇦 Updates to Currency Restrictions in Ukraine On 19 November 2024, the National Bank of Ukraine announced key amendments to currency restrictions introduced in February 2022. 📌 What changed on 20 November 2024? ✅ Easing restrictions for ITA project settlements ✅ Simplified import payments with foreign export credit agencies or state involvement 🔒 Stricter rules for dividend payments to ‘new’ companies and shareholders 🔒 Prohibition on lending for foreign currency-denominated government bonds 💡 Need clarity on how these changes affect your business? For expert guidance on cross-border currency transactions under martial law in Ukraine, reach out to: Illya Muchnyk, Partner, Head of the Banking and Finance service line in Ukraine and firmwide Head of the FinTech Sector Oleksandra Poliakova , Managing Associate 🔗 Read the full version here 👇 https://lnkd.in/dW5nRvZM #Ukraine #CurrencyRegulations #BankingAndFinance #FinTech #CrossBorderPayments #MartialLaw #Kinstellar

🌟 We are delighted to announce that Victor Constantinescu, Managing Partner of our #Bucharest office and Co-Head of our Firm-Wide Real Estate Sector, will be a featured panelist at the ''#CEE #Property Forum''. 👉 The event will place in 📍 #Vienna, on 📅 25 & 26 November, and is organised by Property Forum Events & News. 🎙️ Join Victor on Tuesday, 26 November, from 9:45 to 10:30, as he shares key insights on the emerging trends shaping real estate investments in “The class of 2025 – Cracking the code for the year ahead”. Together with a panel of industry experts, he will explore: ✨ The role of #technology in transforming real estate; 🌍 #Sustainability and its impact on investments; 🏘️ How shifting demographics and evolving market demands are shaping the industry. Look forward to connecting with you in Vienna. 🚀 More details here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/djcX4fxp #intheknow #RealEstate #PropertyForum #ViennaEvents #CommercialRealEstate #RealEstateLeaders #Kinstellar #ExceptionalTogether #RealEstateInnovation #CEEProperty #NetworkingEvents #RealEstateInsights

This exclusive event brought together leading experts who explored the latest developments and challenges in competition law, and provided valuable #insights across various sectors. The platform allowed attendees to connect with competition law specialists and business leaders from #Europe, with a particular focus on the Western #Balkans.