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News January 2025

Important notice to our Clients and Contacts: Beware of impersonation emails

6 January 2025 – It has come to our attention that some companies in our countries (most recently from the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia) have received unauthorised fraudulent emails falsely claiming to originate from Kinstellar. This appears to be part of an illegal scam (fraudulent impersonation) campaign. We assure you that these fraudulent 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

News March 2025

Kinstellar announces new series of promotions across multiple service lines in our Bucharest office

Kinstellar is proud to announce a recent series of promotions within our Bucharest office for both lawyers and tax and finance specialists. These promotions underscore our firm's commitment to recognizing and rewarding our team members who have excelled in developing their practices, shown independence in managing matters, and brought significant contributions to serving our clients' needs. We highly appreciate their efforts and are therefore pleased to announce the following: Promotions to Managing Associate Andrei Balus, Nicoleta Florea, Iunia Nagy, Andrada Popescu, and Corina Stanciu are all promoted to Managing Associate. Their expertise spans across Corporate M&A, Banking and Finance, Tax and Financial

Deals March 2025

Kinstellar advises DSV on the sale and leaseback of a major logistics park in Slovakia

Kinstellar recently advised DSV, a global leader in freight forwarding, on the sale and leaseback of its newly constructed logistics park in Senec, Slovakia. The logistics park was acquired by REICO LONG LEASE, an open-ended real estate mutual fund managed by REICO investiční společnost Erste Asset Management. The property's location in a prime Slovak logistics sub-market, with exceptional connectivity to major European markets, enhances its strategic value. This innovative logistics facility spans approximately 69,600 sqm of gross leasable area and features a robust Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) profile. The park is distinguished not only by its size and location but also by its commitment to sustainability.

Deals March 2025

Kinstellar advises private investment group EMMA Capital on the strategic acquisition of Diamedix in Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, and Ukraine

Kinstellar is pleased to announce that it has advised EMMA Capital Group, a private investment group, on its acquisition of Diamedix, one of Romania's largest independent medical equipment distributors. The deal, closed through EMMA Capital's subsidiary Emma Zeta, marks a significant expansion of the group's footprint in the medical technology and diagnostics sector across South-eastern Europe. The transaction includes the acquisition of Diamedix Impex, along with its five subsidiaries operating in Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. Kinstellar provided comprehensive legal support on all aspects of the transaction, including due diligence review, guidance on structuring/closing, foreign direct investment (FDI)

Insights March 2025

Repeal of the Commercial Code of Ukraine: Analysis of Law No. 6013 and its implications for the country’s legal system

The adoption by the Verkhovna Rada of Law of Ukraine No. 6013 "On the Peculiarities of the Regulation of Entrepreneurial Activity by Certain Types of Legal Entities and Their Associations in the Transition Period" (the "Law") represents a fundamental reform of private law in Ukraine. The Law not only repeals the Commercial Code of Ukraine (the "Commercial Code"), which had been in force since 2004, but also initiates a fundamental restructuring of the system of the legal regulation of economic relations in the country. Any analysis of the key aspects of the reform needs to take into account both its legal implications and practical challenges for business entities, especially in the context of harmonization

Deals March 2025

Kinstellar secures major victory before the Romanian Supreme Court of Justice

Kinstellar Romania is pleased to announce the successful representation of a leading provider of cash payment services in Romania in a dispute recently finalized before the Romanian Supreme Court of Justice. This legally complex litigation stemmed from a high-value damage claim initiated by a former contractual partner, alleging harm as a result of our client's lawful exercise of its legal and contractual rights. The case raised important Romanian legal questions regarding the limits of contractual rights and the broader implications of business decisions made within legally established entitlements. Given the legal complexity of the case and the existence of related judicial proceedings, the litigation team of Kinstellar

Deals March 2025

Kinstellar advised Veolia on the acquisition of a stake in Veolia Energie ČR from ČEZ

Kinstellar has successfully advised Veolia on the acquisition of an additional 15% stake in Veolia Energie ČR from ČEZ, increasing its shareholding to more than 98%. This transaction marks a significant milestone in Veolia's long-term collaboration with ČEZ and further strengthens its position in the Czech energy market. Kinstellar provided comprehensive legal support throughout the transaction, including due diligence, negotiation of transaction documents, and regulatory aspects. The deal aligns with Veolia's GreenUp strategy, focusing on the transition to cleaner, local, and decarbonised energy sources. The Kinstellar team was led by Kamil Blažek (Partner) and included Michal Forýtek (Counsel), Matěj

Deals March 2025

Kinstellar advises Verny Capital on the sale of Burger King Kazakhstan operations

Kinstellar has advised Verny Capital on the sale of its Burger King operations in Kazakhstan. The transaction involved multiple jurisdictions, including Kazakhstan and English law, requiring the drafting and negotiation of detailed agreements. Verny Capital, a key player in expanding Burger King's presence in Kazakhstan, overseeing over 50 locations, successfully completed the sale as part of its strategic business decisions. The team was led by Counsel Pavel Kornilov and included Managing Partner Joel Benjamin, and Associates Kamila Serik and Usen Tastanbekov on Kazakhstan law, and Partner Hugh Owen, and Senior Associate Bianka Kovács on English law. Our team guided the transaction, focusing on the deal structure

Insights March 2025

CJEU confirms validity of asymmetric jurisdiction clauses in contracts

On 27 February 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) issued a key ruling in the Lastre case (C-537/23) (the Judgment), confirming that asymmetric jurisdiction clauses in contracts are valid and in compliance with the Brussels I recast regulation and the Lugano II Convention. The Judgment provides greater legal certainty for parties, especially in cross-border contracts, as the validity and enforceability of such clauses had been previously questioned by some national courts. Asymmetric jurisdiction clauses allow one party of a contract to choose a competent court from jurisdiction of its choice in the event of a dispute, while restricting the other party to courts of only a specified jurisdiction. These

About us

Kinstellar acts as trusted legal counsel to leading investors across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Southeast Europe (SEE) and Central Asia. Our reputation for quality, excellence and integrity speaks for itself.

With offices in 12 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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*2024 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 Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Southeast Europe (SEE) and Central Asia.

Our Team

Newsfeed

🌟 We are proud to share that 82 of our leading lawyers have earned a total of 105 individual rankings in this year’s Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa edition. 🏆 11 Partners included in the Hall of Fame 🥇 26 individuals recognised as Leading Partners 🏅 18 lawyers named Next Generation Partners ⭐ 32 lawyers ranked as Leading Associates Huge congratulations to our ranked colleagues! Your commitment to excellence continues to set new standards. 👏   📸 Swipe to see who is ranked this year and for which practice areas! Missed our team rankings? Scroll down on our page to check them out! 👇 #ExceptionalTogether #Award #Legal500 #InTheKnow #Recognition #EMEA #LegalAward #LeadingLawyers

Meet Us at Wiener M&A Day 2025 – 7 May, Haus der Industrie, Vienna! 📌 We are delighted to co-host this key event for M&A professionals — a platform to exchange insights and explore the latest developments in the Austrian M&A landscape, this year with a special focus on the energy sector. 🌟 🤝 Join us at the conference and meet our M&A experts! 🎤 Horst Ebhardt will take the stage at 12:15 PM as moderator of the panel discussion: “Buy Now, Pay Later: Purchase Price Adjustments in Practice”. He will be joined by a notable panel featuring: Alexandra Nagle (Managing Director, DC Advisory) Jürgen Kittel (Partner, Dorda) Gerhard Hermann (Partner, Baker McKenzie) The panel will discuss how parties to an M&A transaction can address the determination of the purchase price and possible purchase price adjustment arrangements to cope with an increasingly volatile market environment. 📍 Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with top-tier experts, gain up-to-date market intelligence, and engage in conversations around the most pressing M&A and AI innovation topics. Are you attending? Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/dPw4YQXi #ExceptionalTogether #ViennaMandADay #MergersAndAcquisitions #CorporateLaw #MALaw #Austria #LegalExpertise #Conferences

🎮✨ Next week, we are heading to Rome for the Games Industry Law Summit On Tour conference! ✨🎮 Petr Bratský, Co-Head of our Interactive Entertainment & Gaming practice, is looking forward to meet you and chat about the latest developments in the evolving video games industry across Central and Eastern Europe. 🌍 📌 There’s plenty to catch up on—including the new video game incentive scheme in the Czech Republic. 🤝 We can't wait to see you all in Rome! #ExceptionalTogether #intheknow #Italy #CzechRepublic #CEE #gamesindustry #videogames #conference #LawSummit

🎉 We are proud to share our latest achievements in the Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2025 Edition: our stellar team has been ranked 🥇 top-tier in 27 practice areas and 🏅 recommended in 48 more. 👏 Kudos to our teams in #Austria, #Bulgaria, #Croatia, #CzechRepublic, #Hungary, #Kazakhstan, #Romania, #Serbia, #Slovakia, #Turkey #Ukraine, and #Uzbekistan for their outstanding rankings—a true testament to your growing market reputation, hard work, dedication and knowledge. A heartfelt thank you to our clients for your valuable trust and partnership! 🔜 Watch this space: we will soon reveal our lawyers’ impressive individual rankings! #ExceptionalTogether #Award #Legal500 #InTheKnow #Recognition #EMEA #LegalAward #LeadingLawyers #TopTierFirm

📢 RO Meet Theodor Artenie, Counsel and Head of Tax, Romania, at the CFO Conference 2025, organized by Business Mark in 📍 Bucharest on 🗓️ 28 March. 💡 Theodor will be speaking in the first session, sharing key insights on anticipated tax changes coming in late 2025 and 2026—important knowledge for CFOs navigating the evolving fiscal landscape. 📊 🏨 The event aims at bringing together top finance leaders to explore trends, challenges, and strategies shaping the future of finance in Romania and beyond. 🙏 Many thanks to BusinessMark for the partnership we have and the opportunity to be part of this important platform for thought leadership in the finance community. 🔗  More details and registration at the link here: https://lnkd.in/en9m6Kxb #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #Finance #CFOConference2025 #TaxUpdate #FinanceLeadership #BusinessMark #BucharestEvents #CFOInsights #TaxRomania #Romania

📢 We are proud to have advised EMMA Capital Group on its strategic acquisition of Diamedix, one of the largest independent medical equipment distributors in Romania, Moldova, Bulgaria, and Ukraine. The transaction, completed through subsidiary Emma Zeta, represents a key step in bolstering EMMA Capital’s presence in the medical technology and diagnostics sector across Southeast Europe. 🏥🧬 🤝 Our legal team was led by Zsuzsa Csiki (Partner, Co-Head of Corporate M&A, Romania), with strong support from Mihai-Cristian Stan (Managing Associate) and Ioana Popescu (Senior Associate). Further team members included: In 📍Romania: Claudia Popescu (Special Counsel), Cosmin Vasilescu (Senior Associate), Teodora Nicoschi (Associate), Dana - Andreea Sârbu (Senior Associate), Denisa Constantin (Associate), Alexandra Sofineti (Associate) — handling due diligence, Cătălin Graure (Counsel), Cristina Costin (Junior Associate), Andreea Vladareanu (Junior Associate) — advising on FDI/Antitrust aspects. In 📍Bulgaria: Diana Dimova (Managing Partner), Nikolay Gergov (Senior Associate). In 📍Ukraine: Olena Kuchynska (Managing Partner), Ihor Kitela (Of Counsel), Oleksandra Putiienko (Associate), Diana Malysh (Associate). 👏 Congratulations to our client and all the teams involved! #ExceptionalTogether #Acquisition #HealthcareDeal #CrossBorderMandA #CorporateLaw #FDI #Antitrust #Teamwork #SoutheasternEurope #Romania #Ukraine #Bulgaria #Moldova

🇺🇦 Kinstellar stands in solidarity with Ukraine and we continue to support those who have suffered unimaginable loss. As part of our ongoing commitment, our Kyiv team has contributed to two vital relief initiatives: 🔹 Pokrova Chortkiv is a foundation dedicated to providing critical aid, equipment, and resources to soldiers and people with disabilities on the front lines. We contributed 230,000 UAH to support their mission. 🔹 Children of Heroes Charity Fund is an organization that provides essential support to children who have lost their parents in this unjust war. We contributed 180,000 UAH to aid their cause. Every act of support counts and each donation sends a powerful message: You are not alone. We stand with you. We urge other companies and organizations to join these critical initiatives, as every contribution is more than just aid—it is a testament to our unity, resilience, and unwavering belief in the power of collective action to create lasting change. 💙 Together, we are stronger. Together, we are exceptional. Together, we will prevail. 💛 #ExceptionalTogether #StandingwithUkraine #Ukraine #Support #Charity #PokrovaChortkiv #ChildrenOfHeroes

📢 We are proud to have advised DSV on the successful sale and leaseback of its newly constructed logistics park in Senec, Slovakia, acquired by REICO LONG LEASE as a result. 🚀 This milestone transaction is the largest sale-and-leaseback deal in Slovakia since 2018, highlighting our team’s real estate and M&A expertise. Spanning 69,600 sqm, the state-of-the-art logistics facility is strategically located with strong connectivity to European markets and a robust ESG profile. Our Bratislava team was led by Adam Pichler (Senior Associate), with support from Alexandra Milde (Junior Associate). ⚖️ We provided end-to-end legal support throughout the project, from land acquisition in 2022 to closing, including drafting and negotiating key agreements. Congratulations to all involved! 👏 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dcd-nSxH #ExceptionalTogether #DoneDeals #Slovakia #ESG #MergersandAcquisitions #RealEstate #Transaction #ESG

📢 🇺🇦 Repeal of the Commercial Code of Ukraine: Analysis of the law and its impact 🤔📝 What does the repeal of the Commercial Code mean for businesses and legal professionals in Ukraine? Our alert provides an in-depth review of the new law, which introduces a landmark reform of Ukraine’s private law system. The alert covers: 🔸 Incorporated commercial code provisions 🔸 Systemic changes in the Ukrainian legal framework 🔸 Mandatory actions for legal entities 🔸 Conceptual shifts in commercial law 🔸 Impact on certain sectors of the economy 🔸 Transition period: adaptation challenges and strategies 📖 Learn more by reading the full analysis here: https://lnkd.in/dxVx58wb 📞 Contact our team in Ukraine to take the necessary actions during the transition period and ensure compliance. #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #LegalReform #Ukraine #CorporateLaw #BusinessRegulation #LegalUpdate #LawReform