Atanas Mihaylov is a Counsel in the Sofia office. He focuses on infrastructure and real estate development projects as well as M&A transactions, advising both on legal and tax aspects. Atanas is also a member of the firm-wide Defence & Security sector team. 

His experience includes structuring real estate acquisitions and disposals and advising on the regulatory, tax, and real estate aspects of share-purchase agreements, corporate reorganisations and joint ventures.

Atanas has rich experience advising clients on various corporate matters such as intra-group financing, distribution of dividends and remittance of profits, as well as winding-up and liquidation. He has also effectively advised clients on commercial litigation and arbitration matters.

Atanas Mihaylov is definitely among the leading real estate lawyers. He knows which issues are important and how to resolve them swiftly with a favourable outcome. I recommend this team wholeheartedly.

Special thanks to Antonia Mavrova and Atanas Mihaylov. They are unique professionals who always get the work done and find a way out of very difficult situations.

Atanas Mihaylov is described by clients as 'highly efficient, diligent, and always focused on finding solutions'.

Legal 500, 2022 / Chambers Europe, 2022

RECENT ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE ADVISING

Real Estate, Construction & Planning

• LION’S HEAD INVESTMENT, a joint venture between Old Mutual Property and AG Capital, on the subsequent expansion of Megapark through strategic real estate acquisitions in Sofia, Bulgaria
• CTP, a real estate developer of high-tech business parks in Central and Eastern Europe, on its entry into the Bulgarian market through three parallel acquisitions of land plots
• GLOBE TRADE CENTER (GTC), a subsidiary of Lone Star – a leading real estate investor, on the negotiations of its long-term lease agreements of Advance Business Center II with the World Bank and Commerzbank
• A LEADING GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY on its acquisition of a sizeable land plot for the construction of its office building in Sofia, including support on spatial planning, environmental and permitting issues and preparation, as well as on reviewing and negotiating design and construction contracts

Dispute Resolution

• NEPI ROCKCASTLE on a litigation strategy with respect to lease agreements between their Bulgarian subsidiaries – operators of two of the largest shopping centres in Bulgaria – and some of the core tenants
• GEMA 96 S.p.A. Italy on a litigation strategy for the protection and return of illegally appropriated real estate in Bulgaria
• SOFIA SOUTH RING MALL on their lease agreements with core tenants and on a litigation strategy regarding the applicability of force majeure claims to lease agreements as well as on different lease termination options

Projects & Infrastructure 

• AN INTERNATIONAL GAS INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANY on the development of cross-border offshore gas pipeline, including maritime and onshore spatial planning, acquisition of property rights, environmental and construction permitting, as well as appeal and litigation against third party claims, operational and tax matters

Energy & Natural Resources

• AN INTERNATIONAL GAS INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANY on the development of cross-border offshore gas pipeline, including maritime and onshore spatial planning, acquisition of property rights, environmental and construction permitting, as well as appeal and litigation against third party claims, operational and tax matters
• A EUROPEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT FUND on its bid for the acquisition of the Bulgarian subsidiaries of an Italian renewable energy corporation

Tax

• A GLOBAL PRIVATE EQUITY FUND on regulatory and tax aspects of the acquisition of two portfolios consisting of non-performing loans and repossessed assets from two Bulgarian banks
• A GLOBAL THIRD-PARTY LOGISTICS PROVIDER on a dispute with the Bulgarian tax authorities regarding joint liability with a supplier for unpaid VAT

M&A AND CORPORATE

• A EUROPEAN RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT FUND on its bid for the acquisition of the Bulgarian subsidiaries of an Italian renewable energy corporation

EDUCATION

• 2004 – 2005: Central European University, Budapest, Hungary, LL.M. in International Business Law
• 2005: Emory University, Atlanta, USA, Certificate in World Law
• 2003: Institute of Industrial Relations and Management, Sofia, Bulgaria, Certification in Organisation, Management and Accounting of Small and Medium-Sized Firms
• 1997 – 2002: University St. Kliment Ohridski, Sofia, Bulgaria, Faculty of Law, LL.M.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION

Sofia Bar Association

LANGUAGES

Bulgarian, English

PUBLICATIONS

• Overview of the Tax and Legal Environment for Private Clients in Bulgaria, Thomson Reuters Practical Law, 2019
• Real Estate Law Review, 7th Edition, Chapter for Bulgaria, 2018
• The Future of Transfer Pricing, International Fiscal Association, Branch Report – Bulgaria, 2017
• Novelties in the European Regime for VAT on Services Related to Real Estate, European Law Review, 2017