Artificial intelligence is increasingly invoked as the explanation behind organisational changes, productivity shifts, or even workforce reductions. In many cases this reflects a genuine technological transformation. In others, however, AI risks becoming a convenient narrative rather than an accurate description of what actually occurs within a business. The numbers are instructive. According to a report published by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, of the 1.2 million job cuts announced by US companies in 2025, AI was cited in approximately 55,000 of them. When workforce decisions are already subject to scrutiny, explanations that do not hold up to legal or factual examination may create additional risks for employers.
CRD VI (Directive (EU) 2024/1619) introduces a new harmonised EU regime requiring EU credit institutions and licensed (mixed) financial holding companies to obtain prior approval and to notify supervisors before carrying out material acquisitions, mergers, divisions, or material transfers of assets and liabilities. The existing regime governing acquisitions or disposals of qualifying holdings in a credit institution will continue to apply in parallel, with some amendments. The new unified regime replaces today's patchwork of Member State national rules and extends supervisory involvement well beyond the existing qualifying holdings framework. Until now, many Member States (including Austria) required approval only for
Kinstellar is advising the shareholders of ROFA Industrial Automation on the sale of the German ROFA Group to the listed French SPIE Group. ROFA Industrial Automation (ROFA), headquartered in Bavaria, is a leading provider of automation technology, intralogistics solutions, and special‑purpose machinery with operations in China, Austria, Hungary, Romania, the Netherlands, Poland, and the United States. ROFA's portfolio covers the full project lifecycle, from consulting and software/hardware engineering to manufacturing, commissioning, and after-sales services. By acquiring ROFA, SPIE aims to strengthen its strategic position in the German industrial services market. The transaction remains subject to antitrust
Kinstellar and KST Law have assisted Simmons & Simmons on Turkish law aspects related to the acquisition by Wise Equity, the Milan-based private equity firm, of a majority stake in Marullo. Marullo is recognized as a leader in pistachio products (including semi-finished and finished goods) based in Bronte, Sicily. The deal is designed to support the international growth and expansion of Marullo, strengthening its raw material procurement, and enhancing its position in the high-quality ingredient market. Marullo has a pistachio sourcing and initial processing subsidiary in Turkey. Partner Emre Edmund Özer, Senior Associate Sıla Şaylı and Associate Fırat Erin formed the core team advising the client on the
Uzbekistan is increasingly viewed as a prospective jurisdiction for rare earth elements and associated critical minerals ("REEs"). The sector is primarily policy-driven, with state authorities actively promoting exploration and foreign investment. Under subsoil legislation, REEs fall within categories subject to heightened regulatory oversight, reflecting their economic and strategic significance. As a result, licensing, export, and commercialization conditions may differ from those applicable to ordinary construction or industrial minerals. Our team has prepared a comprehensive guide outlining the most recent developments in the sector. Click on the image below or use this link to read our overview
Kinstellar is pleased to announce the launch of the Tax Service Line, marking a significant step in the continued development of the Firm's integrated, full-service platform. The new Tax Service Line strengthens Kinstellar's ability to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end tax and legal support across its jurisdictions. The regional Tax Service Line will be led by our reputable tax lawyer and tax advisors and Co-Heads Maja Mayrhuber (Partner, Austria) and Theodor Artenie (Counsel, Romania), who will drive the strategic direction of the practice area and oversee the rollout of the Service Line across the Firm. They will be supported by a core regional team of experienced tax experts, including Atanas Mihaylov (Counsel
Kinstellar is pleased to announce that, together with Goodwin Procter as lead counsel, it has advised Telehouse Holdings and Andon Zlatev on the sale of shares in Telepoint to Digital Realty, the world's largest cloud- and carrier-neutral data center platform, marking Digital Realty's entry into the Bulgarian market. Telepoint is a leading local data center and interconnection provider and operates two data centers in Sofia, including one of the most highly interconnected facilities in Southeast Europe. Kinstellar advised Telehouse Holdings on all local law aspects of the transaction, which represents a landmark acquisition strengthening Sofia's role as a key Southeast European interconnection hub. The
Kinstellar has successfully advised Czechoslovak Group (CSG), one of Europe's largest defence industry groups, in connection with its indirect minority acquisition in RÁBA Járműipari Holding (RÁBA), a company listed on the Budapest Stock Exchange and majority-owned by 4iG Space and Defence Technologies (4iG S&D). Through the transaction CSG has obtained a shareholding of approximately 37% in RÁBA, with 4iG S&D retaining control. The investment is part of a broader strategic cooperation framework between RÁBA, Tatra Trucks, and CSG Defence, focused on long-term industrial collaboration, including manufacturing and integration activities. The matter involved above-average complexity due to RÁBA's status
Two parallel developments suggest that Europe is drawing clearer boundaries around both AI ownership and data protection. One comes from the Council and the other from a German court, and both signal a more cautious approach toward redefining legal fundamentals in the name of innovation or administrative simplification. 1. Digital omnibus leak: Member States cut the core of the proposed GDPR reform A leaked Council compromise draft removes entirely the proposed redefinition of "personal data" under the GDPR, and that alone underscores how controversial the Digital Omnibus has become. What happened? In November 2025, the European Commission launched the Digital Omnibus, with one of its central ambitions
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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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📢 At Digital Compliance 2026 in Budapest, our Senior Associate Fanni Oroszi, LL.M took the stage to address an increasingly relevant question: Can sharing AI best practices create competition law risks? ⚖ As companies look to industry examples and use cases to understand AI’s real risks and opportunities, knowledge sharing has become essential. But the line between helpful insights and competitively sensitive information can sometimes be thinner than expected. Her key takeaways: ◾ Excessive transparency and information sharing can cause serious risks. ◾ Sharing knowledge about AI is crucial for responsible innovation. ◾ Companies must carefully balance openness with the protection of sensitive business information. ◾ This balance will contribute to the stability of the entire market, the dynamic development, and the responsible use of AI in the long term. Thank you to the organiser, Portfolio Conferences, for the opportunity! #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #AI #Compliance #CompetitionLaw #DigitalCompliance2026 #Budapest #LawEvents
📢 We are pleased to announce the launch of our regional Tax Service Line. This marks a significant step in the continued development of the Firm’s integrated, full-service platform and strengthens our ability to deliver comprehensive, end-to-end tax and legal support across our jurisdictions. The regional Tax Service Line will be led by our reputable tax lawyers and tax advisors, and Co-Heads Maja Mayrhuber (Partner, Vienna) and Theodor Artenie (Counsel, Bucharest), who will drive the strategic direction of the practice area and oversee the rollout of the Service Line across the Firm. They will be supported by a core regional team of experienced tax experts, including Atanas Mihaylov (Counsel, Sofia), Carmen Mazilu (Senior Associate, Bucharest), Roxana Gheorghe (Senior Associate, Bucharest), Nicoleta Florea (Draganescu) (Managing Associate, Bucharest), and Lyudmyla Dzhurylyuk (Managing Associate, Kyiv). ⚖️ This new Service Line enables us to provide coordinated, high-quality tax and legal support regionally. Our broad set of tax law services are structured around five core pillars: • Corporate & Transactional Tax • Transfer Pricing • Tax Litigation & Controversy • Employee Compensation & Benefits • Financing & Restructuring Tax 💬 Kristóf Ferenczi, Firm Managing Partner comments: “The launch of our regional Tax Service Line represents an important milestone in the continued development of Kinstellar’s full-service platform. By strengthening our tax capabilities across our jurisdictions, we are enhancing our ability to provide truly comprehensive support to our clients to address increasingly complex business challenges.” 📍 Discover more here: https://lnkd.in/dnBPsvWu #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #Tax #TaxLaw #CrossBorder #Regional #CEE #SEE #CentralAsia #LegalServices
It was a pleasure meeting so many motivated law students at ELSA Bucharest’s JobFest 2026. We truly enjoyed this year’s session and the thoughtful questions from students made the discussion even more engaging. Many students were particularly interested in learning how our lawyers chose their practice areas and what the interview process at Kinstellar looks like. We were happy to share our experiences and insights into building a legal career in an international law firm environment.
Surfing guide series: Uzbekistan’s rare earth elements sector ⛏️ Our short guide for lawyers, investors and lenders is now out! #Uzbekistan is increasingly viewed as a prospective jurisdiction for rare earth elements and associated critical minerals (“#REEs”). The sector is primarily policy-driven, with state authorities actively promoting exploration and foreign investment. Under subsoil legislation, REEs fall within categories subject to heightened regulatory oversight, reflecting their economic and strategic significance. As a result, licensing, export, and commercialization conditions may differ from those applicable to ordinary construction or industrial minerals. 💡 Our experts, Partner Otabek Suleimanov and Junior Associate Rustam Salomov, have prepared a comprehensive guide outlining the most recent developments in the sector. ➡️ Read it below or download from our website: https://lnkd.in/dcAeR6Gp #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #SurfingGuideSeries #RareEarth #RareEarthElements #CriticalMinerals
We are pleased to support the shareholders of ROFA Industrial Automation in the sale of German ROFA Group to listed French SPIE. ROFA is a leading provider of automation technology, intralogistics solutions, and special-purpose machinery and operations across Europe, Asia, and the US with global revenues of around EUR 430 million and more than 1,200 employees. SPIE is a leading European multi‑technical services provider that expects to further strengthen its position in the industrial services market. ⚖️ Our cross‑border team advised on the Austrian, Hungarian, and Romanian aspects of the transaction together with German law firm SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz. Our Kinstellar team was led by Partner Philipp Kapl and Senior Associate Johannes Varga from Vienna, and includes Katalin Nógrádi, J.D., LL.M. (Senior Associate, Budapest), Gábor Gelencsér (Partner, Budapest), Rusandra Sandu (Partner, Bucharest), Luiza Bedros (Partner, Bucharest), Cristina Stamboli (Counsel, Bucharest), and Fanni Oroszi, LL.M (Senior Associate, Budapest). 🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dMxwzxXT #ExceptionalTogether #DoneDeals #ROFA #Austria #Hungary #Romania #Transactions #Automation #Logistics
📣 🇧🇬 We are pleased to announce that our Sofia office, together with Goodwin Procter as lead counsel, has advised Telehouse Holdings and Andon Zlatev on the sale of shares in Telepoint to Digital Realty, the world’s largest cloud- and carrier-neutral data centre platform, marking Digital Realty’s entry into the Bulgarian market. Our team advised Telehouse Holdings on all local law aspects of the transaction, which represents a landmark acquisition strengthening Sofia’s role as a key Southeast European interconnection hub. The matter was led by Diana Dimova (Managing Partner), with key support from Nikolay Gergov (Senior Associate), Milka Nikolova (Of Counsel), Debora Dineva (Senior Associate), Simeon Vachev (Senior Associate), Yasen Toshev (Associate), Vilislava Kolarova (Associate), and Antonio Dafinov (Junior Associate). ➡️ Read more: https://lnkd.in/dsjRdS6P #ExceptionalTogether #DoneDeals #Bulgaria #MergersAndAcquisitions #DataCentre #Interconnection
🤖 Europe recalibrates: AI copyright and GDPR scope under pressure Two parallel developments point to a more cautious EU approach on both data protection and #AI ownership. A leaked Council compromise draft would drop the Digital Omnibus proposal to introduce a relative approach to “personal data” under the #GDPR, under which pseudonymised data could fall outside GDPR for certain actors depending on their ability to identify individuals, instead referencing the EDPB’s ongoing work on updated guidance, with trialogue talks only just beginning. In parallel, a Munich court (Amtsgericht München) refused copyright protection for AI-generated logos made with generic prompts, noting protection may be possible only where the output reflects a prompter’s personal intellectual creation and AI merely realises a precise pre-existing idea. 💡 Read the full article by Andrada Popescu, Managing Associate, here: https://lnkd.in/dAj4cFtU #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #AIAct #AIOwnership #EULaw #Compliance #DataProtection #PersonalData #AIGovernance #TechLaw
📢 We are pleased to announce that Miloš Gledović has rejoined our Belgrade office as Of Counsel, strengthening our capabilities in the Energy and Real Estate sectors. With more than 15 years of cross-border experience, Miloš advises on sophisticated energy and real estate matters, with a focus on project finance and construction. His work also includes corporate and tax structuring in the context of complex international transactions, supporting financial institutions, project developers, PE investors, and other industry professionals. In addition, Miloš brings valuable experience from the commercial real estate sector and expanded tax expertise, enabling him to deliver practical, business‑oriented legal advice. Miloš was a Partner at SOG Law Office prior to the merger with Kinstellar. Having worked together in the past, we are especially delighted to welcome him back—there is no better confirmation of a strong team and culture than when talented colleagues choose to return. 💬 “We are thrilled that Miloš has rejoined our office. We are delighted to be working together again, and proud that our office is a place where colleagues choose to return. We previously enjoyed excellent collaboration, and we are confident that his broad expertise and deep legal knowledge will contribute significantly to the continued growth and success of our team.” - Miloš Velimirović, Office Managing Partner Welcome back, Miloš! #ExceptionalTogether #TeamGrowth #Belgrade #OfCounsel #Energy #ProjectFinance #RealEstate #Tax #Legal #Serbia #WesternBalkans
We are back at the #ELSA Job Fair at the Faculty of Law, Charles University in #Prague! 🎓⚖️ If you're a law student wondering what your future in international law could look like, come and talk to us. Our colleagues are here and ready to share their experience. At Kinstellar, we believe that great legal careers are built through collaboration, curiosity and real responsibility from day one. #ExceptionalTogether 💬 Stop by our stand, ask questions, and discover where your legal journey could take you. Your future colleagues might be right here. #ELSAJobFair #FutureLawyers #LawStudents #LegalCareer #Kinstellar #Prague #Networking