Kristóf Ferenczi is appointed Firm Managing Partner of Kinstellar
Kinstellar teams up with and integrates SOG Law Firm in Serbia

news, deals & insights

News December 2023

Kristóf Ferenczi is appointed Firm Managing Partner of Kinstellar

Kinstellar is delighted to announce that Kristóf Ferenczi has been appointed as new Firm Managing Partner effective from 1 January 2024. He will succeed Patrik Bolf, who will take on a new position within the Firm focusing on certain firm-wide projects, after having spent a very successful six years in the role. Kristóf Ferenczi has extensive executive management experience having served on Kinstellar’s Firm Management Committee since 2018 and as the Managing Partner of the Firm’s Budapest office. With over 20 years of experience, Kristóf has been with Kinstellar since the Firm’s foundation 15 years ago, and prior to that with Linklaters and DLA Piper. Kristóf is a very well-regarded energy sector specialist

News December 2023

Balázs Sepsey is appointed Office Managing Partner of Kinstellar’s Budapest office

Kinstellar is delighted to announce that Balázs Sepsey has been appointed as new Office Managing Partner of Kinstellar’s Budapest office effective from 1 January 2024. Balázs takes over from Kristóf Ferenczi, who has been appointed Kinstellar’s Firm Managing Partner. Rising over the years from Junior Associate to Partner in 2021, Balázs has become one of the finest acknowledged professionals in his field. A recognised energy market expert, Balázs has been a key driver of the growth and success of the Budapest energy practice over the years. As a member of the Budapest office’s management team and a mentor in the local mentoring scheme, Balázs has gained a strong understanding of our culture and values.

Insights December 2023

Romania transposes the ECN+ Directive, further strengthening the Competition Council’s investigative powers

Facing EU infringement concerns, Romania has finally adopted an ordinance amending the Competition Law no. 21/1996 (the “Competition Law”), aimed at fully transposing into local law EU Directive 1/2019 to empower the competition authorities of the Member States to be more effective enforcers and to ensure the proper functioning of the internal market (the “ECN+ Directive”). This was carried out through Government Emergency Ordinance no. 108/2023 (“GEO 108/2023”), published in the Official Gazette on 6 December 2023. GEO 108/2023 goes further than merely transposing the provisions of the ECN+ Directive (as some of the principles in the directive had already been reflected under national law previously)

Insights December 2023

Gotta catch 'em all: Extending the scope of the Romanian FDI Screening Regime to EU investors and below-control acquisitions

A little over one year since Romania’s new foreign direct investment (“FDI”) screening regime (that we previously wrote about here and here) became fully operational, the Romanian government passed an emergency ordinance meant to further clarify particular aspects under the law (such as the scope of the screening regime, which is further extended) or to translate into law the lessons learnt or the authorities’ reading of the rules since applying the new FDI law.   The new changes to the FDI law were introduced by Government Emergency Ordinance no. 108/2023 on amending the supplementing Competition Law no. 21/1996, as well as other normative acts (the “FDI Amendment Law”, published in the Official Gazette

Deals December 2023

Kinstellar advises Nova Ljubljanska Banka, d.d. (NLB) on the acquisition of Summit Leasing Slovenia

Kinstellar has successfully advised Slovenia's largest banking group, Nova Ljubljanska Banka, d.d. Ljubljana ("NLB"), on the acquisition of 100% shareholding in SLS Holdco, the parent company of Summit Leasing, a leading provider of car financing in Slovenia, and its subsidiaries, from funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).    Completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory and anti-trust approvals and is planned for the second half of 2024. The acquisition would make NLB the first and only financial institution in the region to cover all leasing markets of the former Yugoslavia. Summit Leasing has a vast network

Deals December 2023

Kinstellar advises S IMMO AG on the sale of Eurocenter office building in Zagreb, Croatia

Kinstellar has successfully advised S IMMO AG, a real estate investment company, on the sale of Eurocenter, one of its office buildings in Zagreb, to Atlantic Grupa d.d.  The transaction, which was carried out by way of a share deal, has an asset value of EUR 26.5 million. Eurocenter has been part of S IMMO AG’s commercial property portfolio since 2008. The centrally located, six-storey modern building features around 9,000 sqm and counts IBM, Atlantic Grupa, EBRD, and the Polish, Irish and Finnish embassies among its tenants. The Kinstellar team was led by Andrijana Kaštelan, Managing Associate, and included Duško Žurić, Partner, Senior Associates Tena Pajalić and Matea Sekur, as well as Kristina Marinov

Deals December 2023

Kinstellar advises Genesis Capital on the sale of SANBORN

Kinstellar’s Prague office has successfully advised Genesis Private Equity Fund III (GPEF III), from the established private equity group Genesis Capital, on the sale of SANBORN, a key supplier of precision components and specialised parts for the power generation, oil & gas and transportation industries, to Singapore-based industrial g roup Oriens.  Sanborn manufactures and supplies critical components for the world’s leading manufacturers of generators and turbines, energy companies and transportation, mainly from special steel alloys. The company’s key clients include leading international industrial conglomerates such as GE, Siemens, Wabtec, Technip FMC, and OneSubsea. The company expects revenues

Insights December 2023

Update on the Advertising Regulatory Landscape in Ukraine

Amendments to Law of Ukraine on Advertising No. 270/96-ВР of 3 July 1996 have recently come into force. The amendments update obsolete regulations on advertising in Ukraine, thus ensuring advertising standards correspond to current technological developments. Click on one of the images below or click on the following links to read the overview in English or in Ukrainian. Download in English: Download in Ukrainian:

Deals December 2023

Kinstellar advises Chinese investors on Serbian wind farm venture

Kinstellar has successfully advised Chinese investors CMC Capital, a member of China National Technical Import and Export Corporation group (“CNTIC”), and Shanghai Electric Power & Energy Development Limited (“SEP”) on the acquisition of 100% of the shares in Crni Vrh Power d.o.o., a project company developing a 150 MW onshore wind farm in the eastern Serbian municipalities of Bor, Žagubica, and Majdanpek. The Crni Vrh wind farm was purchased "ready-to-build"—which means that all essential permits and land rights were secured prior to the start of the construction phase, which includes 28 wind turbines. With this acquisition, CNTIC and SEP have entered Serbia’s renewable energy sources (RES)

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 350 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)

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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 Emerging Europe and Central Asia.

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🌟 #15 years #15 voices 🙌🏼 #15 years since Day 1, what does #Kinstellar actually mean to its people? 🎤 We talked to 15 #people from our offices who describe their #experience of working at the firm and what Kinstellar represents to them. 🎬 Kateřina Murphy highlights the importance of #teamwork and having a #cohesive team in the workplace. Kateřina has been with Kinstellar for a decade, serving as a legal assistant in our Prague office. “We don’t just share office space, we share moments.” At Kinstellar, we proudly nurture a spirit of teamwork every day, fuelling our #success and distinctive #culture.   #exceptionaltogether #15years #leadinglawfirm #leadinglawyers

It is always a pleasure to contribute to such an important conversation about the #netzero economy. Antonia Mavrova, our firm-wide Head of Automotive & Industrials, presented the new #legal framework that aims to ensure EU access to supply of critical #rawmaterials, enabling Europe to meet its 2030 climate and digital objectives.

Antonia Mavrova presents the new legal framework that aims to ensure EU access to supply of critical raw materials

🌟 A recent interview with Jan Juroska, one of our partners in Prague, has been featured in the weekly newspaper Euro's Top Legal Business. 🔍 Explore 'Křížové Rozhovory: Talenti ve Vedení Elitních Kanceláří'. In this insightful interview, Jan Juroška delves into the core values of our law firm – Team, Prestige, and Fun – while exploring the future of legal fields such as technology, cybersecurity, and AI regulation. He emphasizes the need to embrace AI and automation in legal processes and discusses the challenges of talent acquisition in law. #LegalExpertise #PragueLaw #IndustryInsights #exceptionaltogether

📢 🇧🇬  In an interview for Lexology GTDT, Diana Dimova, Partner and co-head of the M&A, Corporate & Private Equity service line in Bulgaria, shares her thoughts on M&A trends in the country over the past couple of years. 💡 While 2022 saw a noticeable decline in M&A due to geopolitical factors and their economic impact, 2023 brought a few large transactions, especially in the beginning of the year. Looking ahead, the green transition and digitalisation are long-term drivers of M&A, and they will continue to push deal activity in Bulgaria, especially in the energy and technology sectors. 🌟 According to Diana, there are three main things that clients should consider when selecting counsel for a complex deal in Bulgaria: sector insight, breadth of expertise encompassing all specialist topics and, last but not least, team spirit - clients feel satisfied when the team works seamlessly and acts as an extension to their own deal team.   Lexology GTDT: Market Intelligence provides a unique perspective on evolving legal and regulatory landscapes in major jurisdictions around the world. Through engaging, easily comparable interviews, the series provides the legal profession's thought leaders with a platform for sharing their views on current market conditions and developments in the law.   👇🏻 Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/dNEkuFxz   #mergersandacquisitions #leadinglawyers #intheknow #exceptionaltogether  

An interview with Kinstellar discussing M&A in Bulgaria

📢 Meet us at the #Balkans #Property Forum tomorrow, 📅 30 November, 📍 in #Belgrade, an event organised by our partners Property Forum Events & News. 🎤 Mario Kijanović, Senior Associate in our Belgrade office, joins the event as a #speaker in the panel “Building the next chapter – #SEE real estate development update”, 🕐 starting at 12:10 CET. ➡️ Balkans Property Forum is a leading #property event in Southeast Europe organised for the 6th time in Belgrade. It provides an overview of the key trends shaping the #European property sector as a whole and offers detailed insight into each individual market in the Balkans region. 👉🏻 More information about the event here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/drKMBabw ✨ We would be delighted to see you there! 🤝🏻 #intheknow #realestateconferences #realestateexperts #balkans #leadinglawyersSerbia

Balkans Property Forum 2023 - Belgrade, Serbia

🇺🇦 📢 Daniel Bilak, Partner in our #Kyiv office, will speak at the #GrowCanada #conference - the Global Context panel.   On the heels of the pandemic, the war in Ukraine has caused major disruptions to the global food supply and an immense amount of human suffering.   🎤 Daniel will speak about what life has been like on the ground in Ukraine and how the war has impacted the domestic #agribusiness industry as well as the #geopolitical food security implications.   💼 GrowCanada2023 will bring together leading #experts from various industries to conduct panels on new products and innovative solutions for #agricultural, nutritional, #health, #energy, and #environmental challenges in Canada and around the #world. More about the conference here 👉🏻 https://lnkd.in/dydUdfj9.   🙌🏻 Join us for #insightful discussions. Connect with industry leaders and explore the latest insights shaping the future of the world's agriculture.   #intheknow #GrowCanada23 #AgricultureInnovation #GlobalImpact #KinstellarInsights #thoughtleader #thoughtleadership

Home - GrowCanada Conference

📢 🇨🇿 Kinstellar has successfully advised S IMMO AG, a real estate #investment company, on acquiring a #property portfolio in the Czech Republic from CPI Property Group. The property portfolio comprises 11 office and retail properties, as well as development land. The transaction's property value is EUR 481 million, with an annual rental income of approximately EUR 29 million. Klara Stepankova, Partner and the Co-head of the firm-wide Real Estate sector and Real Estate, Construction & Planning services added: “We are thrilled to have advised S IMMO AG on this large and complex portfolio transaction and assist them in further expansion in the Czech Republic.” 🌟 The Kinstellar team was led by Klara Stepankova (Partner) and Martin Holub (Managing Associate), the financing workstream was led by Jakub Šťastný (Senior Associate). Further team members included Dominik Ševců (Junior Associate), Dominik Čtvrtníček (Junior Associate), Radka Juštová (Senior Associate), Arťom Gnědin (Associate), Matěj Večeřa (Senior Associate), Zuzana Mihaliková (Junior Associate) and Zuzana Konečná (Junior Associate). #exceptionaltogether #donedeals #leadinglawyers https://lnkd.in/dd5j2aa2

Kinstellar advises S IMMO AG on its acquisition of EUR 481 million property portfolio in the Czech Republic (Detail) - Kinstellar

🌟 Kinstellar has a rich heritage and diverse culture. This shapes what the firm is today. 🙌🏼 #15 years since Day 1, what does Kinstellar actually mean to its people? 🎤 We talked to 15 #people from our offices who describe their #experience of working at the firm and what Kinstellar represents to them. 🎬 Madalina Perte, Managing Associate in our #Bucharest office, looks at Kinstellar as the place where she discovered the passion for what she does. 💡 What inspires her the most? 👇🏻 💬 “My #journey as a lawyer has been driven by the people I work with - their talent, hard work and enthusiasm. I am the kind of person who thrives in a friendly and open culture and this is what we have here 🙌.” #exceptionaltogether #15years #leadinglawfirm #leadinglawyers

It was a privilege to connect with so many #talented and #inspiring law students at the Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski, Faculty of #Law, and talk about what the legal profession can offer. Georgi Kanev, Managing Associate and Nikolay Gergov, Associate had the pleasure of discussing with law students what Big Law is, how we do it at Kinstellar and what #skills and knowledge it takes to be part of the team.

Georgi Kanev, Managing Associate and Nikolay Gergov, Associate discuss Big Law at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski