We use our Polish experience of over three decades – and our international capability – to help our clients make the most of domestic, regional, and international business opportunities.
Well-established in the Polish market
We opened our Warsaw office in 1992 and today we have a team of over 110 lawyers, including 12 partners. Most of our lawyers are qualified in Polish law, several are dual qualified, and all are fluent in Polish and English.
Top-tier work across a range of sectors and legal areas
We have close working relationships with leading banks and financial institutions, and top-tier corporates. We work with domestic and international clients. Polish companies value the way we put the firm's resources to work on their behalf. International companies know that our on-the-ground capability delivers results. And all our clients rely on our technical excellence, pragmatic advice and client-focused approach.
Awards
- The most innovative law firm of the year 2022
Rzeczpospolita 2023 Ranking of Law Firms - 1st place in the category "the largest transactions concluded with the legal assistance provided by the law firm in 2022"
Rzeczpospolita 2023 Ranking of Law Firms - International Law Firm of the Year
IFLR Europe Awards 2023 - Europe Law Firm of the Year
Chambers Europe Awards 2023 - International law firm of the year
IFLR Europe Awards 2022 - Law Firm of the Year: Poland
Chambers Europe Awards 2021 - Law Firm of the Year: Poland
IFLR European Awards 2020 - Central & Eastern Europe M&A Legal Adviser of the Year
MergerMarket Europe M&A Awards 2019
Recent highlights
- Clifford Chance advised Cellnex Telecom S.A., Europe’s leading operator of wireless telecommunications infrastructures, on the Polish aspects of its acquisition of the remaining 30% stake in OnTower Poland sp. z o.o., the Polish telecommunications infrastructure company.
- Clifford Chance advised Mitsui & Co., Ltd. on its JPY20 billion acquisition of a partial stake in Italian food business Euricom S.p.A.
- Clifford Chance advised Airbus Defence and Space SAS on the signing, together with Airbus DS Geo SA, of an agreement with the Polish Armament Agency for the sale of two observation satellites. Clifford Chance advised on both public procurement proceedings and negotiations of the agreement.
- Clifford Chance advised Cargounit, a leading Central and Eastern European locomotive lessor headquartered in Poland, on a complex transaction contemplating a financing platform combining term facilities, a private placement loan, revolving and capex facilities of up to PLN 1.5bn (EUR 338m). The financing also includes a sustainability-linked loan which Cargounit will use to fund the purchase of environmentally friendly locomotives.
- Clifford Chance advised Baltic Hub (DCT) on the expansion and refinancing of its existing debt and the construction of the third deep water sea container terminal. Baltic Hub (DCT Gdańsk) is one of the fastest growing in the world and the largest container terminal in the Baltic Sea, regularly serving the world's largest container vessels.
- Clifford Chance represented Mostostal Zabrze SA in an arbitration dispute with Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions concerning the construction of the AEGIS Ashore system base in Redzikowo, Poland. The proceedings concerned the performance and settlement as well as the consequences of rescission of the contract concluded as part of the construction of the anti-missile shield system base between Mostostal Zabrze as the contractor and Wood as the employer.
- Clifford Chance advised European Investment Bank on the intercreditor agreement entered into in connection with a PLN 1 billion subordinated loan granted to Operator Gazociągów Przesyłowych Gaz System Spółka Akcyjna by state fund PFR (PFR Fundusz Inwestycyjny Fundusz Inwestycyjny Zamknięty Aktywów Niepublicznych) and on the amendment agreements to four finance contracts made between European Investment Bank and Operator Gazociągów Przesyłowych Gaz-System Spółka Akcyjna.
- Clifford Chance advises Prologis on the €1.585 billion acquisition of the Crossbay pan-European urban logistics portfolio.
- Clifford Chance advised mBank S.A. on a synthetic securitisation transaction on a portfolio of corporate loans with the total value of almost PLN 9 billion. It was the first STS synthetic securitization in Poland, as well as the first transaction in the Polish market executed entirely with a private sector investor, and the first Polish SRT trade with a credit linked note issued directly by the bank. The transaction received the award for the “transaction of the year 2022”, according to the Rzeczpospolita Ranking of Law Firms
- Clifford Chance advised Allegro, the most popular shopping platform in Poland and one of the world’s top ten e-commerce websites, on its acquisition of 100% of the shares of Mall Group a.s. and WE I DO CZ s.r.o. from the selling shareholders PPF, EC Investments, and Rockaway Capital for a total consideration of EUR 881m.
Directory and client comments
Chambers Europe 2023
- Band 1 in Banking & Finance in Poland
- Band 1 in Capital Markets: Debt in Poland
- Band 1 in Competition/Antitrust in Poland
- Band 1 in Corporate/M&A in Poland
- Band 1 in Dispute Resolution in Poland
- Band 1 in Private Equity in Poland
Client comments
Clifford Chance is a superb team with an excellent track record in handling complex cross-border M&A transactions, as well as the creation of high-impact joint ventures. The team has impressive experience across a range of industry sectors including financial services, media and IT. The law firm is also highly active on private equity deals. Clifford Chance's enviable client roster features high-profile domestic, European and international corporates.
Clients enthuse that Clifford Chance's team is "absolutely excellent - totally professional, really commercial, always available - superb."
Chambers Europe 2023: Corporate/M&A: High-end Capability – Poland
Clifford Chance is a market-leading practice group representing both lenders and borrowers. The law firm is active on the full range of banking and finance transactions, covering areas such as acquisition and project finance as well as debt refinancing. The legal practice boasts a client roster of sizeable domestic and regional banks as well as developmental financial institutions. Clifford Chance also acts on project financing in the energy sector. The law firm benefits from its global network and is frequently sought out by international clients.
One client notes: "They offer a good mix of fighting for the client without creating unnecessary pressure or conflict with the other side of the deal."
Chambers Europe 2023: Banking & Finance – Poland
Clifford Chance fields a highly respected real estate team that also offers strong expertise in construction matters. The law firm's client roster includes international investors, contractors and property developers. Its extensive international network allows the team to effectively tackle cross-border mandates. The practice is active on transactions featuring a range of property assets, including office buildings, shopping centres and logistics parks. The law firm also represents clients in construction disputes and assists with construction contracts. Additionally, Clifford Chance houses a strong real estate financing practice group.
According to one client: "The team of Clifford Chance is responsive, engaged and professional."
Chambers Europe 2023: Construction/Real Estate – Poland
Clifford Chance has an outstanding team with a comprehensive dispute resolution practice covering high-stakes arbitration, including investment arbitration, as well as commercial disputes and white-collar crime matters. The team advises banks and other financial institutions, in addition to blue-chip international corporate clients from a broad array of industries. The law firm handles commercial litigation, with activity involving construction, financial regulatory, energy and shareholder disputes.
" It’s a team that handles some of the most important cases in the Polish market," one client enthuses.
Chambers Europe 2023: Dispute Resolution – Poland