NEW YORK — March 19, 2005 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – The Warsaw office of international law firm Dewey Ballantine has been named the top law firm in Poland for the second time in a row by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR) magazine. In addition to the national award for Poland, the firm came out among the winners with the M&A deal of the year award as advisers to Sanofi’s financial advisers in the Sanofi-Synthelabo-Aventis takeover.
The prestigious European IFLR awards are given to law firms with a track record in the most pioneering transactions. The awards ceremony, attended by leading attorneys, bankers and business people, took place on March 16th at the Savoy Hotel in London. Richard Shutran, Co-Managing Partner, received the awards on behalf of Dewey Ballantine.
“We are delighted to maintain our position at the top of the Polish legal market, thanks to the successful completion of a number of sizeable and innovative deals in 2004. The award is a reflection of the firm’s commitment to developing its international presence and enhancing its standing in Central and Eastern Europe”, said Richard Shutran, Co-Managing Partner for Dewey Ballantine. “We look forward to continuing success and exploring further opportunities in this region.”
“We are extremely proud to have received this award for the second time. This international recognition means a great deal, confirming our strong position in Poland” ? says Jaroslaw Grzesiak, the Managing Partner of the Warsaw office.
Senior Partner Lejb Fogelman said: “This award demonstrates that Dewey Ballantine is successfully developing its international growth strategy in Europe, a strategy in which Poland is playing an increasingly significant role. I am convinced that the importance of the Polish market will continue to grow over the coming years, as it has the highest potential in Europe.” In 2004 Dewey Ballantine advised on complex international transactions such
as: (i) the listing of IVAX on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (WSE) and its acquisition of shares in the Polish pharmaceutical company Polfa Kutno (IVAX is the first U.S. concern to be listed on the WSE and one of the first dual-listings of a non-Polish company), (ii) the first use in Poland of the EU “single passport” securities procedure for the listing of foreign debt securities (launch of Citibank N.A.’s $436 million Senior Exchangeable Notes for shares in Bank Handlowy w Warszawie S.A.); (iii) and the $505 million acquisition of the biggest Czech oil company UNIPETROL, a.s. by PKN ORLEN S.A.
Last year was the first time that the IFLR granted an award to the top law firm in Poland. Dewey Ballantine won the award for the following
transactions: Bank Austria Creditanstalt AG international share offering (the first transaction in Poland where a foreign company was listed on the WSE), representing Lockheed Martin in the largest Polish off-set programme and PKN Orlen in its acquisition of almost 500 gas stations in Germany from British Petroleum.
