Skip to main content

Lejb Fogelman focuses his practice on international business transactions in Poland, including private equity, privatization, corporate reorganizations, joint ventures, financings, public offerings, and mergers and acquisitions.

Concentrations

  • Banking and finance
  • M&A transactions
  • Private equity
  • Corporate restructurings
  • Privatizations
  • Joint Ventures

Capabilities

Experience

  • Represented Allianz S.E. in connection with the EUR 2.5 billion acquisition of the Polish life and non-life insurance operations, as well as pension and asset management business, from Aviva and acquire a 51% stake in Aviva’s life and non-life bancassurance joint ventures with Santander.
  • Represented Allianz S.E. in connection with the EUR 2.5 billion acquisition of the Polish life and non-life insurance operations, as well as pension and asset management business, from Aviva and acquire a 51% stake in Aviva’s life and non-life bancassurance joint ventures with Santander. The value of the transaction exceeded EUR 2.5 billion.
  • Represented BNP Paribas Group in connection with the acquisition of the core banking business of Raiffeisen Bank Polska S.A. by Bank BGŻ BNP Paribas S.A. for PLN 3.25 billion, and the related equity investment of PLN 430 million by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development through the acquisition of a circa 4.5 percent stake in BGŻ BNP Paribas from Raiffeisen Bank International AG and BNP Paribas SA.
  • Represented Société Générale in connection with the sale of Euro Bank, its retail banking subsidiary in Poland, to Bank Millennium.
  • Represented Deutsche Bank AG in connection with the sale and demerger of Deutsche Bank Polska S.A.’s local Private & Commercial Banking business to Santander Bank Polska S.A. (formerly Bank Zachodni WBK).
  • Represented Alior Bank in connection with the acquisition of Bank BPH’s core business from affiliates of GE Capital.
  • Represented BNP Paribas in connection with the merger of Bank Gospodarki Żywnościowej with BNP Paribas Bank Polska.
  • Represented BNP Paribas in connection with the transformation of Sygma Banque Polish Branch into a domestic bank and its acquisition by Bank BGŻ BNP Paribas.
  • Represented BNP Paribas in connection with the acquisition of 90% of shares in Bank Gospodarki Żywnościowej S.A. from Rabobank. The value of the transaction was PLN 4 billion.
  • Represented PKO BP Bank in the acquisition of Nordea Bank Poland, Nordea Life and Nordea Finance. The value of the transaction was approx. PLN 3.5 billion.
  • Represented Orange Poland in connection with an agreement with mBank to create a mobile retail bank.
  • Represented Deutsche Bank AG Group in a transaction involving the intragroup transfer of the shares in Deutsche Bank PBC and the merger of Deutsche Bank PBC with Deutsche Bank Polska.
  • Represented PKO BP Bank in connection with the sale of 66% of shares in eService S.A. to the U.S. EVO company. The value of the transaction was PLN 430 million.
  • Represented Polski Bank Przedsiębiorczości S.A and FM Bank S.A. in the merger of both banks within the Abris Capital Group.
  • Represented Raiffeisen Bank International AG on the acquisition of a 70% share in Polbank EFG.°
  • Represented Polski Bank Przedsiębiorczości S.A and FM Bank S.A. in the merger of these banks within the Abris Capital Group.
  • Represented BNP Paribas in connection with the proposed acquisition of BZ WBK S.A.°
  • Represented AIG in the merger of its Polish consumer finance business into Santander’s Polish bank.°
  • Represented Fortis Bank Polska S.A. in connection with the takeover of banking assets of BNP Paribas Polish Branch.°
  • Advised and represented UniCredit in negotiations with the Polish government and in proceedings before the Polish Banking Supervisory Commission concerning the merger of Bank BPH into Bank Pekao, as well as in the spin-off of assets from Bank BPH to Bank Pekao and the sale of BPH to GE Money Bank.°
  • Represented Innova Capital in connection with the acquisition of a stake in Bielenda Kosmetyki Naturalne from its current owners.
  • Represented Abris CEE Mid-Market Fund III L.P., managed by Abris Capital Ltd., in the acquisition of Scanmed S.A.
  • Represented CVC Capital Partners in connection with the acquisition of Żabka Polska from Mid Europa Partners. The sale of Żabka, the largest transaction in the Polish food retail sector and the largest private equity exit in Poland, won the CEE Legal Matters 2017 CEE Deal of the Year Award for Poland.
  • Represented AnaCap in connection with the acquisition of FM Bank PBP.
  • Represented TP S.A. in connection with the sale of the Wirtualna Polska portal to the private equity fund Innova Capital. The value of the transaction was PLN 375 million.
  • Represented Penta Investments in the acquisition of shares of NFI Empik Media & Fashion S.A.
  • Represents leading private equity clients in a variety of transactions in Poland.

  • Represented PKN Orlen and Orlen Upstream in connection with the takeover of the Toronto-listed Canadian company TriOil Resources Ltd.
  • Represented major Polish oil industry corporation in an agreement with a Canadian shale gas corporation for cooperation in exploration and production of shale gas in Poland and the US.°
  • Represented Goldman Sachs International and Morgan Stanley, as Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners; Barclays Bank, BofA Securities, Citi, as Joint Bookrunners, Biuro Maklerskie PKO BP and Santander Biuro Maklerskie, as the Joint Bookrunners and Co-Offering Agents, and Bank Pekao, Pekao Investment Banking, Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Erste Group and Raiffeisen Centrobank as the Co-Lead Managers, in connection with the PLN 9.2 billion (PLN 10.6 billion including the over-allotment shares) IPO of shares in Allegro.eu on the WSE. This is the largest IPO in Poland’s history.
  • Represented Smithfield Foods, the largest pork processor in the world, in connection with the acquisition of the remaining 66.5% of shares of Pini Polonia. 
  • Advised Alior Bank on the establishment of a bond issuance program with a nominal value of up to PLN 1.2 billion.
  • Represented Zakłady Azotowe Puławy S.A. in its consolidation process with Zakłady Azotowe Tarnów-Mościce, and the creation of Grupa Azoty.
  • Advised Zakłady Azotowe Puławy S.A. in connection with the tender offer for the sale of shares announced by Synthos.
  • Represented RWE and EDF in the proposed acquisition of ENEA S.A. shares from the State Treasury in a privatization process.°
  • Represented BRE Bank S.A. in its PLN 2 billion rights issue.°
  • Advised and negotiated on behalf of Lockheed Martin on its USD 3.5 billion sale and financing of 48 F 16 multi-role combat jets to the Polish Government and the related USD 6 billion offset contract.°
  • Represented clients in several pioneering capital markets transactions in Poland, including the first takeover of a publicly held company, the first delisting of a publicly held company and an IPO combined with a merger of publicly held companies.
  • Represented numerous clients in privatization matters, including the privatization of the largest Polish mining enterprise, Poland’s telecom operator, and several large Polish banks and financial, industrial and service enterprises.
  • Represents multinational companies in a wide variety of transactions and dealings with the Polish Government.
  • Advises major Polish companies and the Polish Government on privatization, financings, public offerings, restructuring and regulatory issues.
  • Represents leading multinational corporations in acquisitions of Polish companies, including those in the banking and financial sector, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, retail, real estate, construction, mining, energy, telecommunications, health and chemicals.
  • Represents major Polish banks and other financial institutions in connection with GDR issuances, listings on the Warsaw and London Stock Exchanges and IPOs.
  • Advises clients on restructuring of capital groups.

°The above representations were handled by Mr. Fogelman prior to his joining GREENBERG TRAURIG Nowakowska-Zimoch Wysokiński sp.k.

Recognition & Leadership

  • IFLR1000: Market Leader in M&A (2008-2023) and Private Equity (2016-2023)
  • Rzeczpospolita: “Leading Lawyer of the Last Thirty Years” in Poland (2018)
  • Chambers Global: Senior Statespeople: Corporate/M&A: High-End Capability (2022-2024); Senior Statespeople: Corporate/M&A (2010-2021); leading lawyer in Corporate/M&A (2003-2009)
  • Chambers Europe: Senior Statespeople: Private Equity (2009-2024); Senior Statespeople: Corporate/M&A: High-End Capability (2022-2024); Senior Statespeople: Corporate/M&A (2010-2021), Senior Statespeople: Capital Markets (2008); leading lawyer in M&A (2007-2009); leading lawyer in Capital Markets (2007)
  • Chambers Europe 2013Outstanding Contribution Award
  • EMEA Legal 500: Leading Individual in Private Equity (2023-2024); Recommended in Commercial, Corporate and M&A (2008-2024), Banking and Finance (2022-2024) and Private Equity (2017-2022)
  • Best Lawyers: Recommended in Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity (since 2014)

Credentials

Education
  • J.D., Harvard Law School
  • Fulbright IREX Scholar, Moscow University
  • M.A., M.Phil., Columbia University, 1975
  • Certificate, University of Paris, Sorbonne
  • B.A., State University of New York
  • The University of Warsaw School of Law, 1967-1969
Admissions
  • Massachusetts
~ Certain partners in GREENBERG TRAURIG Nowakowska-Zimoch Wysokiński sp.k. are also shareholders in Greenberg Traurig, P.A.
Languages
  • Polish, Native
  • English, Fluent
  • Russian, Fluent
  • French, Fluent