Andrew Leaitherland

Lawyers formerly employed by K&L Gates Jamka will now be running a DWF office in Warsaw with 11 partners as well as 45 lawyers and 31 support staff in a deal expected to complete this month.

The move came after US firm K&L Gates decided to close its Warsaw operation.

Michal Pawlowski leads a team specialising in commercial legal services, with the firm anticipated to generate revenues of £7m in the year to 30 April 2020.

Andrew Leaitherland, managing partner and chief executive officer at DWF, said: “We look forward to welcoming Michal Pawlowski and his colleagues to DWF. This move will strengthen DWF’s capabilities in our global sectors of financial services and real estate, among others, and provides further opportunities in technology and energy where our businesses have strong alignment.

“It also fulfils on one of the international expansion opportunities we highlighted in our prospectus. Poland has a strong and dynamic economy and is an important gateway to Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe as a whole. Having a presence there delivers on our international strategy to be where our clients need us to be.”

Michal Pawlowski said: “Becoming part of DWF provides the opportunity to continue our growth and development plans within both the legal services and connected services markets of Poland. Our values and culture, as well as our strongly aligned sector focus provide a platform for our future success.”

K&L Gates said in a statement: “After a careful and thorough assessment of our clients’ needs against the backdrop of economic and related trends, current and future opportunities and factors in the market, and the great strength of the firm’s other offerings in Europe in particular and elsewhere, K&L Gates previously determined that it was in the best interest of the firm to separate from the practice based in Warsaw.

“The Warsaw-based lawyers are now in the process of joining with another firm and we are working with them on an amicable termination of our remaining relationship. We wish them the best in their new affiliation.”