The Legal 500 2026 | 14 recognised practices and nearly 50 individual recommendations
14 practice areas and 49 recommendations for 24 lawyers, with 12 of them being recognized across multiple legal specializations. New individual successes and two fantastic debuts, as well as a wealth of excellent feedback and praise from our clients.
The latest Legal 500 2026 rankings confirms that we are a major player in the sectors that will drive the Polish and Central European economies over the coming decade: energy, technology and infrastructure.
And with our equally strong expertise in media litigation, intellectual property protection, restructuring and M&A transactions, our clients can count on our comprehensive, 360° legal service. They can rely on us at every stage of their business, from strategic investments and asset protection to the most challenging negotiations and court proceedings.
This year’s Legal 500 ranking has made us truly proud. And it has set a high standard for us to live up to.
The Legal 500 EMEA 2026
The Legal 500 is undoubtedly one of the most prominent and recognisable legal brands today.
Every year, a team of over 150 analysts, researchers and data specialists review nearly 60,000 submissions from around the world and conduct interviews with thousands of lawyers. They also analyse confidential data from over 300,000 corporate clients to benchmark law firms and lawyers by practice area, industry and jurisdiction, as well as by proprietary client satisfaction metrics. According to the authors of the ranking, Legal 500 is the only source of data on the legal marketplace that is so in-depth and comprehensive.
Today, Legal 500 is a sophisticated, data-driven and AI-optimised research platform covering over 100 jurisdictions. It sets the standard and helps both the users and providers of legal services to make better business decisions.
What have we been recognised for?
Energy and Natural Resources
Łukasz Młynarkiewicz, Milena Kazanowska – Kędzierska
Good contact and no delays with requested tasks.
Not only very in-depth knowledge in the specific area but also knowledge about the market as a whole.
Intellectual Property
Leaders in their field, managing major transactions and highly regarded by both the industry and clients: Karolina Marciniszyn (Leading Partner), Piotr Kochański, Tomasz Szambelan.
The team are very responsive and provide high level commercially minded advice tailored to the client’s needs.
The individuals are proactive and creative in their approach and find innovative solutions to resolve complex legal issues. They are good at understanding the client’s needs and communicate clearly on technical issues.
This practice stands out for its exceptional dedication to the matters it handles – the team approaches each case with a level of personal commitment that goes far beyond standard legal service.
Their deep historical and practical knowledge of the issues at hand allows them to provide advice that is not only accurate, but also highly contextual and strategic.
Karolina Marciniszyn, among the best IP lawyers in Poland. They are extremely experienced, have a huge amount of knowledge and great strategic skills, work in a targeted and clear manner, are impressively responsive and so are obviously the first port of call for IP issues in Poland for us.
Restructuring and Insolvency
Rafał Rapala, Anna Gwiazda
Construction
Paweł Cholewiński, Łukasz Młynarkiewicz
Comprehensive knowledge, adapting the prepared solutions and recommendations to the client’s expectations and taking into account their limitations or constraints resulting from the actual situation, indicating possible risks or benefits resulting from the use of a given solution, availability and speed of action, very good knowledge of legal regulations.
Paweł Cholewiński – high negotiation skills.
Dispute Resolution
Piotr Kochanski, Rafał Rapala, Karolina Marciniszyn, Anna Gwiazda, Agata Dziwisz-Moshe, Weronika Magdziak-Śliwa, Łukasz Młynarkiewicz, Monika Maćkowska-Morytz
Healthcare and Life Sciences
Katarzyna Sabiłło, Piotr Kochański
Very reliable, with solid knowledge. Katarzyna Sabillo is one of the most experienced regulatory lawyers on the Polish pharma market.
Katarzyna Sabiłło has many years of regulatory experience.
Private Equity
Paweł Cholewiński, Rafał Rapala, Natalia Kotłowska-Wochna
Their strength lies in their ability to seamlessly integrate expertise from various disciplines like finance, tax, corporate, M&A and regulatory to provide efficient, value-added structures for buyouts, minority investments, and recapitalisations.
Natalia Kotłowska-Wochna’s performance was brilliant. She moves beyond simply providing legal advice by explaining the underlying rationale for it, which ensures our business objectives remain the central focus throughout the process. We particularly value her skill in providing legal solutions aiming at finding common ground and defusing tension. For these reasons, we strongly recommend her as a legal advisor.
Fantastic team with in-dept knowledge of the law and an outstanding commercial understanding.
Real Estate
Paweł Cholewiński
Very knowledgeable and responsive team.
Individuals are market leaders in their field.
What makes the Kochański real estate team stand out is their proactive integration of technology, particularly in complex due diligence and project management, which visibly streamlines transactions and sets them apart from more traditional firms. Their key strength is the ability to provide truly comprehensive “one-stop-shop” advice, seamlessly merging top-tier transactional expertise with crucial support from their regulatory and environmental law practices. This holistic, tech-enabled approach is their key capability and provides a clear advantage in efficiency when handling large-scale portfolio projects.
Professional team reacting very quickly on our request.
Tax
Agata Dziwisz-Moshe, Wojciech Śliż, Mirosław Malczeski, Aleksandra Pizon-Jaworska
Wojciech Śliż. Experienced, calm, and always open to dialogue, he has been a constant support.
Very knowledgeable and hard working team, always available and delivering products on time. Very sensitive, well thought-through approach to Polish tax authorities.
Standout partners we work with are Wojciech Śliż and Agata Dziwisz-Moshe. Both have an excellent tax technical knowledge and very good relationship with the competent tax authorities which fosters successful meetings tax authorities and outcomes on material and complex matters based on a trustful relationship.
TMT
Piotr Kochański, Monika Maćkowska-Morytz, Natalia Kotłowska-Wochna
The team stands out by bridging the gap between traditional finance and cutting-edge innovation. They are not just legal advisors, they are strategic partners who understand the complex regulatory environment and the fast-paced nature of technological change.
Piotr Kochański is valued for his ability to anticipate legal and market trends. He doesn’t just react to the facts, but analyses the broader landscape and provides strategic advice on its development. His incomparable quality is his intellectual curiosity and forward-looking perspective, making him an indispensable long-term partner. Monika Maćkowska-Morytz has a deep understanding of technology and its application in banking. She has the remarkable ability to seamlessly integrate technical innovation and legal compliance. She helps the Polish banking sector adopt new technologies securely and compliantly. Natalia Kotłowska-Wochna stands out for her deep expertise in EU and national regulations, and specifically how they impact the Polish financial institutions. She doesn’t just interpret the law, but provides proactive, strategic counsel on how these regulations will shape the industry.
Commercial, Corporate and M&A
Paweł Cholewiński, Rafał Rapala, Natalia Kotłowska-Wochna, Karol Połosak, Aneta Serowik, Adam Czarnota
Individuals are leaders in their field of expertise.
Very knowledgeable and responsive team.
We value this team as strategic partners, not just legal advisors. Their deep market insight and experience were crucial, aiding us with the transaction itself and other complex challenges we faced. Considering the complexities of M&A, their skill in blending multidisciplinary expertise and responding promptly to all questions was especially appreciated.
Natalia Kotłowska-Wochna excels in client management with her unique ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, understandable terms. Her approach is defined by explaining the ‘why’ behind the advice, strategically guiding us with our business goals in mind. We especially value her emotional intelligence and innate talent for building rapport; these qualities make working with her during stressful times remarkably easy. Furthermore, her ability to de-escalate tension and find consensus turns challenging negotiations into productive, cooperative efforts.
Responsive, friendly and pragmatic.
Great team with in-depth knowledge and outstanding availability.
Data Privacy and Data Protection
Piotr Kochański, Monika Maćkowska-Morytz
This practice stands out due to its deep expertise, responsiveness, and client-centred approach. Potential clients would appreciate their strong legal knowledge combined with practical business insight. Compared to other firms, their commitment to clear communication and innovative use of technology enhances efficiency and collaboration.
The individuals I work with distinguish themselves through professionalism, outstanding legal skills, and a genuine commitment to clients’ success. Their proactive attitude and problem-solving abilities set them apart from competitors. I have particularly valued the dedication and insight of key partners and associates, who bring both expertise and approachability to the table.
Overall, it is important to emphasise the great communication skills of the team. The entire negotiation and project preparation process was very transparent. The team described in a very clear manner what would be prepared for the client and what the costs would be.
Monika Maćkowska-Morytz – well-prepared to serve entities from the capital market, especially in the field of new technologies and data security. Very efficient communication with the partner, high flexibility in the approach to the client, willingness to modify the project in such a way as to meet the client’s expectations to the fullest extent possible.
Kochanski &Partner’s privacy team demonstrated exceptional legal expertise, professionalism, and a deep commitment to achieving the best possible outcome.
Monika Maćkowska-Morytz combines deep legal knowledge with practical, results-oriented thinking, and she consistently communicated with transparency and timeliness. She is not only fierce advocate but also trusted advisor who operate with honesty, discretion, and a genuine concern for their clients’ well-being.
Employment
Anna Gwiazda, Angelika Stańko
Available as well during not working hours and flexible partner with quick reaction.
What sets this HR law practice apart is the way they combine deep technical expertise with a practical, solutions-oriented approach. They don’t just advise on the law in the abstract—they understand the realities of managing people, reputational risks, and business priorities, and they tailor their guidance to fit the commercial context.
The entire team is very helpful, and the collaboration between them is evident. The exchange of information within the team, and between the team and the client, is top-notch. They are very transparent about billing, detailing the topics and the time spent on them.
Working with Anna Gwiazda is pure poetry for me as the head of the HR department. Response time is often crucial, and I know I can always count on her. The human aspect of the proposed solutions is also important to me.
Professional and high quality service.
Anna Gwiazda is exceptional not only for her depth of expertise in HR law, but also for the way she applies that knowledge in a clear, pragmatic, and solutions-focused manner. She has an ability to distill complex issues into straightforward, commercially sensible advice that can be acted on immediately.
Public Procurement
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As always, our heartfelt thanks go to our clients for their trust, and for the challenges and projects we’ve tackled together – without you, our successes would not have been possible. Thank you.
We are delighted, proud and highly motivated to reach new heights together with you.
You can find the full ranking results here.
Any questions? Contact us
