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Jacek Giziński

Ya-tzeck

Co-Managing Partner, Poland

An excellent M&A lawyer with a commercial attitude. 
Client, The Legal 500 EMEA 2022
About

Jacek is the Co-managing Partner of DLA Piper's Warsaw office, with over 20 years of experience in the legal industry.

His main focus is on the real estate and renewable energy sectors. He conducts due diligence reviews, prepares transaction structures, negotiates transaction agreements and advises on project development, construction and the commercialisation of real estate and renewable energy projects. He works with leading energy companies, developers and IPPs in Poland, as well as international real estate investors. Among his long-standing clients are major players in Poland's renewable energy sector, including utilities, developers and IPPs, such as OX2, EDP Renewables, Wento/Equinor, Greenvolt, RWE Renewables, IB Vogt, and PNE, as well as international real estate investors such as Metro Properties, Savills IM, KGAL, Revetas Capital and Stena.

Jacek has authored many articles on real estate law and renewable energy issues in both Polish and foreign publications. In addition, he is a regular keynote speaker at conferences and seminars dedicated to these areas of business.

Professional QualificationsAttorney-at-law (Radca prawny) registered with the Warsaw Bar Association of Attorneys-at-Law (Okręgowa Izba Radców Prawnych w Warszawie)

Highlights

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising EDPR in all of its assets rotation deals in Poland, including the sale of operating renewable assets with a total capacity of 306 MWp to ORLEN for approximately EUR 250 million (2024), the sale of operating wind farms (142 MW) together with 159 MW of hybrid solar projects under development to ORLEN for approximately EUR 0.5 billion (2023), the sale of six onshore wind farms to Mirova in 2022, and the sale of 49% of the shares and shareholder loans in a portfolio of wind assets with an installed capacity of approximately 570 MW (of which 470 MW was already in operation) for approximately EUR 200 million to China Three Gorges Corporation (2016).
  • Advising OX2 on the sale of the following wind farms: 48 MW to Octopus, 23MW to DIF, and 24 MW to Equitix. The scope of work included preparing vendor due diligence reports and advising on the negotiation of all the transaction documents (share purchase agreements, construction agreements, and asset transfer agreements securing construction of the wind farms by OX2 Construction AB).
  • Advising OX2 on acquiring various companies holding rights to wind farms, PV and energy storage projects with a total capacity of approximately 2 GW. The projects were at various stages of development, and the scope of legal advice included conducting detailed legal and regulatory due diligence reviews of the projects and companies and providing support during the negotiation of the share purchase agreements, asset transfer agreements, development services agreements, joint venture agreements and cooperation agreements
  • Advising RWE on a due diligence review of and the acquisition of shares in Alpha Solar, a major developer of renewable energy projects in Poland, together with a portfolio of approximately 450 PV projects in Poland with a total prospective capacity of 3 GW.
  • Advising and supporting Revetas Capital Group in all its acquisitions and sales of commercial real estate in Poland since 2014, including the acquisition and sale of an office building and the takeover of Trigranit group with its portfolio of six office buildings in Kraków.
  • Advising a number of large corporations in negotiating office lease agreements in Poland, including PZU's (Poland’s biggest insurance group) long term lease of the whole 140 meters tall office tower in Warsaw.
  • Advising Metro Properties on the sale and leaseback of five MAKRO Cash & Carry stores in Poland to FLE GmbH. The stores are located in Warsaw, Ząbki, Wrocław, Krakow and Lublin.
  • Advising Metro Properties on the divestment of some assets under its management, including: - the sale of a 45,000 sq. m. real property located in south-western Poland with a building of 12.000 sq. m., - the sale of a 39,000 sq. m. real property located in western Poland with a building of 14,000 sq. m.
  • Advising KGAL on its purchase of Prosta Office Centre (POC) and Browary Office in Warsaw and Fuzja Offices in Łódż.
  • Advising Stena on its investments in office buildings in Warsaw (Spark B), Kraków (High5ive), and Wroclaw (Centrum Poludnie).
Languages
  • Polish
  • English
Education
  • Institute of Economics, Polish Academy of Science (PAN), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), 2014
  • University of Warsaw, Master of Law, 2005

Awards and Recognitions

  • Recognised as Highly Regarded in Project Development, M&A – IFLR1000 2015-2024
  • Ranked in Band 4 in Real Estate – Chambers Europe 2021-24
  • "Jacek Giziński has extensive experience in transactions and real estate. We appreciate his involvement and input.” – Chambers Europe, Real Estate 2024
  • Recommended in Real Estate – Legal 500 EMEA 2021-24
  • Recommended in Construction – Legal 500 EMEA 2021-23
  • Recommended in Energy and Natural Resources – Legal 500 EMEA 2021-24
  • Recommended in Investment Funds – The Legal 500 EMEA 2020-24
  • “Jacek Giziński is a go-to person for real estate deals. He provides flawless legal advice, as well as insights into market practices and commercial standards that help the in-house team structure the transaction better. Jacek perfectly understands the commercial background of transactions and is able to quickly transfer it into legal documents.” – The Legal 500 EMEA, Real Estate 2023
  • “Jacek Giziński has great transactional and energy sector knowledge, and great negotiation skills.” – The Legal 500 EMEA, Energy and Natural Resources 2023
  • “Jacek is a very strong and business-oriented lawyer.” – Chambers Europe 2023, Real Estate
  • "His commercial acumen and ability to help us understand the impact of legal clauses on the commercial aspects of the deal make the quality of his service outstanding. We also very much appreciate the insights Jacek shares with us on the market standards and practices." – Chambers Europe 2023, Real Estate
  • Recognized as Highly Regarded in M&A and Project Development – IFLR1000 2023
  • Jacek Giziński advises domestic and international clients on a range of real estate matters including acquisitions of office real estate. A source highlights: "He is a well-skilled and well-rounded lawyer." He is the co-managing partner of the firm's Warsaw office. – Chambers Europe Real Estate 2022
  • “Jacek Giziński is an excellent M&A lawyer with a commercial attitude.” – The Legal 500 EMEA, Energy and Natural Resources 2022
  • Recognized as Highly Regarded in Energy and Infrastructure, M&A and Project Development – IFLR1000 2022
  • “[Jacek] is committed to his work" and "goal-focused” – Chambers Europe, Real Estate 2021
  • “Jacek Gizinski, as the head of real estate team, not only takes the lead on everything himself, but is available at any time and familiar with every single aspect of the transaction in each jurisdiction” – Legal 500 EMEA, Real Estate 2020
  • Recommended for Construction, Energy and Natural Resources, Real Estate, Restructuring & Insolvency – The Legal 500 EMEA 2019
  • Recognized as Highly Regarded for Energy and Infrastructure, M&A and Project development - IFLR1000 2015-20
  • "Experienced, commercial practice head" of a "strong team (…) extremely focused on defined targets and crucial business goals" – The Legal 500 EMEA 2018

Pro Bono

One of the main pillars of DLA Piper Poland’s strategic goals for the next 15 years is to dedicate time and expertise to pro bono activities.

Jacek has recently provided training on special economic zones to senior legal professionals from Sub-Saharan Africa countries at the University of Pretoria. He shared how special economic zones contributed to Poland’s economic growth after the socio-political transformation in 1989, and how learning from Polish experiences can help to boost the economic growth of developing countries in Africa.

Jacek has also provided leadership and support to lawyers involved in pro bono work, including the formation of a team called ‘DLAGranicy’ (meaning ‘For the Border’). Since its inception, this team has:

  • assisted an Afghan family of 12, who had escaped from Afghanistan and settled in Poland, providing them with legal and practical assistance including financing their flat and providing essential household items
  • provided legal aid for people escaping Ukraine and
  • participated in the organisation and coordination of help for refugees at all stages: from assistance at the Polish/Ukrainian border and in reception centres, to finding accommodation and helping to legalise their stay (including international protection), raising funds, and collecting clothes, food and medicine.

DLA Piper Poland, as a firm and under the leadership of Jacek Giziński and Krzysztof Kycia, recently donated PLN100,000 (approximately EUR20,000) to Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH). We chose this organisation because of their ability to provide aid effectively and without delay. PAH has been present in Ukraine since 2014.

Prior Experience

  • July 2018 - present, Co-Managing Partner, DLA Piper, Warsaw
  • May 2013 - June 2018, Partner, DLA Piper, Warsaw
  • January 2010 - April 2013, Senior Associate, DLA Piper, Warsaw
  • July 2007 - December 2009, Associate, DLA Piper, Warsaw
  • 2005 - 2007, Associate, global law firm, Warsaw
  • 2004 - 2005, Associate, polish law firm, Warsaw
  • 2003 - 2004, polish law firm, Warsaw

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