Discover the secrets of the lawFor your business!

Was it coincidence or fate? A dozen or so years ago, during my studies at the University of Warsaw Faculty of Law and Administration, I started working in a team of international tax law specialists at one of the so-called “Big Four” accounting firms. I became a tax advisor, embarking on an adventure with international law that has continued to this day. A few years ago, after passing the bar exam, I came across a previously unknown domain in the Polish legal practice, namely wealth consulting. I took a chance. In retrospect, I can see that the effort I put into defining and disseminating the so-called private lawyer service has certainly paid off. I started working for the first generation of Polish entrepreneurs, and now I am starting to work for my clients’ children. My expertise includes transactions, investments, family matters, private property disputes. Dealing with those issues sometimes requires delving into business psychology, contemporary art or the automotive industry. My clients’ countless business ideas and passions always keep me on my toes.

Posiadam ponad 20-letnie doświadczenie w zakresie doradztwa podatkowego. Moją specjalizacją są postępowania podatkowe, w których organy skarbowe kwestionują skutki podatkowe przeprowadzonych optymalizacji, szczególnie tych dotyczących podatku dochodowego. Mam bogate doświadczenie w planowaniu podatkowym wewnątrzgrupowych procesów restrukturyzacyjnych. Od 2018 r. jestem członkiem Krajowej Rady Doradców Podatkowych. W wolnym czasie lubię wypoczywać na Mazurach, a moją pasją jest piłka siatkowa.

Moją przygodę z doradztwem podatkowym rozpoczęłam, współpracując z wiodącą kancelarią podkarpacką zajmującą się kompleksową obsługą podmiotów gospodarczych, realizując głównie tematy z zakresu prawa podatkowego oraz korporacyjnego, a także współpracując z biurem finansowo-podatkowym, specjalizującym się w doradztwie podatkowym dla firm. W 2020 r. zdałam z wynikiem pozytywnym egzamin adwokacki. Obecnie zajmuję się głównie doradztwem podatkowym z zakresu podatku dochodowego oraz tematyką MDR.

Prawem własności intelektualnej zajmuję się już ponad 12 lat. Mam bogate doświadczenie prawie cywilnym, w szczególności z zakresu prawa własności przemysłowej. Praktykę zdobyłam dzięki pracy po obu stronach mocy: zarówno w Urzędzie Patentowym RP, jak i w kancelariach patentowych oraz prawniczych. Doradzam przedsiębiorcom w zakresie szeroko pojętej ochrony marki. Reprezentuję klientów przed sądami cywilnymi, administracyjnymi wszystkich instancji, a także w sporach przed Urzędem Patentowym RP, EUIPO oraz WIPO.

I have been dealing with tax counseling for more than 15 years now. I started my adventure with tax consultancy while working for one of the “Big Four” accounting firms. Then, I worked briefly for the Municipal Government Office of the Capital City of Warsaw, before going back to the tax department, this time at GWW. At GWW I deal mainly in transactions and restructuring. I am a team player, and my duties require collaborating with lawyers specialising in different legal areas. The team that I manage has a track record of a few hundred successful transactions, and (hopefully) as many satisfied customers. Only in the last two years, the tax value of the cases that we handled exceeded 3.5 billion zlotys. Tax advisors have to keep up with changes in legislation and the case law, as well as interpretations issued by tax authorities. That is quite a lot to handle. Therefore, teamwork and constant interaction and exchange of views among co-workers are vital to the success of the company.

I have been working as an attorney-at-law for over 11 years now. My way to GWW (I have been working here since May 2017) has led from a small law firm in one of the smallest Polish cities, followed by a large Warsaw-based law firm, and then an international corporation (where I was an in-house lawyer). Earlier, prior to my attorney-at-law traineeship, I volunteered in Africa which had a significant impact on my worldview. At the beginning of my legal career, I saw myself as a civil law specialist, but over time (and partly perforce) I became acquainted with the fascinating worlds of transactions, competition law and personal data. As far as work is concerned, I cannot stand boredom and monotony – and try to avoid them at all costs.

For over a dozen years, I have been dealing with State aid, including EU funds, public procurement and public finance. Initially, I combined my professional interests with working at the Lower Silesian Marshal Office. Then, from August 2011, I switched sides and joined GWW. I dealt with EU funds even before Poland's accession to the EU – during that period I managed pre-accession funds and took part in a campaign aimed at informing Poles about EU integration conditions. I am currently supporting those applying for subsidies and those who have already received aid and are struggling with the malicious system of penalties and recovery claims. I took part in the implementation of several hundred EU projects, including infrastructure projects of strategic importance (roads, railways, power industry, waterworks, telecommunications, environmental protection). I advise on public contracts (public procurements, public-private partnerships). I make sure that my customers are not prosecuted for breach of public finance discipline. As far as litigation is concerned, I am involved in a number of court and administrative proceedings. That said, drawing up legal opinions explaining complex legal issues in the field of public law is what I enjoy the most. My goal is to squeeze as much as possible out of a legal problem... and my judo skills certainly come in handy when something needs squeezing.

I started to study issues connected with the labour law in the wide sense of the word while I was still studying law at the Rzeszów University, and then the labour law became my favourite field of law. According to statistical research, Poles are one of the societies which spend most time at work, and I have been adding a few hours to those statistics for the past few years as well. Working for law firms specializing in complex legal service of business entities I encountered practical problems which are faced on a daily basis by entrepreneurs hiring both a few and a few hundred employees. Joining the team of GWW in 2018, I also focus in my professional practice on the labour law. Looking at the law from the point of view of employers, I look for solutions which combine their needs with the requirements imposed by the binding provisions. I prepare legal opinions, I prepare my opinions concerning agreements, I develop rules and other internal acts of employers. I also bear in mind a need to ensure that my advice protects the interests of employees. After all, I was dealing with the labour law also from the point of view of the employee. Due to that reason, I am well aware that satisfied employees are one of the keys to the success of the employers. Trying to accommodate the new needs of employers connected with the coming into force of GDPR, I also deal with personal data protection issues in HR.

W wyniku serii przypadkowych i nieprzypadkowych zdarzeń już na studiach zainteresowałam się prawem pracy. Dlaczego prawo pracy? Dlatego że większość, jeżeli nie każdy z nas, będzie pracownikiem albo będzie zatrudniać pracowników (w szerokim znaczeniu tego słowa). Dlatego też że wyznaję podstawową zasadę, która mówi że praca nie jest towarem.Moja przygoda z prawem pracy i gałęziami jej pokrewnymi (jak ubezpieczenia społeczne) trwa nieprzerwanie od kilkunastu lat. Studia doktoranckie pozwoliły mi zgłębić tajniki tej dziedziny i umożliwiły dzielenie się wiedzą ze studentami. Praca w poznańskich kancelariach prawnych zaowocowała bogatym doświadczeniem zawodowym w zakresie doradztwa prawnego w sprawach związanych z zatrudnieniem. W GWW zajmuję się sporządzaniem oraz opiniowaniem umów i aktów wewnątrzzakładowych, a także bieżącym wsparciem klientów w sprawach pracowniczych, jak również doradztwem w zakresie procesów restrukturyzacji zatrudnienia. Co lubię w swojej pracy? To, że każda sprawa jest inna – wymaga uwzględnienia nie tylko litery prawa, ale również całokształtu okoliczności i potrzeb klienta. Dzięki temu wciąż zdobywam nowe doświadczenia i wiedzę.

I have been gaining professional experience at GWW for 6 years now, with the last 3 years devoted to penal law. I mainly handle cases related to tax penal law and broadly defined business penal law, but I am no stranger to the intricacies of administrative law either, especially when it concerns access to public information and proceedings before administrative courts. I earned law degrees from University of Warsaw, Aix-Marseille Université in Aix-en-Provence and University of Strasbourg. I also graduated from University of Luxembourg with LL. M. title in European Financial and Economic Criminal Law.

I consider myself lucky to have combined my career with my long-time passion. I have always been interested in sports, volleyball in particular. Today, I work as an attorney specialising in numerous practice areas related to sports law.  I have provided legal advice to professional volleyball event organisers and worked as an arbiter and the Secretary of the Court of Arbitration of the Professional League of Volleyball. I also act as the Secretary of the League’s Disciplinary Committee. My practice at GWW, however, is not limited to sports law. I also have experience in handling corporate matters of companies and commercial partnerships, as well as conducting optimisation and restructuring processes in companies and groups. What I enjoy most about my work is that it gives me an opportunity to get acquainted with the inner workings of the sports community.  Having worked with various Polish volleyball organisations, I feel that I have made a contribution to professionalising the sport in our country, which elevated it to the highest European level. My personal passion is sailing, and I am proud to say that I have managed to venture beyond the familiar waters of Polish lakes.

Legal studies are accompanied by the Latin sentence: “Ius est ars boni et aequi” (The law is the art of goodness and equity). However, practice makes short work of this lofty idea. It turns out that clients are more likely to expect practical and profitable solutions. That is why I specialise in commercial law (corporate law), civil law and intellectual property law. During my many years of working with businesses, I have gained the skills and extensive knowledge necessary to advise both Polish and foreign entrepreneurs, with particular focus on implementing restructuring processes, preparing legal audits and the comprehensive handling of real estate transactions. In parallel to my legal practice, I lead training sessions for entrepreneurs and local government units. I have also authored numerous publications, including two legal monographs – "Mergers of Joint Stock Companies, with Particular Focus on Banks" and "Representation of a Limited Liability Company", as well as numerous articles published in economic journals and magazines. There is an old Polish curse that says: “May you teach other people's children”. Lecturing at SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities has indeed shown me just how challenging that task may be. It cannot be ruled out that this experience will inspire me to write another monograph..., although not necessarily about law.<0}

My initial plan was to work in environmental protection only until I managed to get into the Master’s programme in English Philology, a path which I have always wanted to pursue. That temporary job has proven to be permanent and I cannot imagine myself doing anything else. Waste and wastewater, installations, payments, authorisations, ETS and allowances have definitely become my thing. Yes, I admit that my career is not exactly straight out of a Grisham novel, but the multitude of obligations resulting from environmental law, their complexity and the frequency of legislative changes can still pose a daunting challenge. Analysing and interpreting environmental law and providing support to entrepreneurs in meeting its requirements gives me more than enough opportunities to put my skills and knowledge to the test. Furthermore, I also publish articles and teach entrepreneurs about the intricacies of environmental law. At the moment, I am earning my stripes at GWW as an attorney-at-law apprentice which will allow me to represent cases in court.

Before I became a lawyer I graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology and became an urban engineer. I started working for one of the largest contracting authorities in Poland and then I fell in love with the law. This led me to the point where after a few years I can finally use my long-waited title of attorney-at-law. I have been working for GWW for several years and I provide legal services in the field of infrastructure projects and public procurement. I am also familiar with civil law and civil procedure. Legal opinions, drafting and negotiating contracts related to the construction process and representation before the National Appeal Chamber are my everyday life. I am not afraid of hours of negotiations among engineers or reading technical documents from the construction industry.

Jestem doradcą podatkowym w zespole postępowań podatkowych w zakresie podatku VAT. Zajmuję się bieżącą obsługą w sprawach z zakresu podatku VAT oraz reprezentuje klientów w postępowaniach o wydanie interpretacji podatkowych, jak również przed organami podatkowymi w sporach podatkowych, w szczególności w postępowaniach dotyczących karuzel w podatku VAT. Doświadczenie z zakresu prawa podatkowego zdobywałam w warszawskich urzędach skarbowych oraz w Urzędzie Kontroli Skarbowej Warszawie w działach kontroli podatkowej i postępowania kontrolnego.

Tak jak inni w szkole chcieli zostać strażakiem albo kosmonautą, tak ja chciałem zostać prawnikiem. Jeszcze wtedy nie wiedziałem, z czym to będzie się wiązać… Czy zawód prawnika jest taki, jak utarł się w kulturze? Niekoniecznie: czasami trzeba wcielić się w „detektywa” i „kryptologa”, żeby znaleźć i zrozumieć przypisane znaczenie dla stworzonych przepisów prawnych lub projektów tych przepisów. A czasami za to trzeba wcielić się w „kucharza”, czyli połączyć ze sobą kilka pozornie niezwiązanych przepisów, dołożyć wiedzę i doświadczenia, które obecnie zdobywam, żeby stworzyć coś niesamowitego. Moimi recepturami oczywiście dzielę się w GWW i czasem na blogu. Z zamiłowania także podróżuję i – no właśnie – gotuję.

I always wanted to become a lawyer, which is why I decided to undertake studies in this field. I am currently a 4^th year law student at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw. I am gaining knowledge of complex legal regulations not only at the University, but also at GWW, which I joined in October 2019. Work gives me satisfaction and the opportunity for continuous development. It also does not let me get bored by asking new questions that I tirelessly seek answers to. And this is what the fun is about – not to stand still!

I have been a part of GWW for almost 10 years. During that time, I supervised and assessed hundreds of public procurement proceedings, including those that were placed under ex-ante control of the President of the Polish Public Procurement Office. I represented over 200 contractors and contracting authorities before the National Appeals Chamber. I am also well-versed in all aspects of public-private partnerships, which are more complex forms of cooperation between public and private entities. In essence, the public procurement process aims to allocate public funds (almost 200 billion zlotys each year) in the most efficient manner possible. The process is not limited to a competition between contractors, but also aims to reconcile the needs of contracting authorities with the capabilities of companies. I am grateful to GWW for giving me the opportunity to participate in the most interesting projects taking place in the market.

I set out on my tax adventure almost 20 years ago. I was young and eager back then, keen to explore the secrets of tax law, so I decided to enrol in a postgraduate course in taxation at Warsaw School of Economics. Since then, my career has focused on legal issues relating to taxes. I started out as an advisor with telecoms. As an in-house lawyer, I had the opportunity to apply my knowledge in practice, but also became familiar with the procedures and risk involved in the operations of telecommunications companies. Later, as GWW's expert, I gained experience by working with practically all of Poland's mobile network operators. I have now returned to my hometown of Rzeszów and currently supervise GWW's Podkarpacie regional office, familiarising myself with the booming local business environment, which has recently been selected as a destination for investment by a number of international players. I have always valued direct contacts with business clients. This allowed me to gain a practical view of tax matters, which I have always found fascinating. Why? Because it allows working out solutions that not only meet the legal requirements and keep the tax authorities satisfied, but also ensure that the business is not overburdened by its tax duties. As an experienced and "stable" advisor, I find reconciling these two aspects infinitely satisfying.

I have been with GWW since 2018, and before I had been focusing for a few years on the legal aspects of the Internet and the law on the Internet. My interests are concentrated on legal issues connected with modern technologies and businesses operated with their use. I try to combine the demand of entrepreneurs and startups for the knowledge from the fields such as copyright law, personal data protection, commercial agreements, investment agreements, legal forms of conducting business activities in the Internet sector and their influence on tax issues. I have wanted to organize “something” since always, and this represented itself, already when I was at the University, by the establishment of the Scientific Society of Financial and Tax Law and becoming its first chairman. To calm down the atmosphere, I willingly stop to concentrate on a certain issue for longer, which, with time, brings about result in the form of articles which, before now, I have managed to publish in tax magazines and on the Lexplorers blog. Being a passionate photographer and Internet media enthusiast, I try to provide hints how to legally handle the “contents”. I am glad that I can be a member of GWW due to my great passion for club volleyball which, I guess, has been present in the life of GWW since always.

Dzięki pracy dla wiodących firm z różnych branż: deweloperskiej, medycznej, automotive, meblarskiej, TSL i innych zetknąłem się z w praktyce z wieloma dziedzinami prawa. Kompleksowe wsparcie przedsiębiorców umożliwiło mi zdobycie doświadczenia na każdym etapie przedsięwzięć biznesowych – od negocjacji kontraktów, zabezpieczania realizacji inwestycji po spory sądowe. Zauważyłem, że dla klientów kluczowe znaczenie ma zawsze aspekt podatkowy. Dlatego zdecydowałem się na rozwój w tym kierunku w GWW, skupiając się na reprezentacji przedsiębiorców w sporach podatkowych z fiskusem oraz doradztwie podatkowym w ich bieżącej działalności. Ponieważ interesuję się informatyką, postanowiłem połączyć moje umiejętności z prawem. Zaawansowana znajomość obsługi komputerów stała się atutem w doradztwie z zakresu nowoczesnych technologii oraz podczas wdrażania rozwiązań informatycznych. Śledzę rozwój narzędzi informatycznych i informatyzacji życia publicznego, a także ich wpływ na zmieniające się otoczenie prawne. Prywatnie moją pasją jest muzyka i gra na gitarze elektrycznej.

Praca w podatkach, a w szczególności w obszarze cen transferowych stanowi z mojej perspektywy przysłowiową klamrę zamykającą dwie kluczowe ścieżki rozwoju, którymi konsekwentnie podążałem i którymi nadal dążę od początku studiów (zarówno na Uniwersytecie Warszawskim, jak i w Szkole Głównej Handlowej w Warszawie). Od zawsze wierzyłem w moc nauki, dzięki czemu mogę od lat poszerzać swoją wiedzę w różnych obszarach – zwłaszcza w tak ciekawym, ale i trudnym, jakim są podatki. Jestem więc niezwykle szczęśliwy, że realizacja poszczególnych złożonych projektów dla klientów korporacyjnych z zakresu transfer pricingu tak dobrze wkomponowuje się w wymiar zarówno prawniczy, jak i biznesowy mojego wykształcenia. Doświadczenie pokazało mi bowiem, że na każdą sprawę trzeba zawsze patrzeć z różnych punktów widzenia. Klienci, z którymi współpracuję, mogą więc liczyć z mojej strony na: profesjonalne wsparcie, rzetelność w wykonywanych zadaniach oraz indywidualne podejście przy realizacji poszczególnych, nawet najtrudniejszych projektów. W wolnych chwilach lubię zaś zagłębić się w lekturę literatury historycznej XX wieku, posłuchać dobrej muzyki oraz podróżować po Polsce i świecie.

My responsibilities include rendering legal services to businesses. I help them deal with everyday legal issues, but also handle complex, multi-stage optimisation and investment projects implemented by companies and capital groups. Moreover, I advise sporting clubs, which usually involves heated emotions and dealing with legal issues that have not been handled by courts before and to which you will not find any similar key cases or legal commentary. I feel a sense of accomplishment helping my clients solve their often very complex legal predicaments. I enjoy working with businesspeople and gaining first-hand insights into their companies. My hobbies include literature, history and weaponry, especially melee weapons.

Ścieżkę zawodową rozpoczęłam od prawa budowlanego, które ukierunkowało późniejsze podejmowane przeze mnie decyzje. Pierwsze kroki stawiałam w organach nadzoru budowlanego. Następnie, posiadając już umiejętność poruszania się w przepisach prawa budowlanego, weszłam w buty inwestora i generalnego wykonawcy, by z tej perspektywy poznać przebieg procesu inwestycyjnego. Skrzyżowanie obu tych dróg obecnie ułatwia mi szukanie wspólnej drogi do porozumienia obu stron w wieloaspektowym procesie budowlanym.

Miałem być księdzem – taką przyszłość wróżyła mi babcia, gdyż  jako dziecko w łóżeczku spałem jak kanonik, z rękami złożonymi na piersiach. Miałem być pianistą, aż trafiłem do klasy fortepianu takiej profesor, która potrafiła, zauważając pomyłkę, zrzucić klapę fortepianu na moje palce. Miałem być najlepszym kelnerem; wszystko szło dobrze do czasu, gdy podczas obsługi jednego z ważniejszych wydarzeń zapomniałem wydać bażanta. Do dziś mam jego smak w ustach... Po zdaniu egzaminu z prawa finansowego u „Krwawej Wandy” (każdy student prawa w Lublinie z końca lat 90. wie, o czym piszę) nie pragnąłem być ani celnikiem, ani podatkowcem.

A kim się zostałem? I jednym, i drugim. Jako celnik od 2000 r. pracowałem w Głównym Urzędzie Ceł w Warszawie, a następnie w Izbie Celnej w Warszawie. Obecnie zaś działam jako doradca podatkowy i radca prawny, partner w GWW, związany z kancelarią od 2005 r. Specjalizuję się w bieżącym doradztwie podatkowym, w szczególności w zakresie podatku CIT, VAT, podatku akcyzowym oraz prawie celnym.

Czy dobrze się z tym czuję? Bardzo. Czy coś bym zmienił? Nie. Czy mam jeszcze inne plany? A jakże!

PS Nadal lubię spać na kanonika, gram na fortepianie, a w domu często robię za kelnera.

Before I started my legal career, I saw myself as Harvey Specter, a character from the popular Suits television series, working on multi-million dollar corporate lawsuits. With time, however, I noticed that helping people solve their problems is what I enjoy doing the most. Therefore, I advise business owners and wealthy individuals, ensuring that their families and property remain safe and secure. I specialize in several interconnected areas: partnerships and companies, family and inheritance law. Most of my cases include trans-border issues spanning several jurisdictions. I am no stranger to trusts, foundations and offshore partnerships. My greatest passion, however, are citizenship cases. Looking through archives to find traces of my clients' relatives makes me feel like I am recovering long-lost tales of the past.

For quite a few years now I have been handling tax, family and inheritance cases, as well as helping set up, run and restructure corporate entities. I put all of my experience and knowledge in those areas to use by advising on tax, asset protection and succession planning strategies. Trans-border cases are my favourite as they allow me to make practical use of my foreign language skills, which I love learning in my free time. I have degrees in law and European studies from University of Warsaw and the Italian and European Law School which was co-founded by my Alma Mater and University of Catania. <0} At present I am preparing for my bar exam at the Bar Chamber in Warsaw and following a programme at the School of French Law of the University of Poitiers. Apart from learning foreign languages, my hobbies include biking, hiking in the mountains and recording songs in my home studio. Unfortunately, free time is not something that I have too much of, so most of my "gruelling" biking trips are actually limited to commuting, I sometimes go on hiking trips over the weekend and do most of my singing in the shower.

I have been working with taxes for the last 15 years. I set out on this long journey during my law studies at university. My first tax project involved transfer prices, and more precisely the obligation to document all transactions with affiliated parties which was introduced to the Polish law in 2001. Since then, I have handled all kinds of tax-related issues. I have always found transfer price legal disputes with tax authorities to be the most interesting, challenging and engaging. Currently, I head the transfer price team forming part of GWW's tax practice.

I have been dealing with court trials for more than 10 years, and for the past 2 years, I have been the head of the procedural department of GWW. I mainly conduct civil and commercial cases. Those cases often concern multi-million compensation or contractual penalties. I also represent clients in matters concerning copyrights infringements, including disputes with collecting societies. My interest in court litigation and arbitration started during my studies at the Warsaw University where, while attending the British law school, I took part in moot court competition. Nowadays, my practice also extends to arbitration cases – I serve the function of an arbiter of the Conciliation Court of the Professional Volleyball League and I represent entrepreneurs in disputes before arbitration courts.