...as state sector exodus continues

Polish legal experts are continuing to forsake the state sector for the offices of foreign- owned law firms in Warsaw.

Jacek Jonak, the former deputy chairman of the Polish Securities Commission, has been recruited by the Warsaw office of Allen & Overy as a senior associate specialising in capital markets.

Jonak leaves public service, where he was one of the authors of the Polish Securities Law, to join Allen & Overy's third largest office worldwide.

After five years with the commission Jonak said that he was ready for a new challenge. He also felt that although he was involved in many legal issues at the commission, he was not directly performing legal services there.

Jonak said he chose Allen & Overy because the Warsaw office is experienced in the developing area of capital markets.

"When I told other professionals in the market that I was leaving the commission to join Allen & Overy, I could tell they were impressed and were thinking 'he's done good'."

The Polish Securities Commission has also lost Aleksander Chlopecki, who worked as a senior adviser to the body but has now joined the corporate and securities department of Hunton & Williams.

The same firm has hired Piotr Szelenbaum, formerly with the legal department of the National Depository of Securities.