CC raids CMS for Polish real estate star

Clifford Chance (CC) has raided CMS Cameron McKenna for its Polish real estate practice, including regional rainmaker Pawel Debowski.

Debowski, widely regarded as a leading real estate lawyer in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), will join CC’s Warsaw office.

Debowski had spent 10 years at CMS Camerons’ Warsaw office, after five years with Nabarro Nathanson.

Three additional real estate partners, Michal Siwek, Piotr Szafarz and Maciej Ryniewicz, will join Debowski in the move.

CC CEE managing partner Michael Cuthbert said: “Real estate has been identified as a key priority for the firm not only in Poland but in the wider region."

A CMS spokesman said some associates remained in the Warsaw office, but was unable to provide exact numbers. The firm’s CEE head of real estate Steven Shone, who had practiced in Warsaw for 11 years before moving to the Moscow office, will now split his time between the two offices.