Clifford Chance Poland real estate head quits for Salans

Clifford Chance’s head of real estate in Poland has left for Salans’ Warsaw office, and is rumoured to be taking with him at least two partners.

Clifford Chance has confirmed that Pawel Debowski, one of the leading real-estate lawyers in Central and Eastern Europe, will be leaving the firm after four years.

He is rumoured to be taking with him fellow real-estate partners, Piotr Szafarzm and Maciej Ryniewicz, as well as counsel Tomasz Stasiak. More partner and associate departures may yet be announced.

Daniel Kopania has been appointed as Debowski’s replacement.

Grzegorz Namiotkiewicz, managing partner of Clifford Chance in Warsaw said: “Daniel leads a strong team with experience of advising clients at the highest level across all aspects of real estate work.  We will continue to focus our practice on those complex, cross-border transactions where the Firm excels.”

“We thank Paweł for his contribution to the Firm during his time here.  We understand his reasons for leaving and wish him, and his team, good luck for the future.”

Debowski joined Clifford Chance in 2006 along with Szafarz, Ryniewicz and fellow partner Michal Siwek. The quartet joined from CMS Cameron McKenna, where Debowski had practiced for ten years. Before that he spent five years at Nabarro.