Law Firm Ranking: Mid-Sized Firms Gain Strength Amidst Major Deals

The 24th "Rzeczpospolita" Ranking of Law Firms showcases the evolving landscape of legal services in Poland. The ranking identifies the largest firms and recognizes experts across various legal fields and service segments, offering insights into current market trends.

Significant shifts occurred in the classification of the largest firms by lawyer count, with Baker McKenzie advancing to third place and Raven to fourth. A particularly prestigious segment of the ranking focuses on major transactions. The "deal of the year" for 2025 was awarded to the acquisition by Erste Group of 49% of Santander Bank Polska shares and 50% of Santander TFI from Santander Group for approximately 7 billion euros. This transaction, involving Poland's third-largest bank, is the most valuable in the country's history and the largest cross-border bank acquisition in Europe in over two decades. Rymarz Zdort Maruta, Greenberg Traurig, and Baker McKenzie advised on this landmark deal.

While identifying the largest firms and those handling major transactions is objective, determining the "best" overall is more complex. Clifford Chance emerged as the leader in overall recognition, accumulating 16 accolades, including eight team recommendations in areas like banking, finance, M&A, and private equity, alongside eight individual recommendations, underscoring its versatility. Rymarz Zdort Maruta secured second place with 15 distinctions, and Sołtysiński Kawecki & Szlęzak ranked third with 12.

Beyond professional achievements and earnings, the ranking also acknowledges pro bono activities. Rödl received an award for assisting refugees, while Olesiński i Wspólnicy was recognized for its commitment to animal rights. The competitive intensity in the Polish legal market continues to escalate annually. While the largest firms are not expanding their teams as rapidly as before, mid-sized firms, comprising ten to several dozen lawyers, are demonstrably gaining strength. Paweł Zdort, managing partner at Rymarz Zdort Maruta, described the Polish legal services market as likely the most competitive in Europe, characterized by a highly fragmented structure offering clients a full spectrum of choices, from top international firms to mid-tier global networks and regional players.

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Clients have a full spectrum of entities to choose from: from leading international firms, through mid-tier global networks and regional players.