International law firm Osborne Clarke, which has its roots in Bristol, has opened a base in Poland, taking its number of international offices to 26.
The Warsaw office brings together the legal services business of highly respected multi-professional services Polish firm MDDP with a number of recognised and rated lawyers joining from other well-known national independent firms. 
The team will be made up of six partners, 24 lawyers and four business support staff and will be led by co-managing partners Olgierd Swierzewski and Tomasz Olkiewicz.
The office will have a combined portfolio comprising international and national clients and will initially target clients across Osborne Clarke’s key sectors, including technology, media and communications, energy and utilities, and real estate and infrastructure.
It will expand to further areas as the team grows. The new team will also maintain its mutual referral relationship with MDDP.
Osborne Clarke was founded in Bristol in 1748 and today employs more than 700 people in the city.
Having expanded across the UK and into several European countries, over the past two decades it has opened further offices in Europe as well as in China and Singapore and three in the US – Silicon Valley, San Francisco and New York. It also formed a relationship with BTG Legal in India.
In total it now employs 2,000-plus employees – including more than 1,300 lawyers – across its international offices. 
Osborne Clarke’s Bristol-based international CEO Omar Al-Nuaimi, pictured, said Poland was an important and strategic move for the firm as the European Union’s fifth largest economy while it was well positioned for targeting international businesses in central and eastern Europe.
“It’s also a market that’s increasingly under pressure given the rapidly evolving situation in the Ukraine and the broader geopolitical factors,” he said.
“Many of our clients have welcomed the fact that we will have a team in Poland to assist them as they navigate the changing business landscape.
“We’re bringing together two high-quality teams that are very aligned to our 3D strategy and our values. Co-managing partners Olgierd and Tomasz and the wider partners, fee earners and business services team share our client-centred approach and our vision for a new future-focused law firm.”
Tomasz Olkiewicz, a corporate M&A and tax lawyer with 25-plus years’ experience who was previously managing partner at MDDP Law, said the teams could not be more aligned.
“Across many of our key sectors we bring complementary skills and expertise,” he added.
“In the energy and utilities sector, for example, decarbonisation and ESG [environmental, social and governance] form a big part of our strategic thinking and we’re advising clients on matters linked to the circular economy and waste reduction.”
Olgierd Swierzewski was previously CEO and head of the technology transaction group in a well-known national law firm and VP of the board at Lotos Paliwa, one of Poland’s largest oil companies. He also spent eight years as General Counsel for Accor Hotels.
Olgierd said: “We’re aiming to create a unique firm for the Polish market. We want to maintain all the things that are uniquely OC – outstanding client service, future focus, transformational insight and a dedication to delivering a strong culture.”
Pictured: Team members at Osborne Clarke’s new Poland office. From left: Agata Demuth, Renata Dluska, Olgierd Swierzewski, Katarzyna Baranska and Tomasz Olkiewicz
