Independent leadership of the labor law practice at the Warsaw office of Baker McKenzie has been assumed by Michal Lisawa, a partner and attorney with many years of experience in advising employers and investors. Piotr Rawski, who takes on the new role of senior of counsel, handed over the role of practice leader to him with effect from 1 July.
“After thirty years of working in the profession, with more than a dozen of them spent as head of practice, managing partner and the holder of a number of regional and global positions within the firm's structures, it is with pride and satisfaction that I hand over the reins to one of the most talented lawyers of the younger generation. This is a special moment in time for me, not only on a personal level but also symbolically, because it is an expression of the organizational maturity of our law firm and the confidence we have in the competence of our younger colleagues," said Piotr Rawski on stepping down from his current position. “For several years, we have been watching the management in Baker McKenzie's Warsaw office pass into the hands of a new generation of lawyers and leaders. The synergy of experience and fresh insight translates into real results, such as growth, market advantage and courage in planning for the future.”
The change marks an important stage in the succession process and demonstrates how the firm is consistently implementing its strategy of transferring responsibility to a new generation of leaders at the firm. Piotr Rawski will remain attached to the firm's Warsaw office in the role of senior of counsel, offering his support, knowledge and experience, gained in working for some of the largest and most renowned Polish and international clients. He has worked at Baker McKenzie since 2001. In 2018-2023, he served as managing partner of Baker McKenzie's Warsaw office.
The new practice leader, Michal Lisawa, brings to the team a unique combination of legal expertise and a flexible consulting style that responds to the changing needs of business. He is a graduate of the University of Warsaw, the University of Edinburgh and the Warsaw School of Economics. He specializes in labor law and employment law in the broadest sense. He advises on hiring employees, on HR issues in mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations, and on resolving labor disputes. He also supports companies in matters related to labor unions. Among his clients are entities in the financial, IT, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, e-commerce or shared services sectors.
“The employment law practice at Baker McKenzie is more than just a team of experts: It is a group of exceptional people with whom I have the privilege of working every day. Therefore, taking on this role is not only an honor for me, but also a great joy and responsibility," says Michal Lisawa. “Over the years we have built a strong position in the market, earning the trust of major companies. Today, we support our clients in addressing increasingly complex challenges in labor law and people management, from reorganizations to compensation policies and diversity. We have a strong foundation for acting with empathy, professionalism and an understanding of commercial reality. People, both clients and our team, are at the center of everything we do.”
Baker McKenzie's employment law practice specializes in advising employers and investors, both local and international. Working closely with Baker McKenzie offices around the world, it offers support on the most complex transactional and outsourcing processes, as well as those involving the posting of employees and cross-border employment.
“I would like to thank the managing partners of Baker McKenzie's Warsaw office, Weronika Achramowicz, Łukasz Hejmej and Marcin Chyliński, as well as regional heads David Diaz and Monika Kurnatowska for the trust and support they displayed when I presented my vision for the further development of our labor law practice and my career plans after nearly three decades of work. Your readiness to fully understand that change is not only a natural stage but also an opportunity to trigger new development was extremely encouraging for me," adds Piotr Rawski. “Michael, thank you for taking on so much responsibility in recent years. Thanks to your dedication, I was able to fully devote myself to the management of the law firm, and later also to regional and global projects. I don't need to keep my fingers crossed for you because I know you will do an excellent job. You not only possess great competence but also have a fantastic team to support you.”
“After thirty years of working in the profession, with more than a dozen of them spent as head of practice, managing partner and the holder of a number of regional and global positions within the firm's structures, it is with pride and satisfaction that I hand over the reins to one of the most talented lawyers of the younger generation. This is a special moment in time for me, not only on a personal level but also symbolically, because it is an expression of the organizational maturity of our law firm and the confidence we have in the competence of our younger colleagues," said Piotr Rawski on stepping down from his current position. “For several years, we have been watching the management in Baker McKenzie's Warsaw office pass into the hands of a new generation of lawyers and leaders. The synergy of experience and fresh insight translates into real results, such as growth, market advantage and courage in planning for the future.”
The change marks an important stage in the succession process and demonstrates how the firm is consistently implementing its strategy of transferring responsibility to a new generation of leaders at the firm. Piotr Rawski will remain attached to the firm's Warsaw office in the role of senior of counsel, offering his support, knowledge and experience, gained in working for some of the largest and most renowned Polish and international clients. He has worked at Baker McKenzie since 2001. In 2018-2023, he served as managing partner of Baker McKenzie's Warsaw office.
The new practice leader, Michal Lisawa, brings to the team a unique combination of legal expertise and a flexible consulting style that responds to the changing needs of business. He is a graduate of the University of Warsaw, the University of Edinburgh and the Warsaw School of Economics. He specializes in labor law and employment law in the broadest sense. He advises on hiring employees, on HR issues in mergers, acquisitions and reorganizations, and on resolving labor disputes. He also supports companies in matters related to labor unions. Among his clients are entities in the financial, IT, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, e-commerce or shared services sectors.
“The employment law practice at Baker McKenzie is more than just a team of experts: It is a group of exceptional people with whom I have the privilege of working every day. Therefore, taking on this role is not only an honor for me, but also a great joy and responsibility," says Michal Lisawa. “Over the years we have built a strong position in the market, earning the trust of major companies. Today, we support our clients in addressing increasingly complex challenges in labor law and people management, from reorganizations to compensation policies and diversity. We have a strong foundation for acting with empathy, professionalism and an understanding of commercial reality. People, both clients and our team, are at the center of everything we do.”
Baker McKenzie's employment law practice specializes in advising employers and investors, both local and international. Working closely with Baker McKenzie offices around the world, it offers support on the most complex transactional and outsourcing processes, as well as those involving the posting of employees and cross-border employment.
“I would like to thank the managing partners of Baker McKenzie's Warsaw office, Weronika Achramowicz, Łukasz Hejmej and Marcin Chyliński, as well as regional heads David Diaz and Monika Kurnatowska for the trust and support they displayed when I presented my vision for the further development of our labor law practice and my career plans after nearly three decades of work. Your readiness to fully understand that change is not only a natural stage but also an opportunity to trigger new development was extremely encouraging for me," adds Piotr Rawski. “Michael, thank you for taking on so much responsibility in recent years. Thanks to your dedication, I was able to fully devote myself to the management of the law firm, and later also to regional and global projects. I don't need to keep my fingers crossed for you because I know you will do an excellent job. You not only possess great competence but also have a fantastic team to support you.”
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