Baker & McKenzie Warsaw announced on 29 July 2013 that it strengthens its Infrastructure practice with the hire of leading Public-Private Partnership (PPP) lawyer, Agnieszka Ferek, as partner in Warsaw.

Agnieszka joins Baker & McKenzie, with a team of two lawyers, from Hogan Lovells, where she focused on all legal aspects of PPP projects. Recently, she was the head counsel and legal coordinator for the private partner on Poland's biggest transaction in the PPP model - a PLN 3.5 billion waste incineration plant for the city of Pozna?. This was the first project in Poland in the waste management sector with EU financing and one of the first transactions where the PPP agreement was concluded with the financial closing achieved.

Agnieszka also advised on the construction, operation and financing of the A2 Motorway, Szymany Airport, municipal premises in Kraków, bus/tram shelters in Warsaw and Aquapark in Katowice.

Marcin Gmaj, Managing Partner of Baker & McKenzie's Warsaw office, said,

"We are extremely honored to welcome on board Agnieszka and her team. This will not only strengthen our activity in the Public-Private Partnership domain, but the firm as a whole, complementing our competence in infrastructure projects implemented by practices such as Finance, Real Estate, Construction and Energy Law."

Agnieszka commented:

"Undoubtedly the Pozna? PPP project, which is deemed a pilot one, will set as an example for other cities and investments, not only from the waste management sector. Despite the high complexity level, we are positive that more and more private partners will be interested in involvement in the PPP projects in Poland, and the comprehensive experience of our Infrastructure Group will help clients to conduct the transactions fluently at every stage, irrespective of the sector of operations. The guarantee of a long-term contract with a sure profit for the private partner and an operative infrastructure for the public entity."