dr. Balázs KÁNTOR
EXPERIENCE
Partner, attorney and tax expert, leading the tax group of Kapolyi Law Firm
He started his professional career as a trainee lawyer at Allen&Overy in Budapest in 2008, after which he worked in the tax group of DLA Piper. From 2015, he headed the tax group of Lakatos, Köves & Partners Law Firm (former Clifford Chance). He joined Kapolyi Law Office as a partner in 2024.
During his professional career, he has advised on a number of cross-border and domestic transactions, including high-value commercial real estate acquisitions, high profile M&A transactions and financing transactions, securities offerings.
He has successfully represented clients in disputes involving serious tax assessments.
BACKGROUND
Dr. Balázs Kántor obtained his law degree from the Eötvös Loránd University, and subsequently qualified as a tax advisor in the framework of a training organised by the Hungarian Chamber of Auditors.
He speaks English fluently.
KEY INDUSTRIES
dr. Máté HÁJAS
EXPERIENCE
Senior attorney-at-law at Kapolyi Law Firm, Head of the Corporate and M&A Practice Group, actively assisting the Capital Markets Group, too.
He started his professional career at Kapolyi Law Firm as a trainee lawyer, subsequently gained significant experience in M&A and corporate law, capital and financial markets law as attorney-at-law in international law firm environment (DLA Piper). He has been involved in numerous major M&A transactions, and has handled various corporate restructurings, mergers and demergers. He has advised a wide range of investment fund managers and managed the licencing procedures of varios institutions in this kind as well as of financial firms. He has also gained considerable experience in setting up fiduciary trust structures.
His particular strengths include excellent analytical skills and creativity. The latter, combined with his extensive experience, has led him to be regularly involved in the most challenging cases.
BACKGROUND
He graduated at the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of the University of Szeged, where he participated in the French Law Course and was a member of the Civil Law Academic Students’ Circle.
He speaks English at superior level.
Key industries
dr. Éva KAZELLA
EXPERIENCE
Senior lawyer at Kapolyi Law Office, active in the fields of Information Technology and Intellectual Property Law, as well as in Data Protection matters.
With her counsel Kapolyi Law Office will thrive to provide high end legal services both on the principals’ and on the service providers’ side in IT matters. She is a seasoned legal expert of high complexity software development, system integration and system implemetation projects. Her in-depth understanding of copyrights, trade mark, and other intellectual property matters, as well as data protection cases adds to the expertise of Kapolyi Law Firm. Formerly she worked for large enterprises and for law offices serving both Hungarian and international clientele.
BACKGROUND
Graduated from the Faculty of Law at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest in 1997 and started her professional career the same year.
She passed her bar exam in 1999 and has been a member of the Budapest Bar Association since 2000.
From 2005 to 2012, she worked at an IP law enforcement firm with a large international client base, and from 2015 to the present day she has been working on IT, IP and data protection matters. From 2019 to 2022, she was IP, IT and innovation counsel and then legal director of a large industrial and technology company.
This spring she joined Kapolyi Law Office.
She speaks English fluently, German and Danish at an intermediate level.
KEY INDUSTRIES
dr. Ádám Imre MENYHÁRT
EXPERIENCE
Attorney at law, member of the Capital Markets Department at Kapolyi Law Firm.
Provides legal assistance for wide range of investment fund managers and investment service providers. He has a comprehensive knowledge related to both licensing procedures and the support of the daily operations.
Supported licensing procedures on acquisition of a qualifying Interest in a capital market firm, and other procedure subject to licensing.
Previously he worked as a legal expert at National Bank of Hungary.
BACKGROUND
He graduated at Pázmány Péter Catholic University Faculty of Law in 2015. He passed his bar exam in October 2019.
He has been a member of the Budapest Bar Association from April 2021.
He is fluent in English.
KEY INDUSTRIES
dr. Martin GORTVA
EXPERIENCE
Attorney at law and Head of Global Immigration & Mobility Practice Group at Kapolyi Law Firm.
Martin has outstanding and extensive experience in all areas of real estate and construction law, including complex real estate transactions, real estate-focused M&A matters, residential, industrial, or hotel developments, condominium law, design and construction contracts, as well as corporate law and M&A.
Besides his expertise in real estate law, he has outstanding experience in international mobility and immigration related matters.
Martin advises and supports a wide range of clientele including significant domestic and foreign investors, commercial real estate developers, and real estate funds.
He started his professional career in a law firm with a commercial law practice where he gained valuable experience in the fields of real estate and construction law, corporate law, contract law, claims management, and regulatory affairs.
BACKGROUND
He obtained his law degree at the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of Pázmány Péter Catholic University in 2018.
In 2021 he obtained his master’s degree specialized in economic and business law at the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of Pázmány Péter Catholic University.
He speaks English fluently.
KEY INDUSTRIES
dr. Vivien SZEKERES-BENCZIK
EXPERIENCE
Attorney at law and the Deputy Head of the Corporate and M&A Practice Group at Kapolyi Law Firm from January 2023.
During her study, firstly, she has worked as a trainee at Lajer Law Firm for more than two years and gained experience in several fields of civil law.
After finishing her study, she began her career as a lawyer candidate at Lohn Law Firm, where she mostly dealt with litigation and non-litigation procedures. She started her career at Kapolyi Law Firm in 2020 as an associate.
BACKGROUND
She obtained her law degree at the Faculty of Law of Eötvös Loránd University in 2018.
During her university studies, she completed the first semester of a part-time German law class based on an agreement between Georg-August-Universität of Göttingen and Eötvös Loránd University.
She speaks English and German fluently.
KEY INDUSTRIES
dr. Anna DARVAS
EXPERIENCE
Anna started her professional career at the Budapest office of a London-headquartered international law firm. She was engaged in the field of competition law, banking & finance and corporate law.
She worked at the Hungarian National Bank in the field of capital markets and issuer’s supervision from 2017.
Anna joined Kapolyi Law Firm in 2020 and works for the capital markets practice group
BACKGROUND
Anna graduated at Eötvös Loránd Science University, at the Faculty of Law with outstanding results in 2016.
She has gained a certification of Stock Exchange Special Studies in 2019.
She passed her bar exam with distinction in 2021. She is a member of the Budapest Bar Association.
Anna speaks English fluently and German on a high level.
KEY INDUSTRIES
dr. Zsófia SOMLÓVÁRI
EXPERIENCE
Attorney at Law and Head of Labour Law Practice Group at Kapolyi Law Firm.
During university studies she worked as a trainee lawyer in several Hungarian owned law firm, her duties included assistance in commercial acts, drafting and giving legal advice to clients.
After graduation she started working as a Junior Associate at a Law Firm specialized in Sports Law, where she worked with professional athletes, giving them legal advice. She also gained knowledge in the fields of Contract Law, Real Estate Law and Labor Law. Furthermore, she took part in winding up proceedings.
She started working in the Employment, Real Estate and Banking and Finance practice groups at Kapolyi Law Firm in the summer of 2019 and became the head of Employment practice group from January 2023 after successfully completing her bar exam in autumn, 2022.
She was involved in several licensing procedures before the Hungarian National Bank, including establishment of a credit institution, and assisted in the personal licensing of senior executives.
She also handles litigation matters in the above areas and assist the firm’s litigation practice group.
BACKGROUND
She obtained her law degree at the Faculty of Law of Pázmány Péter Catholic University in 2018. She successfully passed her BAR exams in autumn 2022.
In 2019 she won the Labor Law section of OTDK (National Conference Of Scientific Students’ Associations).
She speaks English fluently.
KEY INDUSTRIES
dr. Balázs József FERENCZY
EXPERIENCE
Started his professional career as junior legal counsel at the Hungarian Credit Bank in 1992. Worked as single in-house counsel of Crédit Lyonnais Bank Magyarország Rt. from 1996. In 1998 Gide Loyrette Nouel, a Paris based international law firm invited him to lead the Firm’s Banking and Finance practice in Hungary, which task he fulfilled until 2010. Afterwards he worked in his proper law office until November 2013, by which time he became Legal Director of Cellum Group, Hungary’s leading secured mobile payment technical service provider until January 2019.
BACKGROUND
Obtained his university degree of Law and State Sciences in 1992 at the Faculty of Law of the Miskolc University. Passed his bar exam in 1994. Obtained MBA degree on the Budapest Technical University in 2006 on Finance and Management.
Fluent in English, intermediary in the French language.
KEY INDUSTRIES
dr. Adrienn MILD
EXPERIENCE
She started her professional career in 1996 as associate at an international law firm, where she dealed with civil, labour and corporate law related issues as well as provided legal representation in litigation matters.
After passing the bar exam she worked as Senior Consultant at the Regulation Department of the National Bank of Hungary from 1999 assisting the harmonization of the relevant Hungarian legal regulations for banking and capital market on the basis of relevant EU directives.
In 2006 she started to work as senior attorney at an international law firm dealing with banking and finance, tax, civil, real estate and corporate law.
From 2010 till 2015 she worked in a public notary office in Spain drafting notarial deeds in Spanish and provided official interpretation thereof in German and English.
She joined Kapolyi Law Firm as senior attorney in May 2016 where she deal with corporate and commercial matters, M&A and real estate transactions, labour law, banking and finance issues.
BACKGROUND
She obtained her law degree at the Faculty of Law of Janus Pannonius University in 1996 and passed her bar exam in 1999.
She obtained her postgraduate diploma for economy at the Budapest University of Economic Sciences in 2000, and her degree in real estate law in 2005 at the Institute of Postgraduate Legal Studies of ELTE.
Between 1999 and 2001 she participated in several courses of the International Training Centre for Bankers where she gained special and comprehensive knowledge in banking business.
She speaks English, German and Spanish fluently.
KEY INDUSTRIES
