Our Employment practice is distinguished for its extensive experience and pioneering approach in the field.
Since 1990, we have participated in all major M&A deals and greenfield projects, many of which required innovative legal solutions without precedents in Bulgaria, such as the first offerings of incentive plans to Bulgarian employees.
We possess strong knowledge across all specific employment law sectors and the practices of state authorities, including:
- Hiring and firing of employees
- Remuneration and benefit plans, management of working time
- Disciplinary procedures
- Employment in the context of a transfer of undertakings
- Employment and relocation of expatriates
- Work permits and visas
- Posting of workers
- Personal data protection
- Anti-discrimination regulations
- Staff leasing activities.
- Elections of works council and representatives in SNB and EWC
- Establishment of trade unions, collective bargaining, and strikes
- Representation before state bodies in case of labour-related audits
- Collective redundancies
- Employment disputes – administrative and civil cases, related to claims for wrongful dismissals, compensation, data protection breaches, discrimination, collective disputes, audits by the labour inspectorate, etc.)
Our interdisciplinary advice considers all possible effects of employment structures, including tax, social and health security, and reputation impacts.
Our client list is often referred to as the “who’s who” of the Bulgarian economy, reflecting our strong reputation and the trust placed in us by leading businesses.
We uphold core professional ethical values and build long-lasting relationships with our clients. Notably, we have been working with Philip Morris since 1990, Ideal Standard since 1992, Mondelez (formerly Kraft Foods) since 1993, and Cisco Systems since 1999, to name a few.
Rankings: We have consistently been ranked top-ranked by major international legal directories, such as Chambers and Partners, Legal 500, and IFLR1000.
Notable deals and cases
- Advising Wizz Air: We regularly advise Wizz Air on employment matters and over 40 high-profile, highly contentious litigation cases where the Bulgarian courts review remuneration patterns, entitlement to specific paid leaves, and other novel issues.
- Advising Meta (Facebook): We provide support on various employment aspects of their operations in Bulgaria, including assistance with the Bulgarian aspects of several global rightsizing initiatives.
- Advising Circles: We assist Circles with the implementation of an electronic system for creating and storing electronic employment files and represent them in employment litigation involving software theft.
- Advising SolarEdge: We assist SolarEdge in HR reorganisations, management of working time patterns, and contentious terminations.
- Advising Remote: We assist Remote in its activities as a temporary employment agency and as a service provider, hiring and firing employees, and advising on employment claims.
- Representing Scalefocus: Handled a highly contentious employment litigation brought by a former employee claiming an undue performance bonus based on an outlandish interpretation of the company’s internal bonus scheme.
Advising Globalization Partners: We provide counsel on various employment law matters, including hiring foreigners, drafting employment documents, and advising on leaves and compensations from the State.