Expanding into the Polish market is an increasingly common direction of growth for UK companies. We offer comprehensive support - from registering the business to ongoing legal and business advice in an unfamiliar legal system. Communication in Polish and English.
We help you choose the most suitable legal form and guide you through the whole administrative process in Poland.
We continuously protect your company’s interests, minimising legal risk and keeping your contracts safe.
We help you comply, as an employer, with the strict Polish employment rules.
We prepare professional opinions based on the Polish law in force, current case law and the views of legal scholars. They are particularly useful where Polish law is to be applied by a foreign authority, or where the effects of a particular institution of Polish law need to be explained before foreign offices.
Opinions in English: we prepare documents and analyses directly in English for the needs of UK courts, notaries and foreign law firms.
Based on the Polish Criminal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Based on the Code of Administrative Procedure and specific regulations.
Based on the Civil Code and the Code of Civil Procedure.
We also prepare opinions in the field of:
Because rules for UK companies differ from those for EU companies, we first check which form is permitted and sensible, including VAT registration and other tax obligations.
Documents from UK shareholders, such as Companies House extracts, usually need a sworn translation and sometimes an apostille.
Polish employment law is more formal than English law. Employment requires a written contract, ZUS contributions and compliance with rules on notice, leave and working time. If a "B2B" or civil-law arrangement works like employment in practice, the National Labour Inspectorate may challenge it, with penalties and back-contributions. Employers with 50 or more employees need work regulations, and employee data must be handled in line with GDPR.
Parties can generally choose the governing law, including English law, but for a contract performed in Poland Polish law is often the more practical choice because of enforcement. Since Brexit the jurisdiction clause needs thought, as recognition of judgments between the UK and Poland now depends on international conventions. We draft contracts in Polish, English or both, stating which version prevails.
If a Polish counterparty does not pay, the tools include a payment demand, statutory late-payment interest with fixed compensation for recovery costs (the equivalent of EUR 40, 70 or 100 depending on the invoice amount), an order for payment (including the electronic procedure at the e-court in Lublin), settlement or mediation, and enforcement through a bailiff. Business claims are generally time-barred after three years, running to the end of the calendar year. Members of the management board can be personally liable if insolvency is not filed on time.
We will prepare an individual offer tailored to the specifics of your business.
Yes. We help you choose a structure, prepare documents, contracts and regulations, and deal with corporate, employment and contractual issues.
Yes. We prepare opinions and analyses in English where the document is to be used by a foreign court, law firm, notary or authority.
Yes. We analyse contracts, prepare demands for payment, conduct negotiations and help with pursuing receivables and B2B disputes.
It depends on the business model. Sometimes a branch or sales without a permanent presence is enough, but post-Brexit rules for UK companies differ from those for EU companies. We check the form, tax obligations and registration requirements first.
Generally yes. You should consider whether it is practical, because performance and enforcement take place in Poland, and how English judgments will be recognised after Brexit.
