A firm with an “excellent reputation,” Kambourov & Partners is proving itself to be a firm on the rise. Its solid base of clients includes the Central Cooperative Bank, Cosmo Bulgaria Mobile, E.On Energie, First Investment Bank, HSBC, Nokia, Turk Telecom, Universal and USA Cable Entertainment.
The firm has grown in numbers as well as stature over the past year, with four new associates joining the ranks.
Kambourov’s international credentials are also assured, thanks to its memberships of the British Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce, the German Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Associazione Bulgaria Italia, the Bulgarian International Business Association and the professional legal association, Lexwork International. Kambourov & Partners is the only Bulgarian firm to have a permanent lawyer in London (senior associate Radoslav Alexandrov).
Back in the firm’s Sofia headquarters, “exceptionally professional lawyers” Stefan Gugushev, Yavor Kambourov, Kiro Kirov, and Vladimir Rangeloff are all highly regarded by the market for their “high quality” legal advice and “professional attitude”. The firm’s rising star is Stefan Tzakov, who one client describes as “professional, hardworking” and with “good experience”.
Over the past year, the firm’s strong banking team has certainly proved itself to be a safe choice for banking advice. This is particularly well illustrated by the quality of clients the firm is advising, including, at the time of writing, the Economic and Investment Bank on a €30 million ($36.3 million) capital raising deal, and the First Investment Bank on a $1.6 million litigation case involving AIG.
Over the past year the firm also acted for the Central Cooperative Bank on a matter before the State Receivables Collection Agency, and advised E.On Energie on financial matters relating to the privatization of electricity distribution companies.
Kambourov & Partners’ capital markets practice has had a steady year despite the low levels of activity in the markets. At the time of writing, the firm was advising on the transfer of shares of Bulgartabac Holding on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange through a €325 million block trade. The firm also acted for the Central Cooperative Bank on its listing on the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, which closed in October 2004.
The firm’s mergers and acquisitions team is highly recommended by the market as a “leader in this practice” that has “done some big deals”.
Over the past year, the firm has been involved in some of Bulgaria’s most prominent deals, including advising E.On Energie on the €695 million privatization of 67% of electricity distribution companies Varna and Gorna Oryahovitsa and the €200 million privatization of thermal power plants TPP Varna, TPP Bobov Dol and DHC Russe. It also acted for the Bulgarian state-owned tobacco monopoly, Bulgaratabac Holding, on its €250 million privatization, and represented the Bulgarian Telecommunication Company on the €325 million sale of 35% of its shares in February 2005.
Other deals saw the firm act for Nu Image Bulgaria on the €21 million privatization of Boyana Film Studio, advise foreign trade company Chimimport on the acquisition of shares in gas prospecting firm Neft i Gaz, and represent Global Infrastructure Holding on the acquisition of the largest steel-making company in Bulgaria, Kremikovtzi AD. In project finance, at the time of writing, Kambourov is advising Trace Holdings in relation to the €10 million reconstruction of Sofia Airport, and working on the development of a wine and grape production farm.
