The banking and finance team at Boyanov & Co. is especially well versed in handling financial transactions including bilateral bank loans, syndicated loans, corporate and public bond issues and M&A transactions. The firm has established strong relationships with Bulgarian and international financial institutions and corporate borrowers and has particularly strong relationships with key banks in Bulgaria, where they act as in-house legal counsel. Damian Simeonov heads the practice and has a strong track record of assisting with large financing transactions, and the team is further strengthened by Ralitsa Nedkova and Georgi Drenski.

CMS is well positioned to advise on cross-border matters, and the team is frequently involved in high-profile cross-border transactions, where it draws on its knowledge of English and German law to coordinate international deals out of Bulgaria. The firm has considerable experience representing clients on both the borrower and lender side of deals, and counts international financial institutions, commercial banks, private equity firms and fintech companies among its regular clients. The team is led by Gentscho Pavlov and Dimitar Zwiatkow, who specialise in advising banking M&A transactions and large-scale portfolio transactions, and Elitsa Ivanova, who is a dual qualified Bulgarian and English lawyer and routinely advises on cross-border mandates. Further strengthening the team is head of capital markets Katya Todorova and finance expert Ivan Gergov, who made partner in July 2023. In February 2024, Konstantin Altandzhiyski joined from Wolf Theiss.

Banks, financial institutions, strategic investors, private equity and venture capital funds regularly turn to the practice at Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchukov & Velichkov for advice on secured transactions and corporate finance, debt restructuring, capital markets, the regulation of financial and investment services and bonds issuances, among other matters. The team is led by Nikolai Gouginski, who excels in cross-border lending; Georgi Tzvetkov, who is a key name for transactional and regulatory matters; Kaloyan Krumov, who has strength in project and acquisition finance; and Gergana Monovska, who provides transactional and regulatory support in the capital markets area. Valentin Bojilov further strengthens the team with his experience in lender and borrower financing transactions.

Eversheds Sutherland is well known in the market for its capital markets practice and additionally has a well-regarded financial regulatory offering. The firm advises clients including banks, asset management firms and other financial institutions. Nikolay Bebov and Damyan Leshev are the practice co-heads, while Victoria Tzonkova provides further support in project financing and litigation in the banking space.

Kinstellar covers a broad scope of work, including financing, payments and fintech advice, support with regulatory and compliance questions, as well as transactional work. International financial institutions, development banks, fintech companies as well as payment service providers entrust the team on a wide spread of work. Svilen Issaev has particular experience representing lenders and borrowers in complex financing transactions and leads the Sofia practice, and Diana Dimova is head of the firm-wide financial institutions group and advises on a range of corporate matters. Denitsa Kuzeva is another key name in the banking and finance department.

The team at Schoenherr advises financial institutions, corporate clients and regulatory bodies on a range of complex mandates. The team covers the full range of financial services, with its strengths lying in high-end financial regulatory work, transactional advice and in project and acquisition finance. The firm increasingly works with international fintech companies. Practice head Tsvetan Krumov advises banks and other financial institutions on regulatory matters, and is supported by Milena Gabrovska, who is well versed in domestic and cross-border transactions, and Kristina Lyubenova, who supports private investors and financial institutions with project financings and transactions.

Wolf Theiss‘ team provides expert advice on strategic investments and funding initiatives for financial institutions and private equity funds, as well as assisting with domestic and cross-border financing transactions, and providing regulatory advice to banks and fintech companies. Katerina Kraeva, who advises on acquisition finance, project finance and restructuring,  jointly leads the team with Richard Clegg, who has extensive expertise in transactions in the technology and regulated sectors, and often represents funds, founders and blue-chip corporates. Ivan Mangatchev has expertise in regulatory issues in the European financial sector.

Dimitrov, Petrov & Co is engaged by companies and public institutions from the real estate, construction, telecoms and energy sectors to handle a range of matters, including regulatory issues, and project and asset financing, as well as debt restructuring and insolvency questions. Practice head Hristo Nihrizov has expert knowledge of payment services and banking and finance matters, and has a track record handling digital transformation projects. Alexander Todorov and Pencho Stanchev further strengthen the team and are involved in litigation work.

The team at Georgiev, Todorov & Co specialises in insurance and reinsurance matters, including insurance transactions and disputes, but it is also well versed in debt finance, capital markets and the implementation of payment services. Among its regular clients are asset and wealth management companies, tech companies and banks. Arno Mamasyan heads the practice and is especially experienced in litigation and EU regulations pertaining to banking. Tsvetelina Dimitrova and Miglena Peneva provide further support.

Kambourov & Partners' practice includes advising on cross-border financing, banking and capital markets regulatory advice as well as assisting with syndicated family arrangements, public and private bond placements and in cases of insolvency. The practice, which counts major creditors, banks and financial institutions in its client roster, is led by Yavor Kambourov, who has significant expertise in banking insolvency cases and is further supported by Vladimir Rangeloff and Ivo Alexandrov.

The ‘knowledgeable and experienced’ team at Penkov, Markov & Partners works with various financial and credit, e-money and payment institutions on a wide array of regulatory issues. Practice co-heads Nikolay Cvetanov and Ivan Markov have extensive experience in the field of banking and finance and capital markets.

The team at Andrey Delchev and Partners - Eurolex Bulgaria has a strong track record handling the financing of large-scale infrastructure projects, and has particular expertise devising financing structures for sustainable energy projects as well as supporting, among others, construction and mining clients during financial transactions. Stoyan Barzakov leads the practice and focuses on infrastructure, PPP and project finance legal work. Vesselin Sharov joined the firm as a senior associate from the European Parliament in 2023.

Deloitte Legal Law Firm covers the full array of banking and financing matters and has notable specialisms in bilateral and syndicated financing, transfers of loan portfolios, alternative financings and restructuring, alongside regulatory compliance matters. Adelina Mitkova concentrates her practice on transactional and regulatory banking and finance for corporate clients, banking and non-banking institutions and is supported by Konstantin Ivanov.

Ernst & Young Law Partnership cover a broad scope of work within the banking and finance area, including cross-border financing agreements, completing loan documentation and advising during M&A transactions in the finance sector where the team frequently assist banking clients and financial institutions. Practice head Rebeka Kleytman is well versed in M&A transactions and is supported in the team by Svetlin Adrianov, who often advises on privatisation transactions. Ana Petrova is another key name and is able to draw on her previous experience with the United Bulgarian Bank.

Boutique firm Stoeva, Tchompalov & Znepolski houses a team of ‘experienced and knowledgeable’ lawyers, namely Iordan Tchompalov who has considerable experience in capital markets and finance, as well as expertise in security law, and leads the practice alongside Irina Stoeva, who has strength in insurance litigation. The team covers a broad range of capital markets, banking and insurance matters often in a cross-border context, where the firm acts as local counsel. Natalia Yordanova and Peter Znepolski are other key names.

Tokushev And Partners Law Office is recognised for the depth of its expertise in the capital markets space, where the team advises on capital market transactions, IPOs, financing and regulatory matters for banks, financial institutions, public companies and venture capital funds. Practice co-heads Viktor Tokushev and Boris Teknedzhiev cover the regulatory aspects of capital markets.

CERHA HEMPEL Gerginov is well regarded for its capital markets expertise. Other matters that the practice covers include assistance with designing and implementing facility agreements and cross-border financings across a variety of sectors. Boyko Gerginov advises on Bulgarian banking and finance transactions, with a focus on the IT sector.

Kinkin & Partners' broad expertise covers all types of financing, alongside this, the firm regularly advises on debt restructurings, regulatory procedures, banking transactions and is involved with innovative financial technologies. Adriana Nacheva heads up the team and and advises clients across a broad range of areas.

Popov, Arnaudov & Partners represent local banks and other non-banking institutions with financing projects, financial corrections and transactions while also representing clients in administrative proceedings before court. The practice is led by Sibina Eftenova.