
GESSEL Attorneys at Law is composed of ‘highly engaged and talented’ lawyers, and the department is well equipped to handle arbitrations and post-arbitration cases, with a strong focus on international M&A disputes. It is also notably strong in commercial disputes spanning a wide variety of sectors, especially IT and banking, as well as cases with an environmental focus. Founding partner Beata Gessel-Kalinowska vel Kalisz boasts ’decades of experience’, and she co-leads the arbitration group alongside Joanna Kisielińska-Garncarek. Piotr Schramm chairs the litigation team, in addition to the bankruptcy and restructuring group.
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘I know GESSEL for their arbitration work, on which I have worked with them on several occasions. I regard them as probably the leading arbitration boutique in Poland, able to handle well disputes in the hundreds of millions of dollars - particularly company disputes, such as shareholder disputes or concerning takeovers.'
‘Professor Beata Gessel–Kalinowska vel Kalisz the founding partner of the firm, has decades of experience and is a great strategist, not least thanks to her considerable pedigree as an arbitrator which gives her the perspective from both sides of the fence. She is also well-known in England and a visiting professor in arbitration at one of the universities in London.'
‘I have had the opportunity to work with GESSEL’s dispute resolution team on a number of high-value, post-transaction, cross-border disputes (claims concerning breach of representations & warranties, final price settlement). What makes them unique is their deep understanding of the realities of M&A transactions. Their expertise in this area enables them to provide innovative case strategies that surprise the opponents.'
'Joanna Kisielińska-Garncarek handles our cases in a comprehensive manner - she co-ordinates the work of experts in various fields and jurisdictions and is very good at dealing with cross-jurisdictional issues.'
'Barbara Tomczyk is always deeply involved in the case. She knows the file inside out and has a good understanding of all the issues involved, both legal and commercial. She is very responsive and receptive to the client's needs. Barbara is always looking for new elements that can be introduced into the case strategy.’
‘Piotr Paprota - very quick to respond and knowledgeable.'
‘Th litigation team of Gessel consists of highly engaged and talented people. They can easily navigate their clients in various types of litigation cases, such as M&A litigation, antitrust proceedings with the regulator etc.’
‘Paweł Kwiatkowski stands out due to his exceptional strategic thinking and unwavering dedication to achieving the best outcomes for the client. His ability to navigate complex legal challenges with precision and commitment to personalised client service makes him a valuable asset in any legal dispute.’
Key clients
- Client Earth Foundation
- NPN Investments II S.à.r.l.
Work highlights
- Representation of Client Earth Foundation acting on behalf of five Polish citizens against the State Treasury.
- Representation of a Luxembourg private equity fund (as respondent) in proceedings before the Polish court.
Lawyers

Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Beata Gessel–Kalinowska vel Kalisz, Piotr Schramm, Joanna Kisielińska-Garncarek