Band 1
Provided by Judit Kővári
Judit Kővári is a partner and head of the Real Estate practice group of Dentons’ Budapest office. She is one of Hungary’s leading real estate practitioners advising global and regional clients in a broad range of real estate transactions, including greenfield investments, infrastructure development, zoning and permitting issues, as well as construction matters and leases, in the office, retail and industrial real estate sectors. She is the legal advisor of major real estate investors and developers.
During her career (between 1991-2002) she worked at a Big 4 advisory firm where she served as a partner from 1998; she was involved in the privatization of several Hungarian insurance companies, financial institutions and industrial companies. Before joining Dentons (Salans) in 2006 she worked as a partner of a local law firm, focusing on real estate and corporate/M&A matters with a strong transaction profile.
Member, Budapest Bar Association; Honorary Member, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in Hungary
English and Hungarian
- One of the largest online retailers in CEE: Advising the client on various development issues relating to their logistics center at Dunaharaszti, in relation to a group financing. The project has been designated by the Hungarian Government as being of national strategic importance.
- Leading global business builder, owner, developer and operator of logistics real estate: Providing full scope real estate related legal advice to the Hungarian subsidiaries of the client, a leading global business builder, owner, developer and operator of logistics real estate, data centers, renewable energy and related technology. The client owns and manages market leading logistic projects, its current portfolio comprises more than 150,000 sqm of modern warehouses in Hungary. Providing legal support on wide scope development matters: acquiring the project land, as well as involvement in the tender procedure for a built-to-suit development. Assisting the client with leasing matters of existing and potential tenants including power plants aspects, negotiations with contractors, suppliers and utility suppliers, enforcing claims against contractor and other daily operational matters.
- Governing body of football in Hungary: Advising the client on the extension of its academy training centre via the obtaining use right for additional areas in Páty, Hungary, from the Hungarian state, represented by the Hungarian National Asset Management Inc. and National Agricultural Land Centre. Providing advice in relation to the reclassification of certain greenfield areas, plots restructuring, representing the client before the Hungarian National Asset Management Inc. and National Agricultural Land Centre, developing the legal structure under which the client may become the trustee (asset manager) of the development, including a solar power plant.
- Belgium-based real estate development company: Advising the client on the development of the Green Court multifunctional project in Budapest, and on its €77 million sale to Groupama Gan REIM. The project consists of a residential, office and retail complex with approximately 20,200 sq.m. of lettable space; construction and zoning issues in various office development projects in Budapest, including a multifunctional (office and residential) project in Budapest called Green Court Office. The project won the “Office Development of the Year” award at Portfolio Property Awards 2021; the new office lease by multinational beverage alcohol company Diageo in the Green Court office building.
- Leading Class “A” office building and shopping mall investor and developer in CEE: Advising
on the sale of its Belgrade office portfolio to an American-Hungarian owned real estate investment manager. The portfolio covered 11 buildings within 5 business parks of a total 122,175 sqm gross lease area with high occupancy rates, located in the New Belgrade district;
on the acquisition of the Ericsson and Siemens Evosoft Headquarters in Budapest from one of Hungary’s biggest real estate developer and investor companies. The deal won the award “Investment Deal of the Year on the local market” at Portfolio Property Awards 2021;
on its acquisition of the Duna Tower office building and a development project in the Váci Corridor, one of Budapest’s largest and fastest growing office locations.
- Hungarian private equity fund owned and managed by an affiliate of the National Bank of Hungary: Advising on the acquisition from a leading private equity firm of a Dutch holding company that owns a 61 percent stake in a leading Class “A” office building and shopping mall investor and developer.
- The largest hotel group in Central and Eastern Europe: Advising on the sale of 85.8 percent of its shares by its majority shareholder, a world-leading hotel group. Our legal services in connection with the transaction, included due diligence of Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian and Hungarian assets, as well as tax and capital markets advice.
- Major US private equity firm: Advising on its acquisition and subsequent sale of Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge Hotel in Budapest city center.
- A member of a leading Hungarian investor group: Advising on its sale of a prime office complex in central Budapest.
- Property holding companies owned by an international, family-owned and independent financial group: Advising on the sale of a large development area on Üllői út in Budapest, to the Hungarian State. A sport complex was constructed on the acquired land for the 2022 European Handball Championships.
- A major South African real estate investor and developer: Advising on the acquisition of a majority stake in the largest shopping mall on the Buda side of Budapest, from a leading global private equity firm.
Provided by Chambers
