Maciej Zaborowski

Practice Areas

Advocate Maciej Zaborowski is a leading Polish defence lawyer specialising in criminal law, white-collar crime, and extradition proceedings. As the Managing Partner at Kopeć & Zaborowski, one of the most renowned Polish law firms in the field of criminal business law, he represents clients in the most complex and high-profile criminal cases in Poland and abroad.

With over fifteen years of professional experience, he has built a reputation as a strategic and determined advocate who provides comprehensive defence in all stages of criminal proceedings — from pre-trial investigations to proceedings before courts and international tribunals. He effectively represents business clients, public officials, and private individuals accused or suspected of committing criminal offences, including economic, financial, and corruption-related crimes.

His practice covers extradition, mutual legal assistance, and cross-border criminal matters, where he combines deep procedural knowledge with practical understanding of international cooperation between law enforcement authorities. He is known for developing tailored defence strategies, often based on innovative legal arguments and out-of-the-box thinking.

Clients appreciate his strategic approach, discretion, and ability to act decisively under pressure. He is recognised for taking on challenging and sensitive cases requiring not only legal expertise but also experience in managing risk and reputation.

In addition to criminal defence, Maciej Zaborowski advises clients in matters related to the protection of personal rights and image defence, representing leading public figures, entrepreneurs, journalists, and individuals from the world of culture and media.

Maciej graduated from the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw. He also graduated from Harvard Law School (ALP) and from postgraduate studies in Intellectual Property Law at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw, as well as postgraduate studies in Evidence Law at the Faculty of Law and Administration of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University. He also completed advocate training at the Bar Association in Warsaw and passed the final Bar exam. He is also a graduate of the Center for American Law Studies (a joint initiative of the Florida State University and the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw), the Leadership Academy for Poland run by lecturers from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, the 16th School for Leaders founded by Professor Zbigniew Pełczyński from Oxford University in Great Britain, and the Academy of Young Diplomats (European Academy of Diplomacy), with a specialization in foreign service. He is currently also in theprocess of writing his doctoral thesis on criminal commercial law at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Warsaw.

Maciej gained his professional experience, among others, in several well-known Warsaw law firms, as well as in the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Rome, the Ministry of Justice, and the Polish Parliament, where he, among others, co-authored a report from the Parliamentary Investigation Committee to examine the case of the legislative process of the laws amending the Act of 29 July 1992 on games and betting and the executive regulations issued on the basis of those regulations in the scope of games on low win machines and video gaming terminals, and to examine the lawfulness of the operation of government administration bodies investigating the process [the so-called “Gambling Committee”]. He is the author of numerous legal opinions related to the legislative process, including those commissioned by the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.

Maciej is a member of the Supervisory Board of Powszechny Zakład Ubezpieczeń S.A. and Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of PKP IC. He is a professional mediator of the Mediation Centre at the Supreme Bar Council, registered on the list of mediators of the District Court in Warsaw, and a lecturer for the advocate training at the Bar Association in Warsaw. Since December 2020, he has been a regular mediator of the Arbitration Court at The General Counsel to the Republic of Poland.

Maciej is an expert of the Ministry of Justice on changes in criminal law. He is a co-author of amendments to the Criminal Code, the Executive Criminal Code, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, including the so-called extended forfeiture, extended criminal liability of expert witnesses, the so-called crime of nonsupport, and liability of collective entities for prohibited acts.

In February 2018, Maciej was elected by the Sejm of the Republic of Poland of the 8th term as a judge of the State Tribunal. In November 2019, he was re-elected as a judge of the State Tribunal by the Sejm of the 9th term.

From an early age, he has been involved in pro publico bono activities, including serving as the Chairman of the Founders’ Council of the Responsible Citizens Foundation. He comments on current events in legal terms in the press and on television.

Awards