Georgi Valentinov Georgiev, PhD
Managing Partner
Email: georgiev@gklaw.bg
Georgi Georgiev successfully defended his doctoral thesis in law at Sofia University with dissertation with subject “Charge over Commercial Enterprise” in 2019. He graduated from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” in 2010 with distinction. He studied English Obligation Law in Cambridge University in 2007 and English Commercial Law in the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2010. In 2012, he completed his Master’s program in International and Comparative Commercial Law at King’s College London, specializing in company law, capital markets (securitization and derivatives, syndicated loans, debt and project finance) and commercial arbitration. In 2012, he was selected for consultant for Bulgaria and member of a workgroup for a research project of the London School of Economics and Political Science, funded by EC, for doing research of the legislature and court practice of member states in the area of corporate governance.
Between 2013 and 2016, he was a part-time assistant professor in commercial law in the Law Faculty of the University of National and World Economy. From 2016 he is a full-time assistant in commercial and civil law at the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski ". In 2017, he was a guest research worker at the Commercial Law Centre at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford. Since 2016 he has been a member of an insolvency workgroup at the City University, London, and Cross-Border Corporate Insolvency & Commercial Law (CI&CL) Group, London, which is conducting international research on insolvency issues in over 30 countries around the world http://www.ciclresearch.com/about-the-project/
Since 2012 until the establishment of Georgiev & Kolev in 2018, he has been a lawyer in one of the leading law firms in Bulgaria – Georgiev, Todorov & Co. In that capacity he participated in transactions for debt and project financing with EBRD and other credit institutions in a total amount of over EUR 50 million, mergers and acquisitions, as well as commercial and arbitration proceedings, and insolvency proceedings for over BGN 200 million in total. For his work as a team leader for credit financing transactions amounting to over Euro 40 million, and the restructuring of corporate clients’ debt in amounts of over Euro 250 million, he was distinguished in one of the leading lawyers’ rankings in the world – International Financial Law Review: https://www.iflr1000.com in various categories for 2017 and 2018.
Mr. Georgiev is practicing mainly in the areas of company law, commercial insolvency, legal representation in domestic and international arbitration cases, including cases concerning FIDIC conditions of construction contracts, corporate mergers and acquisitions, licensing proceedings before the Financial Supervision Commission and the Bulgarian National Bank. Mr. Georgiev also specializes in the field of public procurement procedures - he has consulted a large number of public procurers under the Public Procurement Act as regards to the preparation of documentation for the procedures and their implementation as well as Bulgarian and foreign participants in public procurement procedures for the selection of a public procurement contractor. His experience also includes a rich procedural practice before the Commission for Protection of Competition and the Supreme Administrative Court in proceedings for challenging acts and actions of public procurers.
Publications:
1. On the Sale of Shares Owned by a Limited Liability Company without Resolution of the General Assembly under Art. 137(1) item 6 of the Commercial Act, Commercial Law Journal, issue 4/2010, p.87-97;
2. Author of analysis of the Bulgarian legislation in an international comparative study under the topic “Duties and Liability of the Directors of Joint-Stock Companies in EU”, in collaboration with other authors from London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom- Carsten Gerner – Beuerle, Philipp Paech and Edmund Philipp Schuster, LSE Enterprise (2013), p. 69-100 of Appendix A to the Study, available at http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/Libfile;
3. Co-author with Alexander Katzarsky of studies regarding the arbitration proceedings under Bulgarian law in the “International Comparative Legal Guide: International Arbitration” 2013, 2014 and 2016, as well as in the Corporate Governance guide in 2014 and 2017, issued by the Global Legal Group, London, United Kingdom: https://iclg.com;
4. “A Comparative Legal View on the “Piercing the Corporate Veil” Doctrine and Other Concepts for Engaging Liability of Third Parties for Companies’ Debts”, Business Law, issue 2/2014, p. 41-62;
5. “Is the Suspension of a Registration in the Commercial Register of Proceeding with an Execution of a Commercial Enterprise or a Company Share Pledged under a Special Pledge Admissible?”, Business Law, issue 3/2015, p. 25-44;
6. “Are Non-Compete Restrictions Provided for in the Management Agreement Valid after its Termination?” Business Law, issue 4/2016, p. 51-68;
7.“Historical Development of the Pledge on Company Enterprise”, Business Law, issue 4/2017, p. 51-72;
8. Recent Amendments in the Regime of the Enterprise Charge Under Bulgarian Law, Current Issuеs in Law and Beyond on EU Level, editors: Aleks Ember and Ina Vishogradska, St. Climent Ohridski University Press, 2018, p.21-32;
9.Regarding Some Challenges Regarding Subsequent Charge Over Commercial Enterprise, Business Law, Issue 3, 2018, p. 83-99;
10. Legal Characteristics of the Charged Commercial Enterprise, digest with publications from research conference, organized by the Faculty of Law at the University of National and World Economy, October, 2018 – to be printed out;
11. Incorporation of an Enterprise Charge and effects of its Entry In the Respective Registries – in Digest with publications from conference In Memoriam Christian Takov – St. Climent Ohridski University Press – to be printed out;
12. Regarding the Content of the Charged Commercial Enterprise – in Yearbook of 2018 of the Faculty of Law of Sofia University “St. Climent Ohridski”, St. Climent Ohridski University Press, 2019;
13. Methods for Execution Over Charged Enterprise under the Law on Registered Chagres Act, Business Law, Issue 2, 2019 г. p. 83-101
14. Co-Author of the Chapter for Bulgaria in the comparative legal study “Executory Contracts in Insolvency Law. A Global Guide”, author of the chapter on Bulgarian law, edited by prof. Jason Chuah and Eugenio Vaccario, City University, London, издателство Edward Elgar Publishing, United Kingdom, 2019: https://www.e-elgar.com
Nikolay Kolev
Managing Partner
Email: n.kolev@gklaw.bg
Nikolay Kolev graduated with honors from the Faculty of Law of the Sofia University ‘St. Kliment Ohridski’ in 1982. Attorney Kolev has over 30 years of professional experience - from 1984 until 1991 he worked as a prosecutor and since 1991 he has been a lawyer practicing in the areas of civil, commercial, tax, criminal and administrative law. From 2008 to 2012 he was a member of the Supreme Supervisory Council of the Supreme Bar Council.
The considerable experience of Nikolay Kolev includes the consulting of a number of trade companies, leaders in the relevant field of the Bulgarian market - such as Neochim AD, Junona EOOD, as well as the consulting of a municipal authorities and non-governmental organizations in all aspects of their activity - current subscription services, procedural representation on cases, preparation of drafts for normative acts and others.
Kolev’s long-term attorney's experience, combined with the experience gained through his job on senior administrative positions and his work as a magistrate, is a guarantee of competence and comprehensiveness in the consultancy activity, especially in the field of tax law, administrative law and procedure, including counselling local and central authorities on the elaboration and coordination of various legal acts, preparation of documentation and consultancy on public procurement procedures and concessions, insurance law and procedural representation.
Attorney Kolev is fluent in Russian and English languages.
Stoyan Kolev
Financial and Administrative Director
Email: s.kolev@gklaw.bg
Stoyan Kolev is the financial and administrative director of “Georgiev & Kolev” since the company establishment in 2018.
He is an alumnus of Foreign Language High School “Professor Dr. Asen Zlatarov”, Haskovo. He has a Master’s degree in “Law” from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” with distinction.
Ani Stancheva
Senior Associate, Attorney-at-law
Email: stancheva@gklaw.bg
Ani Stancheva graduated Magna Cum Laude from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Law. In addition to her remarkable academic record, as a student Ani participated in various extracurricular initiatives and competitions. During the last year of her studies, she was a trainee at the Sofia Regional Court under a Fulbright Commission Internship program for educational exchange. Before that she was a lecturer at the Academy for Civic Education - a non-government initiative for organization of free courses on civic education for students, drafting of articles and issuing of handbooks for high-school and university students. In 2016 Ani took part of Sofia University team for one of the most prestigious international legal competitions of the European Union – Central and Eastern Europe Moot Court Competition, held under the auspices of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the University of Cambridge. Ani and her team reached the finals and won second place in the overall rankings. Additionally, Ani Stancheva studied abroad under an Erasmus exchange program in the University of Groningen (the Netherlands) where she completed courses in Introduction to English Law, International Contractual Law, Ethics in International Relations, etc.
After joining the Sofia Bar Association Ani continued developing her legal knowledge and expertise by completing several courses and taking part in significant projects, namely:
• In 2019 she successfully passed a Course on Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
• In 2019 Ani volunteered to coach the team of Sofia University for the Central and Eastern Europe Moot Court Competition, passing on her experience in moot court competitions. The team coached by Ani Stancheva won 3rd place among all participating universities from Central and Eastern Europe.
• In 2020 Ani successfully completed a course in copyright law, namely the Harvard Law School ‘CopyrightX’ course.
In Georgiev & Kolev Law Offices Ani Stancheva conducts legal research on various cases, prepares legal opinions, agreements, and other documents for transactions in the field of company, contractual and competition law. She carries out legal representation in judicial and arbitration proceedings and provides legal advice in regard to bringing the companies in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation. Ani is contributing to the law firm's consultancy activity in the field of public procurement procedures and in regard to licensing and registration proceedings before the Financial Supervision Commission.
Since 2018 Ani has gained significant experience in private equity and quasi-equity investments. Currently, she is head of our Venture capital practice which involves legal services in regard to incorporation of alternative investment funds (AIF) and alternative investment fund managers (AIFM), structuring of the investments executed by the AIFs, compliance work concerning the AIFs with public financing, negotiations with beneficiary companies, preparation of investment agreements, drawdown notices, capital increase documents, etc.
Vanina Popova
Associate, Attorney-at-law
Email: popova@gklaw.bg
Vanina Popova graduated from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Law, with distinction.
In 2015 she became legal assistant at the Association “Centre for Legal Initiatives”. She took part in one of its most significant projects “Legal Barometer”– a civil initiative for monitoring, analysis and assessment of the status and development of the legal order in Bulgaria, by supporting the activity of producing quantitative and qualitative analyses of important legislative acts and draft legislation.
From 2016 to 2018, she has worked as a legal trainee in a law firm and has gained practical experience in the field of contract, commercial and administrative law.
In 2019 she successfully completed a training course for young arbitrators at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
At “Georgiev & Kolev” Vanina Popova practices in the field of commercial and contract law, civil law, real estate and intellectual property law. She performs legal representation in judicial proceedings, prepares corporate documents related to the registration, reorganization and liquidation of companies, as well as legal opinions and analyzes concerning various areas of law.
Vanina Popova also takes active part in the company’s work with regard to structuring client’s investments – alternative investment funds and fund managers, as well as in the whole process of research and acquisition of interests in innovative local companies. Part of her expertise in the field of venture capital includes providing legal services in connection with the establishment and subsequent management of specialized investment funds for venture capital, the structuring of their investments, including negotiating with final recipients, compliance with the legal framework in the field of state aid and de minimis aid, the criteria for SME and the rest of the eligibility requirements related to public financing, as well as preparation of the necessary documents – investment agreements, convertible loan agreements, etc.
Vanina Popova also consults companies in order to bring them in compliance with the requirements of the Directive (EC) 2015/849 on the prevention of the use of the financial system for the purposes of money laundering or terrorist financing and the Bulgarian Law on Measures against Money Laundering.
Ana Cheneshkova - Stoeva
Associate, Attorney-at-law
Email: cheneshkova@gklaw.bg
Ana Cheneshkova graduated in 2018 from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Law, with distinction. She is a member of the Sofia Bar Association.
From October 2018 until May 2019 she has been a trainee at the Sofia Regional Court under an internship program of the Commission for Educational Exchange “Fulbright” , which program enabled hеr to acquire practical legal skills and to work with judges from the court’s Civil Division.
From 2016 she has worked as a paralegal, and consequently, until December 2019 – as a legal counsel in a law firm, where she practiced in the field of Property Law, Labor Law and Civil Proceedings.
At “Georgiev & Kolev” Ana Cheneshkova provides the full range of legal services to large corporate clients. One of them is an investment fund, owner of the largest retail park in Bulgaria and a professional investor in real estates. Ana provides assistance regarding the whole activity of the fund in the field of Corporate Law, in the structuring of projects, in negotiations and in the preparation of various types of agreements – with lessees, banks, all participants in construction, etc.
Ana provides consultations regarding the carrying out of procedures under the Spatial Planning Act in the construction of retail sites. She has experience with contracts with a guaranteed result within the meaning of the Energy Efficiency Act (ESCO contracts). She provides legal representation in judicial and arbitration proceedings as well.
Ana Cheneshkova also provides legal advice and prepares documents in regard to bringing companies in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation and privacy policies.
Maria-Magdalena Stoilkova
Junior Associate, Attorney-at-law
Email: stoilkova@gklaw.bg
Maria-Magdalena Stoilkova graduated in 2019 from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Faculty of Law, with distinction.
From 2016 to 2020 she has worked at “Varbanov & Ralcheva” Law Office and has gained practical experience in the field of commercial and administrative law.
From 2020 to 2021 she has worked as a legal counsel at an insurance company where she provided legal and administrative services to the company and made sure the company followed the requirements of the regulatory body. Since Maria-Magdalena speaks both English and Spanish, she also participated in the Company’s projects to approach the international market, which gave her the opportunity to gain experience in the field of international law.
At “Georgiev & Kolev” Maria-Magdalena takes part in the law firm’s consultancy activity in the field of structuring investments realized by alternative investments funds.
Dimana Miteva
Junior Associate, Attorney-at-law
Email:miteva@gklaw.bg
Dimana Miteva has obtained her Master’s degree in Law in 2019 from Sofia University, with distinction.
From 2018 to 2021 she has worked as a legal council in a law firm where she has gained experience in the field of commercial law, contract law, international private law and civil proceedings.
During her studies, Dimana has participated in legal conferences and competitions and in 2019 she and her team from Sofia University won second place in the national competition for solving criminal cases.
At “Georgiev & Kolev” Dimana is part of the team that provides legal services to alternative venture capital investment funds and supports the structuring of their investments to the final recipients.
Neli Karaycheva
Jurist
Email:n.karaicheva@gklaw.bg
In 2021 Neli Karaycheva completed the full course of study in Law at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” with distinction. She was also a member of the Student Council of the Faculty of Law.
Since 2018 Neli has been a trainee at Georgiev & Kolev Law Office. Here she has gained invaluable practical experience, especially in the field of Commercial, Contract, Property and Civil Law.
Hristina Ivanova
Office Manager
Email:office@gklaw.bg
Hristina Ivanova is our office manager. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Indology and a Master’s degree in Translation and Editing, both from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridsky”. Before joining “Georgiev & Kolev”, Hristina gained significant experience in a similar position at a major law company in Bulgaria. She also translates books, academic publications and legal documents.
Natali Gotova
Client Relations
Email:n.gotova@gklaw.bg
Natalie Gotova graduated with a bachelor's degree in Strategic and Business Planning from the D. A. Tsenov Academy of Economics in 2014.
Since 2014 until present, she has specialized in PR, marketing and advertising, and in the law firm she assists with client relations and is responsible for corporate marketing.
