(June 1, 2020) – Littler, the world’s largest employment and labor law practice representing management, is pleased to announce that Paruch Chrusciel Schiffter (PCS), a leading labor and employment law firm in Poland, is joining its global platform. The expansion brings Littler’s European presence to nine countries and follows recent growth into Austria, Norway and Singapore.
The move continues Littler’s growth strategy that includes combining with top labor and employment law firms in the world’s business centers. Littler’s global footprint is now comprised of more than 1,500 attorneys in 23 countries.
“The founding partners of PCS are well known in the Polish labor and employment market as leaders in their fields,” said Tom Bender and Jeremy Roth, co-managing directors of Littler, in a joint statement. “We have been impressed with the strong team and client base they have cultivated and are excited to further expand our services to employers operating in Central Europe with the addition of PCS to our global platform.”
PCS has five offices across Poland – Warsaw, Katowice, Kraków, Poznań and Wrocław – and consists of 21 attorneys and 21 paralegals. The team counsels and defends clients on a wide range of workplace issues, including hiring and terminations, employee privacy and data protection, compensation and benefits, discrimination and equality, absence and sick leaves, and unfair competition. Additionally, its Global Mobility & Immigration practice advises clients on matters related to international employee mobility, including tax and social security issues.
PCS was founded by Sławomir Paruch and his partners Łukasz Chruściel, Karolina Schiffter and Robert Stępień. Paruch, an accomplished attorney with more than 20 years of experience, represents clients in employment-related court disputes across Poland. He has extensive experience with collective labor disputes, corporate restructuring, trade union relations, non-competition agreements, and regulations involving remuneration and financial incentives for employees.
“The Littler name is synonymous with quality client service and unmatched experience in labor and employment law,” Paruch said. “The firm has an excellent reputation in Europe for bringing significant value to companies on local and international employment law matters. We are thrilled to join forces with the leading labor and employment powerhouse and believe our respective platforms will be a formidable combination in Poland and beyond.”
Chruściel serves as head of the firm’s Katowice office and is one of the country’s leading authorities on labor law and social security regulations. Schiffter advises clients within the firm’s Global Mobility and Immigration practice and has guided the practice’s growth to one of the largest operating within a law firm in Poland. Stępień, head of the Krakow office, draws on wide-ranging experience counseling employers on hiring and terminations, outsourcing, trade union relations and collective labor agreements.
“Expanding into Poland furthers our commitment to providing top-notch labor and employment counsel to companies in the many regions in which they operate, and we are very excited to grow our presence in Central Europe,” said Stephan Swinkels, a Littler shareholder who helps lead the development and integration of the firm’s global practice. Peter Susser, Littler’s Global Practice Leader and chair of the firm’s International Employment Law practice, added that, “Poland is a large and dynamic economy that plays an increasingly integral role in Central Europe. Not only has the country become a more popular destination for Western investment in recent decades, it fits perfectly with our presence across Germany and recent opening in Austria.”
PCS will collaborate with other Littler European offices and further expand the firm’s capabilities throughout the continent. According to Dr. Thomas Griebe, a founding partner of Littler’s offices in Germany, “We have long been familiar with partners of PCS, and with their depth of experience resolving employment disputes and advising on complex workplace issues. The opportunity to team up with such a strong neighboring partner will boost our capabilities in Central Europe and bring significant value to our clients regionally and globally.”
Littler’s international operations span four continents – North America, South America, Asia and Europe – and include Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States and Venezuela. The firm’s global capabilities also include U.S.-based lawyers with exceptional international experience, who are dually licensed practitioners in Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Africa.
About Littler
With more than 1,500 labor and employment attorneys in offices around the world, Littler provides workplace solutions that are local, everywhere. Our diverse team and proprietary technology foster a culture that celebrates original thinking, delivering groundbreaking innovation that prepares employers for what’s happening today, and what’s likely to happen tomorrow.
