In a region that has learned to live with uncertainty, Poland stands out for something refreshingly simple: results. A recent Bloomberg column by Matthew A. Winkler captured it perfectly: Poland’s GDP is about USD 915 billion and keeps compounding. Bloomberg calculates that household consumption has surged 125% since the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016; the zloty leads among 23 most-traded emerging-market currencies; Polish government bonds top Europe with over 30% total return; and the Warsaw Stock Exchange ranks among the world’s best performers so far this year. These are facts.
Forecasts also showcase a similar future. Medium-term projections have Poland growing around the 3% benchmark – 3.3% in 2026 and 3.2% in 2027 as stated in the Bloomberg piece, and broadly in line with EU and IMF views. The momentum is grounded in wages, capex, EU funds, and a strong private sector that iterates fast.
None of this means we can ignore the other column in the growth model: risk. Geopolitics on our eastern border, a noisier global trade backdrop, and a heavier fiscal policy at home are real challenges. Poland’s deficit has widened due to social and energy costs. Forecasters expect gradual consolidation but not overnight miracles. The OECD underlines the need for revenue measures and spending discipline while addressing the health system and the ageing population.
For our clients, the challenge is not based on identifying these risks. They know them well. The right question is quantifying them and devising the right legal structure in order to mitigate them. This is where Poland’s real competitive advantage shows. It is large enough to offer scale, diversified enough to manage cyclicality, and open enough to channel capital toward energy transition, digital, infrastructure, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. In many portfolios, Poland already equals the rest of CEE combined in exposure. Liquidity, depth of the local banking market, and an increasingly international investor base make that allocation rational, not sentimental.
At Greenberg Traurig, we match that reality with a model that works in volatile times: one global firm, empowered local leadership, and what we call “freedom within the framework.” The framework matters – quality, ethics, risk, and client service are non-negotiable. Freedom is essential. Warsaw is not Vienna or Prague, and cannot be interpreted only as a local market, as some regional firms understand it. Clients don’t hire us to force global templates onto local existing challenges. They hire us to bring top global standards to local execution. They value impeccable quality, trust, and the right tempo with respect to delivering results.
That culture has guided us through every cycle: we invest when others hesitate, we build teams across practices rather than chase headlines, and we underwrite our advice with real accountability. It is also why, while some firms are narrowing footprints or regrouping in Poland, our answer is the opposite: double down on Poland. Expand, don’t retreat. The pipeline is obviously there. According to the Merger Market ranking for the first half of 2025, our office has executed M&A transactions with a value of almost USD 9 billion, maintaining the number 1 position not just in Poland but across Central and Eastern Europe. Equity and debt capital markets are recovering, and we are seeing activity in many practice areas such as energy and renewables, infrastructure, and project finance.
Of course, the rulebook is not static. Tax changes may tighten. Public finances must rebalance. Monetary policy will keep one eye on inflation and another on growth in order to avoid the inflationary shock we recently experienced. This means measuring the risk and taking it into account. This does not mean decision paralysis. Smart capital will price in the noise and move.
What gives us confidence is the alignment between the macro signals and what we see every day across the table: disciplined corporates, pragmatic institutions, and investors who actually want to invest here, not trade headlines. Poland has reached the point where scale, talent, and institutional know-how work for one another. In practical terms, that puts Poland, by some measures of deal flow and market depth, as a country that can rival the rest of CEE combined.
Poland is stronger than ever, and so is the presence of Greenberg Traurig in Poland. Our promise to the market is simple: keep the framework tight, keep the freedom real, and keep moving forward with our clients to the best of our abilities. This is what our commitment to excellence is all about. Poland is the CEE’s center of gravity, and we certainly intend to match its trajectory.
By Jolanta Nowakowska-Zimoch, Managing Partner, Greenberg Traurig Poland
This article was originally published in Issue 12.8 of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the magazine, you can subscribe here.
