How a small practice founded in 2007 by ex-Allen&Overy lawyer Grzegorz Woźniak developed into an esteemed and recognisable legal brand

In 2007, I made the tough decision to leave Allen & Overy Warsaw and start my own law firm. It wasn’t easy - I still remember the hesitation and nervous energy when I finally placed my termination notice on the table. But deep down, I knew the timing was right. Without taking that one bold step, none of what followed would have been possible.
 
My vision was clear: to deliver the same consistently high-quality service as the top international firms, but in a way that was more personal and flexible. I’ll never forget the first day I opened my office doors. I looked around at my logo, my computers, and my shining new furniture, and thought: “This is amazing. Money well spent... but how am I going to pay the next bill?”
 
Those early days were challenging. Most of my clients did follow me, which was incredibly encouraging, but financially the results didn’t quite match my expectations. Feeling the need for guidance, I reached out to some of the people I admired most. One of them was Stephen Denyer, my first boss at Allen & Overy. We had worked together on many transactions in Poland, and I had always admired his style and approach. He was the embodiment of an Englishman, seemingly always knowing the right answer.
 
So, in 2014, I decided to go to London to see him, hoping he would find some time for me. Back then, Stephen was working for The Law Society of England and Wales and was already an influential figure in the field of international law.
 
He received me very warmly. We went to the café at the Law Society to have a beer and reminisce about the good old times. But the meeting went far beyond my expectations. It was not just a pleasant visit - it was a true working session. We sat together for three hours, discussing law firm management and other practicalities. While drinking a cold Stella Artois in the café, I probably learned some of the most important business lessons of my life. Stephen told me: “If you want to run a successful law firm, it has to be a matter of life and death for you.”
 
He was speaking like an inspired prophet, and I was taking notes eagerly. It felt as if the wisdom of many generations of English lawyers was being passed on through him: how to develop a legal network, how to use social media, how to think about your brand, how important a clear and easily navigable website is, how vital it is to be visible on Twitter and LinkedIn, and how crucial it is to be ranked in legal directories.
 
I had heard these things before, but this time it was different. They were spoken directly to me by an eminent lawyer from the heart of the legal world. Stephen convinced me that I should aim high and dream big. I will never forget his words.
 
Stephen told me that, obviously, I need to be a very good lawyer with excellent analytical skills, but at the same time I must also be a trusted advisor to my clients. Clients want to know that they are receiving value and quality for their hard-earned money. The reality is that the best kind of marketing is word of mouth and personal recommendations. Stephen said: “If you provide a top-class service, people will know about it and the benefits to your business will be endless. That means that if you want to own the top brand, you have to deliver the best service.”
 
I went back home the next day. I adopted Stephen’s advice 100%. I made a shift towards cross-border matters and I moved my offices to one of the most prestigious addresses in Warsaw at Śniadeckich 17 in the heart of the city. I set up my profiles on LinkedIn and Twitter. I started to add posts in English regularly. I joined the International Bar Association and started to attend the annual IBA conferences. I attended the fantastic annual IBA conference in Rome in 2017 where Stephen introduced me to the most important people in the business.
 
In 2017 Woźniak Legal was ranked for the first time in Chambers HNW as one of the best Polish law firms in private client category.
 
In 2018 Woźniak Legal was highly commended by the Law Society of England and Wales for excellence in the category of international legal services. The Law Society Excellence Awards gala took place in London on 17 October 2018 at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel at Mayfair. I received the award from the hands of the then - President of the Law Society Christina Blacklaws. What a wonderful evening that was!
 
I still see Stephen regularly, either in Warsaw or in London. He is my mentor for life.