Life abroad can be challenging. Moving to another country usually takes a lot of energy, planning, and mental preparation. And if you think paperwork in your homeland is tedious and difficult to deal with, you should expect it to be doubled when you are an expat.
Settling your immigration status and your work permit, opening a bank and phone account, renting or buying property, signing an employment contract, setting up your own business, getting married, getting divorced, handling a birth certificate… All the regular bureaucracy can be a real obstacle in your way especially if you don’t speak the language and don’t have a local who can help you.
Luckily, if you are a foreigner in Bulgaria, there is something you can do to spare yourself from all the trouble and pressure of dealing with the Bulgarian administration: hiring a trusted local lawyer to protect your rights.
Having the right legal partner can save you a lot of stress and expenses.
This article will advise you on choosing the right law firm in Bulgaria for legal consultations and representation, if needed.
Why choose a Bulgarian law firm?
Bulgarian laws, like any other country’s laws, contain countless specific details. A Bulgarian legal advisor or law firm would have a comprehensive understanding of the local law, and naturally, accurate knowledge of international law if working with foreign clients.
Bulgarian lawyers are also familiar with the rules of all local institutions. Knowing how the administration works and taking the necessary legal steps could be of great importance for you as an expat.
What's more, a local experienced lawyer can give insight into the market situation and the banking/finance system. Legal advice from a law firm in Bulgaria comes with local background knowledge that can save you money, time and trouble.
Do you need legal advice and assistance? Contact our experienced lawyers.
Types of law firms
Depending on your legal needs, you could hire a sole attorney at law or a law firm. A physical person could benefit from the services of a sole lawyer. However, if you have a company in Bulgaria, you need a more comprehensive legal service for your business activities.
It’s good to have a starting point and know what would suit your needs best.
- A Sole lawyer or attorney at law
This is a law firm founded and owned by one legal practitioner. Sole lawyers most often work alone, or hire other colleagues for legal matters outside of their competency.
Sole lawyers normally have expertise in one or two coherent law areas. This could limit your possibilities in case you need legal advice in multiple law areas. Moreover, a single attorney at law can only take a certain amount of workload. If your case is more complex, it would be wiser to hire a partnership law firm.
- A Law Firm
A law firm is an exclusive partnership between at least two legal practitioners. Every lawyer can be a partner in only one firm.
Foreign and corporate clients typically prefer law firms since they allow larger teams with multiple areas of expertise. Additionally, the workload can be distributed between the team members, thus saving a lot of time.
Choosing a Bulgarian law firm
There are thousands of lawyers in Bulgaria and even more law firms. Here are the main aspects you should consider when choosing your legal consultant.
Legal advice in the required fields
Law firms often provide a wide scope of legal services and usually have in-house experts for linked fields of law.
You should search for a solicitor who specialises in the needed field for your case.
Experience and expertise
Experienced lawyers understand the law’s practical application and can offer legal services of high quality. It is advisable to choose a law firm with experts who have at least several years of experience. When you meet the firm’s representatives, discuss your requirements with them and evaluate their knowledge.
Recognition by trusted local and international associations
Local and international associations recognise trustworthy law firms. You can check international legal ratings such as Legal 500 which distinguish high quality legal services.
Such recognition will assure you that your chosen law firm hires experts with comprehensive knowledge and will provide an excellent service.
Membership in a Bulgarian Bar Association
The establishment of a law firm in Bulgaria requires certain actions. One of them is registering the firm in a public register and the respective Bar Association, e.g. Sofia Bar for a law firm located in Sofia, Bulgaria. You can check if the law firm is present in those registers.
Do you need legal advice and assistance? Contact our experienced lawyers.
“Danailova, Todorov and Partners”: the best legal partner you can have
“Danailova, Todorov and Partners” is a leader on the Bulgarian legal market. Our rich experience in Bulgarian and international law has won the trust of numerous clients.
Loyalty, attention to detail, and respect: those are the pillars of the impeccable reputation that we have built and continue to maintain.
Our legal experts specialise in a wide range of practice areas, such as:
- commercial law;
- mergers and acquisitions;
- corporate law;
- real estate;
- labour and tax law;
- competition law;
- transport and renewable energy law;
- intellectual property;
- contract law.
The firm has its main office in Sofia and provides its clients with practical solutions and a full range of services. We can assist you in Bulgarian, English, Russian, French, and German. Contact us if you have any questions.
Services for individuals
Like we mentioned earlier, a lawyer can be of great help in all your personal struggles with Bulgarian bureaucracy. As a legal individual, you have to sign numerous contracts just to cover the basics of everyday life: employment, bank account, rent, etc.
We can help you with all kinds of paperwork and provide you with high quality legal services in situations such as:
- signing an employment contract,
- a claim for compensation in the event of an accident or annulment of illegal dismissal,
- purchases, sales or rentals of real estate,
- financing or investment in real estate,
- property disputes,
- claims for compensation in case of delayed or canceled flight,
- concluding a civil transaction;
- resolution of civil disputes and legal representation;
- protection against private bailiffs;
- trademark and industrial design registration at the Patent Office;
- copyright negotiations.
Services for legal entities
Legal matters are of great importance when you want to incorporate a business in a foreign country.
Bulgaria has established itself as a reliable trading partner ever since it joined the EU. Different foreign businesses recognize the country as a promising investment destination.
The expert team of “Danailova, Todorov and Partners” will be your trusted business partner in all legal and administrative issues. We have experience in various industries and business sectors and will advise you in every step of the way. Our law firm has been distinguished in the field of commercial and labour law by prestigious international rankings like Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners.
We will take care of all legal matters for your business, keep you up to date with the changes in the respective legislation, and protect your rights in any disputes that may arise concerning your company.
Here are some of the legal services we provide for legal entities:
- the establishment or liquidation of a company,
- drawing up employment contracts and job descriptions,
- negotiations with trade unions,
- mass redundancies,
- claims for compensation in the event of a work accident,
- conclusion, execution and termination of commercial transactions,
- participation in a public procurement competition,
- drawing up contracts for public transport of passengers,
- design of power plants (including wind, photovoltaic and hydroelectric),
- and many other situations, cases and challenges that your business may face.
Do not hesitate to contact us if you have any kind of inquiries, questions, or issues. We will put all our efforts into helping solve your case in a fast and efficient way. Our team of professionals will treat you with respect and use its knowledge and experience to find the best tailored solution for you.
