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    Legal services for automotive companies

    For dealers, importers, distributors, manufacturers and fleet operators.

    Launch and grow your automotive brand on the Polish and EU markets with a legal partner who understands the industry — from regulation, through distribution and dealer-network relationships, to the day-to-day operational challenges of importers, manufacturers, dealer networks and other players in the automotive sector.

    Home Legal solutions Automotive industry

    WLAW provides legal services to automotive businesses at every stage of their operations in Poland — from market entry and importer agreements, through ongoing disputes with customers and commercial partners, to compliance with GDPR, competition law and type-approval regulations.

    We work for dealers, importers, distributors, manufacturers (OEMs) and fleet and mobility operators. Our services are addressed exclusively to institutional clients in the automotive industry.

    Trusted by

    Daimler Trucks

    Who this offer is for

    Dealers

    sales networks, authorisation agreements, importer relations

    Importers and distributors

    dealer networks, MVBER, market compliance

    Manufacturers and suppliers (OEM/Tier)

    type-approval, product liability, IP

    Fleet and mobility operators

    rental, transport platforms, driver and customer contracts

    What do automotive companies come to us with?

    Distribution and dealer agreements

    Agreements imposed by the importer or manufacturer — sales networks, authorisation terms, contractual penalties for missed standards — are a risk that is hard for a dealer to assess without a market benchmark. We negotiate, audit and renegotiate distribution, dealer and franchise agreements for compliance with the EU MVBER regulation, and when a network is restructured or terminated we represent the dealer or the importer in negotiations and in dispute.

    Warranty claims, complaints and liability across the importer–dealer–service chain

    When a customer raises a warranty or vehicle-defect claim, the first question is: who is liable — the manufacturer, the importer, the dealer or the service centre? Without clearly allocated responsibility in the contracts, such a dispute escalates and costs more than the claim itself. We help allocate responsibility between the manufacturer, importer and distributor in contracts, handle complaints and warranty proceedings, and during recall campaigns we coordinate customer communication and legal risk.

    Compliance, GDPR and connected-vehicle data

    Vehicle telemetry, connected-car systems and the growing scrutiny of market practices by the Polish competition authority (UOKiK) are an area where a compliance gap surfaces only during an inspection — when it is too late to fix. We build compliance programmes for the automotive sector, train boards and sales teams preventively, guide clients through UOKiK inspections and implement GDPR for telemetry and driver data — including autonomous vehicles and AI-based solutions.

    Distribution disputes, type-approval and e-mobility

    The importer–dealer–service relationship generates disputes that do not fit standard commercial law — while new type-approval and environmental requirements and the battery and recycling rules of e-mobility change faster than most in-house legal teams can track. We represent clients in commercial, distribution, product and IP disputes, and in e-mobility we advise on certifications, environmental requirements and new technical regulations.

    See the full scope of 10 support areas for automotive ↓

    Book a free 30-minute consultation

    Talk to a lawyer specialising in the automotive industry — no obligations, about your specific situation.

    We know the industry and its dependencies

    Automotive is one of the industries we know best. Day to day, we advise manufacturers, importers, distributors, dealer networks and fleet and mobility operators, supporting them through successive stages of their presence on the Polish and EU markets.

    We work with automotive-sector clients under an ongoing, comprehensive legal partnership — from competition law, compliance and dealer-network relationships, through data protection, consumer matters and antitrust training, to day-to-day operational advice.

    We understand that automotive is not only about selling cars, but an entire system of dependencies between the manufacturer, importer, dealers, CFM providers, leasing companies, fleet operators and end customers. We advise on designing and assessing cooperation models, support programmes, commercial policies and incentive mechanisms so that they work commercially while remaining regulatorily sound.

    We are a member of Stowarzyszenie Prawników Rynku Motoryzacyjnego — the Polish association of lawyers specialising in the automotive market. Membership keeps us up to date with regulatory and market-practice developments, which we translate into practical advice for automotive businesses.

    From market entry to the hard regulations

    We also support international automotive groups entering the Polish market with a modern EV and premium line-up and new models of sales and customer communication. We advise, among other things, on e-mobility, connectivity services, subscriptions, marketing and advertising law, brand-ambassador and influencer partnerships, and building an automotive brand's presence in a new market.

    Our experience also covers the hard regulatory areas: type-approval, environmental requirements, the obligations of importers and manufacturers, product safety, relations with public authorities, and the practical implementation of EU and national requirements for vehicles, parts, accessories and related services.

    Workers at a car body on an automotive assembly line

    Law and market practice in one team

    We also serve fleet and mobility operators and businesses in the truck and commercial-vehicle segment. We understand both the process of an international brand entering the Polish market and its day-to-day regulatory, operational and contentious functioning.

    We know how the board of an automotive brand thinks, how an importer operates and what a dealer network needs. We combine knowledge of EU regulation — including VBER/MVBER, type-approval, environmental requirements, the GDPR, e-mobility and in-vehicle digital services — with hands-on experience of the Polish market, UOKiK, public authorities and the courts. We provide legal protection grounded in business pragmatism.

    Explore solutions for the automotive industry

    Market entry and distribution

    Enter the Polish and EU markets on solid legal foundations. We draft and review importer, dealer and distribution agreements, and design selective and exclusive sales networks and franchise structures — in line with MVBER and transparency requirements.

    Competition law and antitrust (UOKiK)

    Ensure competition-law compliance before the regulator does it for you. We run antitrust compliance programmes for the automotive industry, deliver preventive training for management boards and for sales, marketing and dealer-management teams, and prepare procedures for UOKiK inspections — grounded in real automotive-market experience.

    Product liability and vehicle safety

    Reduce the risks around the safety of vehicles, parts and accessories. We advise on the liability of manufacturers, importers and distributors, support you with product complaints, safety incidents and recall campaigns, and help you properly allocate roles and risks between manufacturer, importer, dealer and service centre.

    Type-approval, technical approvals and e-mobility

    Bring vehicles, EV solutions and charging infrastructure to market in line with regulatory requirements. We support you on type-approval (homologation), certificates of conformity, technical approvals, environmental obligations, batteries, recycling, and the regulations governing e-mobility and charging infrastructure.

    Data protection and GDPR (telematics)

    Take control of the data today's vehicles generate. We advise on the GDPR, customer and driver data, telematics, and connected and autonomous vehicles — from privacy policies and data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) to cybersecurity and the legal aspects of AI.

    Intellectual property and brand protection

    Protect what builds the value of your brand. We register and defend trade marks, and handle intellectual-property matters and the technology licences characteristic of the automotive sector.

    Marketing, advertising, influencers

    Run your automotive communications fast, broad and safe. We support both a brand's day-to-day activity — dealer materials, websites, social media, mailings, promotions and price communication — and major image projects: launch campaigns, brand-ambassador, influencer and sponsorship partnerships. We vet commercial messages, disclaimers and promotions against advertising law, the Omnibus Directive, data protection, copyright and competition rules, and review agreements with agencies, creators and partners.

    Consumer law, guarantees and after-sales

    A customer's relationship with a brand often truly begins only after the purchase. We support automotive brands on consumer law, commercial guarantees, statutory warranty, complaints and after-sales services — so that sales, customer-care and after-sales teams can operate smoothly, clearly and on a sound legal footing. We understand that this is exactly where satisfaction, trust and long-term brand value are built.

    Litigation and proceedings

    We represent automotive clients in commercial, distribution, product and IP disputes and in proceedings before public authorities and regulators — with particular experience in matters at the importer–dealer–service-centre interface. We handle disputes over dealer and service agreements, targets, bonuses, settlements, network standards, contract terminations, repair costs and liability for customer service.

    Fleet, taxi and ride-hailing platforms

    We help you grow a business built on vehicles, drivers and users — safely. We support fleet operators, rental companies, ride-hailing platforms and their fleet partners on fleet agreements, rental and leasing, insurance, damage claims, terms and conditions, relations with drivers and customers, personal data, transport regulation and liability for the day-to-day running of the fleet.

    Why choose us?

    Proactive, not merely reactive

    We don't wait for a problem — we identify risks before they become a case, and propose solutions ahead of the regulatory curve.

    Real knowledge of the Polish and EU markets

    For more than a decade we have advised automotive brands, combining knowledge of EU regulation with hands-on Polish practice before UOKiK, UDT and the courts.

    Experience with international automotive brands

    We support international automotive brands in entering, growing and operating day to day on the Polish and EU markets. For key clients we work under a long-term, comprehensive partnership — close to the business, to operational decisions and to network relationships — acting as an external legal team for the automotive industry.

    Global reach — Alliott Global Alliance

    As the only law firm in Poland, we are a member of Alliott Global Alliance — a network of independent law and advisory firms spanning more than 100 countries (Band 1 in the Chambers and Partners 2023 ranking). We support you wherever you do business.

    Industry immersion

    We are members of the Association of Automotive Market Lawyers (SPRM) — actively tracking technological and regulatory change so that we advise on the basis of it, not behind it.

    The full range of services in one place

    From day-to-day advice, through compliance, competition law and dealer-network support, to complex regulatory, distribution, marketing and after-sales projects — you receive comprehensive solutions without having to look for further experts.

    Transparency and cost control

    Through our dedicated online platform you see work in progress, hours logged and costs as they happen — giving you full control of your legal budget, 24/7.

    How does it work?

    01

    Understanding your business

    We start by understanding your organisation, your distribution model and your goals. A dedicated Project Manager gets to know all of your company's matters and how they interconnect.

    02

    Diagnosis and plan

    We identify legal and regulatory risks and set priorities — from compliance and contracts to e-mobility and data protection. We propose concrete, commercially workable solutions.

    03

    Implementation and ongoing support

    We take over the time-consuming work: we prepare documents and procedures, deliver training, and represent you in proceedings and in dealings with the regulator. We work in a project model based on Agile principles.

    04

    Monitoring and transparency

    We keep you up to date on changes in the law and on work in progress. Through our dedicated online platform you have real-time visibility of task status, time and costs.

    A fleet of new cars in a distribution yard, aerial view

    The result?

    You gain a partner who knows the automotive industry and thinks like your business — not one who merely reacts to correspondence. We can support the business directly and act as your outsourced legal department, or reinforce your in-house legal team when the volume of matters, the pace of decisions and the complexity of projects call for an additional, proven team on the law-firm side.

    We help you enter the market safely and operate on it smoothly: with well-structured contracts, compliance that limits UOKiK risk, safe marketing communications, regulatory support and a team that understands both the law and the practice of the automotive market. We work on individual projects — or under a long-term, comprehensive partnership.

    Fewer surprises, lower risk, faster decisions and full cost transparency. That is legal protection with business pragmatism.

    Our automotive experts

    A team that knows the automotive industry through law, regulation and business — supporting you from the first contract to day-to-day operations.

    Kinga Miller

    Kinga Miller

    Partner · Advocate · Approved Compliance Expert

    Kinga works with the automotive industry on a daily basis — including car importers and authorised dealers. She has over 15 years of professional practice in contract negotiations, litigation and labour law, and as a certified Approved Compliance Expert she designs and implements compliance management systems.

    Contact Kinga Click the card to see the full profile ›
    Marta Solarska-Kaleńczuk

    Marta Solarska-Kaleńczuk

    Partner · Chief Operating Officer · Data Protection Officer

    Marta manages comprehensive legal projects for key automotive clients, including at the European level — with particularly extensive experience in competition law around distribution and authorisation agreements. Since 2015 she has ensured data-protection compliance at Hyundai Motor Poland, first as ABI and now as Data Protection Officer.

    Contact Marta Click the card to see the full profile ›
    Michał Wołoszański

    Michał Wołoszański

    Managing Partner · INSEAD Global Executive MBA · Attorney-at-law

    Michał, with his particular focus on intellectual property, combines professional experience and legal education with a passion for new technologies and business. He identifies the risks of a transaction, as well as those related to the later functioning of the venture, and proposes legal solutions.

    Contact Michał Click the card to see the full profile ›

    Bringing an automotive brand to market — or growing one in Poland?

    Let's talk about how we can protect and accelerate your business — from the first contract to day-to-day legal support.

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