Our Colleagues

Professional Experience

Awards & Recommendations

Zoltán Forgó has been practising international business law for more than 21 years. He is a qualified Hungarian attorney (ügyvéd). His primary specialisation is corporate/M&A work, having acted as lead counsel on numerous M&A transactions and represented a number of international investors, private equity firms and Hungarian blue-chip companies. In such transactions he places great emphasis on adopting a commercial approach, seeking innovative solutions and ensuring precise documentation.

Zoltán Forgó’s advisory work on a number of high profile transactions affords him a deep understanding of the issues, client needs and regulatory background of the pharmaceutical, energy and TMT industries. He often advises clients on competition cases, concentrating primarily on merger control and unfair trade practice issues, and employment matters. He has successfully assisted clients in a number of arbitration and cross-border litigation matters, acting before forums in Budapest, Vienna and London. His track record includes representing corporate borrowers, banks and international financial institutions in financing transactions. Furthermore, Zoltán Forgó is experienced in advising institutional investors on complex real estate transactions.

He is a registered arbitrator of the Money and Capital Arbitration Court and has acted as arbitrator in several arbitration cases.

Prior to the establishment of Forgó, Varga & Partners (the predecessor of Forgó, Damjanovic & Partners) in 2000 Zoltán Forgó was Partner and Head of the M&A practice at the Budapest office of an international law firm. His experience includes working in Vienna and in London at leading international law firms.

Languages
  • Hungarian
  • English
Memberships, social responsibility:
  • Budapest Bar Association since 1995 (ügyvéd)
  • Registered Arbitrator of the Money and Capital Markets Arbitration Court in Budapest since 2008
  • Hungarian Venture Capital Association: Member of the Ethics Committee 2010-2016
  • Coach/mentor of the Bibó István College of Law since 2013
Education
  • ELTE University, Budapest, 1992 Law Degree (summa cum laude)
  • Postgraduate International Trade Law Course, Turin, 1992
  • Postgraduate Degree in International Trade Law, 1998
Publications & Conference Presentations
  • co-author of the Hungary chapter of the 2013/14 and 2014/15 multijurisdictional private acquisitions M&A guide of Practical Law (2013 and 2014)
  • speaker of a panel in the road-show of Hungarian Venture Capital Association held in Győr at the Győr-Sopron County Chamber of Commerce (2014)
  • speaking on nuclear developments in Hungary at the nuclear energy workshop of the Second Energy Event, France, 2011
  • author of the article “Price War” on Hungarian pharmaceutical laws (Life Sciences Law and Business, 2004)
  • chair of a legal panel at the annual conference of the Hungarian Venture Capital Association (1998)
  • World Finance Magazine Legal Awards (2011), Hungary: “Best individual lawyer”
  • Chambers Europe (2012-2015): leading lawyer in Corporate/M&A
  • Chambers Europe : leading lawyer in Life Sciences for many years in a row
  • Chambers Europe (2013-2017): leading lawyer in Employment
  • European Legal Experts: highly recommended in Corporate/M&A and Dispute Resolution for many years in a row
  • International Financial Law Review (2013-2016): leading lawyer in Banking & Financing and Capital Markets
  • LMG Life Science (2014-2015): “Life Science Star” in Regulatory and Transactional Matters
  • Lawyer Monthly (2014): “Corporate Lawyer of the Year, Hungary”
  • DearMakers Annual Awards (2013): “Private Equity Law Leading Lawyer – Hungary”
  • Corporate Intl Magazine Global Awards (2011): “Life Sciences Lawyer of the Year in Hungary”
  • Chambers Europe  wrote:

„Zoltán Forgó is an experienced employment lawyer who draws on his M&A expertise to provide solid advice throughout the transaction process. … Sources admire him as very knowledgeable and energetic with commercial sense and pragmatic approach.” (2016)

“Managing Partner Zoltán Forgó is well liked by peers and has significant experience in the field of international business law.” (2015)

“Clients recommend Zoltán Forgó as being especially good in understanding the specific rules and regulations affecting the pharmaceutical sector. He has extensive experience of advising on transactional and regulatory mandates involving well-known life sciences clients.” (2015)

“Zoltán Forgó is a very diligent and substantially experienced lawyer. He is a very knowledgeable practitioner who is widely praised by market commentators for his impressive performance on deals” (2014)

“Zoltán Forgó is thorough and meticulous practitioner. One impressed market commentator describes him as the go-to lawyer for life sciences” (2014)

“Zoltán Forgó is a key figure in the life sciences market, and is also well known for his expertise in corporate and employment matters” (2013)

„Zoltán Forgó is an M&A specialist with a great deal of experience to his name.” (2013)

„Partner Zoltán Forgó was described by a client as instrumental in the success of a litigation case. He is known as being skilled in rooting out the core of a problem”. (2013)

„Clients appreciate his in-depth knowledge of the pharmaceutical sector which is vital for any transaction.” (2013)

“He has a very good overall view and is extraordinary in giving advice on the spot” (2012)

“Zoltán Forgó … earns praise from peers and clients alike.”(2012)

“fast, precise and very knowledgeable, which enables him to map the full legal situation and communicate the issues clearly, say clients.” (2011)

Meet The Team

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Gábor Damjanovic

Managing Partner

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Viktor Vasi

Partner

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Zsófia Füzi

Partner

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Ákos Balázs

Partner