+ 36 1 214 0080

office@fdlaw.hu

1123 Budapest, Alkotás u. 17-19.

Senior Lawyers

Sector Focus

Life Sciences/Pharmaceuticals, Energy and TMT (Technology, Media, Telecommunications)

Professional Experience

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)

Services

We offer a full scale of services in the areas of Corporate Law and Mergers & Acquisitions, including:

  • advising on strategic investments (sale and buy side, often in conjunction with corporate finance advisors)
  • representing financial, i.e. private equity or venture capital investors in complex investments
  • conducting legal due diligence, and assisting vendors with the compilation of due diligence documentation and management of the due diligence process
  • representing shareholders and companies in contentious situations and corporate disputes
  • representing owners of Hungarian target companies in the sale thereof
  • advising on transfer of business
  • advising on privatisation cases
  • assisting Hungarian companies abroad, in conjunction with foreign legal advisors, in the acquisition of stakes in foreign companies
  • assisting with company establishment, corporate housekeeping and corporate governance
  • assisting with the transformation of company form, merger and de-merger processes.

Awards & Recommendations

  • World Finance Magazine Legal Awards (2011), Hungary: “Best individual lawyer”
  • Legal 500 (2026): Leading Partner in Corporarate, commercial M&A
  • Chambers Europe (2026): 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”
  • Legal 500 wrote:

“Zoltán Forgó is an outstanding senior M&A lawyer. He is always very well prepared for client meetings and negotiation sessions, driving his performance very high. He is also very strong in representing client interests.” (2026, Mergers & Acqusition)

“Zoltán Forgó is a great negotiator with a very deep knowledge and experience. Like the team, he is very accessible, reliable and incredibly thorough.”  (Mergers & Acquisitions, 2026)

“Zoltán Forgó: huge experience in M&A affairs, positive and self-assured, excellent English skills, outstanding negotiator.” (2025, Mergers & Acqusition)

“Zoltán Forgó is a highly experienced M&A lawyer with deep knowledge and experience in cross-border deals.” (2025, Mergers & Acquisition)

“Zoltán Forgó is a highly committed lawyer and a strong negotiator who is able to exert significant pressure on the other party.” (2025, Dispute Resolution)

„He is an outstanding and very experienced transactional lawyer, possessing all the qualities we need, approachable, accurate drafting and strong negotiation skills. He is able to put together the most challenging and complex transactions and to bring them to completion.” (2024)

„We consider Zoltán Forgó as a star performer for both M&A transactional and corporate governance matters. He excels in providing legal analyses within short deadlines, always able to provide solutions even for the most complex matters. He communicates clearly focusing on issues which really matter for us. It was great having him on our side.” (2024)

„The dedication and professional support of Zoltán Forgó was of key importance in successfully completing many challenging legal tasks and projects.” (2024)

„Zoltán Forgó was instrumental in analysing the potential risks and upsides for us in the litigious situation and in building up and executing a communication strategy with our counterparty. He forcefully lead the negotiation with the counterparty and guided the dispute to a good exit transaction. I would note that he is a tough negotiator but at the same time he is able to throw many alternatives on the table which yielded good results.” (2024)

„Zoltán Forgó is very well prepared for internal and negotiation meetings.” (2024)

„Zoltán Forgó and Zsófia Füzi are very prepared experts of their profession, their experience and negotiation skills in M&A law are unique, they are confident but reasonable and calm at the same time.” (2024)

  • Chambers Europe  wrote:

“Zoltán has a deep understanding of the legal and commercial intricacies of matters, enabling him to provide clear, practical solutions tailored to the needs of the transaction.” (2026)

“Zoltán is a calm yet highly effective negotiator who consistently delivers excellent outcomes for clients.” (2026)

“Beyond his legal expertise, Zoltán Forgó offers valuable guidance and insights across broader business, deal-making and negotiation matters.” (2026)

See more Practice areas

Life scienses

Energy

Tmt/It

Gaming/Betting

M & A

Dispute resolution

Employment