Michał Synowiec MBA

Partner
Attorney-at-law (radca prawny)
We were working on the project mainly with Michał Synowiec, and it was pleasure to cooperate with him. Michal's approach to solve issues is outstanding. His calm calculation and operating methodology are impressive.
— Legal 500, Employment 2025
Warsaw
About

Michał Synowiec has more than 20 years of experience in advising international corporations, state-owned companies, and local businesses on all aspects of employment law. He represents clients in complex employment disputes, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, non-compete enforcement, and management liability cases.

He has led some of the largest employment restructurings in Poland, negotiating with trade unions and works councils on behalf of corporate clients. He also supports organisations in crisis situations, conducting and supervising internal investigations concerning allegations of bullying, harassment, fraud, conflicts of interest, and corruption.

Recognised for his strategic and business-oriented approach, Michał helps clients navigate sensitive employment matters with a focus on legal precision and reputational risk management. 

He is a regular speaker at conferences and runs training courses on a variety of employment-related issues, as well as authoring articles in the professional press.

Areas of FocusComplianceEmploymentGlobal InvestigationsLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsRestructuringWhite Collar and Corporate Crime
Professional QualificationsAttorney-at-law (Radca prawny) registered with the Warsaw Bar Association of Attorneys-at-Law (Okręgowa Izba Radców Prawnych w Warszawie)

EXPERIENCE

  • Large-scale workforce restructuring / collective redundancies 
  • Advising on one of the largest workforce restructuring projects carried out in Poland in recent years (approx. 800 employees, including over 100 employees benefiting from special statutory protection). The advice included designing the overall legal strategy, timeline and approach to consultations and negotiations with trade unions and supporting the client’s internal team throughout the implementation phase. The primary objective was to manage the legal, operational and reputational risks inherent in a highly sensitive process, while ensuring predictability, compliance and cost control. As a result, the restructuring was completed within the planned timeframe, without material disruption to business operations or escalation of disputes.  
  • Protection of business interests against employee poaching and breach of non‑compete obligations
  • Advising a client whose business was threatened by the hostile poaching of key employees and clients by a competitor acting through a former senior manager. The advice involved developing and executing a comprehensive legal strategy aimed at safeguarding the client’s workforce and know-how, including evidence‑gathering (in cooperation with external specialists) and the enforcement of post‑termination restrictive covenants. The actions taken enabled the client to demonstrate breaches of the non‑compete obligations and to successfully pursue compensation, while limiting further attrition of key personnel and business relationships.
  • Internal investigations and compliance-related employment matters.
  • Assisting a client in an internal investigation concerning suspected irregularities on the part of employees involved in a tendering process. The findings of the investigation supported management decisions to terminate cooperation with the individuals concerned and to initiate further legal actions. The work also included advising the client on mitigating legal and reputational risks and on securing a defensible 
Languages
  • Polish
  • English

Awards

  • Ranked in Employment – Chambers Europe 2026
  • Ranked as Up and Coming in Employment – Chambers Europe 2021-2025
  • Recommended in Employment – Legal 500 EMEA 2018-2025
  • "Michał Synowiec is recognised for his involvement in significant employment law mandates, advising clients on remunerations systems and remote working policies. He also represents clients in investigations and discrimination–based disputes." – Chambers Europe 2026, Employment.
  • "Especially the professional input of Michal Synowiec impressed us as we received immediately a clear and practical indications what to consider and package of advising information how to approach for the development steps and future running business operations." – Legal 500 EMEA, Employment.
  • "We were working on the project mainly with Michał Synowiec, and it was pleasure to cooperate with him. Michal's approach to solve issues is outstanding. His calm calculation and operating methodology are impressive." – Legal 500 EMEA 2025
  • “His advice was always straight to the point. He doesn't over-complicate topics.” – Chambers Europe 2024, Employment
  • “Michał is a very commercially minded, practical and bold counsel.” – Chambers Europe 2024, Employment
  • “Michał Synowiec is a fantastic lawyer. He is incredibly responsive and helpful and always ready to go the extra mile for his clients. His advice is succinct and commercial and he excels at finding a practical solution.” – Legal 500 EMEA 2022, Employment
  • “Michał Synowiec enters the rankings thanks to impressive client feedback and his involvement in significant employment law mandates.” – Chambers Europe 2025
  • “His advice was always straight to the point. He doesn’t over-complicate topics.” – Chambers Europe 2024
  • “Michał is a very commercially minded, practical and bold counsel.” – 2024 Chambers Europe
  • “We were working on the project mainly with Michał Synowiec, and it was a pleasure to cooperate with him. Michał's approach to solving issues is outstanding. His calm calculation and operating methodology are impressive.” – Legal 500 EMEA 2025
  • “Incredibly responsive and helpful and always ready to go the extra mile for his clients. His advice is succinct and commercial and he excels at finding a practical solution.” – Legal 500 EMEA 2022
Education
  • Institute of Economics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw MBA, 2014
  • Catholic University of Lublin Master of Laws, 2007

Prior Experience

  • June 2024 – present, Partner, DLA Piper, Warsaw
  • November 2017 – April 2024, Counsel, DLA Piper, Warsaw
  • 2011 - October 2017, Senior Associate, DLA Piper, Warsaw
  • 2010 - 2011, Associate, DLA Piper, Warsaw
  • 2008 - 2010, Associate, major international law company, Warsaw
  • 2010 - present, legal foundation, Warsaw

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Warsaw Bar Association of Attorneys-at-law (Okręgowa Izba Radców Prawnych w Warszawie), 2011

My latest insights

Events

Poland: Employment law training

13 May 2026

Publication
Charts_Graphs_S_2692

Planned Changes to Increase Pay Transparency – What Should Employers Prepare For?

23 February 2026

Events

Poland: Employment law training

14 October 2025 .1 minute read

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Connect

Phone

+48 22 540 74 30
(Work, Warsaw)