The 2014 annual East Legal Team – European Economic Interest Grouping (“ELT”) conference took place on May 24th in Sofia, Bulgaria. This year the event was organized by the Bulgarian ELT member, PP&Z Law, and was hosted by Arena di Serdica Hotel. Apart from the existing members of the alliance, at the event attended representatives of two law firms from Cyprus and Turkey which have become members of ELT starting this year.

The theme of the conference was split into four major lectures. The first lecture was conducted by Hristo Angelichin, municipal concillor of Sofia, and presented and overview on the close connection between municipalities and the regional business development.

The second lecture was moderated by PhD. Ventzuskava Zhelyazkova, associate professor in international private law in the ‘University of Veliko Tarnovo St. Cyril and St. Methodius’ and ‘New Bulgarian University’, also an arbitrator for international disputes to the Arbitration Court at the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The legal topic was focused on the implications that regional and communitarian regulation have on the national legislation and the difficulties that appear when EU countries adapt their laws according to new directives.

Maya Marashlian, the Head of Media Analysis at Publicis Sofia, discussed the impact that the new forms of media has on the image of today’s law firms, but also on the legal implications it brings with it on the business field.

The fourth lecture was held by Yassen Nikolov who presented a new kind of motivational approach which is growing in the western markets, including with respect to the legal profession.