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Nevena Radlova

Partner
Head of Antitrust, Competition and Trade and IP

CMS Sofia
Landmark Centre
14 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd.
Floor 1, 2
1000 Sofia
Bulgaria
Languages Bulgarian, English, Russian, German

Nevena Radlova is a partner in the Commercial Team at CMS Sofia. She also heads the Antitrust, Competition and Trade and IP practice groups.  

She has significant experience in advising clients on general commercial law matters in their daily business needs, such as distribution, franchising and other types of business agreements, various promotion and advertising campaigns, as well as on regulatory & compliance matters, registration & licensing, and data protection.  

Nevena has expertise in merger control and merger clearance, antitrust and compliance matters, and unfair competition. She has provided competition advice to clients regarding their marketing and advertising campaigns, review of commercial contracts and structures from a competition law perspective, possible prohibited agreements and abuses of dominant position, unfair competition, representation before the National Competition Authority and the competent courts and provided training and compliance advice on competition law matters. Nevena has advised clients from a variety of sectors: consumer products and retail, agriculture, life sciences, technology, media, telecoms, energy, insurance, and construction. Nevena has been awarded a Practice Diploma in International Antitrust Law by the International Bar Association and the College of Law of England and Wales.

Nevena advises clients in a range of sectors on trademark and brand protection issues, copyright protection, industrial designs, domain names and risks associated with cybersquatting, parallel imports, trademark infringement issues, contractual matters related to IP, licensing, due diligence processes, and IP litigation. Nevena is registered as Trademark and Patent Attorney with the Bulgarian Patent Office and the EUIPO and is known for her in-depth knowledge and expertise in IP and trademark matters.

Nevena is also an expert insurance consultant, advising insurers on regulatory matters, policy drafting, general commercial matters and claims handling. 

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"Excellent antitrust knowledge and profound business acumen."

Legal 500

"Nevena Radlova provides comprehensive, clear and workable solutions for the business. She is able to translate complex regulations into clear, comprehensive and legally sound advice."

Legal 500

"Nevena Radlova is an exceptional lawyer, with excellent communication and project management skills."

Legal 500

Relevant experience

  • EKO Bulgaria (part of HelleniQ Energy group) on updating their Competition Compliance Programme and training on competition law; on obtaining merger clearance from the national competition authority regarding EKO leasing various petrol stations and on advertising campaigns.
  • Syngenta Bulgaria on a competition law compliance and dawn-raid training and on compliance with competition law of several promo campaigns; and review and advice on contracts and various regulations.
  • A confectionary producer on updating its distribution agreements in line with the Vertical Block Exemption Regulation and on considering certain contractual clauses from the perspective of the rules regarding exclusive and selective distribution; and ongoing advice on various regulatory and daily business matters.
  • An international shipping company on the coordination of dawn raids, mock dawn raids, competition compliance matters and competition trainings across 15 jurisdictions in Europe.
  • A fashion brand on an alleged infringement of its trademarks by a Bulgarian company.
  • An investment advisory company on a trademark dispute against a German investment fund.
  • A life sciences and healthcare company in a complex multi-jurisdictional matter involving IP litigation in Bulgaria and disputes in France, the UK and Lebanon. We succeeded in overturning a malicious injunction against our client's operations in Bulgaria, brought by a Bulgarian company.
  • A broad spectrum of commercial law advice to a number of key CMS Sofia clients from the agriculture, pharmaceutical, consumer products and other sectors, including advice on day-to-day matters, cooperation and support to the senior legal manager, consultancy, contract review, updates on the legislation.
  • A major German insurance company under an Airport Owner and Operator Legal Liability Insurance regarding an accident at a Bulgarian airport. 
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Memberships & Roles

  • Sofia Bar Association
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Awards & Rankings

  • Ranked for Competition/Antitrust, Chambers & Partners Europe, 2023
  • Next generation partner for Commercial, Corporate and M&A; EU & Competition; and IP, Legal 500, 2023
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Publications

  • Chapter on Bulgaria in the International Insurance Law and Regulation, edited by the Center for International Legal Studies in Salzburg, Austria
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Education

  • 2009 – International Practice Diploma Programme on International Antitrust Law, International Bar Association and the College of Law of England and Wales 
  • 2004 – LL.M., Sofia University St. “Kliment Ohridski”
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12/05/2022
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CMS Expert guide on Right Bidding vs Bid Rigging
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At the end of January, the Bulgarian national competition authority (CPC) announced its priorities in pursuing anti-trust infringements, unfair competition and unfair trading practices in 2023.The pharma...
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Bulgaria creates new register for persons placing packaged goods on the...
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Bulgaria employs latest in dawn raid practices
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