Professor Przemysław Drapała, PhD

• representing a foreign general contractor in four court proceedings against a public investor regarding withdrawal from four contracts for the construction of expressway sections (total value in dispute: over PLN 750 million);
• representing a leading general contractor in court proceedings against a public contracting entity regarding an increase to remuneration, remuneration for additional works and costs related to extending the time for completion (value in dispute: over PLN 325 million);
• representing a consortium of general contractors in court proceedings against a public investor regarding payment of remuneration and further claims in connection with the expansion of a power unit (value in dispute: over PLN 250 million);
• representing an international construction company against an operator of an international airport in Poland in three simultaneous court proceedings regarding the performance of a contract for the expansion of an airport terminal (total value in dispute: PLN 220 million);
• representing a general contractor in court proceedings against a public contracting entity regarding payment of contractual penalties in connection with the construction of two public facilities (value in dispute: over PLN 200 million);
• representing a consortium of general contractors in court proceedings regarding the performance of a contract for the modernisation of a railway line, including claims for remuneration, additional works, indirect costs and contractual penalties (value in dispute: over PLN 250 million);
• representing a consortium of a Polish and a foreign construction company in court proceedings against a public contracting entity regarding an increase to remuneration and refund of contractual penalties in connection with the construction of a motorway section (value in dispute: over PLN 200 million);
• representing a consortium of contractors modernising three power units in one of the major power plants in Poland in court disputes regarding payment of remuneration for additional works, costs related to extending the time for completion and payment of contractual penalties (total value in dispute: over PLN 170 million);
• representing general contractors in court proceedings against a public contracting entity concerning a claim for remuneration and damage redress in connection with the construction of the National Stadium in Warsaw (value in dispute: over PLN 139 million, names of litigants published in mass media);
• representing a European leader from the automotive industry in court proceedings against former management board members regarding redress of damage inflicted on the company (value in dispute: over PLN 60 million);
• representing an investor, one of the largest real estate developers in the European Union specialising in office facilities, in a dispute regarding defects related to the construction of a high-rise building.

• drafting a cassation appeal and legal representation of one of general contractors before the Supreme Court in proceedings concerning the Białystok city stadium (value of dispute: over PLN 134 million);
• drafting a cassation appeal and legal representation of a general contractor before the Supreme Court regarding payment of a contractual penalty by a public contracting authority (value of dispute: over PLN 47 million);
• drafting a reply to a cassation appeal and legal representation of a leading construction company in proceedings before the Supreme Court concerning the repealing of the ICC International Court of Arbitration’s award (value of dispute: over PLN 30 million);
• drafting a reply to a cassation appeal and legal representation of a listed construction company before the Supreme Court in proceedings with a contracting authority being a self-government unit regarding groundless use of a performance bond (value of dispute: over PLN 33 million);
• drafting two cassation appeals and legal representation of an investor from the automotive industry before the Supreme Court in cassation proceedings regarding liability of an enterprise purchaser in connection with a seller’s bankruptcy (value of dispute: over PLN 26 million);
• drafting a cassation appeal and legal representation of a Polish investor before the Supreme Court in proceedings concerning the invalidity of an investment agreement (value of dispute: over PLN 12 million);
• drafting a cassation appeal and legal representation of a private investor before the Supreme Court in proceedings concerning a subcontractor’s claims for payment of remuneration based on joint and several liability (value of dispute: over PLN 11 million);
• drafting a cassation appeal and legal representation of a general contractor before the Supreme Court concerning claims for an increase of remuneration due to an extraordinary and unpredictable increase in prices;
• drafting a cassation appeal and legal representation of one of the parties to cassation proceedings before the Supreme Court concerning interpretation and performance of a joint venture contract;
• drafting a cassation appeal and legal representation of an entity eligible to purchase real estate before the Supreme Court in proceedings concerning the exercise of a pre-emption right (value of dispute: over PLN 10 million).

• legal representation of a Polish manufacturer in arbitration proceedings before the National Chamber of Commerce concerning claims under a vehicle delivery contract (value of dispute: over PLN 104 million);
• legal representation of a Polish general contractor in proceedings before the ICC against an investor in connection with construction of a national road section (value of dispute: over PLN 30 million); the outcome was that common courts and the Supreme Court dismissed the complaint to repeal an award of the ICC International Court of Arbitration;
• legal representation of a Polish general contractor in proceedings before the ICC against an investor in connection with an infrastructure in Poland (value of dispute: over PLN 22 million); successful representation in proceedings before common courts regarding the repealing of an award of ICC International Court of Arbitration;
• legal representation (together with a foreign law firm) of a company which owns a retail chain in arbitration proceedings before Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit in a dispute concerning breach of representations and warranties given in an asset deal agreement (value of dispute: over PLN 32 million);
• legal representation of a Polish general contractor in arbitration proceedings before the National Chamber of Commerce against a private investor regarding renovation of a prestigious real estate complex (value of dispute: over PLN 68 million);
• legal representation of a Polish client in arbitration proceedings before the National Chamber of Commerce concerning claims for contractual penalties for late delivery (value of dispute: PLN 26 million);
• legal representation of a Polish consortium leader in proceedings before the Court of Arbitration Lewiatan against a consortium member in connection with settlement of construction of an expressway section (value of dispute: approx. PLN 30 million);
• legal representation of a Polish private investor in arbitration proceedings before the National Chamber of Commerce against a consortium in connection with construction of an industrial plant (value of dispute: over PLN 14 million);
• legal representation of a general contractor in arbitration proceedings before the National Chamber of Commerce for payment of remuneration set off against a contractual penalty for delay in the course of a large-scale investment project (value of dispute: approx. PLN 10 million);
• legal representation of a Polish branch of an international designing and engineering company in proceedings before the ICC against an Indian leading general contractor; the dispute concerned an infrastructure project in Libya;
• legal representation of one of the world’s largest manufacturers of orthodontic products (seated in the Netherlands and in the USA) in two arbitration proceedings before the ICC against a Polish contracting party; the dispute regarded breach of an exclusive distributorship agreement (value of dispute: over USD 7 million);
• legal representation of one of the world’s largest petrochemicals companies in post‑arbitration proceedings (award of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce) and enforcement proceedings as well as arrangement proceedings of a Polish debtor.

(Experience as an arbitrator)

• acting as the presiding arbitrator in international arbitration proceedings before the ICC between a group of German companies and a group of Austrian companies regarding breach of share deal agreements;
• acting as the sole arbitrator in arbitration proceedings before Deutsche Institution für Schiedsgerichtsbarkeit between a Polish company and a German company regarding breach of a sale and purchase agreement;
• acting as an arbitrator in ad hoc arbitration proceedings managed by the National Chamber of Commerce between a Polish contractor and a public contracting authority regarding an energy project (value of dispute: almost PLN 400 million);
• acting as an arbitrator in arbitration proceedings before the National Chamber of Commerce between Polish companies regarding non-performance of a real estate sale agreement (value of dispute: over PLN 25 million);
• acting as an arbitrator in proceedings before the Court of Arbitration Lewiatan in a dispute regarding agreements for lease in shopping facilities;
• acting as an arbitrator in proceedings before the Court of Arbitration at the Polish-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

• advising a consortium on construction of ERTMS/GSM-R infrastructure on railway lines across Poland; contracting authority: PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (project value: PLN 2.8 billion);
• advising a general contractor performing a key railway project in Łódź, contracting authority: PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (project value: over PLN 1.6 billion);
• advising a general contractor constructing a section of the Gdańsk South Bypass; contracting authority: General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) (project value: over PLN 1.1 billion);
• advising a general contractor constructing a section of Zakopianka road with the longest tunnel in Poland; contracting authority: General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) (project value: PLN 1 billion);
• advising a general contractor constructing a section of the Warsaw South Bypass; contracting authority: General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) (project value: over PLN 908 million);
• advising an investor in connection with EPC construction of a power plant with a 600 MWe gas-steam unit (project value: over PLN 1.6 billion);
• advising a general contractor modernising a boiler furnace system of units in Bełchatów Power Plant; contracting authority: PGE GiEK (project value: over EUR 475 million);
• advising a consortium of Polish and foreign companies executing EPC modernisation of units in Turów Power Plant; contracting authority: PGE GiEK (project value: over PLN 625 million);
• advising general contractors during construction of the National Stadium in Warsaw; contracting authority: State Treasury – Ministry of Sports and Tourism and the National Sports Centre (project value: over PLN 1.5 billion);
• advising general contractors during construction of the PGE Arena stadium in Gdańsk; contracting authority: City of Gdańsk and BIEG 2012 Sp. z o.o. (project value: over PLN 780 million);
• advising a leading general contractor on extension of one of the largest passenger terminals in Poland (contract value: approx. PLN 370 million);
• advising a consortium on construction of a railway line Warka-Radom, contracting authority: PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (project value: PLN 700 million);
• advising a contractor modernising railway line sections No. 61 and 700; contracting authority: PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. (project value: over PLN 270 million).

• Associate Professor at the Civil Law Department at Kozminski University in Warsaw
• since 2013, member of the Problem-Focused Team for service contracts in the new Civil Code
• since 2009, member of the Problem-Focused Team at the Civil Law Codification Commission in charge of developing the general part of the obligations law

• since 2008 JDP DRAPAŁA & PARTNERS, Partner; since 2020 Managing Partner
• 2001–2007 Gleiss Lutz
• 1997–1999 Rödl & Partner

• 2011 Habilitation in Civil Law
• 2001 PhD in Civil Law
• 1990–1995 University in Toruń, Faculty of Law and Administration
• 1993–1994 Scholarship at Regensburg University, Germany
• 1995 Scholarship at Hamburg University, Germany
• Double scholarship at the Max-Planck-Institut für Ausländisches und Internationales Privatrecht in Hamburg

• Umowa o roboty budowlane. Charakter i natura prawna
  [The Construction Contract. Legal Character and Nature]
  Drapała, Umowa o roboty budowlane. Charakter i natura prawna [The Construction Contract. Legal Character and Nature], C.H.Beck, Warsaw 2025 (author)
• System Prawa Prywatnego – Prawo zobowiązań. Część ogólna
  [Private Law System – Obligations Law. General Part]
  (ed. by Prof. dr hab Konrad Osajda LL.M.). Vol. 5
  Drapała [in:] System Prawa Prywatnego – Prawo zobowiązań – część ogólna [Private Law System – Obligations Law – General Part] (ed. by Prof. dr hab. Konrad Osajda LL.M.), vol. 5, 3^rd edition, C.H.Beck, Warsaw 2019 (co-author)
• System Prawa Prywatnego – Prawo zobowiązań. Część szczegółowa
  [Private Law System – Obligations Law. Specific Part]
  (ed. by Prof. Jerzy Rajski). Vol. 7
  Drapała [in:] System Prawa Prywatnego – Prawo zobowiązań – część szczegółowa [Private Law System – Obligations Law – Specific Part] (ed. by Prof. Jerzy Rajski), vol. 7, 4^th edition, C.H.Beck, Warsaw 2018 (co-author)
• Kodeks cywilny. Komentarz. Zobowiązania. Część szczegółowa
  [Civil Code. Commentary. Obligations. Specific Part]
  (ed. by Jacek Gudowski). Vol. 4 and 5
  Drapała [in:] Kodeks cywilny. Komentarz. Tom 4 i 5. Zobowiązania. Część szczegółowa [Civil Code. Commentary. Vol. 4 and 5. Obligations. Specific Part], (ed. by Jacek Gudowski), 2^nd edition, Wolters Kluwer, Warsaw 2017 (co-author)
• Instytucje Prawa Prywatnego – Przejęcie długu, przejęcie praw i obowiązków z umowy
  [Private Law Concepts – Assumption of Debt, Assumption of Rights and Obligations under a Contract]
  Drapała [in:] Instytucje Prawa Prywatnego – Przejęcie długu, przejęcie praw i obowiązków z umowy [Assumption of Debt, Assumption of Rights and Obligations under a Contract], C.H.Beck, Warsaw 2016 (co-author)
• System Prawa Prywatnego – Zobowiązania. Część ogólna
  [Private Law System – Obligations. General Part]
  (ed. by A. Olejniczak). Vol. 6
  Drapała [in:] System prawa prywatnego – Zobowiązania. Część ogólna [Private Law System – Obligations. General Part], vol. 6, C.H.Beck, 2^nd edition, Warsaw 2014 (co-author)
• Kodeks Cywilny. Komentarz
  [Civil Code. Commentary]
  (ed. by Jacek Gudowski). Vol. 3, part 1 and 2
  Drapała [in:] Teresa Bielska-Sobkowicz, Gerard Bieniek, Helena Ciepła, Przemysław Drapała, Jacek Gudowski, Marek Sychowicz, Roman Trzaskowski, Tadeusz Wiśniewski, Czesława Żuławska, Kodeks Cywilny. Komentarz [Civil Code. Commentary] (ed. by Jacek Gudowski), vol. 3, part 1 and 2, LexisNexis, Warsaw 2013 (author of sections concerning construction contracts, contracts for specific work, contracts of mandate and negotiorum gestio)
• Prowadzenie cudzych spraw bez zlecenia. Konstrukcja prawna
  [Negotiorum Gestio. Legal Construct]
  Drapała, Prowadzenie cudzych spraw bez zlecenia. Konstrukcja prawna [Negotiorum Gestio. Legal Construct], C.H.Beck, Warsaw 2009
• Umowy odnoszące się do osób trzecich
  [Contracts Relating to Third Parties]
  Drapała, Umowy odnoszące się do osób trzecich [Contracts relating to Third Parties], C.H. Beck, Warsaw 2005 (co-author)
• Zwalniające przejęcie długu
  [Assumption of Debt with Release of the Original Debtor]
  Drapała, Zwalniające przejęcie długu [Assumption of Debt with Release of the Original Debtor], C.H. Beck, Warsaw 2002

Author of over 100 publications on civil, procedural and commercial law, including the monograph Umowa o roboty budowlane. Charakter i natura prawna [The Construction Contract. Legal Character and Nature] (C.H.Beck 2025); co-author, together with judges of the Chamber for Civil Matters of the Supreme Court, of a commentary to the Civil Code, ed. by Jacek Gudowski (Lexis Nexis, 2013); co-author of vol. 5 and 6 of System Prawa Prywatnego. Zobowiązania [Private Law System. Obligations] (latest editions C.H.Beck, Warsaw 2014 and 2012); author of articles on construction contracts, joint and several liability of investors and general contractors towards subcontractors, guarantee of payment for construction works, cumulative accession to debt, contractual penalties, transfer of liabilities, liability of an acquirer of an enterprise. He has also authored reports on recent developments in arbitration practice in Poland, published in the Arbitration Newsletter (International Bar Association).

• Polish
• German
• English