Behind the scenes at KWKR: Katarzyna Kanik on law, passion and working with our team

What do you do, and what areas of law are closest to you?

I focus on those areas of law where sensitivity to people and their situations really matters. Labor law is my main specialization – I help companies build healthy relationships with employees and resolve conflicts before they turn into lengthy lawsuits. Very often, I’m the person who listens to all sides of a dispute and looks for a solution that is fair to everyone.

I also work in competition law, where I support companies in running their businesses in line with the rules of fair competition. My work is mostly about advising and structuring agreements so they don’t create the risk of prohibited arrangements or antitrust violations. It’s a demanding but fascinating field – you need to balance business competitiveness and efficiency with legal safety and market ethics.

Finally, e-commerce law and commercial law are also part of my expertise. Nowadays, almost every business has a digital dimension, and I help clients navigate safely online. From drafting terms and conditions, protecting customer data, to negotiating agreements with business partners – I make sure everything is compliant and safeguards my clients’ interests.

What’s your superpower at KWKR – your biggest strength at work?

My superpower is a combination of three things: hard work, empathy and intuition. Hard work is the foundation – when a client entrusts me with a case, I know they are relying on me along with their entire environment. That’s why I don’t stop until I find the best solution. Sometimes it means staying late with documents, sometimes it means long conversations with a client to understand all the nuances of the situation.

Empathy is what sets me apart in employment matters. When a business owner comes to me with a problem like an employee accuses me of mobbing, I don’t just look at the legal code, but also at the emotions. I try to understand what is really happening, why the conflict arose and how it can be resolved in a way that allows everyone to keep their dignity.

And intuition? That’s the skill that allows me to sense when a client is telling the full story and when they are leaving out important details. Or to predict how the other side will behave in negotiations. It’s not magic – it’s a mix of experience and observing people and their reactions. This intuition often leads me to solutions I wouldn’t have found by relying only on legal analysis.

What do you value most about working at KWKR?

At KWKR, I value the people and the atmosphere. And I don’t say that just because it sounds nice. We really support each other here, we’re not afraid to laugh, and everyone has space to be themselves. In many law firms, there’s an atmosphere of constant competition where everyone guards their own turf. Here, it’s truly different. When I have a problem with a case, I can approach any colleague and ask for advice, and I know I’ll get honest help.

It’s a place where you can ask questions without fear of losing face. Where you can admit a mistake and count on support instead of criticism. It’s also an environment where I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not – I can be a lawyer with empathy, not a cold machine reciting statutes.

On top of that, working with such a variety of clients – from small e-commerce businesses to large companies with trade union issues – means I learn something new every day. And the KWKR team gives me the opportunity to develop at a pace that suits me, without unnecessary pressure, but also without allowing stagnation.

What are your passions? What do you do in your free time?

My life outside law revolves around movement, literature and music. Sports are my way to release tension after tough cases, with long runs and strength training working best for me.

I also love bike trips, where I can combine physical activity with discovering new places. And the gym? After a day of diplomacy and balance, I can simply work hard and feel like I’m regaining control of my body.

Latin dance is my biggest joy. Salsa or bachata is not just sport but also a way of expressing emotions that I often have to keep in check at work. On the dance floor, I can be spontaneous and full of energy. It’s also a great school of non-verbal communication, which is very useful in negotiations – I can sense tension or hesitation in the other party. And, as it happens, we have great dancers in the firm.

In the evenings, I reach for books – mainly historical fiction, crime novels and thrillers. After a day filled with analysis, I like to immerse myself in a well-crafted story that lets me forget about statutes and articles for a while. I especially enjoy historical novels that show how people dealt with problems in different eras – it gives me perspective on modern challenges.

What’s one piece of legal advice you would give clients without hesitation?

Always keep track of deadlines. And not only the obvious ones, like court deadlines or filing requirements. Think of deadlines more broadly: when do you need to terminate a contract so it doesn’t automatically renew? When does the notice period end for an employee who has resigned?

But it’s not just about calendar management. It’s about planning ahead and anticipating consequences. If you know that in six months you’ll need to lay off employees due to restructuring, start preparing today. If your supplier contract ends in three months, don’t wait until the last minute to negotiate a new one.

Deadlines in law are not suggestions – they’re hard limits, and missing them can cost a fortune. But when you respect them and plan ahead, they become allies rather than enemies.

What has surprised you most about being a lawyer?

What surprised me most was that being a lawyer is not mainly about epic courtroom battles in a robe – although that does happen sometimes. The profession can also be about being a firefighter preventing sparks or a legal guardian of projects, just as we do at KWKR. At university, I thought: trials, speeches, evidence. In practice? Most of the time it’s about making sure the client doesn’t have to go to court at all.

The real skill is to anticipate where something might go wrong, or to draft a contract so that there are no ambiguities. Sometimes I spend more time fine-tuning a single clause in a contract so that a year later we don’t have to fight over it in court. It may sound boring, but it’s truly satisfying when a client calls to say: thanks to your contract we avoided a huge problem.

I was also surprised by the role of psychologist that I often have to play. In labor disputes, people come with frustrations, fears, feelings of injustice. Before I even start analyzing the legal aspects, I often need to listen, calm them down, and help them understand their emotions. Because law is not just statutes – it’s about relationships between people, and those can be very complex.

And one more thing – how creative law can be. I used to think it was a rigid set of rules, but often I feel more like a detective or data analyst looking for non-obvious solutions. Sometimes the key to a case lies in a provision no one else thought of, or in an interpretation that at first seems crazy but turns out to be brilliantly simple.

In which legal areas are you and your team at KWKR ready to support clients?

Do employee issues in your company feel like a minefield? Unclear claims, tense atmosphere, labor inspections – or maybe you just want to build healthier relationships with your team? Together with KWKR, I’m on your side.

I believe the foundation of every good company is fair and transparent relationships with employees. It’s not just about the letter of the law, but also about understanding the human emotions and real problems behind every conflict or challenge. When a client comes to me with an employment dispute, I try first to understand all perspectives, and only then look for the legal solution.

Where can you count on us? I provide comprehensive support in resolving employment conflicts and disputes – from mobbing and discrimination claims, through wrongful dismissals, to wage disputes. I also help build solid foundations by creating procedures and documentation – workplace policies, regulations, employment contracts, or safely implementing changes in terms of employment.

If you are facing the need for restructuring or collective dismissals, I will guide you through the process in a way that is both lawful and humane. And if the case ends up in labor court or with labor inspectors or social security authorities, I will protect your interests.

But I don’t just handle labor law – if your competition plays unfairly, if you need to launch an online store in compliance with regulations, or if you are looking for comprehensive support in business matters, we will find a solution tailored to your situation. Because at KWKR, we believe that law should support business, not restrict it – and that’s exactly how I approach every case.