Nikola Stoychev

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As a former football player, Nikola has mastered some of the most important virtues in the legal profession – the true meaning of team play, the responsibility of being a defender and how to deliver simple, yet effective and elegant performance.

His main areas of practice include telecoms, media, digital & technology, administrative, EU and constitutional law, cybersecurity and 5G.

Nikola has an in-depth knowledge of the applicable media legislation and all relevant stakeholders, incl. content creators (e.g. broadcasters, OTT providers), telecom/platform operators (e.g. cable, satellite, IPTV), the societies for collective management of rights, the public authorities involved in the media sector, and consumers.

He has been advising multiple clients daily on all aspects of the provision of electronic communications services and networks such as the acquisition and allocation of numbers and spectrum, cybersecurity of 5G networks, reporting obligations of platform and network operators, consulting on and drafting of all types of B2B and B2C  agreements and general terms and conditions for services (e.g. internet access, TV services, OTT services, VoIP services, mobile and fixed telephony, access to network infrastructure, etc.), advising on the requirements for retention of traffic data, assistance with licensing, registration and notification requirements.

He is particularly well-versed in the regulatory framework for conduct of all types of elections and the applicable legislation to political parties, coalitions, and independent candidate nomination committees.

Nikola took part in the drafting of legal statements to the Constitutional Court in high profile cases concerning the constitutionality of provisions of the Electronic Communications Act with regard to the retention and access to traffic data by local authorities. In both cases the arguments of Nikola’s team were highly regarded and upheld by the Court to the effect that the said provisions have been declared unconstitutional.

In 2020, Nikola was appointed as a correspondent for the European Audiovisual Observatory to the Council of Europe for Bulgaria.

Nikola recently prepared the Bulgarian chapter of Thomson Reuters’ latest edition of Media, Advertising, & Entertainment Law Throughout the World which provides a concise and current overview of media, advertising, entertainment, and art law in more than 30 countries. Participated in the drafting and adoption of numerous legislative and secondary legislative acts affecting the telecom and media industries.

Work highlights

  • Advising international media company on a daily basis on all aspects of the provision of TV and on-demand services, ad sales agreements, distribution agreements, sponsorship and product placement agreements, GDPR compliance. Advised the client in the process of acquisition of the international media company on regulatory and corporate restructuring matters both before and after the completion of the transaction
  • Advising Google, Equinix, Telia Company and Telenor on regulatory and statutory matters pertaining to their activities
  • Consulting major international telecom providers on matters concerning the roll-out and operation of a subsea cables and data centers in Bulgaria
  • Advising Philip Morris Bulgaria on GDPR, e-Privacy, information society services, commercial and other aspects of launching hi-tech products and services on the Bulgarian market
  • Assisted a global car production giant on the integration and implementation of mobile services, mobile apps, in-vehicle internetconnectivity and e-Calls (in-vehicle emergency calls)
  • Advised the Bulgarian Association of Cable and Communications Operators and drafted the first Ethics Code of Telecommunications Operators in Bulgaria

Affiliations

  • Sofia Bar Association
  • Legal Geek
  • Legal Expert at Law and Internet Foundation
  • Local correspondent for the European Audiovisual Observatory

Education

  • University of Sofia, Faculty of Law (LL.М.)
  • Diploma in “English and European Law” issued by the British Law Centre under the aegis of and in collaboration with the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Distance Learning of the University of Cambridge and Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski

Languages

  • Bulgarian
  • English
  • Spanish

Awards & accolades

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Publications

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