CEE Legal Matters
In-depth coverage of the news and newsmakers that shape Europe's emerging markets
In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.
CEE Legal Matters invited me to write about “lawyering in CEE.” My “lawyering” in the region started on January 2, 2000, when I was a young graduate working in Vienna for clients with business in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and soon I was sent to Prague, and Bratislava. Over time, I witnessed not only economic booms and crises and political and economic transformations but also changes in the legal market and how law firms work.
In The Inside Track, General Counsels across CEE share the nuances of their roles, challenges, and strategies for success. Given the importance of relationships between in-house legal departments and law firms, this time we asked GCs: What is the most common reason for which you cease working with a specific law firm and what would you suggest firms definitely do to ensure they do not make the same mistake?
In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With 2023 marching to an end, we looked ahead and asked about strategies for next year: As the budgeting period is around the corner, compared to 2023, what are the main budgeting lines you expect to increase for 2024 and why?
The Czech Republic is one of the first countries to have commenced the implementation process of a top-up tax into the tax system. The Czech Top-Up Tax Act is a transposition of an EU Directive (Council Directive 2022/2523 of December 14, 2022) and is based on the OECD BEPS project Pillar Two initiative. It is definitely worth becoming acquainted with the basic principles of this new tax.
Allen & Overy has advised Grupa Maspex on its acquisition of Becherovka from Pernod Ricard. Havel & Partners advised Pernod Ricard.
Slovakia-headquartered GHS Legal has announced it is changing its name to FairSquare.
CMS has advised Touzimsky Airlines on the sale of its shareholding in Kiwi.com to General Atlantic. Weil Gotshal & Manges reportedly advised General Atlantic.
White & Case has advised CVC Capital Partners on its acquisition of the Packeta Group, alongside co-investor Emma Capital. Havel & Partners advised JSK Investments and its shareholders, Simona and Jaromir Kijonka, on the sale of Packeta.
PRK Partners has advised Bezvavlasy on the acquisition of the Hair Servis group. Kinstellar advised the sellers.
Kocian Solc Balastik has advised on the establishment of two endowment funds in the Czech Republic: Eva Pavlova’s Endowment Fund and Vaclav Cigler’s Endowment Fund.
Former Eversheds Sutherland Counsel Ondrej Benes has joined Wolf Theiss as a Counsel and Head of the firm's Employment team in Prague.
Former Squire Patton Boggs Counsel Jaroslav Tajbr has joined Eversheds Sutherland’s Prague office as a Partner.
Clifford Chance has advised KKCG on the acquisition of the end-to-end software engineering and consulting platform Avenga from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management and Cornerstone Investment Management.
Clifford Chance has advised Mezzanine Capital, via MCI ETA, and J&T Banka on the mezzanine refinancing of the RT Torax Group and new acquisition financing for the Nordica Building property in Ostrava.
Kocian Solc Balastik has advised J&T Arch Investments on its investment in the BHP Hotels fund, which acquired a 45% stake in The Westminster London, Curio Collection by Hilton hotel.
Allen & Overy has advised Cordiant Digital Infrastructure Czech portfolio company Ceske Radiokomunikace on its acquisition of the Cloud4com and DC Luzice data center and cloud services sector businesses from the Aricoma Group. Bird & Bird reportedly advised the Aricoma Group.
Clifford Chance has advised Komercni Banka on the financing of Penta Real Estate’s acquisition of CSAD Praha Holding.
PRK Partners, one of the leading Central European law firms, has been helping clients achieve their business objectives almost 30 years. Our team of lawyers, based in our Prague, Ostrava, and Bratislava offices, has a unique knowledge of Czech and Slovak law and of the business environment. Our lawyers studied at top law schools in the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland and elsewhere. They also have experience working for leading international and domestic law firms in a number of jurisdictions. We speak your language, too. Our legal team is fluent in more than 15 languages, including all the key languages of the region.
PRK Partners has one of the most experienced legal teams on the market. We are consistently rated as one of the leading law firms in the region. We have received many significant honours and awards for our work. We represent the interests of international clients operating in the Czech Republic in an efficient way, combining local knowledge with an understanding of their global requirements in a business-friendly approach. We are one of the largest law firms in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Our specialised teams of lawyers and tax advisors advise major global corporations as well as local companies. We provide comprehensive legal advice drawing on our profound knowledge of local law and markets.
Our legal advice delivers tangible results – as proven by our strong track record. We are the only Czech member firm of Lex Mundi, the world's leading network of independent law firms. As one of the leading law firms in the region, we have received many national and international awards, in some cases several years in a row. Honours include the Chambers Europe Award for Excellence, The Lawyer and Czech and Slovak Law Firm of the Year. Thanks to our close cooperation with leading international law firms and strong local players, we can serve clients in multiple jurisdictions around the globe. Our strong network means that we can meet your needs, wherever you do business.
PRK Partners has been repeatedly voted among the most socially responsible firms in the category of small and mid-sized firms and was awarded the bronze certificate at the annual TOP Responsible Firm of the Year Awards.
Our work is not only “business”: we have participated on a longstanding basis in a wide variety of pro bono projects and supported our partners from the non-profit sector (Kaplicky Centre Endowment Fund, Tereza Maxová Foundation, Czech Donors Forum, etc.).
Firm's website: www.prkpartners.com
