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52 New Articles

The sustainable finance sector has seen a surge, with Sustainability-Linked Loans (SLLs) hitting EUR 212 billion in early 2024[1], driven by a global emphasis on environmental responsibility and incentivizing ESG-compliant practices. This trend underscores the role of SLLs in corporate finance and global sustainability efforts.

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.

On 1 July 2024, the long-awaited Act on Collective Civil Proceedings (the Class Actions Act) entered into force, allowing consumers and small entrepreneurs to pursue their claims in court together through a class action.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. With managing firm clients being a critical aspect of firms’ operations, we asked: What are the three most important elements when onboarding a new client?

In 2021, a new Construction Act (No. 283/2021 Coll.) was adopted in the Czech Republic. This groundbreaking legal norm was designed to solve problems in the permitting process for infrastructure and other projects, such as lengthy administrative procedures, a cumbersome process of obtaining consents and opinions from various authorities, and often a lack of coordination among authorities, which frequently caused inconsistencies in interpreting the law as well as delays.

Greenberg Traurig has advised CCC Group on the up to PLN 1.8 billion term and revolving facilities provided by a consortium of banks and finance institutions. Clifford Chance and Lakatos, Koves and Partners advised the lenders.

White & Case has advised a consortium of lenders consisting of Ceska Sporitelna, a.s., Raiffeisenbank a.s., and UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia, a.s. on the up to CZK 150 million and EUR 123 million financing and refinancing of capital expenditures and acquisition costs for C-Energy s.r.o.

Dentons has successfully represented an unlawfully sterilized woman in administrative court proceedings against the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic regarding a denied claim for compensation and subsequent appeal on a pro bono basis.

This March, MEPs approved new rules for artificial intelligence (AI), the so-called Artificial Intelligence Act. This was presented by the European Commission in April 2021. It is the world's first comprehensive AI legislation. The Act aims to improve the functioning of the internal market by setting a single legal framework for the development, launch and use of AI. The AI Act also seeks to reduce the administrative and financial burden on businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.

In the Czech Republic, labor law advice has become highly sought after, primarily due to recent legislative amendments and the implementation of whistleblowing and other EU regulations, according to Peterka & Partners Partner and Director for the Czech Republic Adela Krbcova, with the surge in interest driven by the need for transparent and predictable working conditions and work-life balance.

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Czech Republic Knowledge Partner

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

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