Havel & Partners has successfully represented GoDaddy in a case that saw the company sued by a businessman with connections to Russia who sought the removal of investigative internet articles as well as financial compensation.

Havel & Partners has successfully represented Ceska Sporitelna in a dispute with the Financial Administration of the Czech Republic regarding the tax deductibility of a donation to an education foundation.

Ondrej Florian has become an Equity Partner at Havel & Partners, while Katerina Slavikova, Jaroslav Baier, Ondrej Curilla, Petr Oplustil, and Miroslav Vozab were appointed as Partners at the firm.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. Keeping in mind last year’s complexities and the uncertainties ahead, this time we asked: Has your team shrunk or increased in the last 12 months and what are your expectations for 2023?

Glatzova & Co has advised Vitkovicke Slevarny on restructuring 16 loans – provided by Ceska Sporitelna, CSOB, Komercni Banka, and UniCredit Bank – amounting to almost CZK 600 million in total. Havel & Partners advised the banks.

Havel & Partners has expanded its IP practice with the establishment of H&P Patents, a team specializing in providing industrial property strategy services including patents, utility models, and industrial design protection. H&P Patents will be led by Havel & Partners Partners Robert Nespurek and Ivan Rames.

Taylor Wessing has advised Trei Real Estate – a real estate venture of the German Tengelmann Group – on the EUR 250 million sale of its Czech and Slovak real estate portfolio to Plan B Investments. Dentons and, reportedly, Havel & Partners advised Plan B Investments.

Norton Rose Fulbright and Havel & Partners have advised senior lender Santander Bank Polska on a refinancing facility for Exact Systems. Barrocas reportedly advised Santander Bank Polska on Portuguese legal matters. Rymarz Zdort Maruta reportedly advised Exact Systems. MHJ Legal reportedly advised mezzanine lender Accession Capital Partners.

With numerous reports of energy-related business shutdowns, we reached out to local experts across CEE to understand what different markets have been dealing with, in terms of work and production stoppages, and look into the broader impact.

Did You Know that, according to the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website, although a total of ten lawyers worked on three reported Corporate/M&A deals in the Czech Republic over the past 12 months, only one of those ten reported working on more?

Partner Stepan Starha has been elevated to an Equity Partner with Havel & Partners, while Lawyer Jiri Kunasek has been promoted to Partner.

Did you know that Dentons worked on more reported client matters in Central and Eastern Europe in 2022 – 86 – than any other firm (with Sorainen only one behind), and that Andrzej Stosio of Clifford Chance in Poland worked on more client matters than any other lawyer in the region – 13 (with Mantas Petkevicius of Sorainen in Lithuania and Roxana Ionescu of Radu Taracila Padurari Retevoescu in Romania both only one behind, with 12)?

Kocian Solc Balastik and Relevans have advised Seyfor on its acquisition of Commander Services.

Did You Know that, according to the Activity Rankings function of the CEELMDirect website, Havel & Partners has worked on 25 Czech client matters so far this year – more than any other law firm?

Dunovska & Partners has advised Odyssey 44 on its financing for JSK Investments. Havel & Partners advised JSK Investments.

Havel & Partners has advised the City of Prague on Passerinvest Group’s CZK 184 million investment to develop the area where its real estate project is being implemented, according to the new Prague methodology of investor participation.

Kocian Solc Balastik has advised the Bjarke Ingels Group on the agreement for the architectural study and project documentation regarding the Vltava Philharmonic Hall project. Havel & Partners advised the City of Prague on organizing an architectural competition for the selection of the hall's design.

PwC Legal has advised Orlen Unipetrol on the acquisition of Remaq. Havel & Partners advised Libor Vecera, Renata Vecerova, and Dieffe SRL on the sale.