The Legal 500

Allen & Overy Bratislava, s.r.o.’s team provides an ‘excellent, client-centric’ service to international and domestic banking clients and corporations. It recently advised a consortium of banks on a €180m recapitalisation credit facility for Penta Investments. It also acted for BNP Paribas Fortis on the financing of a 58MW combined-cycle gas-fired power plant in Bratislava, which involved an export credit facility by ECGD (UK) and an investment credit facility by EGAP (Czech Republic). Hugh Owen and ‘great lawyer’ Martin Magál co-run the Bratislava office. Newly promoted partner Renátus Kollár heads the team and is recommended.

White & Case advises domestic and international banks on PPP and project finance, bankruptcy and restructuring, regulatory matters, export financing, and tax. It represented banking syndicates as joint lead managers on three bond issues totalling €4.25bn by the Slovak Republic. It also assisted the EBRD in implementing the second phase of the Slovak Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Finance Facility – SLOVSEFF II. Marek Staron and Silvia Belovicová co-head the team.

Karol Šiška heads CHSH Siska & Partners S. R. O. Cerha Hempel Spiegelfeld Hlawati’s 11-lawyer team, which has a particular focus on high-value real estate and energy financing. Examples included advising BAWAG P.S.K. on the €30m refinancing of two solar projects as well as advising BAWAG P.S.K. Leasing on the €41m structured financing for the sale and leaseback of two malls in Bratislava and Trnava. It is also advising Hypo Alpe-Adria Bank AG on €36m credit facilities to finance five retail warehouse parks.

Cechová & Partners represents banks, brokerage houses, and international insurers on financing, restructuring, securitisation agreements and regulatory issues. It recently prepared a share pledge and advised on the Slovak law issues relating to multi-currency cash pooling documentation. It also advised an international brokerage house on entering into an ISDA master agreement with Slovak counterparties and continues to advise on OTC commodity derivatives trading. Katarína Cechová is the key contact.

Cernejová & Hrbek mainly represents foreign banks in debt financing and syndicated loan facilities but also advises local banks on matters such as consumer loan structures. Senior partner Alena Cernejová is recommended. The team advised the agent of four banking syndicates on the restructuring of loan agreements for a Slovak borrower.

Hamala Kluch Víglaský s.r.o. advises lenders on cross-border or international law transactions. It recently acted for Tatra banka on €160m financing provided to energy monopoly Slovenské elektrárne. It also represented ZTC Energy as borrower in eight bilateral credit financing facilities provided by three banks to finance the development of solar parks. Peter Víglaský heads the team. Jozef Semancín joined Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o.

Kinstellar acts for lenders in domestic and cross-border transactions and also regularly advises borrowers in real estate finance transactions. It acted as local counsel to RBS on its €900m syndicated refinancing of European Directories Group, which included Slovak Mediatel. It is acting as local counsel for Carmeuse Holding on the issuance of high-yield bonds, a €380m syndicated facility, and provision of guarantees and security. Other clients include PointPark Properties and ProLogis. Managing partner Patrik Bolf heads the team.

Ruzicka Csekes s.r.o. in association with CMS is now the largest firm on the Slovak market, and is particularly well known for real estate and project financing. It advised UniCredit Bank Austria on refinancing Invesco Group’s Slovak SPV, which holds a Bratislava hotel. It advised BAWAG P.S.K. Leasing on a €16m leaseback transaction relating to the financing of several existing developments and advised BAWAG Leasing & Fleet on its €8.5m lease financing of four photovoltaic power plants. Dana Nemcíková co-heads the team with Peter Šimo, who is recommended.

Squire Sanders s.r.o’s nine-lawyer team mainly focuses on cross-border transactions. Recommended managing partner Julian Juhasz advised on Slovak aspects of Contour Global’s $250m financing of its global combined heating plant business, and advised the National Bank of Slovakia on ISDA and master agreements, credit support annexes with foreign banks, and REPO and security lending transactions. Adrian Barger and Peter Šuba left the partnership.

Weinhold Legal, v.o.s. has‘a business-driven approach’ and provides ‘smart solutions’ for banks and corporations. It continues to advise BRE Bank (and its internet banking arm, mBank) on establishing an investment products and mutual funds presence in Slovakia. Other clients include UniCredit Bank, CSOB Property Fund, and Komercní banka Bratislava. The ‘very experienced’ senior associate Rastislav Kuklis provides ‘very rigorous and brainy advice’, and leads the Bratislava-based team, with support from Prague-based Daniel Weinhold.

Wolf Theiss provides ‘an overall excellent level of service’, and is advising Patriarch Partners Agency Services on collateral. It also advised European Directories Holding on securities agreements. The Bratislava office and practice are co-headed by Erik Steger and Luboš Frolkovic.

B&S Legal s.r.o. predominantly represents foreign clients with domestic subsidiaries or investments. It is advising Natixis on an ISDA agreement and credit support annex with National Bank of Slovakia, and advising Slovak real estate developer IMMOCAP regarding a €110m construction loan. Peter Bartošík heads the team.

BBH advokatska kancelaria, s.r.o.’s Bratislava-based team is well supported by colleagues in the Czech Republic and represents banks and insurance companies on establishment in Slovakia, loans, credit facilities, and regulatory issues. It also acts for creditors in restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings. Olga Belánová and Peter Bak are the key contacts.

BNT – Sovova Chudácková & Partner, S.R.O. adopts ‘a sound, flexible approach and has very good industry knowledge’. It advises international clients on investments in Slovakia with recent work focusing on real estate financing, where it is acting for HYPO-BANK BURGENLAND and Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederoesterreich-Wien AG. Bratislava managing partner Dávid Oršula is the key contact.

DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach’s ‘very good and timely’ team has a broad client base including a large number of German-speaking clients as well as clients from elsewhere in the EU. The group advised International Capital Markets Association and Securities Lending Repo Committee on provisions resulting from regulatory capital requirements in other jurisdictions relating to repo and stock lending transactions. It also advised Mitsubishi UFJ Securities International plc on closeout netting provisions under Slovak insolvency law and represented Toyota Financial Services (UK) plc in Slovak litigation. Michaela Stessl heads the practice.

Dedák & Partners recently assisted Eissman Automotive Slovensko on the establishment of a pledge over shareholding interest and syndicated loan administration, and is advising Dan-Slovakia Agar on various bond matters. Jirí Budinský leads the team.

Law Firm Detvai Ludik Maly Udvaros handles international business transactions and local business set-up for multinational clients in the financial services sector. Name partner Štefan Detvai is the key contact.

Hillbridges advises financial institutions on investments in Slovakia and abroad. It recently advised investment fund Slovensky rastovy kapialovy fond on negotiations with Tatra banka to obtain senior financing for its photovoltaic power projects portfolio. Zuzana Bartošovicová is recommended along with ‘excellent’ senior associate Andrej Adamcik, who ‘finds the perfect balance in business negotiations’.

Noerr mainly advises foreign banks and corporations on cross-border issues including, for example, the application of multi-jurisdictional securities laws with respect to Slovakia. Clients include CSOB, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, and Merrill Lynch. Bratislava-based managing partner Pavol Rak is the key contact.

Peterka & Partners advises domestic and foreign clients, particularly Francophone companies. It is advising Central Europe Group on its €17m restructuring and debt financing of Vienna Gate, a mixed-use real estate project in Bratislava. It also advised CartaSi as the largest unsecured creditor in SkyEurope Airlines’ bankruptcy proceedings. Bratislava-based Premysl Marek is recommended. Ondrej Majer relocated to Prague.

Salans Europe LLP’s Bratislava branch advises foreign and domestic banks and corporations on cross-border matters, and can utilise the firm’s resources internationally. It advised Continental Group on Slovak aspects of a €750m Eurobond issue and restructuring amendments of its €16bn syndicated bank facilities. Other clients include Komercní banka and ORCO Property Group. Prague-based practice head Olga Humlová acts as an arbitrator for the Slovak Banking Association senate.

Schoenherr advises banks and insurers on regulatory issues and multi-jurisdictional transactions, and is developing its base for domestic deals. The group advised pharmaceuticals wholesaler Phoenix Group on Slovak aspects of its refinancing, which consisted of a €500m high-yield bond and €2.6bn term and revolving facility. It also advised the agent and a consortium of arrangers and lenders on the Continental Group restructuring and advised the joint lead managers on four shared security high-yield bond issues with an aggregate value of €2.5bn issued by Continental-Gummi BV. Stanislav Kovár and managing partner Gudrun Stangl Lutz are the key contacts.

Zárecký Zeman Durišová Law Office spun off from Cechová & Partners on 1 January 2010. It recently advised the borrower on restructuring a €23m loan facility agreement for a logistics park in Western Slovakia. It also advised a credit solutions provider on the novel establishment of electronic communications between Slovak banks and bailiffs. Name partner Tomáš Zárecký heads the team.