The Legal 500

Allen & Overy Bratislava, s.r.o. has ‘an excellent combination of professionalism, experience, and knowhow’. Hugh Owen and Martin Magál focus on corporate advisory work including IP, competition, and employment law, as well as corporate regulatory work for pharmaceuticals and energy companies and financial institutions. Owen recently advised PineBridge Investments and River Styxx Capital on the acquisition of MKB Romexterra Bank. The firm receives ‘significant backing from London’.

Cechova & Partners’ ‘top-class’ practice handles high-profile M&A and restructuring across a range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, transport and IT. Katarína Cechová is expert in insolvency and restructuring, and Tomáš Maretta is the key contact for competition law. Tomáš Rybár is well versed in the regulatory aspects of life sciences, postal services and data protection.

White & Case’s Marek Staroň recently represented The Slovak Republic in negotiations regarding changes to the €1bn shareholder structure in Slovenský Plynárenský Priemysel, a major Slovak natural gas supplier and multinational energy company. In another highlight, Staroň and the ‘passionate and consistent’ Juraj Fuska advised Korean steel producer POSCO on partnering with Daewoo International to acquire a minority stake in TES MI. Other clients include Unibail-Rodamco and Textron.

Hillbridges is ‘one of the best M&A firms in Slovakia’. The three partners in the team are: cross-border M&A specialist Zuzana Bartošovičová, energy expert Zora Mistríková and Miroslav Trencan, who has experience in private equity-backed M&A deals, MBOs and LBOs. The firm is currently advising Zentiva on the disposal of its local factories.

Kinstellar’s four-partner team is praised for its ‘entrepreneurial approach’. It advised Warsaw Stock Exchange-listed Ferro on its €48m acquisition of Novaservis. Managing partner Patrik Bolf is 'always able to respond even to special requirements'. Prague-based colleagues Lukas Sevcik, who is a corporate specialist, and private equity expert Jitka Logesová also handle some Slovakie-related word and are recommended.

Petra Starková and Ian Parker jointly head the ‘very professional’ 12-lawyer team at Ruzicka Csekes s.r.o. in association with members of CMS in Bratislava. Starková and Parker have been busy with buyouts and restructuring mandates. For example, they recently acted for U.S. Steel Košice during its buyout of UK-based Future Steel Trading, and advised on the inter-group restructuring of Slovnaft oil refinery.

Julian Juhasz’s team at Squire Sanders s.r.o provides ‘excellent value’, and has ‘superb all-round knowledge’. Recent highlights include advising Valeant Slovakia on restructuring, and advising D.EXPRESS on an agreement regarding offset of mutual receivables. Jana Pagáčová, who rejoined the firm in 2012, is also recommended.

Weinhold Legal, v.o.s. provides comprehensive advice on corporate aspects of major construction projects, and on banking sector business. Tomas Cermak handles distribution agreements and competition compliance programmes, and Michal Novotny advises on corporate litigation and restructuring. Practice head Daniel Weinhold is ‘talented and experienced’.

Barger Prekop s.r.o. gives ‘advice that is practical and deal-oriented’, and is also noted for meeting deadlines. Adrian Barger shows ‘thoroughness and willingness to assess risks’. The firm is particularly esteemed for its work in the gas industry.

Beatow Partners s.r.o provides ‘exactly what the client needs’. Its team recently advised a major international bank on the sale of its stake in a major Slovak insurance company, and also acted on the Slovak aspects of a global demerger in the pharmaceuticals industry. Commercial specialist Rastislav Kuklis joined from Weinhold Legal, v.o.s. in 2012.

CHSH Siska & Partners S. R. O. Cerha Hempel Spiegelfeld Hlawati handles a rich mix of corporate advisory work and complex cross-border transactions, and is particularly well known for corporate restructuring. The firm is advising Procter & Gamble on local and EU competition law and other regulatory matters. Karol Šiška is the go-to lawyer for competition and administrative matters. Ladislav Poloma recently left the firm.

Cernejová & Hrbek’s corporate practice is built around the complementary legal skills of name partners Alena Černejová, who is an expert in M&A and a pioneer in Slovak competition law, and corporate litigation and transactional specialist Milan Hrbek. This firm’s diverse client base includes a European producer of milk products, an international truck manufacturer, and a sugar refinery group.

Michaela Stessl’s ‘professional’ team at DLA Piper Weiss-Tessbach recently advised British International School Bratislava on the establishment of a private school in Slovakia. Stessl also advised Jonsden Properties in relation to online gambling regulations. Other clients include Accenture, Garson & Shaw LLC and Soka-Bau.

Dentons is assisting Efacec with its acquisition of an SPV in Slovakia, and also recently advised ENERGIEPARK Bruck/Leitha on corporate aspects of its subsidiary’s acquisition of photovoltaic power projects. Ladislav Štorek is the key contact.

Hamala Kluch Víglaský s.r.o. gained several new clients in 2012, including Bratislavská vodárenská spoločnosť, Bioenergy, Infra Services, and First Farms. Martin Kluch has notable expertise in the energy utilities sector.

Pavol Rak’s six-lawyer team at Noerr is ‘extremely well prepared’, and recently advised Shandong Linuo Solar Power Engineering on its acquisition of several photovoltaic power project companies. The firm can call on the resources of its international network.

Peterka & Partners is providing comprehensive advice to Ipsos Tambor SK regarding post-merger optimisation of its subsidiaries in Slovakia. Other clients include Peugeot Slovakia and Citroën Slovakia. Corporate expert Premysl Marek also provides employment law advice.

Wolf Theiss’ team ‘always makes itself available to the client’. Ľuboš Frolkovič recently advised an international bidder consortium on a public tender by the Ministry of Transport to finance and build the D1 highway. The firm is advising US-based Vista Equity Partners on Slovak aspects of its multi-jurisdictional acquisition of Thomson Reuters Trade and Risk Management. Senior associate Lenka Subenikova is ‘a superb lawyer’.

B&S Legal s.r.o. is ‘able to handle a wide range of issues in The Slovak Republic’, and its multicultural team is known for detailing ‘the specifics of Slovak law, and mirroring it to French law’. Boris Svaby and Peter Bartosik are the contacts.

bnt Attorneys-at-law’s Dávid Oršula regularly leads acquisition projects for buyers. Clients include Continental AG and Fresenius Medical Care.

Dedák & Partners handles an eclectic mix of work including general start-up and documentation advice, as well as representations before trade licence authorities. Clients include i-Step Communications, Merck, and Valsabbia.

BBH advokatska kancelaria, s.r.o.’s Bratislava branch collaborates with its Prague and Moscow counterparts, to advise domestic and international corporates on matters such as joint ventures, shareholder agreements, capital adjustments, and competition law. The firm recently acted as lead Slovak counsel to Slovak Gas Holding BV in the €2.6bn sale of its share in large gas corporate Slovenský plynárenský priemysel. Olga Belánová and Peter Bak jointly lead the team.

Although Konecná & Zacha’s core focus is real estate, it also has experience in acquisitions and demergers. Practice heads Radka Konecná and Tomáš Zacha are the key contacts.

Maple & Fish s.r.o.’s Viliam Karas provided an assessment to the government concerning competition aspects of draft law. Martin Javorček led on a sophisticated due diligence matter for AutoCont, an instruction which also included an intricate loan structure.

PRK Partners s.r.o. is capable of handling work with complex fiscal and regulatory aspects, and has ‘an excellent balance of responsiveness and patience, as well as a combination of transactional expertise and in-depth legal acumen’. Martin Kříž recently advised GDF Suez on its acquisition of several heating companies and facilities management businesses in western Slovakia. Kříž is ‘very smart and responsive’, and Miriam Galandová is ‘excellent on transactional matters and tax restructuring’.

Schoenherr’s clients include Phoenix Group, which it recently advised on the sale of its pharmacy chain; Monier Group, for which it acted on a large acquisition from its joint venture partner; and Harsco Infrastructure, for which it conducted the sale of its scaffolding business. Stanislav Kovár and Gudrun Stangl Lutz are the names to note.

Balcar Polanský Eversheds s.r.o. is ‘excellent value’. Team head Michal Zahradnik is well respected. Prague-based managing partner Jaroslav Polanksý brings to bear his corporate and M&A expertise.

Ivan Sagál’s team at Bird & Bird gives ‘high-quality advice at acceptable rates’. It advised pharmaceuticals company Grünenthal on the sale of its branded products portfolio, which involved leveraging the firm’s offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Poland.

Blanár Blanárová & Partners s.r.o. is a ‘top-notch’ firm that is best known for representing French and German energy sector clients. Pavol Blanár is ‘prompt and helpful’ and Jaroslava Blanárová is an ‘outstanding’ regulatory expert.

Name partner Ján Čarnogurský is the main contact at Carnogurský ULC s.r.o., and is known for privatisations, M&A, and investment programmes.

DT Legal s.r.o.’s ‘helpful team’ gives ‘solid advice’. It is advising Edison Group on a range of structural matters. Other clients include Adval, GOTEC, and Cinema City International. Dusan Tomka and Lucia Misurova are recommended.

Law Firm Detvai Ludik Maly Udvaros gives general commercial business advice. Štefan Detvai, Zoltán Ludik, Jozef Malý, and Ladislav Udvaros are the contacts.

In additional to advising on acquisitions and incorporations, Futej & Partners, s.r.o. assists international and domestic investors with identifying joint venture partners.

Rowan Legal’s David Fyrbach is leading on the pending liquidation of IMMOEAST Dunaj. The firm was also recently instructed to advise Ecopress on a merger between the joint stock company and limited liability company. Jan Šverma is superb.

TaylorWessing e|n|w|c Attorneys at Law acts on major transactions, particularly in the power plant sector, and also handles restructuring. Clients include Brantner Slovakia. Andrej Leontiev and Radovan Pala head the team.