The Legal 500

Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o.

TÝN 1049/3, 11000 PRAGUE 1, CZECH REPUBLIC
Prague, Ostava, Brno, Bratislava

What we say about the firm's legal practice in Czech Republic

Banking, finance and capital markets

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. is a second tier firm,

The ‘exceptionally goodHavel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. advised Cetelem CR, the consumer finance arm of issuer BNP Paribas Fortis, on the establishment of a five-year guaranteed MTN programme of up to CZK10bn. It is advising Letiste Praha on a syndicated guarantee facility replacing an outstanding guarantee in respect of borrowings from the EIB, and advised Ceská sporitelna and UniCredit Bank as arrangers and lenders on the CZK580m club working capital financing of Diamo. Ondrej Petr heads the team, which also includes recently promoted partner Jan Topinka.

Corporate and M&A

Within Corporate and M&A, Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. is a second tier firm,

Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o.’s full-service team represents foreign investors and domestic and international corporations. It advised Lenzig on its 75% acquisition of Biocel Paskov and KBC Private Equity on its €50m sale of a majority stake in Novaservis. Other clients include Ringier Axel Springer CZ and Credo Ventures. Robert Nešpurek has an ‘excellent combination of law and business acumen’, and is recommended along with Dušan Sedlácek and ‘charismatic’ practice head Jaroslav Havel.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution, Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. is a third tier firm,

Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o.’s litigation and arbitration practice includes administrative and insolvency proceedings, and it is also known for advising foreign investors in enforcement proceedings. It is representing the City of Prague – Prague 1 in arbitration over alleged damages incurred during the privatisation of municipal apartments. It is also representing the Czech Football Association in approximately 25 sports law litigations. Marek Vojácek, Dušan Sedlácek, and Daniel Ulicný co-head the practice, which expanded in 2011 by recruiting three new senior associates.

Real estate and construction

Within Real estate and construction, Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. is a first tier firm,

Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. advises public and private sector clients on all aspects of real estate transactions and projects, including zoning, planning, and PPP. It is advising City of Tábor on the €44m long lease of a brownfield site for restoration and development via EU and government funds in the form of a hybrid PPP project. It handles the real estate needs of several Czech ministries and companies such as Arcadis, Hochtief, Coca-Cola, and Hyundai Motoring Manufacturing.

TMT

Within TMT, Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. is a second tier firm,

Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. has particular expertise in IT law, including outsourcing, implementation, and data protection, and also advises on IT sector competition issues. It is advising IBM on the state treasury’s IT implementation project, as well as other IP and software matters. Practice head Robert Nešpurek ‘always gets the job done’. Senior associate Richard Otevrel is ‘the first port of call for data protection work’ and has a ‘solid understanding of IT law’.

Tax

Within Tax, Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. is a third tier firm,

Havel, Holásek & Partners s.r.o. provides ‘excellent legal and tax advice’, and finds ‘sophisticated and often innovative solutions to complicated matters’ concerning M&A or restructurings of subsidiaries. It advised Medicon on global tax restructuring, including advice on de-merger into two separate companies. David Neveselý, Marek Lošan, and senior associate Jan Krejsa have ‘excellent knowledge of Czech and international tax structuring’.


Legal Developments in Czech Republic

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • Bid Rigging Cartels in the Czech Republic

    The Office for the Protection of Economic Competition (hereinafter the „Office“) issued the historically first decision concerning domestic cartel among suppliers competing for public contract (bid rigging) case. The case is interesting not only because it is the first such case in the Czech Republic, but could indicate how the Office will proceed in such cases and in the proving of such cartels.
  • Reduction of the Number of Tenderers in the Czech Public Procurement Procedures...

    Instrument for Discrimination of Suppliers?
  • Judicial review of arbitration awards in the Czech Republic in light of recent legal developments

    The two basic means of dispute resolution in the Czech Republic are judicial proceedings and alternative dispute resolution. Arbitration proceedings, as a form of ADR, is thriving. According to statistics of the Arbitration Court attached to the Economic Chamber of the Czech Republic and Agricultural Chamber of the Czech Republic, one of the three permanent arbitration courts in the Czech Republic and the only one with general jurisdiction, in the year 2000 the mentioned court settled 196 disputes, while in 2009 it settled 1402 disputes (not including disputes settled amicably).
  • Czech Republic: Limitation of Damages Explicitly Possible since 1 January 2012

    After years of uncertainty, in 2011 the Czech Republic finally passed an amendment to the Commercial Code explicitly allowing for the limitation of damages in agreements under Commercial Code between entrepreneurs and companies.
  • Defence against vexatious insolvency petitions

    Insolvency proceedings aim mainly to find a complex solution to the financial standing of a debtor who has gone bankrupt according to one of the laws (Act No 182/2006 Sb., on Insolvency and the Methods of its Solution; hereinafter referred to as the “Insolvency Act” ) in the way set forth, especially in order to secure the claims of creditors. In practice, some institutes of the Insolvency Act are used in ways that contrast with its general purpose.
  • Czech Republic: Typical Legal Issues Encountered in Real Estate Due Diligence

    In almost every due diligence involving real estate in the Czech Republic, several legal is-sues emerge which are crucial for the existence (or non-existence) of ownership or other rights regarding real estate established in favour of certain subjects. The following legal issues are typically encountered in due diligence projects. It is important to understand and assess these issues correctly.
  • CHANGES IN THE PROMOTION OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

    legal developments in the energy practice
  • What will the new Tax Procedure Code bring?

    On 1 January 2011 the new Tax Procedure Code took effect which will regulate tax proceedings in the Czech Republic . As tax proceedings concern almost everybody, as almost everybody pays tax, let us look at what the new Tax Procedure Code will bring.
  • Legal Aspects of the Subsidy Process in Connection with the Operational

    The Operational Program Research and Development for Innovations (OPRDI) was implemented for public institutions in the industrial research and development sector. The aim of the program is to develop cooperation between universities and industrial enterprises, to support research and development at universities and research institutions, and to highlight supply and demand in the research and development sector. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (www.msmt.cz) is charged with managing the program. Knowledge of certain basic principles is useful when using subsidies in compliance with the stipulated rules.
  • Cross-Border Service Provision in the EU

    The Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 2006/123/EC of 12 December 2006, on services in the internal market ("Directive" or "Directive on services") substantially develops the freedom of establishment and freedom of cross-border provision of services under Articles 43 and 49 of the EC treaty. The Directive applies to all types of services except those which are expressly excluded. In the Czech Republic, the Directive on services was implemented by Act No. 222/2009 Coll., on Free Movement of Services that came into force on December 28, 2009.