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White & Case

ADVOKÁTNI KANCELÁR, NA PRIKOPÊ 850/8, 110 00 PRAHA 1
Washington DC, Warsaw, Tokyo, Stockholm, Singapore, Shanghai , and 30 more

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

Banking, finance and capital markets

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

The head of White & Case’s banking and financial services group in Prague is partner David Plch, who works closely with Ivo Bárta in export and structured finance work, while a third partner Michal Dlouhý is best-known for capital markets advice. Plch offers a service that is ‘perfect from start to finish’ and a team that is ‘very able’, working with clients including BNP Paribas, Dresdner Kleinwort, Czech Export Bank, Raiffeisenbank, Citibank and China Development Bank. In 2008, Dlouhý led a Prague team working for Barclays Capital and Deutsche Bank on the establishment of a €10bn EMTN programme of the Czech Republic and the subsequent issue of €2bn 5% notes due 2018.

Corporate and M&A

Within Corporate and M&A, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

The corporate team at White & Case in Prague continues to elicit praise from clients for its ‘reliable, competent and very ethical’ approach. Seven partners, two of whom are tax experts, offer clients a comprehensive capability on corporate and commercial work, amongst them the English-qualified Damian Beaven, office managing partner Jan Matejcek, and private equity and energy expert Ivo Bárta. Clients of the practice include Generali PPF Holding, DGB Eastern Europe, Erste Corporate Finance, Genesis Capital, Benson Oak Capital and ECM Group, with a highlight transaction in 2008 being the firm’s work for PPF, the Czech investment group, on a joint venture with Italian insurance giant Generali Group. In a transaction that closed in January 2008, the deal created one of Central and Eastern Europe’s largest insurers, with more than nine million clients. A team led by private equity partner Michal Smrek also worked for buyout fund DBG Eastern Europe on the acquisition of Czech industrial textiles groups Lanex and Singing Rock.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution , White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

White & Case continues to dedicate serious resource to advising clients in dispute resolution, where it has three partners and seven associates active on a regular basis. Chief amongst them is partner Tomáš Zagar, while senior associate Ivo Janda is a former employee of the International Law Department at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and advises clients on EC law and related disputes. Members of the practice handle cases for corporates and financial institutions, as well as real estate and construction-related issues. In 2008 the practice also got involved in some insolvency litigation for banking clients, while Zagar has previously worked for clients including CSOB and RAMCO Energy on arbitration proceedings.

Legal market

Within Legal market,

Four international law firms have committed significant resource not only to the Czech economy but to the region as a whole over the last two decades: Allen & Overy, Clifford Chance, CMS Cameron McKenna v.o.s. and White & Case, while a fifth, Linklaters, abandoned the market in November 2008. The firm’s operations in Prague and across CEE are now independently operated by its former lawyers under the brand name Kinstellar s.r.o advokátní kancelár.

Real estate and construction

Within Real estate and construction, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

The ‘very professional and service-orientated’ team at White & Case in Prague is led on the real estate side by Monika Rutland, along with partner Petr Pánek and 12 associates. Described as a ‘business-minded and creative lawyer’, Rutland led a team in 2008 advising French shopping centre developer Klepiérre on the €60m development of the largest centre in Pilsen, Western Bohemia. The practice boasts a ‘let’s get it done attitude’, and also acts for clients including Quinlan Private Golub, CSOB, Doughty Hanson European Real Estate Fund and ECM Group.

TMT

Within TMT, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

White & Case has a TMT practice in Prague that draws on the skills of three partners - Václav Jerman, Michal Smrek and Michal Dlouhý. The three handle corporate and regulatory issues and finance as well as communications law, and in 2008 advised Radiokomunikace on its tender for digital broadcasting of programmes by the Czech national TV.

Tax

Within Tax, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

White & Case boasts a tax team comprising three partners, two tax managers and six tax advisers, with the practice led by the popular Aleš Cechel. He handles corporate tax, M&A, private equity transactions and tax structuring as well as tax consultancy for large banks and other multinationals, and works alongside partners Aleš Zidek and Tomáš Hlavácek. In 2008, the team was joined by Eva Hofmanová as a senior tax manager from PricewaterhouseCoopers, and acted for clients including PPF, Raiffeisenbank, AIG Capital Management, Benson Oak and Erste Bank. A team led by Cechel worked for AIG Capital Management on the sale of Jet Finance International to Cetelem. Clients appreciate the White & Case team’s ‘unique combination of tax and corporate advice’, and describe the ‘compact team’ as ‘well-integrated’.

What we say worldwide

Please choose another White & Case LLP office to view full details of what we say in that region, or choose from this list to view a specific editorial reference in context.

United Arab Emirates

Offices in Abu Dhabi

Belgium

Offices in Brussels

China

Offices in Beijing and Shanghai

Czech Republic

Offices in Prague

Germany

Offices in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, and Dusseldorf

Denmark

Algeria

Foreign Firms

Finland

Offices in Helsinki

France

Offices in Paris

Hong Kong

Offices in Hong Kong

Hungary

Offices in Budapest

Indonesia

India

Offices in Mumbai

Japan

Offices in Tokyo

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Offices in Almaty

London

Offices in London

Republic of Macedonia

UK Overview

Philippines

Poland

Offices in Warsaw

Qatar

Romania

Offices in Bucharest

Russia

Offices in Moscow

South Africa

Offices in Johannesburg

Sweden

Offices in Stockholm

Singapore

Offices in Singapore

Slovakia

Offices in Bratislava

Saudi Arabia

Offices in Riyadh

Thailand

Tunisia

Turkey

Offices in Istanbul and Ankara

US

Offices in Washington DC, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and Palo Alto

Vietnam

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Legal Developments in Czech Republic

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

  • Tax Review – How To Protect One’s Rights Effectively

    In the Czech Republic, a country with a continental legal system, court decisions do not set precedents as they do in common law jurisdictions. Nevertheless, court decisions in tax proceedings may not be ignored, as to a considerable extent they modify the interpretation of legislation.  Without knowledge of court decisions one may not succeed in tax proceedings. Recently, two substantial decisions of the Czech Constitutional Court concerning tax reviews have been published.
    - PETERKA & PARTNERS v.o.s

  • Changes in Ukrainian law with an Impact on Real Estate

    Recently some changes to Ukrainian law have been introduced which have repealed the need to notarise land lease agreements and bring greater transparency in land certification and land allotment procedures. This article briefly describes these changes.
    - PETERKA & PARTNERS v.o.s

  • New Regulatory Regime for Credit Rating Agencies in the European Union -

    Comments on legal basis and main features. The recent financial crisis has shown many of the weaknesses in the current regulatory framework of the financial market - a lack of or insufficiencies in the legal rules on the one hand and a lack of or insufficiencies in the competency and expertise of financial market supervisors and regulators on the other.
    - Brzobohaty Broz & Honsa, v.o.s.

  • Funds of qualified investors in the Czech Republic: beneficial way of RE investment

    A number of law changes requested over last few years regarding the regime of funds of qualified investors were finally enacted and became effective. These changes may give a positive stimulus to further development of the fund industry in the Czech Republic.
    - Ambruz & Dark

  • Due Diligence – when and why?

    The term “Due Diligence” is commonly used when referring to a process through which a potential buyer evaluates a target company, an enterprise or its assets. Typical due diligence usually focuses in particular on the area of law, taxes and finance with the aim on emphasizing strengths and weaknesses of the target and detecting risks connected with its acquisition. For the sake of simplification, we will use the term “enterprise” or “target” when talking about subject matter of the due diligence.
    - Weinhold Legal v.o.s

  • Amendment to the Income Tax Act - July 2009

    On 3 July 2009, President of the Czech Republic signed an amendment to Act No. 586/1992 Sb., on income taxes, as amended (hereinafter referred to as the “ITA”), drawn up by the Ministry of Finance. This amendment has been published in the Collection of Laws under No. 216/2009 Sb. and became effective on 20 July 2009. The law amends the Income Tax Act in the following areas (without limitation): Depreciation of tangible assets , Financial lease-purchase agreements , Education of employees
    - Alfery & Partner

  • Opportunities for entrepreneurs in times of economic crisis

    Against the backdrop of the worsening economic conditions, company management are often faced with the decision whether certain business activities should be terminated or if different measures should be taken with respect to cost reduction. In this article, we will examine various measures that can be taken within a given context. At the same time focus will be placed upon the circumstances in respect of individual cases. Concurrently, it is nevertheless always advisable to carry out a detailed and extensive analysis of the economic, tax and legal aspects in regard to the circumstances surrounding the given case.
    - Weinhold Legal v.o.s

  • Let´s Bid in the Czech Republic

    Public procurement is a significant part of the Czech economy and constitutes more than 17% of its GDP. Public procurement is regulated by Act No. 137/2006 Coll., on Public Contracts and Act No. 139/2006 Coll., on Concession Contracts and Concession Procedure (Concession Act).
    - Wolf Theiss

  • Business owners delaying sales

    The economic downturn has made layoffs and bankruptcies commonplace as of late, and companies of all sizes and reputations have been humbled by the turmoil.
    - Ambruz & Dark

  • CORPORATE GOVERNANCE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

    The main corporate entity to be discussed is a joint-stock company (a company limited by shares, the “Company”). The Company issues shares and such shares that are recognised must be in documentary or book-entered (registered in Security Centre) forms are. Subject to the approval and fulfilment of the statutory conditions, the shares may be submitted for trade on the publicly (regulated) markets. The minimum amount of registered capital is equal to CZK 2,000,000.
    - Weinhold Legal v.o.s
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