The Legal 500

Clifford Chance

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

Banking, finance and capital markets

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

The banking and finance team at Clifford Chance comprises 13 lawyers and is led by partner Vlad Petrus. Delivering an ‘excellent level of work and service’, the practice works for clients including ING Bank, UniCredit Bank, HSBC, HVB Bank, Ceskoslovenská Obchodní Banka and BAWAG Bank, and in 2008 advised on one of the largest syndicated lending transactions of the year, the €100m financing and refinancing of CS Cargo, the Czech logistics business. Counsel Tomáš Richter advised the Czech government on reform of the country’s insolvency law, and on the capital markets side, corporate partner Alex Cook advised Patria Finance as underwriters on the IPO of AAA Auto. The practice is ‘very responsive’.

Corporate and M&A

Within Corporate and M&A, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

The ‘consistent quality and personal approach’ offered by the team at Clifford Chance is praised by clients, who welcome the practice’s ability to offer ‘outside the box solutions as well as tailor-made services’. The corporate practice at the firm in Prague is led by partner Alex Cook, who was joined in Spring 2008 by a second partner when the firm hired David Kolácek, formerly a partner at White & Case. Clients of the Clifford Chance corporate practice include the likes of Macquarie, BE Group, International Power, Unipetrol and RWE. Following Kolácek’s hire, the team now acts for all three of the top local private equity funds, namely PPF Investments, Penta Investments and J&T. Highlight transactions in 2008 included work for GML on the sale of regional telecoms operator GTS, valued at €400m, and advising BE Group on the acquisition of two Czech steel distributors, CzechProfil and Ferram Steel, in separate transactions. Cook also led a team along with senior associate Tomáš Doležil working for Santander Consumer Finance on the acquisition of Summit Leasing, a car leasing company. One ‘very happy’ client says he would ‘not hesitate to recommend’ Doležil’s services to other corporates.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution , Clifford Chance is a third tier firm,

Clifford Chance partner Vlad Petrus handles dispute resolution work for the firm’s clients in Prague, and in 2008 advised Spolana on a number of disputes initiated by its minority shareholder relating to corporate governance. Other clients include Amgen Europe, International Power and Morgan Stanley.

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, Clifford Chance is a first tier firm,

Clifford Chance boasts a 24-lawyer real estate and real estate finance practice, led by the ‘highly professional’ partner Emil Holub. Praised for ‘excellent legal knowledge as well as an understanding of the economic background to the deal’, the team works for clients including ING Real Estate Investment Management, DEGI, Bohemia Real Estate, GLL Real Estate and Credit Suisse Asset Management. In 2008, the ‘very responsive and always available’ practitioners advised Bohemia on the €200m asset deal acquisition of the real estate portfolio of 300 buildings from Telefónica 02, and worked for GLL Real Estate on the share deal acquisition of Praha City Centre, valued at €95m.


What we say worldwide

Please choose another Clifford Chance 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 and Dubai

Belgium

Offices in Brussels

Bahrain

China

Offices in Shanghai and Beijing

Czech Republic

Offices in Prague

Germany

Offices in Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, and Munich

Algeria

Spain

Offices in Madrid and Barcelona

France

Offices in Paris

Ghana

Hong Kong

Offices in Hong Kong

India

Italy

Offices in Rome and Milan

Japan

Offices in Tokyo

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

London

Offices in London and London

Luxembourg

Offices in Luxembourg

Morocco

Netherlands

Offices in Amsterdam

Oman

UK Overview

Philippines

Poland

Offices in Warsaw

Qatar

Romania

Offices in Bucharest

Russia

Offices in Moscow

Singapore

Offices in Singapore

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Offices in Bangkok

Tunisia

US

Offices in Washington DC, New York, and Menlo Park

Legal Developments by:
Clifford Chance

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