LEGATE, s.r.o > Bratislava, Slovakia > Firm Profile

LEGATE, s.r.o
DVORÁKOVO NÁBREŽIE 8A
811 02  BRATISLAVA
Slovakia

Slovakia > Projects and energy Tier 1

LEGATE, s.r.o has a strong focus on the energy sector and assists a broad range of clients, including global and pan-European oil and gas companies, as well as public entities. The ‘excellent‘ team has particular strengths in downstream matters, and is active in domestic and cross-border oil, gas, and power projects; additionally, the practice also supports clients on greenfield and brownfield projects. ‘Exceptional‘ managing partner Peter Vrábel jointly leads the department alongside energy and regulation expert Miroslav Dudlák, who also undertakes related corporate and commercial matters, and Alena Pláňavská, who has substantial expertise drafting FIDIC, EPC, DBOF, and BOOT contracts.

Practice head(s):

Peter Vrábel; Alena Pláňavská; Miroslav Dudlák

Other key lawyers:

Michal Mistrík

Testimonials

‘LEGATE provides a unique combination of in-depth knowledge and a fast work pace. They are very flexible, focused on pragmatic solutions, and do not devote time to the issues which are not so relevant for the client. This excellent team always delivers very practical advice on very efficient terms.’

‘They specialise in energy-related dispute resolution and they are key litigators in this area; highly professional and committed to the interests of their clients.’

‘LEGATE and its lawyers provide comprehensive services; they are open minded, cooperative, and have invaluable expertise in this industry sector. They contribute a lot during negotiations by looking for solutions in order not to lose time by back and forth counter-argumentation.’

‘Alena Pláňavská is highly experienced with investment contracts, she has in-depth knowledge of all the related processes, and she knows the answers for all the legal issues.’

‘Peter Vrábel significantly benefits from acting as an arbitrator for the most reputable arbitration court in the country and this experience is utilised in his mandates. You are in good hands right from the start and clients very much appreciate his professional, precise, and structured working method.’

‘Peter Vrábel is an exceptional lawyer who has an ability to see the core of the dispute; his arguments are always very well-thought through and structured. He is always on time and his advice is always very rational and practical. He knows how to present the case to the tribunal and has great advocacy skills.’

‘Peter Vrábel has extensive experience in various areas and you can trust him with any problem.’

‘Michal Mistrík is a very rational attorney, strongly defending the client and contributing with alternative solutions for the matters. He is so dedicated to the case and very responsible for the consistency of evidence presented to the court.’

Slovakia > Dispute resolution Tier 2

LEGATE, s.r.o ‘is highly focused on dispute resolution’ and has broad-ranging experience in arbitrations, having represented clients in the LCIA, the VIAC, the Arbitration Courts in Prague and Paris, and the Court of Arbitration of the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It also has expertise representing clients in disputes regarding construction claims, shareholder disagreements, contentious mandates regarding administrative work, and commercial cases. Managing partner Peter VrábelMiroslav Dudlák, and Michal Mistrík jointly lead the practice. Norbert Havrila is also a key team member.

Practice head(s):

Peter Vrábel; Miroslav Dudlák; Michal Mistrík

Other key lawyers:

Michal Mistrík; Norbert Havrila

Testimonials

‘The firm is highly focused on dispute resolution. A very dedicated team with different specialisations, which communicate very well. Fantastic litigation practice, extensive experience in international arbitration cases, and very good courtroom presence.’

‘They have a unique depth of expertise and ability to deliver across the entire spectrum of their clients’ needs while keeping the quality at the highest level.’

‘They were able to cover the Czech and Austrian jurisdictions. They are pioneers in terms of negotiation of the contractual positions and litigation strategy and see the big picture from all the angles. Knowledgeable dispute resolution team which is orientated to practical solutions offering high levels of flexibility.’

‘The LEGATE team is a heavyweight in litigation. They have extensive knowledge, are empathetic, and are highly competent. They come up with helpful, good, and creative ideas for the conduct of the proceedings. The team is always available and provides continuous information.’

‘Peter Vrábel has a unique business insight and thus he provides very solid solutions from a legal and business perspective. He is great at strategy and designs multi-layered defences. He is very pro-active, full of energy, and uses diplomatic language.’

‘Peter Vrábel knows the rules of the game, can give perfect guidance, and works very fast. He is highly professional and committed to the interests of his clients.’

‘Michal Mistrík is deeply involved in the issues, always coming up with pragmatic proposals, and uniquely disclosing the weaknesses of the counter-parties.’

‘Norbert Havrila is an exceptional lawyer who has an ability to see the core of the dispute, and his arguments are always very well thought through and structured. He is always on time and his advice is always very rational and practical. He knows how to present the case to the tribunal and has great advocacy skills.’

Slovakia > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 3

LEGATE, s.r.o’s corporate practice provides clients with a comprehensive M&A offering on both the buy and sell side by incorporating the firm’s strong financial and tax advisory services. Industries of note for the team include energy, real estate, transport, infrastructure, IT, and agriculture. The group regularly advises international and domestic clients on inbound and outbound investments, respectively. ‘Exceptional’ managing partner Peter Vrábel jointly leads the practice alongside energy law expert Miroslav Dudlák.

Practice head(s):

Peter Vrábel; Miroslav Dudlák

Other key lawyers:

Norbert Havrila

Testimonials

‘LEGATE provides a unique combination of in-depth knowledge and a fast working pace. They are very flexible and focused on pragmatic solutions. This excellent team always delivers very practical advice on very efficient terms.’

‘The LEGATE team is one of the most competent and professional M&A teams in Slovakia. The level of their professionalism, their systematic approach to any topic that might arise, and their dedication to transactions and the whole process is very much appreciated.’

‘The attorneys working for LEGATE act as one team, which always goes the extra mile for the client. This goal-oriented team has impressive strategic skills and brings reliable and quick responses. The team is very engaged and well-connected.’

‘Peter Vrábel significantly benefits from acting as the arbitrator for the most reputable arbitration court in the country. One is in good hands right from the start and clients very much appreciate the professional, precise, and structured working method. Peter Vrábel is an exceptional lawyer.’

‘Peter Vrábel is an extremely dedicated professional. He retains very strong know-how, and is capable of negotiating the transaction terms, succeeding in getting from the counter-party what is wished by the client.’

‘Norbert Havrila is great at facilitating the transaction, is amazing in communication, and is always thinking about the client.’

‘Peter Vrábel and Norbert Havrila are always very helpful, have a quick response time, and their legal expertise is excellent. They speak very clearly and will always offer business-oriented solutions. They are always available, very kind in communication, flexible, and fast. They screen the proposed concept from each angle and navigate to the lowest risk solution.’

Slovakia > Real estate and construction Tier 3

LEGATE, s.r.o’s real estate team has a broad-ranging practice which spans advice on amendments, residential zoning plans, pre-acquisition due diligence assessments, financing, and permits. It is active in supporting international clients with inbound investments. Brownfield industrial projects are also a strong part of the practice’s offering - especially in the energy and natural resources sectors - as well as greenfield residential project development matters and agricultural projects. The ‘outstanding’ managing partner Peter Vrábel jointly chairs the department alongside Alena Pláňavská and Lucia Staroňová.

Practice head(s):

Peter Vrábel; Alena Pláňavská; Lucia Staroňová

Other key lawyers:

Norbert Havrila; Ivana Šaková

Testimonials

‘LEGATE provides a unique combination of in-depth knowledge and a fast work pace. They are very flexible, focused on pragmatic solutions, and do not devote time to issues which are not so relevant for the client. This excellent team always delivers very practical advice on very efficient terms.’

‘Team stability, culture of fairness, professional excellence, and they are very good for cross-border transactions.’

‘They are excellent real estate finance lawyers, very responsive, and always up to date on any amendments to law, tax ordinances, and property matters.’

‘They always give practical and timely advice, even if the deal is very complex with multi-parties and inter-disciplinary issues.’

‘Peter Vrábel is the one you want to have at your side when it gets critical. He knows the market in detail and he is an outstanding attorney. He provides first-class service to the clients and is always on top of the case. He is an author of strategy.’

‘Norbert Havrila has a great understanding of the business and provides very fast and watertight solutions.’

‘Lucia Staroňová always defends the clients’ interests, is open minded, and bears a very friendly attitude with professional expertise.’

‘Ivana Šaková is confident, detail oriented, and demonstrates a consistent focus on achieving outcomes that are well tailored to a particular client’s business objectives.’

PhotoNamePositionProfile
Silvia Beňová, PhD. photoJUDr Silvia Beňová, PhD.Senior Associate: Silvia joined LEGATE in 2021 from top international law firm…
Viktória Draškaba, MEconSC photoJUDr Viktória Draškaba, MEconSCSenior Associate: Viktoria joined the LEGATE team in 2008 and specializes for…
Miroslav Dudlák, MBA photoMgr Miroslav Dudlák, MBAOf counsel: Miroslav became part of the LEGATE team in October 2019…
Soňa Fusková photoMgr Soňa FuskováJunior Associate: Soňa has joined LEGATE team in 2021 after graduating the…
Norbert Havrila photoJUDr Norbert HavrilaSenior Associate: Norbert has joined LEGATE team in August 2017, while previously…
Martin Lukáč photoMgr Martin LukáčCounsel: Since joining the LEGATE team in 2023, Martin mainly focuses on…
Martin Lukáč photoMgr Martin LukáčCounsel: Since joining the LEGATE team in 2023, Martin mainly focuses on…
Michal Mistrík photoJUDr Michal MistríkSenior Associate: Michal joined the team in 2006 and is mainly responsible…
Matej Mlynka photoMgr Matej MlynkaSenior Associate: MAtej has joined LEGATE team in March 2023 and since…
Matej Mlynka photoMgr Matej MlynkaSenior Associate: MAtej has joined LEGATE team in March 2023 and since…
Adam Nahálka photoMgr Adam NahálkaJunior Associate: Adam has joined LEGATE team in 2022 after graduating the…
Alena Pláňavská photoJUDr Alena PláňavskáSenior Partner: Since joining the team in 2001 Alena secured a long…
Ivana Šaková photoJudr Ing Ivana ŠakováSenior Associate: Since joining the LEGATE team, Ivana mainly focuses on corporate…
Ivana Šaková photoJudr Ing Ivana ŠakováSenior Associate: Since joining the LEGATE team, Ivana mainly focuses on corporate…
Peter Vrábel photoJUDr Peter VrábelManaging Partner: Practice head and firm managing partner Peter Vrábel is a…

As a medium-sized law firm in Bratislava, Slovakia, LEGATE has a great amount of flexibility at its disposal.  

The local presence of this law firm in Slovakia guarantees swiftness of decision-making, which can hardly be matched by large international law firms.  

The high degree of flexibility is also confirmed by the very open approach to any price model cooperation. 

LEGATE professionally renders the legal services for four companies rated among the top 20 non-financial enterprises in the Slovak Republic with strong international expertise.  

The clientele of LEGATE ranges from subsidiaries of strong energy market players through to transnational industrial players and also includes the public sector. 

The cross-border matters are in particular ensured via LEGATE’s steady position within Globalaw network having more than 89 independent partner law firms at its disposal located in 76 jurisdictions around the world in three Globalaw regions which cover the globe (America (including Canada. USA, Central America and South America); Asia, Pacific and Oceania and EMEA (Europe, Africa and Middle East). 

All LEGATE legal counsels speak fluent English. Other lingual abilities of counsels are comprised of the German, Russian and French languages. 


As a medium-sized law firm in Bratislava, Slovakia, LEGATE has a great amount of flexibility at its disposal.

LEGATE’s presence in the Slovak Republic guarantees swiftness of decision-making on local level, which can hardly be matched by large international law firms.

LEGATE professionally renders the legal services in long term for four companies rated among the top 20 non-financial enterprises in the Slovak Republic with strong international expertise.

The clientele of LEGATE ranges from subsidiaries of powerful energy market players through to transnational industrial players and also includes the public sector.

The cross-border matters are in particular ensured via LEGATE’s steady position within Globalaw network having more than 89 independent partner law firms at its disposal located in 76 jurisdictions around the world in three Globalaw regions which cover the globe (America (including Canada, USA, Central America and South America); Asia, Pacific and Oceania and EMEA (Europe, Africa and Middle East).

All LEGATE legal counsels speak fluent English. Other lingual abilities of counsels are comprised of the German, Russian and French languages.

Peter Vrábel, Manging Partner, LEGATE, attorneys at law

The saturated Slovak legal market for legal services faces to trends of specialization of the firms for the selected practice areas and implementation of the sophisticated technologies resulting in the documents automation.

What do you see as the main points that differentiate LEGATE from your competitors?

Legate acts as solution provider for its clients and not just legal operator. We offer tailor made solutions for the areas we are specialized for and serve as one-stop shop for the areas we co-operate with other law firms, tax, and accounting firms. Focusing on selected areas allow us to have a deep understanding of modus operandi for our clients and consider business insight when providing legal advice. The pragmatism, outcome-driven approach and real help to the client form our corner values.

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

Cyber-security law, software law and all-in services should not be overlooked. Development of blockchain technologies and payment service providers require compliance services and in-depth knowledge of the financial law. We see still the large room for legal designing to set up, introduce and fine tune the combined tax and legal solution which our clients appreciate as we may offer clear responsibility for the package solution.

What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

We have not only implemented automation of documents in our IT systems; however, we have even offered and introduced these AI products to our clients. The clients appraised the files sharing service, which provides mirroring litigation files for the clients with those as recorded with the court.

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

The shared files offer high comfort with respect to upload of the documents by the client and download of certain deeds if updated by us as representative at the court case. Moreover, we were registered for several international

platforms in Italy, USA which operate as law firms panel for specific practice areas for registered clients. We have implemented the automatic notification systems for reminding us and clients of coming deadlines for the litigation matters.

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

We co-operate with the banks and are registered for their business platforms where we can offer to our clients the investments targets generated by the banks. We also offer the mezzanine loan opportunities to our clients providing these facilities to those clients who need short-term financing; thus we helped many clients to receive the bridge loans. The AI products and contract automation systems have been introduced by us to our clients to get the time saving for in-house counsels of the client and make their work more efficient.

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms – where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

We are involved in strategic decision-making when the clients face to big issues as they accept our role of problem solver. We have been engaged by the gas and oil clients to analyse the roadmap with respect to permitting for the conversion from the traditional business into green deal industry. We plan to be high-end provider of legal services for energy, disputes, real estates, and M&A and one-stop shop operator for all-in advisory services within three years´ time. We will focus on development of unique value proposals in niche segments for our clients.

SLOVAKIA

LEGATE provides its clients with a wide scope of legal support depending on specified requirements and demands of its clients. The legal practice areas of LEGATE comprise corporate, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution, industry and energy, antitrust and competition, banking and finance, construction, employment, public procurement, real estate, restructuring and insolvency, taxes and transport regulation, data protection and intellectual property law.

LEGATE’s presence in the Slovak Republic guarantees swiftness of decision-making on local level, which can hardly be matched by large international law firms. Therefore the firm has a great amount of flexibility at its disposal.

Since its formation, LEGATE has extended into a wide team of lawyers with complex and detailed knowledge of local distinctions applicable to the Slovak market. At the present time, LEGATE comprises ten attorney lawyers, two junior lawyers, one paralegal and two assistants which ranks LEGATE as a medium-sized law firm within Slovak market.

The firm aims to keep clients satisfied and focuses on cost-effective services and tailor-made solutions with a flexible approach. The firm considers the client’s requirements and projects on an individual basis, first to understand the client’s model of operation (modus operandi) and afterwards to prepare alternative solutions in close co-operation with the client’s representatives.

No single project is the same; the draft solutions are supervised by the managing partner or created in brainstorming meetings within the team of dedicated lawyers. This individual attitude attracts clients to form long-term professional relationships.