Interview with: Ondřej Mikula, Partner

Partner Ondřej Mikula explains how FINREG PARTNERS helps clients navigate complex legal and regulatory challenges while building long-term partnerships.

 

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

At FINREG PARTNERS, we focus on solving complex challenges where others hesitate. Many of our clients approach us with business models and regulatory questions that have no clear precedent – and we take pride in helping them navigate uncharted territory with innovative, practical solutions.

Our involvement in a number of pioneering projects has shaped both our expertise and the market itself. We have advised on the first PSD2 licence in the Czech Republic, secured the first crowdfunding licences under the new EU framework, and guided clients through MiCA-driven crypto-asset licensing. Beyond licensing, we have supported innovative fintech projects, structured complex cross-border M&A transactions, and helped establish entirely new investment structures and fund types. We also successfully represented a client in a landmark case before the Court of Justice of the European Union, demonstrating our ability to deliver results in high-stakes, precedent-setting matters.

In the fintech and financial services sector, we are not just advisors – we are an integral part of the ecosystem. As legal partners of the Fintechers, the leading CEE fintech accelerator, and the first regulatory fintech sandbox in the Czech Republic organized by CzechInvest, we actively help shape the innovation environment in which our clients operate. We are also members of several key industry associations, including the Czech Fintech Association, the Slovak Fintech Association (FINAS), and the Czech Capital Markets Association (AKAT), which gives us direct insight into regulatory developments and market trends.

We combine the flexibility and client-oriented approach of a boutique firm with the high professional standards and cross-border expertise of top international law firms. Many of our lawyers have backgrounds in leading global firms, which enables us to deliver advice that is both strategically insightful and commercially pragmatic.

Finally, we embrace technology as an integral part of our client service. We have helped to launch cybreg, a compliance software localized for the Czech market in collaboration with our firm, which helps our clients automate and manage regulatory obligations under DORA, NIS2, and other regulatory frameworks. Alongside that, our advanced legislative monitoring tools ensure clients always stay ahead of regulatory developments. This combination of deep expertise, innovative thinking, and technological enablement allows us to deliver faster, smarter, and future-ready solutions.

 

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

I expect M&A activity to remain very strong. We see a steady flow of transactions, driven partly by the rapid development of private equity funds and investment structures in the Czech Republic, but also by the growth of technology start-ups that are attracting new investment. Recent tax reforms have also made employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) more attractive, and we are seeing increasing interest in using these as part of deal structures.

We also see significant opportunities in asset management and investment funds, especially in a cross-border context, where clients are increasingly exploring international solutions. Looking a bit further ahead, I believe the Czech capital markets will also become more active, particularly when it comes to equity offerings and IPOs.

At the same time, regulated sectors are evolving quickly and creating new demand. Cybersecurity is becoming a key focus with the implementation of DORA and NIS2, and the upcoming EU AI Act will affect companies across many industries. Cryptoassets remain another very dynamic area, especially with MiCA coming into force. The Czech Republic continues to be an attractive jurisdiction for crypto projects, and we regularly work with international clients looking to establish their operations here.

 

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

Over the past year, we’ve focused a lot on expanding the ways we can support our clients beyond traditional legal advice. One of the key steps was the development of cybreg, a compliance software localized for the Czech market and built in collaboration with our firm. It helps clients manage and automate their regulatory obligations under DORA, NIS2, and other relevant frameworks more efficiently and with greater confidence.

We have also introduced new services in the area of internal audit and compliance, which we now provide as outsourced solutions for financial institutions. These services allow clients to strengthen their internal processes and meet regulatory expectations without having to build extensive in-house teams.

On top of that, we’ve significantly enhanced our legislative monitoring capabilities. Our clients receive early insights into upcoming regulatory changes and practical recommendations on how to prepare, which allows them to adapt their business models proactively rather than reactively.

Overall, these changes reflect our broader approach: we want to combine legal expertise with practical tools and services that make life easier for our clients and help them stay ahead in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

 

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

Of course, we use technology in the way that is now modern and standard for leading law firms worldwide. We work seamlessly with clients through remote communication tools, use secured AI-based solutions where appropriate, and provide secure data rooms and shared online workspaces where clients request them. Confidentiality is absolutely essential in our work, and we make sure that every technological solution we adopt fully respects that. In addition, we are also involved in developing our own tools to make our services more efficient and provide clients with added value.

At the same time, technology can never replace what we see as the core of our practice: a personal, trusted, and fully individualised approach to each client. Building long-term relationships and providing strategic advice tailored to the client’s specific needs remain at the centre of how we work, and this is something we do not compromise on.

 

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

We have worked with a number of fintech clients and other startups where our role went far beyond providing standalone legal advice. In many cases, we start by helping them set up their business model and guiding them through the licensing process to ensure that the regulatory framework fully supports their plans. As these businesses grow, we often assist them during investment rounds, helping to structure deals and negotiate with investors. In several instances, this journey has continued all the way to a successful sale to a strategic partner, resulting in highly attractive exits for founders and early-stage investors.

These projects are typically complex, as they involve both regulatory and corporate transactional aspects. Our combination of expertise in financial regulation, corporate structuring, and M&A allows us to provide comprehensive support throughout the entire lifecycle of our clients’ businesses – from early-stage start-up to successful exit.

 

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

I believe that more than ever, clients are looking for trusted advisors who combine legal expertise with a deep understanding of their business goals. For us, building long-term relationships has always been at the heart of our work. Many of our clients have been with us for years, and we see ourselves as their partners rather than external advisors.

Looking three years ahead, I see us continuing to grow while maintaining this personal and highly individualised approach. Our aim is to remain flexible and responsive, providing strategic advice that reflects not only the legal framework but also our clients’ broader commercial interests.

We expect our work to keep expanding across several areas – from M&A and investment structures to technology-driven business models, regulatory frameworks, and cross-border projects. But no matter how our practice evolves, our focus will stay the same: combining top-tier legal services with a close, trusted, and long-term partnership with our clients.