Interview with: Peter Vrábel, Manging Partner, LEGATE, attorneys at law

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.