CEE Legal Matters In-depth coverage of the news and newsmakers that shape Europe's emerging markets 
Allen & Overy has advised Raiffeisenbank on its EUR 500 million issuance of senior non-preferred sustainable notes under its international debt issuance program. White & Case reportedly advised the managers.
BPV Braun Partners, working with Watson Farley & Williams, has advised the Creditas Group on the acquisition of British energy group InterGen. Herbert Smith Freehills reportedly advised the sellers.
Schoenherr has advised Metro on its acquisition of a 25% stake in Kosik Holding with a 5% option on top if Kosik expands into other CEE markets in collaboration with Metro. White & Case reportedly advised Kosik.
Kocian Solc Balastik has helped the Czech National Theatre obtain a building permit for the redevelopment of its New Stage and Operations buildings.
In its recent decision in re Smusta a.s., the Supreme Court ruled on the possibility to avoid a corporate transformation in insolvency proceedings.
Cytowski & Partners has advised Czech start-up Filuta AI on its USD 2.5 million pre-seed financing with Nation 1, SPM Invest, and Czech Founders VC.
Kocian Solc Balastik has advised the BiQ Group – investment group Intefi Capital’s technology division – on its acquisition of Puxdesign.
As of 1 January 2023, a significant amendment to the Act on Significant Market Power takes effect.
Clifford Chance and its Turkish affiliate Ciftci Attorney Partnership have advised Arcelik on the establishment of a joint venture between its Ardutch subsidiary and Whirlpool Corporation subsidiary Whirlpool EMEA Holdings to create a new standalone business in the European home appliances sector. Latham & Watkins advised Whirlpool.
For the last couple of months, we have all experienced a shortage of certain pharmaceuticals on the market, especially antibiotics or pharmaceuticals for fever reduction for children. Given that this situation reoccurs almost every flu season, the Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic has newly established a formal working group monitoring the availability of pharmaceuticals on the market. The Ministry of Health is also preparing the amendment to the Act on Pharmaceuticals so that it can, on its own or in cooperation with the State Institute for Drug Control („SUKL“), better respond to urgent drug shortages in case of crisis situations.
A draft of a preventive restructuring act is being discussed in the Czech legal environment to implement the EU directive on restructuring and insolvency (directive (EU) 2019/1023). The aim of the new legal regulation is to introduce an out-of-court restructuring model with shorter times to improve operations and the balance sheets of debtors in financial difficulties. Different forms of out-of-court restructuring are common and frequently used in many foreign jurisdictions, e.g. arrangements in England and Wales. Unlike insolvencies, in preventive restructuring the court is a “mere” supervisor supported by the restructuring trustee in certain situations.
JSK has advised Genesis Capital and the Avallon MBO Fund on their acquisition of TES Vsetin. CMS reportedly advised ARX Equity Partners on the sale.
The Czech Republic is looking at a promising start to the year, after somewhat of a market slowdown towards the end of 2022, with no dark clouds on the horizon just yet, according to Schoenherr Partner Vladimir Cizek.
PRK Partners has successfully represented the interests of a client who completed a gender transition process in a matter regarding the issuance of official documents bearing the applicant's new personal data before the Supreme Administrative Court.
Kocian Solc Balastik has advised J&T Agriculture and Ecology on its acquisition of 11 companies within Spearhead Czech and Spearhead Slovakia and the related acquisition financing by a banking group led by Komercni Banka. Clifford Chance advised the lenders.
Former Osborne Clarke CEO Simon Beswick has joined Kinstellar’s Board of Directors as a non-executive member.
Partner Stepan Starha has been elevated to an Equity Partner with Havel & Partners, while Lawyer Jiri Kunasek has been promoted to Partner.
JSK has advised Bunzl on its acquisition of VM Footwear. HKR Advokatni Kancelar reportedly advised the sellers.
PRK Partners, one of the leading Central European law firms, has been helping clients achieve their business objectives almost 30 years. Our team of lawyers, based in our Prague, Ostrava, and Bratislava offices, has a unique knowledge of Czech and Slovak law and of the business environment. Our lawyers studied at top law schools in the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland and elsewhere. They also have experience working for leading international and domestic law firms in a number of jurisdictions. We speak your language, too. Our legal team is fluent in more than 15 languages, including all the key languages of the region.
PRK Partners has one of the most experienced legal teams on the market. We are consistently rated as one of the leading law firms in the region. We have received many significant honours and awards for our work. We represent the interests of international clients operating in the Czech Republic in an efficient way, combining local knowledge with an understanding of their global requirements in a business-friendly approach. We are one of the largest law firms in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Our specialised teams of lawyers and tax advisors advise major global corporations as well as local companies. We provide comprehensive legal advice drawing on our profound knowledge of local law and markets.
Our legal advice delivers tangible results – as proven by our strong track record. We are the only Czech member firm of Lex Mundi, the world's leading network of independent law firms. As one of the leading law firms in the region, we have received many national and international awards, in some cases several years in a row. Honours include the Chambers Europe Award for Excellence, The Lawyer and Czech and Slovak Law Firm of the Year. Thanks to our close cooperation with leading international law firms and strong local players, we can serve clients in multiple jurisdictions around the globe. Our strong network means that we can meet your needs, wherever you do business.
PRK Partners has been repeatedly voted among the most socially responsible firms in the category of small and mid-sized firms and was awarded the bronze certificate at the annual TOP Responsible Firm of the Year Awards.
Our work is not only “business”: we have participated on a longstanding basis in a wide variety of pro bono projects and supported our partners from the non-profit sector (Kaplicky Centre Endowment Fund, Tereza Maxová Foundation, Czech Donors Forum, etc.).
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