Havel & Partners has represented HP Tronic and NAY on merger clearance from the Czech Office for the Protection of Competition and the Slovak Antimonopoly Office for their merger.

On June 3, 2024, Clifford Chance Badea announced that J.C. Flowers & Co's sale of First Bank to Intesa Group (as previously reported by CEE Legal Matters on November 3, 2023) has now closed.

Kocian Solc Balastik has advised Igor Strecek and Sandberg Capital on the sale of the Czech part of Webglobe to Group.one.

Borivoj Libal has become the sole Managing Partner of Eversheds Sutherland's Czech Republic office. Libal has been a Co-Managing Partner at the firm, alongside Bernhard Hager, since 2022.

For our Checking In feature, we reach out to partners and heads of practice across CEE to learn how specific practice areas are faring in their jurisdictions. For this piece, we asked firm Labor experts:  Have whistleblowing regulations been implemented in your jurisdiction and would you advise companies to use an external solution or an in-house one? Why?

Kocian Solc Balastik has advised J&T Bank on the financing aspects of a joint venture between the CPI Property Group and Best Hotel Properties, which purchased a 50% stake in a EUR 347 million portfolio of eight hotel properties.

Kocian Solc Balastik has advised SMV Invest Group on an issue of perpetual certificates in the Czech Republic.

The new European data regulation introduces new rules for the use of information from smart devices. These rules define rights to access and use data created in the EU across all economic sectors and across smart devices from different manufacturers.

Greenberg Traurig has advised the Cromwell Property Group on its EUR 285 million sale of a real estate portfolio consisting of six retail centers located in Warsaw, Szczecin, Wroclaw, Lodz, Torun, and Bydgoszcz to Star Capital Finance. Dentons advised Star Capital Finance.

Dentons has advised the CPI Property Group on its EUR 500 million issuance of Regulation S 7.0% green bonds due 2029.

We bring you a brief overview of important legislative news from the Czech Republic that should not escape your attention.

Kinstellar has advised S Immo AG on its acquisition of a EUR 463 million property portfolio in the Czech Republic from the CPI Property Group.

Glatzova & Co has advised manager, administrator, and listing agent J&T Banka and arranger J&T IB and Capital Markets on Natland Investment Fund SICAV’s CZK 600 million senior bond issuance.

The new legislation regarding agreements to complete a job has not even come into effect yet, and the Chamber of Deputies has already introduced further updates.

It has been more than half a year since the Czech Republic transposed the EU Whistleblowing Directive by introducing the Czech Whistleblower Protection Act (Act), effective as of August 1, 2023.

Similarly to other countries, the Czech Republic is undergoing a digital transformation. Without a doubt, this transformation allows businesses to facilitate their operations and makes all of our lives much easier. On the other hand, this transformation leads to new cybersecurity threats that may hinder businesses and cause significant losses.

The Czech economy entered a deep slump in 2023 caused by the rather rare and unfortunate combination of negative economic and geopolitical factors, including one of the highest inflation rates in the EU, rising interest rates, high energy prices, a large public finance deficit, and the adverse impacts of the war in Ukraine. Altogether, these economic difficulties resulted not just in an economic recession but also adversely affected the Czech M&A market.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. Given the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the legal profession, we asked: What is the one critical skill that you’re investing time and energy in to develop within your team, and why?