We work with clients on complex domestic and multi-jurisdictional matters. With over twenty five years of experience in the Czech Republic and Slovakia we have a broad understanding of the local and Central and Eastern European markets.
A team that works hard for our clients
Our team is made up of four partners and around 40 fee-earners, and includes lawyers qualified in English, Czech and Slovak law. We opened our Prague office in 1995 and work with domestic, regional and international clients.
Transactions that make domestic and international headlines
We take a one firm approach to our clients' needs with integrated cross-practice and cross-border teams working together to achieve success. We know how to make our resources, which include 3,300 lawyers across our international network, work for all our clients and can call on the specialised skills of globally-recognised, top-ranked lawyers to help them reach their business goals.
This way of working, and the expertise of our talented lawyers, regularly delivers headline-making results for clients.
Complex projects across the CEE region
Our Prague office is an integral part of our CEE network. We have close working-relationships with colleagues from across the region and with partner law firms in neighbouring countries where we do not have our own office.
The firm's reach in the region is further expanded by foreign law desks, such as our Prague-based Slovak Desk which features a team of lawyers with expert knowledge and practical experience of Slovak law.
Our integrated regional practices help clients solve complex questions that involve several CEE countries.
Recent highlights
- CTP Invest, the biggest industrial developer in the CEE, on EUR 2 billion financing arranged and underwritten by a consortium of six leading banks. The largest real estate financing in the CEE region so far.
- Heimstaden Bostad AB, leading residential property company in the Nordic countries, on EUR 1.3 billion acquisition of the RESIDOMO residential portfolio.
- Generali Real Estate, one of the world’s leading real estate asset managers, on the acquisition of Kotva Department Store in Prague city centre and on acquisition of IBC office building in Karlín.
- CBRE Global Investors on acquisition of Praga Studios, office project in Prague Karlín from Skanska.
- J&T Real Estate on the sale of the office center Rustonka in Prague's Karlín district to Korean investors managed by WhiteStar.
- ARX Equity Partners, a leading private equity firm, on the majority acquisition of TES Vsetín, an engineering company active primarily in manufacturing of system components relating to electrical machines, from an affiliate of Advent International.
- KKCG on the sale of Geewa, one of the Czech Republic’s most successful gaming studios, to AppLovin, a U.S. based mobile games company.
- KKCG on the sale of its company CK Fischer to German group REWE, owner of EXIM Tours and Kartago Tours in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
- R2G Heritage on acquisition of Hotel Intercontinental in Prague. The biggest hotel transaction in CEE in 2019.
- Karlovarské minerální vody (Mattoni), a leading producer of mineral water and non-alcoholic beverage distributor in the Czech Republic, on the acquisition of Knjaz Miloš, the leading producer of mineral water and non-alcoholic beverages in Serbia and the surrounding region.
- CBRE Global Investors on the sale of its CEE retail portfolio, including 11 shopping centres in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, and Romania, to CPI PROPERTY GROUP (CPI).
- CBRE Global Investors on the sale of Wars Sawa Junior Shopping Centre in Warsaw, transaction valued at EUR 300 million.
- Česká spořitelna in respect of financing of the acquisition and refinancing of Marriott Hotel, Millenium Plaza in Prague 1.
- Sazka Group on up to EUR 1 billion financing in relation to the offer for the entire share capital of OPAP with value of approx. EUR 3.1 billion, the largest cash-all offer in Greece in the last 10 years.
- the arrangers and underwriters led by UniCredit Bank AG in connection with amendments to the new syndicated facilities agreement, partially refinanced by a senior secured term and revolving facilities for EP Infrastructure in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
- EPH in relation to financing of acquisition of 100% shares in innogy Česká republika.
- P & O Netherlands B.V. on the sale of its 50% shares in the business centre Technologický Park Brno to the city of Brno for EUR 21,500,000.
- TECHNISTONE, a leading manufacturer of quartz stone, on the sale of the company to Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces.
- AMORIM, a world leader in the cork industry for over 130 years, on the creation of 50/50 joint venture Vinolok with major Czech crystal glass producer Preciosa.
- Teijin Holdings Netherlands, a technology-driven global group offering advanced solutions that combine three different business domains - materials, healthcare and IT, on the acquisition of Benet Automotive, a Czech-based supplier of composite components to the automotive industry.
- HID Global, a subsidiary of Swedish engineering and technology giant Assa Abloy, on the acquisition of LUX-IDent, a leading provider of radio frequency identification (RFID) components based in the Czech Republic.
Slovak Desk
The firm's reach in the region is further expanded by foreign law desks, such as our Prague-based Slovak Desk which features a team of lawyers with expert knowledge and practical experience of Slovak law.
Recent Slovak Desk highlights:
- Všeobecná úverová banka, a.s., a Slovak subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo, in connection with its EUR 5 billion Slovak covered bond programme and its inaugural syndicated EUR 500 million issuance listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.
- AXA Group in the signing of the EUR 1bn agreement with the UNIQA Insurance Group under which AXA sold 100% of its Life & Savings, Property & Casualty and Pension businesses in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The transaction was one of the largest M&A transactions in the CEE region in 2020.
- Pfizer on Slovak aspects of the global spin-off and combination of its off-patent branded and generic established medicines business Upjohn with global generics company Mylan N.V.
- Pfizer on its Slovak integration with respect to a consumer healthcare joint venture with GlaxoSmithKline to create a premier global consumer healthcare company.
- Financiers of one of the consortiums bidding for the D4/R7 Project, for the PPP Project of Highway D4 and Expressway R7 in Slovakia, where we prepared an extensive legal review report and legal advice in relation to financing.
- The sellers on the disposal of leading Slovak terrestrial and satellite television provider and radio broadcasting services operator Towercom to Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund 4 (MEIF4).
- JP Morgan Securities Plc and the underwriters (UniCredit, Citibank) in relation to the contemplated large-scale IPO of EP Infrastructure, a leading energy infrastructure utility operating primarily in the Slovak and Czech Republics and owned by sole shareholder Energetický a průmyslový holding.
- Czech Media Invest (CMI) on the acquisition of the regional radio assets of multinational media conglomerate Lagardère Group. The transaction includes popular, mainstream radio stations in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.
- an international consortium of investors, on a bid for an acquisition of the CEE beer business (including Pilsner Urquell and several Slovak brands) from Anheuser-Busch InBev. Final deal value exceeded EUR 7 billion.
- KKCG Investments AG on the acquisition of a majority stake in AutoCont Group, the largest supplier of information and communication technologies in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
- Telefónica, S.A. on the sale of a 65.9% shareholding in Telefónica Czech Republic, a.s., including its 100%-owned subsidiary Telefónica Slovakia, s.r.o. to investment firm PPF Group for a total consideration of €2,467 million.
- Swiss Life AG on the acquisition of Fincentrum a.s., a leading Czech financial advisory consultancy company, including Slovak merger filing.
- Mondelez International, Inc. on the Czech and Slovak aspects of the combination of its global coffee business with D.E. Master Blenders 1753 B.V. to be named Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE).
- Allianz Real Estate Germany GmbH on the €175 million acquisition of shopping centre 'Central Bratislava', Slovakia.
- leading CEE real estate developer on a dual track process (IPO/Private sale), including related UBO structure reorganization, conduction of VDD and coordination of teams across seven other jurisdictions.
- ING REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT FUND on the acquisition of Europa Shopping Centre in Banska Bystrica in Slovakia with over 140 tenants (over EUR 90 million transaction).
- European Investment Bank in connection with the financing of the D4/R7 Road PPP and other contractual and public procurement aspects or the D4/R7 Project in Slovakia.
- Deutsche Telekom on its €900 million acquisition of the remaining 49% stake of Slovak Telekom, a.s. from the National Property Fund of the Slovak Republic.
- An international bidder in connection with their prospective acquisition of Slovenské elektrárne, a.s., a 66% subsidiary of Enel S.p.A.
- CHINA INVESTMENT CORPORATION (CIC) on the Slovak aspects of the €12.25bn (£10.7bn) acquisition of European warehouses and logistics business Logicor from Blackstone.
Directory and client comments
Chambers Europe: the Czech Republic 2020
- Band One in Banking & Finance
- Band One in Corporate/M&A
- Band One in Real Estate
- Band One in Restructuring & Insolvency
IFLR1000: the Czech Republic 2020
- Tier One in Banking & Finance
- Tier One in M&A
- Tier One in Restructuring & Insolvency
- Tier One in Debt Capital Markets
Legal 500: the Czech Republic 2020
- Tier One in Banking, Finance and Capital Markets
- Tier One in Commercial, Corporate and M&A
- Tier One in Real Estate and Construction
- "They advised on a closing in multiple jurisdictions. They were well coordinated at all fronts and the different teams work seamlessly."
Chambers & Partners: Corporate / M&A, Central & Eastern Europe 2020 - "Clifford Chance provides assistance on complex financing structures in major infrastructure projects. The team has extensive legal expertise and practices in various industries."
Chambers & Partners: Projects & Energy, Central & Eastern Europe 2020 - "It is an experienced firm in real estate which helps to manage and assess risk and draft the best possible scenario of relevant contracts, the lawyers are responsive, ready to deal with any matter which occurs, experienced and well organised."
Chambers & Partners: Real Estate, Central & Eastern Europe 2020
- "Standout international presence with a formidable corporate offering including offices in Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania. Exceptional track record assisting major international finance and corporate players with local and international advice, particularly in the healthcare, energy or TMT sectors. Highly experienced in acting on cross-border CEE acquisitions, joint ventures and reorganisations, in addition to advising on regulatory issues."
Chambers & Partners: Corporate / M&A, Central & Eastern Europe 2020 - "Excellent. Good local knowledge and excellent connections to the rest of the CC network when needed."
IFLR 1000: Banking & Finance, Czech Republic 2020 - "They offered superb services and great value for money. The overall legal expertise and team spirit was excellent and they had exceptional flexibility and cross-border capabilities."
Chambers & Partners: Banking & Finance, Czech Republic 2019 - "Client care is impeccable, we have always gotten a most professional treatment and the written opinion is of a textbook quality."
Chambers & Partners: Restructuring & Insolvency, Czech Republic 2019