HAVEL & PARTNERS provided legal advice to the selling shareholders of HIWIN, a Brno-based company, in connection with a change in ownership structure. The German group HIWIN GmbH is now the sole shareholder of HIWIN.
The transaction was handled by a firm’s partner Marek Lošan and managing associate Ivo Skolil, who not only negotiated the terms of the transaction but also prepared the acquisition agreements and facilitated the transaction’s settlement.
HIWIN, based in Brno, is the exclusive supplier of linear products and positioning systems of the same brand for the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. HIWIN’s products are used in applications such as handling and special-purpose machines, CNC equipment and machining centres, machinery, and the electronics industry.
For the second consecutive year, Robert Nešpůrek, a founding partner of HAVEL & PARTNERS, has once again been included in the Thought Leaders Global Elite shortlist of the world’s top telecoms and media law experts for 2025. This recognition places him among only 24 lawyers globally honoured by the rating agency Lexology, formerly known as Who’s Who Legal.
“I am deeply honoured to be included once again in Lexology’s elite group. The pace of technological evolution is unparalleled and will continue to accelerate. To be able to continuously reflect these changes as legal advisors and bring the best solutions to our clients, we must continuously monitor this process, understand the technical essence of innovations, and grasp their impacts. This recognition, along with acknowledgments from other rating agencies for our ICT team, hopefully, proves our success in this endeavour,” said Robert Nešpůrek.
Robert Nešpůrek is one of the founding partners of HAVEL & PARTNERS, where he leads the Commercial, IP & TMT practice group. He advises clients on IT solution delivery and implementation projects, IT outsourcing, and dispute resolution in complex IT projects. He has led numerous M&A transactions overlapping these areas. Among his clients are internet and media companies, including global digital service providers.
This dedicated practice group of HAVEL & PARTNERS, with over 40 lawyers, is one of the largest legal teams in the Czech Republic for the areas of information technology, intellectual property, e-commerce, film and gaming, digitisation, and data law. The team members are regularly recommended as top lawyers by other international publications such as Chambers and Partners, Legal500, World Trademark Review, and IP STARS.
Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders Global Elite 2025 is a worldwide database of outstanding experts, covering various practice areas in addition to telecoms and media. It is published by the respected rating organisation Lexology, formerly known as Who’s Who Legal. The recognitions in the rating are tiered, with Thought Leaders Global Elite being the most prestigious, qualifying only about 5 percent of all lawyers rated by Lexology (WWL).
The law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS was instrumental in completing one of the largest and, in terms of its structure, most exceptional deals combining fund structuring and venture capital that took place in the Czech Republic this year. We represented Tomáš Čupr’s Rohlik Group in the formation of a unique investment fund Rohlik Growth SICAV, with expected value to exceed EUR 120 million (more than CZK 3 billion).
The fund’s majority investor is Tomáš Čupr, while the remaining shares are held by JTFG FUND I SICAV from the J&T Group. The investment fund is unique in that it focuses exclusively on Rohlik Group shares. The investment is intended for qualified investors only. Hence the general investing public will be able to invest in the project and participate in its further development.
The work on the transaction and the structuring of the fund was done by the venture capital & fund formation team led by partner Jaroslav Baier and managing associate Josef Bouchal, with the involvement of competition law experts – counsel Roman Světnický and senior associate Martin Rott. Partner Jan Topinka handled the regulatory aspects of the transaction and the fund.
When structuring the entire transaction, it was also necessary to take into account the regulatory and legal aspects of the related third bond issue, which the client issued through Rohlik.cz Finance II.
“We are pleased to have been able to again be part of another milestone of the Rohlik Group development and to contribute to the implementation of such an innovative and strategically important project that not only supports the growth of one of the most successful and important startups in the region, but also brings new opportunities for investors”, Jaroslav Baier commented.
The law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS has successfully represented Amundi Czech Republic, an investment company, in the sale of a historic building located at Pařížská 3 in the prestigious Prague 1 district. This property, one of the most sought-after on the city’s most expensive street, serves as the headquarters and boutique for the luxury fashion brand Louis Vuitton.
Comprehensive legal advisory services, which involved preparation and negotiation of transaction documentation, were provided by firm’s partner Lukáš Syrový along with managing associate Albert Tatra.
The new owner of this premium building is Raiffeisen realitní fond managed by Raiffeisen investiční společnost.
The transaction was completed this November.
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest law firm in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, has launched a new comprehensive service called Dawn Raid Protection. This service provides maximum protection for companies during unannounced inspections by antitrust authorities, known as dawn raids. The service responds to the increasing number of these inspections since the COVID-19 pandemic and helps companies prepare for the possibility that their activities may be unexpectedly scrutinised by the competition authority.”
Rising trend of dawn raids in the post-COVID era
Dawn raids, unannounced inspections conducted at dawn, are a highly effective investigative tool for competition authorities. The element of surprise allows authorities to obtain crucial evidence. According to statistics released yesterday, the Czech Office for the Protection of Competition has conducted nearly 80 dawn raids since 2021, marking a significant increase compared to previous periods.
“Data clearly show that dawn raids have become a common part of corporate reality,” says Robert Neruda, partner at HAVEL & PARTNERS and head of the team of competition lawyers and economists. “Post-pandemic, companies are bringing their employees back to the office. However, they are also facing new challenges – they may be caught off guard by more frequent and sophisticated unannounced inspections by the antimonopoly office, which typically last several days.”
Digital tools are changing the game
The antimonopoly authority now utilises cutting-edge forensic software, Nuix, which allows inspectors to quickly and efficiently analyse large volumes of e-mails and digital documents directly on company premises. “Thanks to advanced tools, investigators can process vast amounts of data in a short time. For companies, this means a significant increase in risk – a single unannounced inspection can uncover even older problematic communications that the current management may not be aware of,” explains Neruda. He also warns that failing to duly cooperate during an investigation can result in fines of up to 1% of the holding’s annual turnover.
How HAVEL & PARTNERS prepares its clients for dawn raids
The Dawn Raid Protection service offers comprehensive solutions for companies of all sizes and from various industries. Key benefits for clients enrolled in the programme include:
Crisis Manuals: A brief guide outlining key principles of conduct for employees during an unexpected inspection by the competition authority.
24/7 Legal Support: Immediate availability of experts to assist clients during inspections.
Automatic Updates of Instructions: Continuous updates in case of changes in contacts or rules, and considering current decision-making practices.
Employee Training: Access to specialised training and dawn raid simulations to prepare employees for a potential dawn raid.
How to enrol in the Dawn Raid Protection programme
Companies can easily enrol in the programme by filling in the form at www.havelpartners.cz/dawnraid.
“Dawn raids no longer concern just large corporations – the antimonopoly authority and other regulators are expanding inspections across sectors and are targeting companies of various sizes. Timely and professional preparation is now an essential part of risk management for any responsible company,” adds Neruda.
The partners of the Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS – Robert Neruda, Lenka Štiková Gachová, and Petr Kadlec – are recognized as among the leading experts in competition law and state aid in the Czech Republic. They have been included in the latest ranking in the prestigious UK Who’s Who Legal directory for the 2024-2025 period.
Robert Neruda is one of only 111 lawyers worldwide to be ranked in the top ‘Global Elite Thought Leader’ category for competition law in the Czech Republic for the third consecutive year according to the latest industry report. This elite group represents just 5% of all lawyers listed in Who’s Who Legal. Remarkably, Robert Neruda is the sole attorney from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the broader CEE region (excluding Ukraine and Austria) to earn this prestigious recognition repeatedly.
“I am honoured and committed to be recognized as one of the top competition law experts globally for the third consecutive year. I’m especially pleased that two of my colleagues have also been included in the prestigious Who’s Who Legal list, further demonstrating the exceptional quality of our entire HAVEL & PARTNERS competition law team. All the members of our team deserve tremendous thanks for their unwavering commitment and excellent work,” said Robert Neruda.
Lenka Štiková Gachová, as the sole partner for the Czech Republic, was selected as a Future Leader, showcasing the next generation’s top experts.
Petr Kadlec, a partner specializing in competition law and state aid, has also been recognized and included among the ‘recommended’ leaders in their field.
The competition law practice at HAVEL & PARTNERS, with a team of 28 experts, is one of the largest in central Europe. Both the team collectively and its individual members have repeatedly earned prestigious awards and rankings from respected legal publications and organizations, such as Law Firm of the Year, Chambers and Partners, Global Competition Review, The Legal 500, and Who’s Who Legal.
Who’s Who Legal, a prestigious UK-based legal ranking organization, is backed by the respected Lexology company. Lexology annually conducts rigorous, independent research across relevant jurisdictions to compile these rankings objectively. During the selection process, lawyers are nominated based on recommendations from peers and clients, but only a small fraction of nominees, typically less than half, are ultimately ranked, with an even smaller number achieving the elite ‘Global Elite Thought Leader’ designation.
HAVEL & PARTNERS represented the developer GARBE Industrial Real Estate in a major real estate transaction involving the sale of a manufacturing and warehouse complex in Chomutov in North Bohemia.
The Fio investment company acquired the industrial park through the Fio real estate fund. The exclusive tenant of the industrial park is Fielmann, a renowned German company specialising in the production of high-end optical glasses.
The firm’s legal advice on the transaction included, in particular, the review and negotiation of the transaction documentation, including assistance in the overall sale process.
The firm’s team was led by Lukáš Syrový, a partner, and included Albert Tatra, a senior associate, and Petr Kunčík, a legal assistant.
The transaction was completed in August 2024.
The firm’s M&A team assisted Aspironix, a Czech company active also in Slovakia, Poland and other countries, in its sale to Asker Healthcare Group of Sweden.
Founded in the Czech Republic in 2011, Aspironix specialises in medical technology, specifically on providing cutting-edge medical devices and services, particularly in the areas of cardiology, surgery, wounding care, AI diagnostics, and critical care.
Mainly Martin Peckl, partner of the firm, Pavel Ondrák, counsel, and Johana Němečková participated in the transaction.
The integration into the Asker Healthcare Group will enable Aspironix to focus on further company growth and innovation, among other things.
The transaction was completed in all jurisdictions in August 2024.
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest and most successful Czech-Slovak law firm, is building on a very successful year 2023. HAVEL & PARTNERS’ revenues for the first six months of 2024 amounted to CZK 570 million. In the middle of this year, the firm recorded a double-digit growth of 15% in revenues from legal and tax services. The firm achieved outstanding results especially in the Czech Republic. The revenues of the entire group, which also comprises Cash Collectors, the collection agency, and other specialised services including ONE FAMILY OFFICE, exceeded CZK 700 million.
“The mid-year results of our office, with double-digit revenue growth of around 15%, indicate that we have been able to keep the trend of previous periods,” said Jaroslav Havel, the managing partner, and added: “The economic development was positively influenced by both the Czech and Slovak offices; in the Czech Republic, we achieved a year-on-year revenue growth of almost 19%. This continued success reflects not only our ability to flexibly respond to changes in global markets but also the long-term trust demonstrated by our clients and the extraordinary dedication of all our teams in both countries. Moreover, all this allows us to further invest in the development of the entire group.”
In the first half of the year, the firm’s economic growth was mainly reinforced by client interest in services in the areas of litigation and insolvency, mergers and acquisitions and the public sector, specialised advisory services for private clientele primarily related to family wealth management, as well as legal and tax advice. In the tax advisory business, net service revenue increased by 23% year-on-year.
HAVEL & PARTNERS has seen continuous economic growth since it was founded in 2001. The firm has long offered comprehensive legal and tax services to leading Czech, Slovak and international companies, as well as Czech and Slovak entrepreneurs.
Since May, the firm has been offering its clients representation in the Western European market through its new office in Frankfurt am Main. The excellent economic results are achieved also thanks to related cooperation with foreign law firms, which engage the firm in major international projects and cross-border transactions.
ONE FAMILY OFFICE, officially established as of 1 January 2024, has recorded profit already in the first few months of its existence and has gradually been fulfilling its plan to ensure that the managed assets of the families associated in the family office grow to reach USD 1 billion by 1 January 2025.
HAVEL & PARTNERS’ M&A experts participated in a transaction in which the Czech company Windyty, a leading global provider of high-precision weather services, merged with Meteoblue, a Swiss company active in the same field.
The legal advice on the transaction included a legal due diligence exercise which was carried out by partner Václav Audes and managing associate Ivo Skolil.
Windyty is the operator of the global weather service Windy.com website and app, which is used by nearly 100 million users every month, including weather forecasters, pilots, yachtsmen and extreme sports enthusiasts.
The acquisition of Meteoblue will allow Windyty to further develop and enhance the services provided. The transaction was closed in June this year.
HAVEL & PARTNERS represented a division of the leading Czech industrial group MTX Group in its participation in a major solar and wind power development and construction project in Andalusia, which is being developed by the German company Aquila Capital.
The firm’s legal services encompassed a wide range of expertise, including transactional, corporate, and competition law, as well as advising on the financing of the transaction. The legal team comprised partner Petr Dohnal, counsel Pavel Ondrák, junior associate Pavel Váňa, partner Jiří Kunášek, senior associate Kateřina Kabátová, and senior associate Martin Rott. The financing aspects were handled by partner Filip Čabart, managing associate Štěpán Černý, associate Jakub Jireš, and legal expert Ondřej Sýkora.
Based on an agreement between MTX Renewables and Aquila Capital, the client acquired a 40% stake in the joint project. The project plans to develop nine power plants and battery storage facilities with a total installed capacity of 1,080 MW. Once completed, the project is expected to generate approximately 1.5 terawatt hours of electricity annually, making it one of the largest of its kind in the Iberian Peninsula. By comparison, this annual generation is 1.5 times the electricity produced by the entire Vltava Cascade in the Czech Republic, or half the annual output of all wind and solar power plants in the Czech Republic.
The transaction was concluded in June, and construction on the project is expected to begin by year-end. The solar and wind park is expected to be fully completed and operational by 2027.
HAVEL & PARTNERS advised Sekyra Group, a prominent Czech real estate developer on the recent sale of large land plots located in the up-and-coming Smíchov City district of Prague. Besides other development, the Smíchov Campus will also feature the new headquarters for one of the country’s largest banks, Česká spořitelna.
The legal advice primarily involved negotiating and drafting the extremely extensive transaction documentation, as well as addressing third-party bank financing of the transfer and various corporate and regulatory issues.
The Tým HAVEL & PARTNERS team managed by partner Martin Ráž and consisting mainly of associates Patrik Chrást and Jakub Jireš, with the support of counsel Natalija Traurigová and other colleagues, continued the long-term representation of the client by partner Václav Audes.
The Smíchov Jih development, where the Smíchov Campus is currently under construction, is the largest and the second out of a total of four stages of the Smíchov City project. The Campus will encompass four buildings spanning approximately 75,000 square meters, as well as generous public spaces designed for regular social events. The campus will also feature a corporate kindergarten for the children of Česká spořitelna’s employees and a boulevard named after former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who was of Czech origin. The Smíchov Campus is expected to be completed by 2027-2028.
The entire new residential and commercial district, which is to feature a robust infrastructure including a new primary school, hotel, car park, a number of shops and several parks, is to be completed in 2032. Approximately 12,000 people will find employment or housing within this community. To the south, the district will connect directly to a new transport terminal overseen by the Railway Administration and the Capital of Prague. In the north, it will link to the existing Na Knížecí bus station.