Category: News

bpv LEGAL Academy in Bratislava again

Last week we had our bpv LEGAL Academy M&A training in its 18th year, as always in beautiful Bratislava.
With lively sessions led by Arthur Braun (CZ), Stefan Gaug (AT), Nicolas Wolski (AT) and Christian F. Schneider (AT), the younger colleagues from Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania and Hungary had the opportunity to obtain deeper understanding of the latest trends and challenges in M&A and Due Diligence, as well as practical insights and strategies to enhance their professional expertise.
Thanks to our Bratislava office we enjoyed the perfect alliance reunion, with delicious culinary tours at Bocca Buona and Zylinder, and unforgettable views and cocktails from SKY Bar where we had time for sharing our stories and making new friends within the bpv community.
Thanks to all our lecturers and attendees for making the event so memorable!
We look forward to future bpv LEGAL events.

rpt

 

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS honoured by CEE Legal Matters with the Deal of the Year award

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS has been awarded the Deal of the Year 2024 in Slovakia by CEE Legal Matters. The award was handed over for probably the largest Slovakian energy transaction in 2024: Acquisition of a 100% stake in the energy group GGE from the investment group Infracapital. The award ceremony took place on the evening of April 1, 2025, in Prague, bringing together leading lawyers and law firms from across Central and Eastern Europe.

David Vosol, partner of bpv BRAUN PARTNERS commented: “This is a great success for us at bpv BRAUN PARTNERS and for our entire team – big thanks to Igor Augustinič, Ondrej Poništiak, Pavel Vintr, Ivana Horáková, David Plevka, Juraj Gazda, Zuzana Dzilská and Monika Kardošová. We are proud that our hard work has been recognised – it’s a testament to our dedication, teamwork, and precision and the icing on the cake for the celebration of 15 years of our Bratislava office – without them this transaction would not have taken place.. Thanks to Rob Irving of Dentons, on the sell side, thanks to him, it was for me also the most professional and gentlemanlike transaction of the last years.” Congratulation to all winners.

More information can be found here.

About CEE Legal Matters:
CEE Legal Matters is the authoritative print and online publication for and about the lawyers and legal markets of Central and Eastern Europe. It featured news, interviews, analysis, opinion, and more. CEELM mission always has and always be, simply, to be the go-to source of information about the legal industry in Central and Eastern Europe.

Cynthia Sturmfels strengthens German law team at bpv BRAUN PARTNERS Prague with now five lawyers

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS is pleased to announce that Cynthia Sturmfels, LL.M. has joined the firm as a Senior Associate, further strengthening the German desk and its international law and antitrust law practice. With extensive experience gained in leading European institutions and law firms, Cynthia will be a valuable asset to the firm’s growing international team.

Cynthia gained her professional experience at the European Commission Directorate in Brussels, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, and leading international law firms, including Gleiss Lutz and GÖRG. Throughout her career, she has worked on complex legal issues at the intersection of European and national regulations, providing strategic legal counsel to multinational clients.

“We are delighted to welcome Cynthia to our team,” said Arthur Braun, managing partner of bpv BRAUN PARTNERS and head of German desk. “Her broad experience in international and antitrust law, coupled with her background at the European Commission and other institutions, will further enhance our firm’s capabilities and strengthen our position as a trusted legal advisor for clients operating in multiple jurisdictions.”

She enjoys practicing yoga, rock climbing, and experimenting in the kitchen—especially with Middle Eastern cuisine. In her free time, she also likes bullet journaling and aquarelle painting.

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS once again proves its quality in the Chambers Europe 2025 rankings

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS, a renowned law firm providing its legal services throughout the Central and Eastern European region, has once again been ranked in Chambers 2025, a prestigious legal directory that evaluates law firms and lawyers around the world.

The firm is recognised for its expertise in the areas of corporate/M&A, real estate, projects and energy and employment law. In the real estate category, bpv BRAUN PARTNERS was recognised for its “open and friendly communication with an understanding of our needs and our level of legal knowledge “, while in the projects and energy category it was highlighted for its “strong expertise in renewable energy”. The firm’s employment team was valued for ” their flexibility, knowledge and experience “.

The directory also highlighted the firm’s partners, Arthur Braun, Jiří Bárta and Lucie Kalašová. Arthur Braun, the firm’s managing partner, was praised for his expertise in corporate law and M&A, with one client appreciating, “very good knowledge of the market.” Jiří Bárta has been praised for his business acumen and legal erudition. Lucie Kalašová was recognised in the employment law category and is valued by one of the clients for “really profound knowledge of employment law “.

The ranking in Chambers Europe 2025 confirming bpv BRAUN PARTNERS its reputation for delivering high-quality legal services. This recognition reflects the firm’s unwavering commitment to building long-term client relationships and staying at the forefront of legal developments and trends. With a strong presence in the CEE region, bpv BRAUN PARTNERS continues to be a trusted partner for companies navigating complex legal challenges. The ranking underscores the firm’s dedication to excellence, deep industry expertise, and client-focused approach.

In response to the news, Arthur Braun said, “We are delighted to once again be recognized by Chambers Europe 2025. This acknowledgment reaffirms the quality of our work and the dedication we bring to delivering exceptional legal services to our clients. It is both an honour and a motivation for our entire team. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our client relationships and building on our success in the years ahead.”

Chambers Europe 2025: 1st place ranking for the tax practice of bpv Huegel

This makes bpv Huegel’s tax practice top-ranked in Chambers Europe. This confirms the leading position of bpv Huegel in tax law advice.

20 March 2025. bpv Huegel is ranked in Band 1 for tax law in the Chambers Europe Ranking 2025.

In addition, partner and head of tax Nicolas Wolski and tax partner Kornelia Wittmann have also been individually recognised as leading practitioners.

The tax practice now is holding top positions in Band 1 in three major international tax rankings (Chambers, Legal 500, ITR World Tax). As recently as September 2024, the tax team was named “Tax Litigation Law Firm of the Year – Austria” and “Transfer Pricing Law Firm of the Year – Austria” by ITR.

“We are proud that, in addition to the ITR and Legal 500 rankings, we are now also ranked in the top category by Chambers. A big thank you to all team members who have worked together to achieve this success over the last few years,” says Nicolas Wolski, head of the tax practice.

The team led by Nicolas Wolski, who is dual-qualified as both a lawyer and tax advisor in both Austria and Germany, advises leading Austrian and international companies, particularly in the areas of M&A tax, tax disputes and general corporate tax.

Press release

bpv GRIGORESCU ȘTEFĂNICĂ advised Autonom International on its investment in Eazy Insurance

bpv GRIGORESCU ȘTEFĂNICĂ advised Autonom International, part of Autonom Group, on its investment in the Romanian insurance company Easy Insurance. The transaction was signed on March 5, 2025, and is pending approval by the Financial Supervisory Authority (ASF) and other relevant regulatory authorities.

Known for its expertise in the automotive industry, the Autonom Group is joining Eazy Insurance as a portfolio investor. Without having any executive involvement in the company’s management, the investors will also support the company’s development through their know-how in the insurance services field. The Autonom Group also includes Autonom Services, one of the most prominent companies in the operational leasing and car rental market.

Our involvement in this transaction included advising the company and its founders on various legal and tax issues, including due diligence, negotiation, documentation drafting and regulatory approvals.

“Autonom Group’s investment in Eazy Insurance demonstrate our client’s dedication to supporting innovation in complementary mobility and financial services. We are happy and honoured to be involved in this transaction and grateful for our client’s trust”, said Cătălin Grigorescu, managing partner, bpv GRIGORESCU ȘTEFĂNICĂ.

Our team included Cătălin Grigorescu, managing partner and leader of the technology transactions practice, Anamaria Rotariu, associate, and Angelina Dănăilă, associate, in the corporate transactions practice, among other members of the team.

Our Corporate Transactions team has recently been involved in some of the most high-profile transactions in the field, including:

▸ Footprints AI in connection with an investment round led by Catalyst Romania Fund II;

▸ SARMIS Capital on the acquisition of Total Technologies to strengthen Smart ID’s position as a regional leader in the industrial technology and automation market;the private equity firm Omnia Capital on its investment in the digital shipping house Cargo Buddy;

▸ Creatopy and its co-founders in a $10 million Series A funding round;

▸ Softelligence and its shareholders in connection with its acquisition by the US company Encora Holdings Limited, part of the Encora Group;

▸ Ziegler Group in its acquisition of HS Timber Productions in Sebeș, Romania;

▸ the private equity firm OMNIA CAPITAL in its acquisition of the road transportation company Dumagas from the private equity fund Bancroft;

▸ the company VERIDION (formerly Soleadify), its founders, as well as the venture capital fund LAUNCHUB Ventures and other participants in a USD 6 million financing round;

▸ software and infrastructure company INCRYS in connection with acquiring information technology services company USOURCE;

▸ Innoship and its shareholders on the acquisition of a majority stake in Innoship by the private equity fund Abris Capital.

Lex RES III passed with individual self-assessment of adequacy

On 29 January 2025, we informed you about further developments in the legislative process of adopting the amendment to the Energy Act, which is commonly known as “Lex RES III“. One of the main objectives of the amendment in question is to respond to current European trends in the energy sector, which include, for example, the introduction of legislation related to energy storage, flexibility aggregation, energy sharing and further increase in support for renewable energy production.

Lex RES III was a target of several amendments, one of which introduced an individual internal rate of return threshold and a reporting obligation for PV plants built in 2009-2010 with a capacity of more than 30 kWp.

However, this proposal did not pass the Senate and was deleted from the “Lex RES III”. In this form, the Lex RES III was returned to the Chamber of Deputies for a second vote, which occurred on 4 March 2025. However, during the vote, the Senate’s proposal to delete the obligation of individual self-assessment of adequacy for PV plants with the above-mentioned parameters was outvoted.

Currently, the obligation of (individual) yield reporting will become part of the Energy Act after the draft amendment to the Energy Act Lex RES III is signed by the President of the Czech Republic. However, the Minister of Industry and Trade, Lukáš Vlček, announced during a debate in the Chamber of Deputies that he wants to increase the threshold for individual self-evaluation of adequacy from the current 30 kWp to 145 kWp in the next amendment to the Energy Act known as “Lex Gas”.

We will keep you informed about whether this change in „Lex Gas” will take place, as well as about the further progress of the adoption of “Lex Gas”.

…

This material is for general information on current topics only, it is not advice. It does not take into account any special circumstances, financial situations or special requirements of the addressees. Recipients should therefore always seek appropriate professional services for the information provided. Notwithstanding the careful compilation of this material, bpv Braun Partners s.r.o. advokáti, its partners, associates or co-operating solicitors and tax advisers cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein and accepts no responsibility for acting or refraining from acting on the basis of the information contained in this material.

Ranked in Legal 500 again

We’re delighted that bpv BRAUN PARTNERS has once again been ranked in 7 categories in this year’s prestigious Legal 500!
This recognition reflects the dedication, expertise, and teamwork of our colleagues in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
We are also deeply grateful to our clients for their trust and valuable feedback, which played a key role in this achievement. A heartfelt thank you to everyone at our firm for their outstanding work and commitment.
Congratulations to Arthur Braun, Jiří Bárta, Pavel Vincík, David Vosol, Pavel Vintr, Ondrej Poništiak, JUDr. Robert Matas and Martin Cír.
Big congrats particular to Lucie Kalašová who has been recognized as „next generation partner“!
Let’s keep raising the bar and continue to deliver top-quality legal services together.

bpv GRIGORESCU ȘTEFĂNICĂ advised Romanian retail media company FOOTPRINTS AI on investment by Catalyst Romania Fund II

bpv GRIGORESCU ȘTEFĂNICĂ advised the Romanian retail media company FOOTPRINTS AI (www.footprints-ai.com) on its latest investment round led by Catalyst Romania Fund II, with participation from Seedblink retail investors.

This round of investment aims to support the international expansion plans of Footprints’ AI-powered retail media platform, which helps offline retailers identify new potential customers and anticipate their consumer behaviour by analysing data from online and offline sources in a unified manner.

Our involvement in this investment round included advising the company and its founders on various legal and tax aspects related to the transaction’s negotiation, documentation and implementation.

“We have accompanied Footprints AI and its founders on their journey with business and legal advice since the early days of the company. We are glad to see that reputable investors believe in their vision, product and team. We are pleased to have been involved in this latest milestone and leverage both our transaction experience and our technology expertise to help the deal advance and complete,” said Cătălin Grigorescu, managing partner, bpv GRIGORESCU ȘTEFĂNICĂ.

“bpv GRIGORESCU ȘTEFĂNICĂ has been with Footprints AI since the beginning of 2017, providing us with the strategic expertise needed in a complex, new field where advanced technologies, data and AI define the future. Our partnership is natural, based on trust and shared vision, and choosing them for this new phase of our company came naturally”, said Dan Mărculescu, CEO; Footprints AI.

Our team included Catalin Grigorescu, managing partner and head of the technology transaction practice and Matei Tomi, associate in the corporate transactions practice.

Our Technology Transactions practice has been involved in some of the most prominent sector transactions recently, including:

▸ SARMIS Capital on the acquisition of Total Technologies to strengthen Smart ID’s position as a regional leader in the industrial technology and automation market;

▸ the private equity firm Omnia Capital on its investment in the digital shipping house Cargo Buddy;

▸ Creatopy and its co-founders in a $10 million Series A funding round;

▸ Softelligence and its shareholders in connection with its acquisition by the US company Encora Holdings Limited, part of the Encora Group;

▸ the company VERIDION (formerly Soleadify), its founders, as well as the venture capital fund LAUNCHUB Ventures and other participants in a USD 6 million financing round;

▸ software and infrastructure company INCRYS in connection with acquiring information technology services company USOURCE;

▸ Innoship and its shareholders on the acquisition of a majority stake in Innoship by the private equity fund Abris Capital.

bpv Huegel advises EAVISTA on the acquisition of the majority stake in card complete Service Bank AG

EAVISTA is acquiring 75.1% of the shares in card complete Service Bank AG from UniCredit Bank Austria and Raiffeisen Bank International.

Vienna, 19 February 2025. bpv Huegel advises EAVISTA Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH on the acquisition of 75.1% of the shares in card complete Service Bank AG. card complete Service Bank AG is a leading provider of credit card and payment solutions for private and corporate customers.

The share purchase agreement was concluded on Monday this week, with UniCredit Bank Austria AG (50.1%) and Raiffeisen-Invest-Gesellschaft m.b.H. (25.1%) (group company of Raiffeisen Bank International AG) selling their shares to EAVISTA. AVZ GmbH (AVZ Privatstiftung) remains as shareholder. Closing of the share purchase agreement is expected to take place after approval by the regulatory authorities.

For the credit card portfolios of customers of UniCredit Bank Austria and banks of the Austrian Raiffeisen sector the two selling shareholders (UniCredit Bank Austria and Raiffeisen Bank International) entered into an agreement with card complete to offer credit cards directly to those customers.

EAVISTA Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH is owned by Arif Babayev, a British entrepreneur, and is managed together with Nurlan Zhagiparov, co-founder of the UK-based payment services provider DNA Payments Limited. The two experts in financial technology and innovation have more than 20 years of experience in the banking and financial services industry.

“The team of bpv Huegel guided us to the signing of this transaction with their outstanding market and in-depth transactional expertise in the banking and payment services sector,” comments Arif Babayev.

“We are very pleased to have supported EAVISTA with the experienced team around Arif Babayev and Nurlan Zhagiparov in this landmark transaction in the Austrian payment services industry”, emphasises Christoph Nauer, partner at bpv Huegel leading on the transaction.

card complete

For more than 40 years, card complete has played a leading role in shaping cashless payment transactions in Austria. As the only fully integrated services provider in Austria and one of the top providers in the market, card complete combines with the strategy “complete” all elements of the cashless payment value chain – from the processing of card-based payment transactions and a versatile product range of credit cards to acquiring solutions for stationary point-of-sale and e-commerce. The highest level of security and service in all matters is top priority. card complete offers credit cards from Visa, Mastercard and, exclusively, Diners Club. With its nationwide network of acceptance partners, it accepts Visa, Visa Debit, V PAY, Mastercard, Mastercard Debit, Maestro, JCB, Diners Club, Discover, American Express, UnionPay, Bluecode and Alipay. Diners Club has been a fully integrated member of card complete Service Bank AG since October 2022. DC elektronische Zahlungssysteme GmbH also belongs to the card complete group. www.cardcomplete.com

Transaction team of bpv Huegel

The transaction team of bpv Huegel, led by Christoph Nauer (Corporate/M&A, Finance&Regulatory) and Thomas Lettau (Corporate/M&A), included Barbara Valente (Corporate/M&A, Finance&Regulatory), Roland Juill (Corporate/M&A), Nicolas Wolski (Tax), Kornelia Wittmann (Tax, Finance&Regulatory), Gerhard Fussenegger, Philipp Stengg (both Merger Control/FDI), Ingo Braun (Finance & Regulatory), Johannes Mitterecker (Corporate/M&A), Paul Pfeifenberger (Labour Law), Walter Niedermueller (Labour Law), Sonja Duerager (Data Protection, IP/IT), Tim Pasternak (Corporate/M&A), Lucas Hora (Corporate/M&A, Tax Law), Daniel Maurer (Corporate/M&A).

A team from DORDA, led by Christoph Brogyányi and Christian Ritschka, advised UniCredit Bank Austria AG. Binder Grösswang (Thomas Schirmer and Mona Holzgruber) represented Raiffeisen Bank International AG on the transaction.

Press release