Category: News

bpv Academy 2024

Last weekend, our Slovak office hosted again our bpv Academy, focusing this year on Mergers & Acquisitions.

Along with our colleagues from Bratislava, we welcomed also Czech, Austrian and Romanian colleagues. Our speakers from various offices (Elke Napokoj, Stefan Gaug, Nicolas Wolski, Wolfgang Berger, Iulia Dragomir and Martin Provazník) shared valuable insights and experiences.

After the engaged discussions, we enjoyed a fantastic evening program at the picturesque castle restaurant with exquisite cuisine and stunning views of the city skyline.

The night continued at the iconic UFO Bar above the SNP Bridge, savoring signature cocktails and soaking into the breathtaking panoramas from the Observation Deck.

Another bpv Academy is behind us. What a joy to see old friends, make new ones and to share our experience and great moments!

Legal advice for E.ON Energie, a.s. – buying a stake in Sun construct

We provided comprehensive legal advice to the energy company E.ON Energie, a.s. with the purchase of a 49% share in the company Sun construct, s.r.o., which specializes in photovoltaic solutions for households, apartment buildings, municipalities and companies.

Previously operating on a partnership basis, Sun Construct installed approximately half of the photovoltaic power plants delivered by the E.ON group to its customers last year. The companies have now decided to expand their partnership through a capital investment, with Sun Construct remaining independent from the E.ON group. Through this collaboration, the companies aim to enhance services to their customers and target new market segments.

Throughout the transaction, legal advice was provided by a team led by bpv BRAUN PARTNERS partner Mgr. David Vosol, M.B.A., and lawyer Mgr. David Plevka. One of the partners at bpv Braun Partners, Mgr. David Vosol, M.B.A., elaborated on their cooperation: “As part of comprehensive legal advisory to E.ON Energie, a.s., we assisted the client from initial negotiations to final transaction documentation, including structuring the joint venture and all related corporate matters. Our firm also provided advice on competition law.”

The Czech energy group E.ON employs over 3,000 staff and reported a post-tax profit of CZK 6.26 billion in the Czech Republic in 2022. Through its 66,000-kilometer distribution network, it supplies electricity to 1.5 million customers mainly in Southern Bohemia, Vysočina, and Southern Moravia, holding a market share of approximately 21%. In gas distribution, it operates a network exceeding 4,000 kilometers, serving 114,000 consumption points, with a gas market share in the Czech Republic of about 10.5%. E.ON Energie provides electricity and gas to over 1.4 million customers, both households and businesses.

Robert Matas becomes a new partner at bpv BRAUN PARTNERS

His expertise in Czech and German law and his ability to effectively represent clients before courts in both countries will enrich the firm with a significant source of legal knowledge.
His extensive practice with many years of experience in this field focuses on complex issues of Czech and German law, which enables him to successfully represent clients before courts in both jurisdictions. In addition to representing clients before Czech and German courts and arbitration tribunals, his areas of expertise include corporate and commercial law and unfair competition law. He has advised dozens of Czech and Slovak companies on their entry into the Czech, Austrian and German markets. He also provides qualified legal advice in the field of Czech and German inheritance and family law and acts as a criminal defense lawyer in criminal proceedings in Germany.
Arthur Braun, managing partner of bpv BRAUN PARTNERS, commented on the new appointment as follows: “Robert is a successful lawyer with many years of experience, his experience especially in German law will be a great asset to our international law firm and will further improve our position as one of the few Czech law firms offering advice in German law in Czech – he is currently our fourth lawyer with this specialization. I look forward to working with my new colleague and I am convinced that he will achieve many successes that will contribute to even greater client satisfaction.”
Robert was born in Prague and grew up bilingually in Heidelberg, where he also graduated from law school. He successfully passed his second state examination at the Higher Regional Court in Nuremberg.He then obtained a JUDr. degree from the Faculty of Law at Charles University in Prague.He began his legal career at Rödl & Partner, but soon founded his own law firm MATAS & PARTNER, which he successfully managed for more than 20 years.
In his free time, he devotes most of his time to his family and his three children. He has always enjoyed playing tennis and basketball and has recently taken up golf. His favorite way to get to work is by bike.

Lucie Kalašová has expanded the ranks of bpv BRAUN PARTNERS

Very happy to announce the latest arrival in bpv partnership: Lucie Kalašová.
Effective January 1, 2024, Lucie has officially become a partner in our Prague office.

With our joint journey since 2007, Lucie’s specialization in labor law, personal data protection, and whistleblowing brings a wealth of expertise to our team.
Her systematic approach and proactive advisory style make Lucie not only a fantastic lawyer, but also a true leader in the world of labor law.

We, along with our clients, are confident that she will play a pivotal role in the continued success and growth of bpv BRAUN PARTNERS.

Welcome onboard, Lucie!

Read the whole press release HERE!

bpv GRIGORESCU STEFANICA advised Infineon Technology in relation to a EUR 57 million office lease agreement with One United Properties

bpv GRIGORESCU STEFANICA advised German company Infineon Technologies, a world leader in semiconductor design and manufacturing, in the negotiation of a EUR 57 million lease agreement with leading property development group One United Properties. The contract represents one of the largest office leases ever recorded in the local market.

The contract is for the turn-key delivery of a sustainable 20,950 sqm GLA office building for the German technology company. This first-class real estate project is to serve Infineon’s needs for a period of 15 years, starting in 2026.

Advising on this lease is part of the ongoing assistance provided by bpv GRIGORESCU ȘTEFĂNICĂ to the German company Infineon Technologies, in strengthening its position on the Romanian market and in its continued expansion in Romania, including advising Infineon Technologies on the conclusion of other office space leases in Romania.

bpv GRIGORESCU STEFANICA’s team was involved in all stages of the negotiation of this contract and will continue to assist Infineon Technologies in all development stages of the project, providing legal assistance on the implementation of all contractual provisions related to the delivery of the turn-key project and the works required by Infineon Technologies in order to obtain LEED Platinum certification.

Our team included Anca Albulescu, Partner (Real Estate, Corporate/ M&A, Due Diligence), Alina Tyelu, Managing Associate (Real Estate), Angelina Danaila, Associate (Real Estate).

“In the current context, the lease agreement between Infineon Technologies and One United Properties represents a unique opportunity in the Romanian office market. Our client’s decision shows the company’s continued trust in the potential of Romania to further grow high-tech semiconductor chip R&D activities.”, said Anca Albulescu, Partner, GRIGORESCU STEFANICA

“We value the long term collaboration with GRIGORESCU STEFANICA and their legal advice in establishing the contract for this important project for Infineon in Romania”, said Guenter Krasser, Vice President and Managing Director of Infineon Romania.

The last year’s success of our Real Estate practice area continues into 2023, which confirms to be a very active year, with several running mandates currently in various stages of completion. Recently, our team advised:

(i) Ringkjøbing Landbobank AS, a bank based in Denmark, in connection with the refinancing of a facility granted by Unicredit to Agro Cocora S.R.L. and with respect to the financing of Black Sea Farmland Aps;

(ii) Beiersdorf Romania in connection with the eight-year lease agreement with CBRE;

(iii) Hornbach on the sale of undeveloped land to various FMCG companies.

Happy to meet at the Prague X-mas party!

Last week we took the X-mas party to a whole new level with an exciting sushi making experience. The talented sushi master at the Buddha Bar guided us through the art of creating delicious sushi rolls, while having a blast unleashing our inner culinary skills.
We all enjoyed the atmosphere, filled with Japanese cuisine, laughter, friendly competition, and the joy of learning something new together. Another perfect opportunity to strengthen our bonds, foster teamwork, and create lasting memories, as always.
The evening was incredible, all our colleagues presence made the event truly special, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate together the holiday season which is ahead of us.

Moot Court Competition organized by our Prague office

We are thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the Czech Moot Court Competition, co-organized by ELSA Prague, held in our Prague office on the last day of November.
In an improvised courtroom, four teams, consisting of two members each, stood before the jury, showcasing their exceptional advocacy skills. All participants delivered a stellar performance, impressing our judges.
Congratulations to all the participants for their outstanding preparation and professional execution. However, there could only be one winner. We are proud to announce that the team composed of Lucie Heráčková and Tereza Roubíková emerged victorious! We would also like to recognize Michael Procházka for his exceptional oratory skills, earning him the title of the Best Speaker.
Hoping to cross paths with these talented individuals again within the walls of our office.
#CzechMootCourtCompetition #LegalExcellence #ElsaPrague

Lucie Kalašová enlisted again among TOP 100 Czech women in law

We are proud to share that Lucie Kalašová has been listed again by Týdeník Euro and Cover Story among the top 100 Czech women in Law 2024, with her specialization in employment law. This recognition is part of the remarkable #First100Years project, which is dedicated to the contribution of Czech women in the legal field.
Lucie‘s knowledge and commitment to provide the best legal advice to our clients continues to inspire us all.
Her listing is testament to her exceptional skills and the impact she has made in the legal community.
Congratulations for this achievement!

JUVE Awards 2023: bpv Huegel “Law Firm of the Year Austria” for the second time

Photo (from left): Janin Ullmann (moderator), Christoph Nauer (Co-Managing Partner, bpv Huegel) and Marcel Fejer (LegalKings), Copyright: JUVE Verlag

JUVE Awards 2023: bpv Huegel “Law Firm of the Year Austria” for the second time

bpv Huegel has – after winning in 2020 – once again been awarded “Law Firm of the Year Austria” by the leading German publication for the legal industry, JUVE. This is the first time that a law firm has won this award twice.

03 November 2023. The team is delighted to receive another prestigious award. The team is pleased about another prestigious award. At a gala ceremony at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, bpv Huegel was named “Law Firm of the Year Austria” at this year’s JUVE Awards. The law firm was one of five nominees and was ultimately able to take home the coveted trophy.

bpv’s strong positioning of bpv in Central and Eastern Europe as a result of bpv’s long-standing strategic focus on CEE was also highlighted in the laudation.

“It is a special pleasure for us: we are the only law firm that has managed to become ‘Law Firm of the Year Austria’ twice so far. This award and our sincere thanks go to each and every member of our team, who always put the interests of the clients, entrusted to us, first,” said Christoph Nauer and Florian Neumayr, the two co-managing partners of bpv Huegel.

The “Austrian Law Firm of the Year” is an award that goes beyond individual practice areas and recognises the development of law firms as a whole and, in particular, their management performance. In this category, the editors also pay particular attention to aspects of sustainability, continuity and stringent action compared to previous years.

The full laudation for bpv Huegel is available at https://juveawards.juve-veranstaltungen.de/preistraeger-2023/kanzlei-des-jahres-oesterreich/ (in German).

Press release

We assisted with the sale of a container factory in Rozvadov

Proud to have assisted our client Heidel Verwaltungs GmbH with the sale of its container factory in Rozvadov, with over 35,000 sqm, and machinery, stores and raw materials.

The purchase by Gföllner CZ involved an unconventional securing of the purchase price with a lien for the seller and the establishment of a right of repurchase for the seller.