Category: News

Our office in Prague and Bratislava provided comprehensive legal advice to UCED from the CREDITAS Group portfolio on the successful acquisition of 100% of the shares in the Slovak energy group GGE, one of the leading producers and distributors of electricity and heat in Slovakia.

UCED, part of the Czech investment group CREDITAS, has decided to acquire GGE, which is one of the leading Slovak energy groups with its 213 MW heat network and more than 70 MW of electricity network. Its portfolio includes, among others, the Považská Bystrica steam and gas heating plant. GGE also owns more than 90 km of heat distribution lines and is dedicated to building and interconnecting local distribution systems. This strategic acquisition will strengthen UCED’s market position and bring synergic benefits to both companies.

bpv BRAUN PARTNERS played a leading role in this international transaction and provided comprehensive legal advice and assistance in all negotiations and preparation of complete transaction documentation, including due diligence, negotiation of W&I insurance and financing of the transaction. Within the entire transaction, bpv BRAUN PARTNERS worked closely with UK law firm Watson Farley & Williams on all UK law aspects. The total value of the transaction was not disclosed.

Legal advice throughout the transaction was provided by the Czech and Slovak team of bpv BRAUN PARTNERS consisting of David Vosol, Igor Augustinič, Ondrej Poništiak, Pavel Vintr, Ivana Horáková, David Plevka, Juraj Gazda, Zuzana Dzilská and Monika Kardošová. David Vosol, partner at bpv BRAUN PARTNERS, evaluates the successful transaction as follows. “Many thanks go to our entire team and to the team of Watson Farley & Williams. There were crucial moments, sometimes well past midnight, when the entire team managed to give our client everything he needed at a tremendous pace, despite tough negotiations and pressure. The complexity of legal advice in an international transaction of this type must be able to cope with multiple jurisdictions. This only adds to the demands of negotiating the transaction, to the extent of the due diligence and to the complexity of the transactional and financial documentation as well as to the process of obtaining approvals from the various authorities in all the countries involved. But when all of this is managed, the reward is a satisfied client who also thanks to it succeeded in expanding into another market in Central and Eastern Europe.”

CREDITAS Group has been active on the energy market since 2013. The distribution systems of its energy division UCED supply energy to more than 7,000 regular customers. In 2023, the Group’s EBITDA exceeded CZK 2.2 billion. UCED has ambitions to become a leader in decentralised energy in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and to expand into other Central and Eastern European countries

We had the pleasure of hosting many clients, partners and colleagues from our and alliance offices at the beautiful Museum Kampa, located in Sova’s Mill in the heart of Prague.

Despite the less-than-perfect weather, the rich artistic atmosphere, featuring the incredible collections of Jan and Meda Mládek, together with the relaxed jazz by the Masters (with the wonderful singer Tereza Rychlá) created an unforgettable evening.

Surrounded by masterpieces from František Kupka and other other significant Czech artists of the 20th century, the bpv party was a true celebration of art and our legal services providing for our clients since 1994 going on until the early hours of the morning.

bpv Braun Partners hosted again in its Prague office a traditional competition for law school students from all Czech faculties – Moot Court.

The competition is organized in cooperation with ELSA.

The competition had a written and an oral part. The top 4 teams advanced to the oral round where they competed against each other in a simulated employment law court hearing.

The contestants found the questioning of the witness to be the most difficult. Lucie Kalašová, Nikola Faltová and Kristýna Bučková sat in the “judicial senate”, which was also a jury.

“I am very pleased that our competition has only received positive responses from the contestants for a long time. I would like to appreciate the performance of everyone who participated in the Moot Court. They were at an excellent level. ” said Lucie Kalašová.

Congratulations to the winners! Thank you to all participants!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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

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!