Czech Republic
About
Lawyers in our Prague office deliver bespoke legal and tax advisory services to Czech and international clients doing business in the Czech Republic, across Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Southeast Europe (SEE) and in markets around the world.
Since 1991, clients have trusted us for comprehensive legal and tax advisory services in the Czech Republic, covering both local and cross-border matters. Our practice focuses on complex corporate and financial transactions, as well as litigation and dispute resolution matters, frequently involving a strong international component. We assist clients in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, private equity, leverage, corporate, project and asset finance, restructurings and insolvencies, debt and equity capital markets, energy and infrastructure, real estate, competition, antitrust, IP/IT, tax and commercial law, litigation, arbitration, and criminal law. Our extensive expertise across all core areas of business law delivers significant commercial advantages to clients.
As one of the largest international law firms operating in Prague, we provide a significant degree of comfort and assurance to clients looking to realize investment opportunities or navigate complex challenges both inside the country and abroad. We have exceptional experience in advising foreign companies investing in the Czech Republic and have advised on some of the largest transactions in the country, representing both local and international investors on their most significant projects.
Our Prague team is often the go-to advisor for clients operating within the most important sectors in the CEE and SEE region, including the financial, private equity, power and gas, telecommunications, infrastructure, technology and real estate sectors. In this role, the Prague team has advised on numerous "firsts" on the Czech market and across the CEE region, including almost all financing and capital markets "firsts" in the country.
White & Case is the only law firm on the Czech market with the local capability to offer Czech, Slovak, English and US law experience on all types of transactions and financings, including senior, mezzanine and high-yield financings. We are perfectly positioned for multijurisdictional cross-border work, with lawyers working seamlessly across practices and across our entire network.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Law Firm of the Year in the Czech Republic
Chambers Europe Awards 2024
Law Firm of the Year in the Czech Republic
IFLR European Awards 2024
No. 1 Law Firm in CEE by M&A deal value
Mergermarket M&A League Tables, FY 2023
Top Law Firm in M&A, Banking and Finance, Disputes, and Technologies and Media
Forbes Czech Republic, 2024
"White & Case is the best law firm in the country. The service is absolutely awesome."
"They understand not only the legal aspects but also the business background and the transaction so they can provide you with advice that is very business-oriented."
Chambers Global, 2024
"Services provided by White & Case were and are excellent. The team is very knowledgeable, prepares excellent products, is comprised of tough negotiators, and provides proper commercial and legal guidance."
"The team is extremely client oriented and has knowledge of a wide range of legal areas, providing an excellent umbrella view. They always deliver exceptionally high-quality products and can be relied upon."
Legal 500, 2024
Experience
TPG Real Estate – €470 million sale of logistic parks in Czech Republic and Slovakia
White & Case represented TPG Real Estate on the €470 million sale to funds managed by Blackstone of CT Real Estate (CTRE), a portfolio of ten logistics parks located in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This transaction is one of the largest real estate deals in Europe this year. White & Case previously advised TPG in 2019 on its original acquisition in partnership with local landlord Contera. The portfolio was seeded with an initial €90 million investment and has since quadrupled in size to span approximately 500,000 square meters of strategically located logistics facilities.
PPF Group – €2.15 billion sale of 50 percent stake in PPF Telecom Group to e& Group
White & Case represented PPF Group on the sale of 50 percent plus one share in PPF Telecom Group's assets across Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, and Slovakia to Emirates Telecommunications Group Company (e&) for approximately €2.15 billion, with an additional potential earn-out of up to €350 million. Within this transaction we advised PPF Group on the first-ever in-depth merger investigation under the EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR).
CVC Capital Partners – Acquisition of Packeta Group
White & Case represented CVC Capital Partners and EMMA Capital on their acquisition of the Packeta Group, a leading e-commerce logistics and delivery player in Czechia and Slovakia.
The Carlyle Group – Acquisition of Meopta and Tescan
White & Case advised the Carlyle Group on two acquisitions, including the related acquisition financing, in the Czech Republic: the acquisition of Meopta Optika, a manufacturer of optical, opto-mechanical and optoelectronic solutions; and the acquisition of TESCAN, a leading manufacturer of scientific instruments.
Actis – Acquisition of Telekom Srbija
White & Case represented Actis on its acquisition of the telecom towers business of Telekom Srbija, the Serbia-based state-owned telecommunications company offering a range of services in Central & Eastern Europe, across Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro.
Financing of one of Europe's largest onshore wind farms
White & Case advised a club of eight commercial banks and international financial institutions on the up-to-€291 million financing of the construction of the 461MW VIFOR wind farm in Romania, which will be one of Europe's largest onshore wind farms.
ČEZ – Bridge-to-bond term loan
White & Case advised the arrangers of a € 840 million bridge-to-bond term loan facility for ČEZ, a. s. for the acquisition of a 55.21% share in GasNet.
The insolvency of Sberbank CZ
White & Case advised the liquidator and insolvency trustee of Sberbank CZ on the liquidation of the Czech branch of Sberbank and the CZK 41 billion sale of Sberbank CZ's assets to Česká spořitelna (part of the Erste Group). This is the largest liquidation/insolvency of a bank in the Czech Republic in the past two decades.
EPH – EMTN programme
White & Case represented Energetický a průmyslový holding, a.s. (EPH), a leading pan-European energy utility, on the establishment of its €3 billion EMTN programme and the debut €500 million notes issuance, debut €500 green notes issuance, and €100 tap issuance thereunder.
Raiffeisenbank, a.s. – €5 billion regulatory notes programme
White & Case represented Raiffeisen Bank International AG in connection with the establishment, updates and subsequent notes issuances under the €5 billion international regulatory notes programme of Raiffeisenbank, a.s., the first such programme established by a Czech issuer.
ENERGO-PRO – The first issuance of European bonds guaranteed by DFC
White & Case advised ENERGO-PRO on its issuance of €300 million senior unsecured notes. This is the first issuance of European bonds guaranteed by the US International Development Finance Corporation.
Trigea – Acquisition of Arkády Pankrác shopping center
White & Case represented Trigea on its acquisition of Arkády Pankrác, a prime shopping center situated in Prague, from real estate company G City. The acquisition represents one of the largest single-asset transactions ever executed by a Czech retail real estate fund.
Crestyl – Acquisition of Spravia
White & Case represented Crestyl, Czech developer and investor, in relation to acquisition of the remaining 50% stake in one of Poland's largest residential developers Spravia (formerly Budimex Nieruchomości) from Cornerstone Partners, giving it full control of the company.
First-ever infrastructure PPP project in the Czech Republic
White & Case represented Czech Ministry of Transport before and during a tender for the selection of a concessionaire for the PPP D4 project, a Czech pilot infrastructure PPP project.
