KSB's team recently advised long-term client Seyfor (formerly Solitea) on two additional acquisitions, this time in the area of recruitment software solutions.

We are pleased to announce that Kocián Šolc Balaštík’s team has been strengthened by a new specialist in labour law, Kateřina Štěpánková.

We are proud to have been at the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Lucerna Palace, an iconic place at the heart of Prague's cultural and social life. This transaction is not just an ordinary deal; it is a fusion of tradition with modernity, history with vision. Lucerna Palace, with its rich cultural heritage and unmistakable Art Nouveau style, opens the door to new opportunities and experiences.

KSB, on behalf of its client REMA AOS, has successfully brought a complaint to the European Commission to investigate whether the Czech Republic, acting through the Ministry of the Environment, violated its obligations under EU law by creating an anti-competitive environment in the packaging sector in favour of EKO-KOM.

KSB's team (Drahomír Tomašuk, Ján Béreš and Josef Novotný, supported by Karolina Vosátková, Viktor Zelinka, Jaroslav Zahradníček and Patricie Stará) advised Igor Střeček and Sandberg Capital (Jakub Krajčovič) on the sale of the Czech part of Webglobe. The new owner is group.one, a Swedish group which is one of the best-known cloud and hosting services companies. Barger Prekop advised the seller on the transaction in Slovakia and Moravčevič, Vojnovič and Partners advised in Serbia.

KŠB Law Firm is pleased to announce its advisory role in facilitating the recent transaction between CPI PROPERTY GROUP ("CPIPG") and Best Hotel Properties ("BHP") regarding the joint venture and stake sale of a portfolio of eight hotel properties in the Czech Republic.

Vlastimil Pihera and Josef Kříž assisted SMV Invest Group on a unique issue of perpetual certificates. Combining years of knowledge in investment and real estate development, the Group focuses on finding interesting locations, land, and real estate units for development, especially in Prague and its surroundings, and on their financing by retail clients.

KŠB’s team led by Ján Béreš, supported by Drahomír Tomašuk and Josef Novotný, assisted our long-term client Seyfor in another IT acquisition. This time, Seyfor acquired a 35% stake in Digitask, a company owned by Filip Dřímalka, a well-known promoter of digital innovation. Digitask focuses on customers who want to accelerate the transformation of their business processes by implementing advanced AI technologies.

KSB's team (Jiří Horník, Václav Rovenský, Michal Hanuš, Yelizaveta Volodina) helped Corinthia Group negotiate a long-term lease of the building where the five-star Corinthia Prague hotel currently operates. With 539 rooms, the Corinthia Prague building is one of the leading hotels in the Czech Republic and one of the largest properties in Prague. 

It's good to be excellent, but it's even better to strive for continuous advancement. We proudly announce our most remarkable achievement to date in the Chambers Europe rankings. KSB has not only confirmed the strong position but even elevated its standing. This year, our law firm has secured outstanding rating in a record-breaking 11 categories and 11 ranked experts, marking an unprecedented milestone in our firm’s history further enhanced by the nomination for the prestigious Chambers Europe Awards 2024. We are particularly proud of our newly achieved rankings in Intellectual Property and Real Estate.

In the recently published "Chambers Global 2024 Guide" published by Chambers & Partners, KŠB and its representatives are recommended in all four categories rated in the Czech Republic, namely: Banking Corporate/M&A Capital Markets Dispute Resolution

KSB's team led by Drahomír Tomašuk and Ján Béreš, with the support of Jan Černohouz, provided the owners of ANESAN with comprehensive legal advice on the sale of 100% of the company. ANESAN operates a long-term acute care hospital in Český Brod, which is the oldest healthcare facility of its kind in the Czech Republic. ANESAN’s facility is located on the premises of the Český Brod hospital and has a total capacity of 15 beds and a highly specialized team of doctors and nurses. The buyer is the Penta Hospitals CZ group.

We are thrilled to announce that we have once again secured a coveted spot on the shortlist for the Chambers Europe Awards 2024, which recognizes outstanding achievements in the legal industry. This marks our return to the shortlist for the Czech Republic Firm of the Year, and we couldn't be prouder, particularly because we are the sole Czech law firm among the nominees.

KSB partner Jiří Horník, one of the few experts in aerospace law in the Czech Republic, is one of the participants in a business delegation that visited the USA this week on the occasion of a business trip of the Minister of Transport Martin Kupka. 

A team led by Vlastimil Pihera and Josef Kříž advised real estate investment fund Nemomax on its first EU growth prospectus. With fund capital of almost one billion Czech crowns, the investment fund focuses on investments in real estate projects in the Czech Republic, mainly in the residential housing sector, and is managed by Avant, a leading Czech investment company.

One of the ways we successfully closed last year was by settling a deal between our client J&T Group and EPH Group. Our colleagues, led by associate Jana Guričová from partner Martin Krejčí's team, spent several months working on the sale of FVE Holding.

KSB team (Martin Krejčí, Jakub Porod, Zuzana Slabá) provided advice on the acquisition of the photovoltaic power plant FVE Cihelna s.r.o. for a consortium of private individuals.

Qualified investors fund J&T Arch Investments has invested in BHP Hotels fund, which acquired a 45% stake in luxury hotel The Westminster London, Curio Collection by Hilton. Located in central London, the five-star hotel is within walking distance of a number of major landmarks.

Two trust funds – Eva Pavlová’s Endowment Fund and Václav Cigler’s Endowment Fund – have been set up with KŠB’s assistance (Vlastimil Pihera and Jana Guričová with the support of Hana Heroldová and Milada Kürtösiová).

KSB's team of Josef Kříž and Vlastimil Pihera provided extensive legal advice on the refinancing of the FIDUROCK Group, where the value of the financing obtained can reach up to CZK 1 billion.

Seyfor Group, one of Europe's largest ICT solutions providers and KSB’s long-standing clients, has once again expanded its portfolio. This time it has acquired a 100% stake in the company KS – program.

KSB's team led by Jan Lasák and Ján Béreš recently advised Jet Investment on expanding its investment portfolio. Jet Investment’s Jet 3 Qualified Investor Fund acquired a 70% stake in Likov, a successful Czech family-owned leading manufacturer of building profiles for external building insulation systems.

The 28th Charity Concert of Good Will, which Kocián Šolc Balaštík has organised since 1995 to help support the Goodwill Committee - Olga Havel Foundation, took place on Sunday, 12 November 2023 traditionally at the Church of St. Simon and St. Jude in Prague’s Old Town.

The 28th Charity Concert of Good Will, which Kocián Šolc Balaštík has organised since 1995 to help support the Goodwill Committee - Olga Havel Foundation, will take place on Sunday, 12 November 2023 at 19:00 at the Church of St. Simon and St. Jude in Prague’s Old Town.

In recognition of the progress that is being made with the Three Seas Initiative we are pleased to announce that Kocián Šolc Balaštík became a member of a group of leading law firms from each country in the Initiative that have come together to support the Initiative and the needs of clients with regard to it.

The KSB team (Drahomír Tomašuk, Jana Guričová and Karolina Vosátková) assisted in another major IT acquisition. Our client, Webglobe, acquired the web hosting company EBOLA Czech, known under the brand name eBola.cz.

Vlastimil Pihera and Sabina Prokopová assisted in establishing and incorporating the Tišina Endowment Fund. The founders – Ivana Štefková, Barbora Dvořáková and Markéta Trubačová – aim to provide a platform for people who have experienced a significant upheaval in their lives and also for artists and creators who, for various reasons, cannot devote themselves to their work.

KŠB’s team led by Tomáš Sequens and Petra Mirovská was successful in assisting our long-standing client REMA Systém, a.s. with obtaining authorization from the Ministry of the Environment to operate a collection system for ensuring the obligations of manufacturers of electrical equipment under the new End-of-Life Products Act for all groups of electrical equipment, including solar panels, for which it previously did not have authorization.

In cooperation with Masaryk University, KSB participated in the 8th Annual Summer School of Commercial Law. The summer school is attended by law school students not only from Masaryk University, but also from Palacký University and Charles University. The week-long event includes lectures by speakers from the Czech Bar, as well as from the judiciary and the academic environments, providing students with an exceptional opportunity to gain insight into various areas of the legal world. 

The KSB team led by Jan Lasák assisted the Pražská plynárenská group with the intra-group restructuring and the creation of a new holding structure including, among others, the down-stream merger of Pražská plynárenská holding a.s. and Pražská plynárenská, a.s.

In cooperation with the Euro magazine, the Sustainability Project has been presenting Faces of Sustainability - the only Czech overview of sustainability experts since 2022. The 150 experts include representatives of the largest companies, government and non-profit sectors. KSB partner Tomáš Sequens is one of them.

KSB partners Professor Jan Dědič, Jan Lasák and Vlastimil Pihera have contributed to the collective monograph "Joint Stock Companies" published by C. H. Beck. The publication deals with the legal regulation of a joint stock company from its foundation and formation, through the functioning of the company itself, its bodies and their members, including the rights and obligations of shareholders, the regulation of shares, the issue of share capital and its changes, to the dissolution of the company and its termination. 

KSB’s team, led by Vlastimil Pihera, has advised the Václav Havel Library on a rare change of legal form from a public benefit corporation to a foundation, while maintaining all of its ongoing activities and projects.

We are pleased to announce that KŠB founding partner Martin Šolc was inducted into the Legal Hall of Fame at yesterday's 17th Lawyer of the Year Gala. Each year, a prominent figure from the legal community is inducted into the Legal Hall of Fame for his or her lifetime contribution to Czech law.

KŠB’s team led by Vlastimil Pihera and Josef Kříž assisted Avant Financial Group in drafting two EU growth prospectuses. The company that controls Avant, a leading Czech investment company, will use the respective issues to finance its acquisition activities in order to further develop the group. 

KSB's team (Jiří Horník, Jakub Porod, Zuzana Slabá) advised a long-standing client, the real estate investment group ARETE, on further expanding its portfolio of industrial sites. ARETE Group has long been focusing on real estate investments in the CEE region through its investment funds. It is currently investing through the 3rd investment fund ARETE INDUSTRIAL, whose portfolio now includes a newly purchased industrial hall near Milovice in Central Bohemia with an area of more than 8,000 sqm and additional land for future expansion with an area of over 22,000 sqm.

KSB's team led by Drahomír Tomašuk and Ján Béreš with assitance of Josef Novotný advised on another major IT and education transaction. This time, we advised our client Sandberg Capital on its investment in the Czech kindergarten management application Twigsee.

After being awarded in the Chambers Europe 2023 ranking, KSB is again among the top-ranked law firms in the Czech Republic, this time according to the latest publication "The Legal 500 EMEA 2023". We succeeded in the following ten out of eleven researched areas.

After assisting with the establishment of new startup Flatform, KSB's team (this time Vlastimil Pihera, Lucie Kretková and Lubor Černý) recently helped in creating the first Czech charity auction platform Dobrobot, whose aim is to connect non-profit organisations, companies and donors through digital technologies and online auctions. It also offers non-profit organisations a tool to increase their income and supports their operations and development.

The Court of Justice of the European Union in its judgment of 2 March 2023 in Case C-477/21 made fundamental conclusions regarding the provision of uninterrupted weekly rest and uninterrupted daily rest to employees. The conclusions made are relevant for shift planning, especially if employees work in shift patterns, also in the Czech Republic.

KŠB’s team (Vlastimil Pihera, Ota Mach, Josef Novotný and Jaroslav Zahradníček) was involved in the creation of new start-up Flatform. The platform gives prospective tenants a chance to rent an apartment or living premises without having to pay large security deposits and allows landlords to screen tenants and gives them higher damage coverage through the platform's financial guarantee.

Jiří Horník and Dana Jacková advised the seller on the sale of 7500 m² of land in Uhříněves, Prague, near the Uhříněveská game reserve. 

In the recently published Chambers Europe 2023, KŠB and its lawyers are recommended in nine areas. The yearbook is the result of an analysis of a number of criteria, with the greatest weight given to the experience and opinions of clients themselves.

Our colleague Simona Hornochová, who has been a member of KŠB’s tax team since 2018, has successfully passed the selection process and will be appointed the new Director of the Czech General Financial Directorate. 

KSB's team (Jiří Horník, Jakub Porod, Zuzana Slabá) advised KSB's long-standing client, ARETE Group, on the acquisition of land for the expansion of ARETE’s logistics park in Rokycany. A modern hall is to be developed on the new land in the ARETE Park Rokycany 2 industrial park. The facility will offer almost 30,000 sqm of modern warehouse and office space. The project will also comply with ESG standards in line with the ARETE Group's strategy. The premises will be rented out on a long-term basis to the Duvenbeck Group, an international provider of comprehensive logistics services.

KSB's team (Drahomír Tomašuk, Ján Béreš, Pavel Dejl, Martin Vráb, Karolina Vosátková) advised Sandberg Capital on another acquisition, namely a 70% stake in Phase. We advised on the Czech aspects of the transaction, including the merger clearance application from the Czech Competition Authority. The transaction advisory in Slovakia was led by PWC Slovakia.

We were honoured to provide legal advice to the National Theatre in obtaining a building permit for the redevelopment of the National Theatre’s New Stage and Operations buildings.

KSB’s team advised Lukáš Novák's investment group InTeFi Capital, namely its technology division BiQ Group, on the acquisition of PUXdesign. PUXdesign specializes in web technologies and its clients include well-known brands such as Heineken, Škoda auto and Komerční banka.

Petra Mirovská has been a lawyer since 2006 and focuses on litigation and administrative proceedings in various legal areas including waste management, energy and the environment. In addition, she specialises in intellectual property law, including unfair competition in this area, e-commerce and regulation of digital platforms.

KSB's team advised JTZE (J&T Zemědělství a Ekologie) on the acquisition of a total of 11 companies under Spearhead Czech and Spearhead Slovakia. The companies, located in the vicinity of Kardašova Řečice, Jihlava, Hradec Králové, Olomouc and Nitra in Slovakia, are primarily active in the field of crop and livestock production.

A team led by Jan Lasák advised ŠKODA AUTO DigiLab s.r.o., a ŠKODA AUTO Group company, on an intra-group restructuring.

Aero Vodochody AEROSPACE enjoyed the benefits of KSB's broad aviation industry experience in a recent matter, when Jiří Horník and Ota Mach prepared draft contractual documentation used in the sale of a new type of L-39NG aircraft.

On Sunday, 4 December, the 27th Charity Concert of Good Will, which we have been organising since 1995 for the benefit of the Committee of Good Will - Olga Havlova Foundation, took place in the concert hall of the Church of St. Simon and Jude in Prague's Old Town.

A team led by Jan Lasák advised J&T ARCH INVESTMENTS on the acquisition of a stake in leading Czech bank Moneta Money Bank. The fund already purchased 8.89% from Petrus Advisers in July. The second stage of the transaction and the acquisition of another 1.1% stake was completed on December 23. The fund has received approval from the Czech National Bank to acquire up to 19.99%.

KŠB's team (Vlastimil Pihera, Martin Krejčí, Matúš Kovačič and Tomáš Trávníček) advised J&T IB and Capital Markets, a.s., as the arranger, on another issue of unsecured unsubordinated book-entry bonds, this time by J&T ARCH CONVERTIBLE SICAV, a.s., with the total value of up to CZK 1 billion and an option to increase by as much as an additional 100%.

KSB’s team (Drahomír Tomašuk, Ján Béreš, Pavel Dejl, Martin Vráb, Karolina Vosátková) recently assisted our long-term client, Solitea, in another IT acquisition. This time Solitea focused on expansion in the Slovak market, acquiring vehicle monitoring company Commander Services.

KSB’s team (Vlastimil Pihera, Jana Guričová, Martin Vráb, Karolina Vosátková) advised J&T BANKA a.s. on its entry and subsequent acquisition of a majority share in AMISTA investiční společnost a.s., one of the largest Czech managers and administrators of qualified investor funds. 

Jiří Horník and Richard Hamran recently advised VGP Group, a leading developer and owner of logistics facilities, on expanding its warehouse space in Slovakia and Hungary.

KSB’s team led by Drahomír Tomašuk and Jana Guričová advised on another major acquisition in the IT and education sector. KSB client Sandberg Capital acquired a majority stake in Hungarian company Green Fox Academy, which also operates in the Czech Republic.

KSB’s and PwC Legal Czech Republic’s teams will continue to provide legal advice to the European Union Space Programme Agency (EUSPA) over the next four years. EUSPA manages the European Global Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) and Galileo programmes, and is involved in the Copernicus Earth observation programme, and the European Union Government Satellite Communications Programme (GOVSATCOM).

The KSB team (Václav Rovenský, Tomáš Trávníček) represented one of the world's leading architectural studios, Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), in the preparation and negotiation of the contract for the architectural study, project documentation and related activities for the Vltava Philharmonic Hall project.

The 27th Charity Concert of Good Will, which Kocián Šolc Balaštík has organised since 1995 to help support the Goodwill Committee - Olga Havel Foundation, will take place on Sunday, 4 December 2022 at 19:00 at the Church of St. Simon and St. Jude in Prague’s Old Town.

KSB's team (led by Drahomír Tomašuk and Ján Béreš, supported by Josef Novotný for the transactional part and due diligence, and furthermore consisting of Jaroslav Zahradníček, Viktor Zelinka and Denisa Josefiková for due diligence and Pavel Dejl, Martin Vráb and Karolina Vosátková for competition issues) advised its long-term client, Solitea, on the acquisition of two other IT companies.

KŠB's team (Martin Krejčí, Vlastimil Pihera, Josef Kříž, Jana Guričová and Matúš Kovačič) advised J&T Banka on a CZK 1 billion increase of the Rohlík Group's bond issue. The prospectus that was made in connection with the increase has already been approved by the Czech National Bank.

KŠB's team (Jiří Horník, Jakub Porod, Ivo Průša, Zuzana Slabá and Marek Hais) advised Passerinvest Group on the purchase of the Gamma office project in Prague's Brumlovka administrative centre, where the group has operated for a long time. The property was sold by Austrian real estate group IMMOFINANZ. With the purchase of the Gamma building, Passerinvest continues its strategy of acquiring office buildings in Brumlovka.

KSB's team (Dagmar Dubecká, Jakub Porod, Karolina Vosátková, Jan Černohouz and Simona Hornochová) provided legal and tax advice on the sale of a 50% stake in M&M reality holding a.s. The buyer is real estate group EHS, which has under its wings, among others, the Bezrealitky.cz platform, real estate agency Maxima Reality, and the Czech Real Estate Trust.

KŠB was ranked once again in the top spots in prestigious rating agency IFLR1000’s most recent yearbook and is recommended in all categories: banking & finance, capital markets, M&A, restructuring and insolvency, and project development.

Heureka Group, a shopping advisor and price comparator that operates in the Czech Republic and eight other CEE countries, was advised by KSB’s team (Petr Kasík, Jakub Porod,Jaroslav Zahradníček, Tomáš Trávníček, Filip Řehák and Karolina Vosátková) on the acquisition of Balíkobot.

Pavel Dejl has become the new managing partner of Kocián Šolc Balaštík as of 1 August 2022, replacing Petr Kasík as part of the firm’s planned rotation. Together with Jiří Horník, Petr Kasík remains a member of KSB’s three-member management committee and both will continue to support the managing partner.

JTZE a.s. (J&T Zemědělství a Ekologie), a company belonging to the J&T Real Estate group, has completed the acquisition of a 100% stake in POLINE s.r.o., an agricultural enterprise in the Kolin region, through JTZE Sobětice s.r.o. The total amount of the cultivated land is more than 1900 ha.