The largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS received in 12th year of the Law Firm of the Year competition an award for Best Client Services, and also won first place in the Mergers and Acquisitions category and for the fourth time in the Public Procurement category. In all other categories, it ranked among the best and most recommended law firms, thus confirming its exceptional position on the Czech legal market, which is also unique in Europe. This prestigious competition is regularly organised by EPRAVO.CZ under the auspices of the Czech Bar Association and the Czech Justice Ministry. The results were officially announced on 4 November 2019 in Prague’s Žofín with the participation of representatives of leading law firms and personalities of the Czech judiciary.

“The first place on which our clients’ positive references have decided is the greatest appreciation of our work, because a satisfied client is the essence of advocacy. We are pleased that our clients repeatedly appreciate our top legal and tax services, time flexibility, loyalty, international standard of quality of our services, but also other added values we bring to them, such as using our unique network of contacts, detailed knowledge of their business sectors and related search for business opportunities, and further legal and managerial training through our academy or sponsoring Czech editions of the world’s best management publication,” Jaroslav Havel, the firm’s founder and managing partner, comments on this year’s success.

HAVEL & PARTNERS also won in the Mergers and Acquisitions category, in which it has been the market leader for more than 10 years, not only in the Czech Republic, but also in Slovakia and throughout Central Europe. “The award in the M&A category, which has been our key specialisation since the founding of the firm and which has brought us major clients and helped us grow into the largest independent law firm in Central Europe, means above all the recognition of more than eighty of our colleagues. They deserve a big thank you for their top expertise, building unique know-how, but also for their dedication at any time of day or night. Similarly, we must thank the ever-growing number of clients for the trust with which they approach us,” adds Jan Koval, a partner who leads the largest transaction team in Central Europe. Over the past ten years, the firm has completed more than 600 transactions worth over CZK 600 billion.

HAVEL & PARTNERS has won the Public Procurement category for the fourth time and is therefore the most successful law firm in this field. “The public sector is very comprehensive and important, from both legal and economic perspectives. Repeated success in combination with client appreciation of our services is for us the best possible proof of a job well done,” summarizes Josef Hlavička, a firm’s partner leading the public sector advisory team of 25 lawyers. In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, this dedicated team covers all legal areas relevant to the public sector, including legislation, and thanks to its unique know-how, it provides legal advice in a very comprehensive and efficient way.

In all other 15 professional categories, our law firm was selected among the highly recommended (top tier) law firms. In the Criminal Law category, in which HAVEL & PARTNERS does not directly participate, SEIFERT AND PARTNERS, with which HAVEL & PARTNERS exclusively cooperates in the field of criminal law, ranked among the best rated law firms.

According to the results of all previous years of the competition, HAVEL & PARTNERS is again the most successful and comprehensive law firm in the Czech Republic and Slovakia according to the number of all nominations and titles. “These outstanding results demonstrate our versatility and top quality services of all of our specialised teams. Currently, we advise our clients in all areas of their business and private life. Since this September, we have significantly expanded the tax team and the portfolio of tax services,” Jaroslav Havel summarizes the firm’s overall results and further development. Law Firm of the Year is a specialised competition evaluating the legal services of firms operating in the Czech and Slovak Republics. It was first announced in the Czech Republic in 2008, and since 2013 it has also been organised in Slovakia.