HAVEL & PARTNERS traditionally announces internal promotions at the beginning of the second half of the year. Ondřej Florián, the partner responsible for leading the firm’s corporate and private client services team, becomes an equity partner as of 1 July. Kateřina Slavíková, Jaroslav Baier, Ondrej Čurilla, Petr Opluštil and Miroslav Vozáb have been promoted to partners of the firm. A further 15 lawyers have been promoted to senior positions.

“Ondřej Florián is one of the key members of the firm’s management team and in previous years he has been instrumental in setting and implementing the group’s strategic objectives in the area of corporate law. His leadership and expertise have also contributed to strengthening our portfolio of services to private clients. As an equity partner, he will be responsible for the further strategic development of these areas and the continuous strengthening of key business relationships with our clients,” comments Jaroslav Havel, managing partner of the firm, on Ondřej Florián’s promotion to the position of partner.

Ondřej Florián has more than 13 years of legal practice, specialising in corporate law in domestic and complex international transactions. He focuses on the effective setup of shareholder relationships, the setup and proper implementation of executive incentive programmes (ESOP), and corporate transformations, including the setup of holding and foundation structures (in the form of private foundations or trusts) to provide greater security of asset ownership and business for private clients. He also provides other services to private clients, including especially the ultimate owners of successful domestic and foreign companies and top managers.

“Further promotions to partner are also aimed at developing areas that are of key importance to consolidating our position as a leader in the Central European legal market, in particular strengthening our specialisation in venture capital, public procurement, ESG, healthcare and pharmaceutical law. Also, strengthening the team in Brno is crucial for us, where another partner will join the management of the local office in July. These strategic steps will enable us to provide an even higher level of expertise and service in all of the key areas mentioned above, which have contributed to our firm’s growth over the long term,” added Jaroslav Havel.

The firm has a total of 36 partners after the current internal promotion. Kateřina Slavíková is a new partner of the firm, co-responsible for the management and development of the specialised pharmaceutical, healthcare and food law group. She has been involved in these fields for a long time and is one of the leading experts on the market. She provides comprehensive business and regulatory advice to pharmaceutical and healthcare clients, hospitals, biotechnology companies, established food companies and start-ups, and other clients in areas targeting human health.

Jaroslav Baier moves to the position of partner co-responsible for the management of the venture capital and private equity practice group in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Jaroslav has 13 years of experience in M&A law, which includes experience from a Magic Circle law firm and a major Czech-Slovak private equity group. Jaroslav is also an active member of the start-up community and co-founder of a successful legal-tech start-up. He provides comprehensive legal services to start-ups, venture capital funds, private equity groups and technology companies.

Another lawyer promoted to the position of partner is Ondrej Čurilla, a specialist in the public sector law, particularly in the area of public procurement and public-private partnership projects, both in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Ondrej also provides clients with comprehensive services in the areas of business relations, ICT, energy, transport, infrastructure construction, and insurance. He also focuses on legal services to foreign clients, especially from German-speaking countries. 

Petr Opluštil becomes a partner as well.He focuses on public law, particularly environmental law. He also advises clients on sustainability and ESG law. He has also been providing, in the long term, comprehensive legal services in connection with the implementation of asset transactions and infrastructure projects in the public sector, including PPP projects, particularly in the water, waste management and transport sectors.

Miroslav Vozáb, who has been co-managing the firm’s Brno office, will be a partner from July, too. Miroslav, who has been with the firm for more than 10 years, specialises in corporate law, acquisitions, and services for private client, among other practice areas. He also provides legal services in the area of appropriate setting up of joint ventures between partners, and also deals with litigation and criminal matters, especially those involving a corporate element.

Further, Juraj Dubovský and František Neuwirth are internally promoted to the position of counsel. Veronika Bočanová, Tereza Hrabáková, Irena Munzarová, Martin Stančík and Karolína Steinerová are promoted to the position of managing associate. Matúš Holubkovič, Lukáš Jakoubek, Patrícia Jamrišková, Tomáš Kalenský, Peter Košecký, Christian Müller, Vojtěch Šváb and Dušan Valent are promoted to the position of senior associate. In a non-legal position, Zuzana Kreuselová has been promoted to brand manager.