REFERENCES
During their professional careers, both BDM Legal and its partners have been involved in several landmark engagements within various areas of practice, supporting both international and local clients in their diverse business endeavors within the Slovak jurisdiction, either by handling specific issues or by the complex coverage of transactions from their outset to completion, including transaction structuring. The cornerstone engagements can be summarized as follows.
M&A
The M&A and privatization engagements involved both sell side and buy side mandates (in any form) and legal assistance with mergers for clients from various business sectors; in particular, energy and utilities, automotive, banking, aviation, IT, the rubber industry, the steel industry, mining, infrastructure construction, industrial automation, the insulation materials industry, industrial equipment and domestic and industrial plastics and international transport. Where appropriate, the legal support entailed also the coverage of regulatory matters.
Real estate
Our extensive practice in this field includes legal assistance in residential, non–residential, land or industrial real estate acquisitions, disposals or joint venture projects, comprising also the complex coverage of development projects. We have also provided legal support to clients in the field of property lease, property management and project management.
Company law
Within this field we have assisted a number of clients in establishing their business presence in the Slovak Republic in various forms, providing both ad hoc support and continuous company secretarial services. Our experience in this field further includes the setting of shareholders’ structures, the drafting of shareholders’ agreements, and assistance in the termination of business activities (including JV dissolution and related exit strategies, and the liquidation of business entities).
Competition
Our mandates in this field of practice have consisted primarily of legal assistance in the assessment of the competition aspects of M&A transactions, obtaining antimonopoly clearance, involving filing the applicable notifications, representing the client before the Slovak Antimonopoly Office and covering the notification completion process. We have also advised clients in assessing agreements potentially restricting competition and selected state aid issues.
Banking and finance
Our engagements in this field have included the assessment, drafting and negotiation of loan documentation and the broad range of connected securitization instruments and payment mechanisms. Moreover, we have provided legal assistance to asset management companies in placing units of foreign investment funds on the local market, advised on the specifics of the Slovak securities market in connection with structuring stock option plans, and represented clients in communication with the financial market regulator.
Labour law
Our practice in this area includes providing advice on all aspects of both individual and collective employer/employee relationships, ongoing or particular support in a wide range of employment related matters, setting and implementing both local and international secondment structures and advising clients with respect to the transfer of employees potentially triggered by changes in the group structures or changes of control.
Litigation, Administrative Proceedings and Public Procurement
Our legal assistance in this field has consisted predominantly of representing business entities and private individuals at court in the areas of shareholders’ disputes, labour-related disputes, protection of personal rights and representation in administrative proceedings, e.g. in the lottery business and real estate and construction matters.
In the area of public procurement we have practical experience from both sides, assisting the contractor in setting up the tender conditions as well as the tender participants in the tender itself, including representation before the Slovak Public Procurement Office.
The partners of BDM Legal have also assisted a number of clients from other businesses, including for instance in the pharmaceutical sector and IT/IP business.