SCHWARZ advokáti

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About the firm

At SCHWARZ advokáti we provide a wide range of legal services to foreign and local corporate as well as individual clients, particularly in the area of commercial law.

Long-standing experience in the international commercial practice and detailed knowledge of the local business environment are our main qualities.

We are transforming them into practical advice aligned with business interests of the client.

SCHWARZ advokáti is headed by Andrej Schwarz.

We are member of doing business international network

We ranked in international ranking IFRL1000

Services

Commercial and Corporate

Our firm provides complex corporate legal services including fully-fledged M&A transaction management and structuring of shareholders relationships on the basis of tailor-made shareholder agreements. Together with our partners we facilitate setting up of convenient tax structures including offshore corporate vehicles.

Our experience covers in particular the following areas of corporate law:

corporate governance, joint-ventures, shareholders relationships
acquisitions, vertical & horizontal mergers, intra-group mergers
restructuring, bankruptcy and liquidation, distressed assets
management structures
organization of corporate meetings
corporate housekeeping

carried out due diligence reviews and advised in subsequent acquisitions / sales of various business entities (pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, insurance, banking, manufacturing etc.)
advised a major automotive manufacturing client in corporate restructuring (merger) and subsequent HR reorganization
advised a world’s leading manufacturer of plastic processing machinery on a restructuring transaction resulting from the bankruptcy of the mother company
helped to establish an international construction consortium in a PPP project for construction of a Slovak highway
represented an Austrian-based client specialized in waste management in a complex shareholder dispute involving a joint-venture with its Slovak partner
successfully represented a minority shareholder in a case of a squeeze out from a major local industrial company before the Slovak Supreme Court
acquisition of major retail bank in Slovakia
acquisition of 2nd largest publisher of periodicals in Slovakia, acquisition of largest Slovak economic journal and post-closing integration into largest media house in Slovakia

Employment

Traditionally, the legal position of employees in Slovakia is rather strong and possibilities for an employer to dismiss an employee are rather limited. The strict labor law regulation makes the proper designing of employment structures and employment contracts essential for the smooth functioning of employment relations.

We always keep in mind the particulars of the employment law when advising our clients, especially in the following areas:

employment contract law
management agreements
pension plans
personal restructuring
mass dismissals
labor union law
compliance & health safety
reallocation and temporary assignment of employees
advising on proper dismissal of employees
representation of employers as well as employees in employment lawsuits

advised a leading French corporation active in the energy sector on its pension plan system vis-à-vis its Slovak daughter company employees
helped one of the world’s largest independent chemical company with the reallocation of its employees from Slovakia to its Dutch entity
assisted an international automotive-parts manufacturer in the post-merger reorganization of the employment relationships including the setting up of two semi-independent operations
represented various entities in the employment-related lawsuits, most notably an international producer of medical devices in a complex lawsuit involving dismissal of a CEO of its local branch, as well as a world’s leading IT technology firm in a case of dismissal of its HR director.

Competition Law

Competition law plays a key role in business relations. Entrepreneurs need to consider competition law restrictions when intending to acquire other businesses or apply for the state aid or even when concluding distribution or agency agreements or agreements including any sort of restriction of competition (non-compete clauses, exclusivity).

We have gained substantial experience in advising our clients on the whole range of competition issues, in particular:

merger notifications
distribution agreements
cartel agreements
misuse of dominant position
unfair competition
state aid

represented a major producer of laundry detergents in a horizontal cartel investigation case, which resulted in a settlement agreement with the Slovak Antimonopoly Office
notified a concentration concerning a major producer of automotive parts to the Slovak Antimonopoly Office
advised clients from automotive, home care detergents producer, and brewery on distribution agreements and vertical restrictions
represented an agrochemical producer in a litigation as a claimant involving the infringement of its trademark rights and damage compensation resulting from unfair competition
advised a leading international producer of savoury snacks on unfair competition issues and misuse of its trademarks
represented leading intermodal terminal operator in Slovakia on a complaint filed with the European Commission against the Slovak Republic for unlawful state aid
advised on merger clearance relating to acquisition of the 2nd largest publishing house, subsequently on merger of the most read economic journal
assisting on post-closing merger of several publishers, turning them into number one media house in Slovakia
filing of an action for annulment with European Court of Justice on behalf of Czech leading intermodal operator against European Commission for unlawful aid

Real Estate

In addition to the careful drafting of contractual arrangements and arbitration clauses, which help avoiding any disputes on the first place, we represent clients before courts or arbitral tribunals or support them in alternative dispute resolution proceedings (e.g. mediation).

Our expertise covers:

green field, brown field projects
distressed assets restructuring
development of residential and commercial premises
lease agreements
operational lease-back transactions
construction, PPP projects

participated in an international project involving the sale and long-term lease-back of the real estate assets (hypermarkets) for an international retail chain
advised a German world’s top manufacturer of machinery for the processing of plastics and an international producer of automotive parts on green field investments and contractual structures of the operative leasing of the production facility; the case of the former company also included the restructuring of the transaction, once the mother company of the landlord filed for bankruptcy
complex legal support to a local developer for the acquisition of the land and its transformation to residential premises

Dispute Resolution

Investors in Slovak real estate should be aware of certain local legal specifics, most notably possible restitution claims, old environmental burdens or the principle of separation of the ownership of the land from the ownership of the building built on it. In addition, the third party ownership claims can represent a certain risk, even though the putative real estate owner is registered as the owner in the land register.

general court proceedings
arbitration
mediation
white collar crime
corporate and shareholders litigation
employment disputes
commercial disputes
damage compensation claims
intellectual property litigation
unfair competition litigation
administrative proceedings
administrative and tax law suits

represented an international software producer as a damaged party in criminal proceedings relating to copyright violation
represented a former CFO of a private equity fund in a criminal investigation led against him
advised in a significant and publicly known criminal case of bribery of foreign officials
represented a travel agency in a dispute with a local spa-resort stemming from the agency contract
represented an international corporation specialized in production of medical devices in a complex lawsuit relating to the dismissal of a former CEO of its Slovak branch
represented a Slovak bank in a cross-border dispute with its customer relating to a damage compensation claim
represented an agrochemical producer in a litigation involving the infringement of its trademark rights and unfair competition with a resulting client’s claim for damages
advised an international bidder consortium on the pre-arbitration assessment of the claim against the Slovak Republic
represented leading media house on numerous lawsuits of various individuals (politicians, judges, celebrities etc.) on libel and defamation cases
filing of an action for annulment with European Court of Justice on behalf of Czech leading intermodal operator against European Commission for unlawful aid.

Regulatory

The scope of public regulation is extremely broad. Proper understanding of the regulated industry is an essential success factor.

We have assisted our clients in the following fields of industry:

pharmaceuticals & health care
chemical industry
automotive, safety of products
consumer protection and retail
financial services
energy
infrastructure & projects

health care

advised a French-based pharmaceutical company on issues relating to the registration of drugs, advertising and unfair competition
advised a German-based client on regulatory aspects of the wholesale of medicaments and pricing regulations
advised leading CEE pharmacy retail chain on various regulatory issues relating to the drug prescription

consumer protection

advised an international retail chain on daily issues relating to the consumer protection

banking & finance

advised foreign banks on regulatory issues relating to the trading of financial derivatives with a Slovak counterpart
assisted numerous foreign banks on financial facilities and the securitization of debtors’ assets in Slovakia
advised a world’s leading payment card issuer on contractual arrangements with its customers
advised commercial banks in relation to in-depth analytical assessment of particular issues relating to prudential requirements on capital maintenance

energy law

advised on several photovoltaic projects at various development stages
advised on a major forensic due diligence investigation of three wind power projects
advised on contractual issues relating to long-term electricity supply directly from a powerplant

infrastructure

advised an international bidder consortium on a PPP project of highway construction in the Slovak Republic

Media Law, Privacy, GDPR, IP&IT

Online world is the future and we are helping our clients to make the future today.

WIn helping them doing so, we help them among others with:

setting up of e-shops, loyalty programs and online transacting business
e-Privacy, use and administration of cookies
GDPR from execution of initial data protection audit, through setting up the documentary and IT processes, to representation and defending the clients vis-á-vis the supervisory authority
service level agreements and IT structuring, cloud solutions
lecturing and ad hoc consultation

representing leading publisher in numerous defamation cases filed by various individuals (politicians, celebrities, judges, entrepreneurs etc.)
representing various large enterprises from various industries (pharmacy, publishing, intermodal transport, production, university) on implementation a fully-fledged GDPR compliance project.

Team

JUDr. Ing. Andrej Schwarz LL.M.
attorney-at-law

Legal500 recommended lawyer 2018 for M&A and Dispute Resolution

Focus areas

corporate, M&A
commercial law
real estate
litigation

Professional background

2008 - 2012 associated attorney at Wolf Theiss
2003 - 2007 Černejová & Hrbek
Since 2008 founder of SCHWARZ advokáti s.r.o.
2009 – 2016 External lecturer at Paneurópska vysoká škola, Bratislava
Since 2015 vice-chairman of Print-Digital Council of the Slovak Republic

Education

Postgraduate master programme (LL.M.) University of Hamburg, Bologna University, University of Vienna
Degree in economics (Ing.), University of Economics, Bratislava
Doctor of laws (JUDr.), Faculty of Law, Trnava University, Trnava
Master of laws (Mgr.), Faculty of Law, Comenius University, Bratislava

Publications

“Jednostranné započítanie pohľadávky zamestnávateľa voči mzdovým nárokom zamestnanca“ co-autorship, (Unilateral set-off of the employer’s claim against the salary of the employee) in Justičná revue
“Renewable Electricity“ - International Financial Law Review
“Minority shareholders protection“ – International Financial Law Review

Languages

Slovak, English, German

Contact

schwarz@schwarzadvokati.sk
tel: +421 905 845 859

Mgr. Simona Uhrinová
attorney-at-law

Focus areas

IT law
Personal Data Protection
Intellectual Property Law
Labour Law and Marketing

Professional background

2019 of counsel at SCHWARZ advokáti s.r.o.
2019 founder of law firm Balance Counsels, s.r.o.
2013 - 2018 leading law firm
2010 - 2013 international law firm
2010 – 2011 Internship at Administrative College of the Supreme Court of Slovak Republic
2010 Internship at the Office of Public Defender of Rights

Education

Postgraduate master programme (LL.M.) in IT law, Masarykova University, Brno, Czech Republic – pending
Council of Europe Program on Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals – certificate on Data Protection and Privacy Rights
Master of laws (Mgr.), Faculty of Law, Comenius University, Bratislava

Languages

Slovak, English, Russian

Contact

uhrinova@schwarzadvokati.sk

JUDr. Jana Schwarzová
senior lawyer

Focus areas

corporate law
real estate
employment law
insurance law
compliance
litigation

Professional background

2018 SCHWARZ advokáti – senior lawyer
2002 - 2017 Wüstenrot – lawyer, deputy, director of legal department

Education

Doctor of laws (JUDr.), Faculty of Law, Trnava University, Trnava
Master of laws (Mgr.), Faculty of Law, Comenius University, Bratislava

Languages

Slovak, English, German

Contact

schwarzova@schwarzadvokati.sk

References

Contact