What an inspiring afternoon at our LEX OZE III mini-conference in #Prague! ⚡ With passionate debates on overcompensation, energy storage, consumer protection, and capacity mechanisms, the room was filled with sharp insights and forward-looking perspectives from both legal and technical experts. Thanks to all speakers and guests who contributed to the lively discussions — and stayed for a glass of wine afterward! 📩 For more insights please reach out to Kamil Blazek (Partner), Michal Forýtek (Counsel), Radim Kotlaba (Managing Associate) or Antonín Seidel (Junior Associate). #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #EnergyTransition #EnergyLaw #LEXOZE #EnergyAndInfrastructure #Sustainability #LegalInsights

💡 🇺🇦 We're proud to share the #Ukraine chapter of Global Arbitration Review's (#GAR) Commercial Arbitration 2025, authored by our dispute resolution experts in the #Kyiv office: Olexander Martinenko (Partner, Head of Dispute Resolution), Danylo Volkovetskyi (Managing Associate), Tetiana Kolga (Senior Associate) and Arina Kolesnyk (Junior Associate). 🗂️ Structured, concise and clear answers to 51 questions give a comprehensive overview of the legal and procedural framework of commercial arbitration in #Ukraine, covering: infrastructure, agreement to arbitrate, commencing the arbitration, choice of law, appointing the tribunal, challenges to arbitrators, interim relief, awards and challenging awards, costs and interest, and enforcement trends. Examples of the matters include: ✅Particular issues to note when drafting an arbitration clause ✅Types of disputes that are non-arbitrable ✅Foreign arbitral providers ✅Third-party funding 🌐📊 As the cross-border business, investment and international trade will only grow, the global trend is moving toward arbitration as a preferred method for resolving commercial disputes. 📰 We invite you to explore the full Ukraine chapter here: https://lnkd.in/dCTtC_fG and 📞 contact our Dispute Resolution team to protect your business or resolve your disputes efficiently, privately, and with confidence. This article was first published on Global Arbitration Review in May 2025; for further in-depth analysis, please visit the GAR Know-how Commercial Arbitration at https://lnkd.in/dNg3gxG. #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #CommercialArbitration #InternationalArbitration #DisputeResolution #GARKnowHow #LegalInsights

🌐 Our Sofia team is proud to have advised on one of the largest office building acquisitions in #Bulgaria to date. We supported First Big Orange Garden throughout all stages of the acquisition of the FairPlay Business Hub from Fairplay International AD - one of the biggest real estate investors on the local market, including on the acquisition financing. 💼 Our team was led by Antonia Mavrova (Partner) and Atanas Mihaylov (Counsel), and included: Simeon Vachev (Senior Associate), Desislava Dimitrova (Associate), and Nikoleta Ivanova (Junior Associate) advising on all acquisition-related matters, and Svilen Issaev (Counsel) and Denitsa Kuzeva (Senior Associate) covering the financing aspects of the transaction. 🖱️ https://lnkd.in/dn_z6UU3 #ExceptionalTogether #DoneDeals #RealEstate #Bulgaria #MandA #Innovation #MergersandAcquisitions #RealEstateLaw

🌟 We're proud to celebrate the recognition of our talented Intellectual Property professionals in the IP STARS 2025 rankings – highlighting their exceptional contributions to the field of IP across the region. 🏆 🇺🇦 Natalia Kirichenko, Partner, Co-Head of the Firm-wide Intellectual Property & Technology service line and Head of the local Intellectual Property & Technology service line in Ukraine, has been awarded the prestigious Transactions Star 2025 for her outstanding work in #IP. We are looking forward to the release of the firm rankings in #Ukraine throughout June and July, for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion. 🏆 🇧🇬 Kinstellar Sofia has been ranked in the Trade Mark 2025 category – a recognition of the team’s consistent delivery of high-quality legal advice in trademark law. 🏆 🇧🇬 Special congratulations also to Georgi Kanev, Managing Associate, Co-Head of the Firm-wide Intellectual Property & Technology service line and Head of the local Intellectual Property & Technology and Data Privacy practice in #Bulgaria, who has been ranked as a Notable Practitioner – reflecting his dedication and leadership in the IP space. 💼 IP STARS (Managing IP's rankings publication) are among the most respected in the industry, drawing on independent research across 151 jurisdictions and evaluating more than 7,100 practitioners. 🎉 Huge appreciation to our clients for their continued trust, and kudos to our IP teams for pushing boundaries and setting new standards across the region! #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #IPStars2025 #KinstellarExcellence #TransactionsStar #TradeMarkLaw #Recognition #StellarJourney #IntellectualProperty 

🚨🇪🇺 Landmark EU Commission decision: A double first for antitrust enforcement The European Commission has fined Delivery Hero and Glovo a combined EUR 329 million for their participation in a cartel within the online food delivery sector. This ground-breaking decision marks two significant "firsts" in EU competition law: 📌 Anti-competitive minority shareholding: This is the first time the Commission has sanctioned the anti-competitive use of a minority stake in a competing business. It underscores that even non-controlling investments can facilitate illegal coordination. 📌 Labour market cartel (no-poach agreements): This is the first EU Commission decision finding a cartel in the labour market, specifically relating to companies agreeing not to poach each other's employees. This sends a clear message that such agreements, which stifle employee opportunities, are a serious antitrust violation. Key takeaways: 💡 Non-controlling stakes do not exempt companies from antitrust scrutiny when they lead to anti-competitive coordination between competitors. 💡 No-poach agreements are indeed sanctionable as cartels, emphasizing the importance of competition for talent. 📩 If you need advice in competition law, reach out to our experts, Tomas Cihula (Partner in Prague and Co-Head of the Firm-wide Competition & State Aid service line) and Matěj Korduliak (Associate, Prague). #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #Antitrust #CompetitionLaw #EUCommission #Cartel #LabourMarket #NoPoach #MergersAndAcquisitions #Compliance #FoodDelivery

AUT 📢  Protecting lease rights in #Austria: Consequences of insolvency and (compulsory) sale of premises 📑 In light of the current economic climate, lessees are increasingly concerned about the financial stability of their lessors—and with good reason, as Sandra Seldte, Counsel in our Vienna office, explores in her latest article. When a lessor faces insolvency or a (compulsory) property sale, the security of the lessee’s rights may be at risk. The article analyses two key scenarios that can directly or indirectly impact lease agreements under Austrian law: (i) the initiation of insolvency proceedings against the lessor’s assets, and (ii) the (compulsory) sale of the leased property. 🔍 Key takeaways for tenants, investors, and legal advisors: ✔️ Insolvency proceedings against the lessor’s assets alone do not affect the validity or content of a lease, nor do they create a special termination right ✔️ A (compulsory) sale, however, can impact the lease—depending on: – whether the lease falls under the (full or partial) scope of application of the Austrian Tenancy Act (#MRG) or only the Civil Code (#ABGB) – whether and how the lease is registered in the land register ✔️ Small differences in legal structure can make a major difference in lease protection ⚖️ The article provides detailed legal analysis, helping stakeholders understand how to safeguard lease rights even in uncertain times. 📖 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/deTEzCZn #ExceptionalTogether #InTheKnow #Insolvency #LeaseAgreements #RealEstateLaw #LeaseProtection #Vienna

📢 Proud to have advised Mitiska REIM (via MEREP 3) on the entry of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (#EBRD) into a joint venture with property developer OPC Group to develop and operate five retail parks across #Slovakia. 🌍 All projects are targeting #BREEAM "Very Good" or higher certification, supporting sustainable commercial real estate in the region. Congratulations to our team in Bratislava, Managing Associate Dáša Labašová and Associate Martin Dančo, for advising on the full legal aspects of the transaction. 📌 https://lnkd.in/dtcnFHbP #ExceptionalTogether #DoneDeals #InvestmentFund #RealEstateLaw #MergersandAcquisitions #RetailPark #Sustainability