Our practice

Real Estate

We are recognised in the CEE region as having one of the most sophisticated and diversified real estate practices. We have established ourselves as one of the leading independent firms in the region in real estate and relating services.

Wilsons’ services cover all areas of the real estate market, including acquisitions, sales, real estate development, leasing, joint ventures, mergers, structured financing and day-to-day legal advice. Wilsons acts for a broad range of clients in the real estate industry, offering meaningful solutions to all of their business needs.

Throughout the CEE, Wilsons has an extensive transaction track-record on both sides of the table, giving its team an unparalleled perspective of the opportunities and risks involved in any given transaction.

Our wide-ranging expertise covers office, retail, leisure, hotel, industrial, logistics, residential and infrastructure projects.

Wilsons is known for driving to the heart of each deal and avoiding unnecessary detail to cloud the process.

Clients in this practice area include:

Amundi Asset Management
Caerus Investment Management
CA Immo
Cresco
CIB Group
CTP
Deka Immobilien GmbH
DRFG
GLL
HB Reavis
Heitman
Immofinanz
Invesco
P3P
Penta
Portland TrustSkanska
Reico
RSJ
SAFICHEM
Tesco

Banking & Finance

Wilsons has a highly reputable Banking & Finance practice that covers everything from real estate,  corporate and project acquisition financing.  We advise banks as well as corporate borrowers.

The banking and finance team has expertise that covers all sectors of the corporate, M&A and investment markets.

Real Estate and Project Financing

We advise banks as well as corporate borrowers in relation to the financing of real estate, energy, and infrastructure projects in the Czech Republic and other CEE countries. We have an extensive understanding of the different requirements of both lending and borrowing clients, as well as current market practices.

We can assist clients with acquisitions, developments and VAT facilities, the refinancing of existing loans, whether syndicated or bilateral and risk participation. Financed properties range from offices, retail, and warehouses, to residential developments.

Corporate Finance

We handle the whole gambit of corporate finance services, including M&A and project financing.  Its banking/finance practice also covers institutional and strategic investments, investment funds, private equity, venture capital, pensions, insurance and the banking sector, as well as financial and security-related regulations and supervision.

Insolvency & Restructuring

When it comes to a crisis, distressed businesses, debtors, creditors and business partners need to act quickly and decisively in order to preserve the value of their company, property or investment, to buy time, to achieve stability and to seek relief and avoid the negative effects of insolvency.  The challenge is to develop and execute an effective strategy whilst being exposed to time pressure. We understand the concerns of our clients and we are able to use our skill and knowledge in order to protect the clients’ interests with our team of our professionals.

Insolvency laws are very formal and absolute compliance with the statutes is necessary. There are still numerous questions for practical life and lawyers often have to make a case using foreign law arguments and a general law approach. Clients appreciate well prepared lawyers that have the courage to persuade insolvency judges and trustees about their position.

In every crisis there are windows of opportunity; moments when businesses can still be rescued, rehabilitated or reorganized. We have the necessary skills and experience to guide you through these times. At Wilsons, we will help you to seize hidden opportunities.

Clients in this practice area include:

UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia
Česká spořitelna
Komerční banka
Raiffeisenbank
Československá obchodní banka
MONETA Money Bank
Aareal Bank
HYPO NOE Landesbank für Niederösterreich und Wien
Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen
Equa Bank
LBBW Bank

Corporate Law & M&A

We have acted for companies throughout CEE in all sectors of the corporate, M&A and investment markets, including the setting up of new businesses, making acquisitions and/or disposals, mergers and reorganisations.

We also provide our clients with all of the usual day to day corporate housekeeping services, including compliance, employment issues and/or supplier/customer arrangements.

Knowledge of the client’s business is essential for the provision of the best possible legal advice. We are involved in many different market sectors such as food & beverage, consumer appliances, light and heavy industry and more.

A noted strength is the team’s ability to act on behalf of private equity/venture capital clients. Over the years we have provided complex services for private equity/venture capital houses, sponsors, and institutional investors on all aspects of transactions, including:

• Fund formations
• Transaction structuring, management and negotiation
• Restructuring, refinancing, add-on acquisitions
• Management incentive schemes and risk management
• Day-to-day management of company portfolios
• Industry and regulatory packages
• Exit planning (including direct sales, recapitalizations, IPOs)

Antitrust & Competition

Wilsons’ anti-trust/competition services cover everything from national and EU investigations of dominant cartels or concerted practices to complex regulatory issues, state aid, or mergers that require clearance from multiple authorities, to product design and distribution structures.

We help clients to minimize their risk exposure by involving the team in the early stages of their decision-making process. Whether as a precautionary measure or when real issues arise. Clients that wish to minimise their risk exposure in markets involve Wilsons in the very earliest stages of their decision-making process.

Wilsons offers an unmatchable team of experts that have guided leading international and local corporations on matters that impact F&B, finance, insurance, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, utilities, energy, telecommunications, transport and other strongly regulated industries.

Clients in this practice area include:

Českomoravská stavební spořitelna
Generali Pojišťovna
REICO investiční společnost České spořitelny
RSJ
Kofola
Student Agency
Penam

Litigation & Dispute resolution

A complex risk management aimed at avoiding litigation wherever possible is the primary goal for Wilsons’ dispute resolution practice group. But when a formal dispute cannot be avoided, Wilsons’ dispute resolution team turns to trial-ready lawyers, equipped to deliver client-focused results in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

Experience and understanding a client’s business is paramount in reaching this goal. Our litigation lawyers have both the experience and in-depth knowledge of industry-specific issues. This allows them to employ the most appropriate tools and procedural strategies to maximise the client’s commercial objectives. This unique union enables them to assess all legal, commercial and reputational risks in a complex manner as well as to maximise the clients’ position for any sort of settlement.

Our lawyers have real courtroom experience and have provided comprehensive representation for defendants and plaintiffs in virtually all forms of commercial disputes. We also have experience in complex matters and specialized forums involving international arbitration and courts, including the European Court of Human Rights. We also possess wide-ranging experience in alternative dispute resolution and strategic settlements.