Jaroslav Havel

Managing Partner

Email:
jaroslav.havel@havelpartners.cz

Practice Areas:

Industry Sectors:

Jaroslav Havel is the managing partner of our law firm. His clients include leading financial institutions operating in the Czech and Slovak Republics, numerous Fortune 500 and Czech Top 100 companies, ministries, state-owned enterprises, some of the most successful and wealthiest Czech and Slovak private business people, and also foreign entrepreneurs doing business in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Jaroslav specializes in banking, finance, corporate and commercial law (advising in particular on matters related to top management of business companies), mergers, acquisitions, private equity/venture capital, legal audits and legal due diligence, comprehensive projects (including in the public sector), insurance, capital markets, energy, transport and healthcare law.

Typical projects led by Jaroslav consist of advising major Czech, Slovak and international corporations and individuals on acquisitions and divestitures of companies and businesses, including the financing of these transactions.

He has published numerous articles on corporate law, mergers, acquisitions, banking and financial law in both Czech and foreign legal journals. He is regularly cited in management surveys as a leader of the Czech and Slovak legal business.

Before establishing our law firm in 2001, he worked for more than six years at prominent local and international law firms based in Prague, including Linklaters.

Recommendations of international publications

The prestigious international rating publications PLC Cross-border, European Legal 500, IFLR 1000, Chambers Global, European Legal Experts, and Global Law Experts have all recommended Jaroslav as a leading Czech expert in the fields of mergers, acquisitions, corporate and commercial law, and some of them also for insolvency, restructuring, banking and finance. In 2011 Jaroslav was cited by the independent international publication Who’s Who Legal as one of leading international experts in the Czech Republic for competition law and in 2014 for information technology. In 2007, Jaroslav was named the “Lawyer of the Year” for Banking and Finance in the prestigious annual competition organized jointly by the Czech Bar Association and the Czech Internet-based company epravo.cz.

Membership in professional associations

  • Czech Bar Association
  • Slovak Bar Association
  • International Bar Association
  • SME Union of the Czech Republic (member of the management board)
  • Chamber of Public Tender Administrators (vice-chairman of the management board)

Languages
Czech, English

Education

Charles University, Faculty of Law, Prague (2000), JUDr. (Doctor of Laws)
Charles University, Faculty of Law, Prague (1996), Mgr. (Master of Laws)

Jaroslav Havel has acted as the lead counsel or has been instrumental in a number of the largest transactions executed in the Czech Republic in recent years.

  • business combination of two major insurance companies in several countries in Central and Eastern Europe (a transaction worth EUR 5.1 billion)
  • the largest bankruptcy proceedings in the Czech Republic’s history
  • contemplated privatization of Czech Airlines
  • acquisition of the largest Czech paper and pulp manufacturer
  • acquisition of a home building savings bank with a subsequent merger of two home building savings banks
  • contemplated acquisition of the world’s third largest engineering manufacturer
  • combination of two leading Central-European soft drink producers
  • sale of a shareholding in one of the largest Czech companies in the photovoltaic sector to a major global private equity fund
  • joint venture of two leading European publishing companies
  • sale of one of the Czech Republic’s largest construction companies
  • several major acquisitions and divestitures in the food industry
  • electronic toll project on Czech motorways
  • a pilot B.O.T. motorway construction project
  • investigation of extensive bank frauds

Press releases

HAVEL & PARTNERS is the largest Czech law firm and the fifth largest law firm on the Slovak market. Once again, it was ranked as the largest law firm in IP and Competition law
In the TOP 10 largest law firms ranking, which is compiled by the SME daily and The Slovak Spectato… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS wins the prestigious Who's Who Legal award for the best law firm in the Czech Republic for the fifth time in a row
After its success in the domestic Law Firm of the Year competition, in which the firm received four… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS is the most popular law firm for clients and the best law firm in the Czech Republic for the third time in a row in the Law Firm of the Year competition
The results of the 15th annual Law Firm of the Year competition in the Czech Republic, organised by… read more »

In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, a significant part of wealth will be transferred to women
HAVEL & PARTNERS has launched a large-scale project called NextŽeny (NextWomen) focusing on the… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS recorded a double-digit growth in turnover in the first half of this year
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest Czech-Slovak law firm, achieved excellent economic results in the… read more »

In the Law firm of the Year competition HAVEL & PARTNERS won the main award for International Law Firm, the Best Client Service Award, and also won the Competition category
In the 10th annual Law Firm of the Year 2022 competition, the largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAV… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS once again wins the most prestigious global Chambers Europe Awards
In its international Chambers Europe Awards ranking, Chambers and Partners, a British ranking agenc… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS becomes the most sought-after employer among law firms for the eighth time in a row
HAVEL & PARTNERS has won the TOP Employers poll, and for the eighth time in a row became the mo… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS is the largest Czech law firm and the fifth largest law firm on the Slovak market. It is the largest law firm in the field of Intellectual Property law and Competition law
In the TOP 10 largest law firms ranking, which is compiled by the daily SME and The Slovak Spec… read more »

The value of the HAVEL & PARTNERS Group is almost CZK 2.3 billion
According to an analysis prepared by the consulting firm Patria Corporate Finance, the value of the… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS has won the Czech Lemur PR award and also succeeded in the Fénix content marketing competition
HAVEL & PARTNERS won first place in the Services category in the 16th year of the Lemur - Czech… read more »

SUCCESSFUL WITH YOU FOR 20 YEARS. RIGHTLY SO.
Dear Clients, Business Partners, Colleagues, It was exactly 20 years ago today when, together wi… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS has once again become clients’ most popular law firm in the Law Firm of the Year competition in Slovakia. It has also defended its first place in the M&A category and remains the best-rated law firm in this competition
The largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS again won the award for the best client … read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS becomes the absolute winner of the Law Firm of the Year Awards again, confirming the most successful year in its history
HAVEL & PARTNERS has continued its success at the Chambers Europe Awards 2020 for the Best … read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS forms a unique financing, restructuring and insolvency team in response to the economic aftermath of the crisis
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest and most successful Czech-Slovak law firm, reacts to the current … read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS won the Chambers Europe Awards – the most prestigious European award – for the best law firm in the Czech Republic
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest Czech-Slovak law firm, has marked another success on the glob… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS listed as the most sought-after employer among law firms for the sixth time in a row
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest independent law firm in Central Europe, has again defended its ti… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS maintains its position as the most successful law firm in the Law Firm of the Year competition
The largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS received in 12th year of the Law Firm of the… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS contributed to the prestigious International Comparative Legal Guide to: Mergers & Acquisitions 2019
HAVEL & PARTNERS contributed to the prestigious International Comparative Legal Guide to: … read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS recognised as a Czech Business Superbrands for the fourth time
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest Czech and Slovak law firm, is continuing its success in 2014 and… read more »

In 2018 the economic results of HAVEL & PARTNERS were the best for the past 5 years; all of its three offices grew at double-digit rates
The largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS had the best economic results in 2018 for t… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS has won the title of the most sought-after employer among the law firms in the Czech Republic for the fifth time
The largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS is the most sought-after employer among law… read more »

Law Firm of the Year 2018 competition results announced: HAVEL & PARTNERS proves to uphold its position as the most successful law firm in the Czech Republic
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest Czech-Slovak law firm, has followed up on its success in the yea… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS upholds its leading position in the CEE region – Acquisition International ranks it the best law firm in the real estate and construction industries
The largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS was recognised by the UK’s Acquisition Inte… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS and its partner collection agency Cash Collectors to open a new branch in Olomouc
The largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS, so far with offices in Prague, Brno, Ostra… read more »

HAVEL & PARTNERS is the most attractive employer among law firms in the Czech Republic for the fourth consecutive year
HAVEL & PARTNERS, the largest Czech-Slovak law firm, ranked first in the TOP Employer Awards f… read more »

Jaroslav Havel, Robert Nešpůrek and Richard Otevřel on the most recent list of global leading lawyers in IT
The prestigious UK rating agency Who’s Who Legal has published a global overview of leading lawyer… read more »

Publications and newsletters

Impacts of the pandemic in connection with the state of emergency and beyond
Dear Clients and Business Partners, In connection with the state of emergency declared for a per… read more »

COVID II – CZK 30 bln in bank guarantees from CMGDB / Countrywide support from 5 offices at a fixed rate
Dear Clients and Business Friends, Should you, your clients or business partners have any commer… read more »

Articles and Interviews

Our lead was in determination and a willingness to take risks
Source: EPRAVO.CZ Magazín (1/2021) Elite Anglo-American law firms with comprehensive services an… read more »

From an ambitious start-up to the top of Central European law firms
Source: Forbes (8. 4. 2021) From a small law firm founded from scratch by five young lawyers, HA… read more »

Significant Matters

Comprehensive legal advice by HAVEL & PARTNERS on a spin-off of the assets of Pražská teplárenská a.s.
The largest Czech-Slovak law firm HAVEL & PARTNERS has provided, under the leadership of Ondřej… read more »