The latest ranking of the largest law firms in Slovakia presents results in 13 categories, mostly based on the fields in which they practice law.
The Slovak Spectator, in cooperation with the Finstat company, has been bringing the professional and general public a more comprehensive picture of law services in Slovakia since 2014.
This year we also opened the rankings to boutique law firms that specialise in one legal field and do not meet minimum criterium for revenues. In the past it was set at 1 million.
In this article, we are bringing the results in the main category, while the articles with the results for partial categories are the following: M&A, Banking & Finance, Real Estate & Development, Intellectual property, Litigation & Arbitration, Labour law, Restructuring & Insolvency, Regulation & Compliance, Competition law and Commercial contracts.
The law firm SOUKENÍK – ŠTRPKA placed first in the general ranking with the highest number of lawyers working for the company. These are its references from the last 12 months in the legal fields where the firm ranked in leading positions:
National Highway Company (2021 – Ongoing); Representing the client in ICC arbitration proceedings in respect to claims under the contract on works for construction of Višňové tunnel. Deal value: €490 mil.
Ministry of Transport and Construction (2019 – 4Q/2021); Representing the client in ICC arbitration proceedings in respect to claims under the contract on works for construction of the D4/R7 motorway/expressway. Deal value: €1.900 mil.
HAUSBERG and Milton House II (2019 – Ongoing); Complex legal services related to the construction of luxury apartments and office premises in Bratislava centre. Deal value: €45 mil.
PROJEKT INVESTMENT, s.r.o. (2020 – Ongoing); Comprehensive legal services related to the construction of apartments and residential premises in the Bratislava centre.
PREMIUM Insurance Company Limited (2015 – Ongoing); Provision of comprehensive legal services in the field of client contractual relations.
LARGEST LAW FIRMS IN SLOVAKIA 2022
SOUKENÍK – ŠTRPKA
Allen & Overy
Advokátska kancelária RELEVANS
TaylorWessing e/n/w/c
HAVEL & PARTNERS
RUŽIČKA AND PARTNERS
Dentons Europe CS LLP
Kinstellar
Malata, Pružinský, Hegedüš & Partners
Bartošík Šváby
Law firm Bartošík Šváby had the highest growth in sales and HAVEL & PARTNERS in profit. In 2021, the 10 largest law firms saw a 3-percent decrease year-on-year in revenues. The aggregate net profit of the first 10 law firms went down 25.3 percent compared to profits in 2020.
Largest law firms in Slovakia (source: Investment Advisory Guide)
The annual Investment Advisory Guide 2022/23 published by the English language newspaper The Slovak Spectator provides more detailed data with published results of the analysis as well as complex ratings.
When looking at partial criteria used for setting up the general ranking, Allen & Overy Bratislava achieved the highest sales revenues and profit in 2021 out of all assessed law offices, while SOUKENÍK – ŠTRPKA dominated in the number of law graduates (51) as well as attorneys (31).
The position of law firms in the ranking of local and international attorneys is interesting when considering whether they have most of their lawyers in the Czech and Slovak republics or not.
LARGEST LOCAL LAW FIRMS 2022
SOUKENÍK – ŠTRPKA
Advokátska kancelária RELEVANS
HAVEL & PARTNERS
RUŽIČKA AND PARTNERS
Malata, Pružinský, Hegedüš & Partners
Aldertree legal
Bartošík Šváby
Barger Prekop s.r.o.
Škubla & Partneri
PRK Partners
Allen & Overy Bratislava placed first among international law firms operating in Slovakia. These are references to some major cases in which the law firm provided legal services in the 4Q2021- 3Q2022 period:
Tatra-Leasing, s.r.o. (2020 – 3Q/2022); We advised on the acquisition of IMPULS-LEASING Slovakia, s.r.o. With this acquisition, the client strengthened its position to No. 3 in the local leasing market.
U.S. Steel Košice, s.r.o. (2020 – 4Q/2021); We advised U.S. Steel Košice on the sale of RMS Košice, s.r.o., its refractory subsidiary, to Termostav – Mráz as a competitive auction sale.
Erste Group Bank AG (2019 – 2Q/2022); We were advising the club of banks on refinancing of Aupark Bratislava shopping centre. This was a record acquisition in Slovak real estate market. Deal value: 448 mil. €
A major European financial institution (2018 – 1Q/2022); In a claim at ICSID relating to Croatian legislation, allowing borrowers to unilaterally convert their loans into euro loans at historic exchange rates.
A major European financial institution (2020 – Ongoing); Advising in a dispute on the invalidity of the Annual General Meeting, challenging the decision on the approval of the squeeze-out by the majority shareholder.
J&T BANKA, a.s. (2020 – Ongoing); Legal assistance related to the debt restructuring and insolvency proceedings of the well known financial group.
LARGEST INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRMS IN SLOVAKIA 2022
1. Allen & Overy
2. TaylorWessing e/n/w/c
3. Dentons Europe CS LLP
4. Kinstellar
5. PETERKA & PARTNERS
6. CMS Slovakia
7. BDO Legal
7. bnt attorneys in CEE
8. Noerr
9. Eversheds Sutherland
10. Rödl & Partner Advokáti
More complex information was published in the yearbook about the investment environment Investment Advisory Guide 2022/23.
Financial data on profits and revenue has been provided by the company FinStat.sk, which is published along with other details concerning Slovak companies. This data helps companies analyse business partners, competitors, and the whole general market. It also leads to potential new deals and the development of new business.
A few law firms decided not to provide information and were not analysed in this ranking. Based on the calculations of The Slovak Spectator, their potential involvement this year would have had a minimum impact on the ranking of the top positions.
Investment Advisory Guide
The yearbook on the business environment, published yearly since 2000 by The Slovak Spectator, gives an overview of investors either from Slovakia or abroad. This year’s edition was published thanks to the cooperation of the Investment Support Association (ISA). The general partner of the guide is the law firm SOUKENÍK – ŠTRPKA. The content provides well-arranged information on the economy, labour market, investor support, legislation, and real estate, as well as investment opportunities in Slovakia. This guide also contains a large analysis of the law firm market, providing more detailed information on the most important ones. Within this section, rankings of the largest law firms in Slovakia are also published. The yearbook traditionally contains a wealth of statistics, including the regional comparison of wages, unemployment rates, industrial structure and an overview of the largest companies in individual regions.
