Foreword
Dear Clients and Business Friends,
After two years of pandemic, we all hoped that the world would slowly return to normal. But then came the Russian invasion and war in Ukraine, a fundamental attack on the sovereignty of a free state, which has shaken the democratic principles on which the whole of Europe is founded. It is in these difficult times that we are facing unprecedented economic and geopolitical influences that are having an unparalleled impact on people’s everyday lives as well as business.
In such difficult moments, I see it as an extremely positive promise for the future that the Czechs and Slovaks have unanimously condemned the attack and joined with great effort in helping Ukraine and the people affected by the war. The same determination and unity were shown by all colleagues in our office. We stand with Ukraine. We have been involved in assisting, either financially or materially, the people directly affected by the conflict, including those who have clearly and publicly spoken out against this aggression in Russia or Belarus and are thus in imminent danger there, and we are also helping our clients with our expertise to navigate the challenging conditions and cope with the risks that the current times bring.
As the legal market leader, we also see it as our duty to inform our partners and clients about all aspects that may have an impact on their business. In the wake of the conflict in Ukraine, a number of hacker attacks have emerged, so our colleagues in the Technology Law team have prepared a guide on how best to prevent them and what to do when your firm faces a cyber attack.
Many companies will also have a new obligation to publish a non-financial ESG report as of next year. The issue of sustainability in companies is broad and so are the criteria and data that such a report should contain. That is why we have prepared an article to advise you on how to get started with reporting and what to focus on.
This issue of the magazine also brings you a range of other topics, analyses, interviews and articles on current issues such as investment in venture capital start-ups, taxation of cryptocurrencies, or how architectural competitions can contribute to the creation of quality buildings and the development of innovation in architecture.
Therefore, even in the context of unexpected events, emergency situations and the economic turbulence that the last months and years have brought, we strive to continue to be a reliable partner for your business and private affairs and to provide you with our know-how and excellent, value-added advice. We are therefore very pleased, and it is a great motivation for us for the future, that the feedback on our services from our clients and business partners has been extremely positive over the long term. After all, the references from you have also been decisive in our winning the most prestigious industry award, Chambers Europe Awards, as the best law firm in the Czech Republic for the third time in a row, and in the Law Firm of the Year awards in Slovakia we won as the best international law firm and received the award for the best client service.
Thank you for your trust and long-term cooperation. We believe that we will successfully build on it in the next period. We also hope that the coming months will bring more reasons for optimism and hope for a better future for us all.
