The Prague office of Dentons covers the full spectrum of corporate work, advising buyers and sellers on M&A transactions, joint ventures, corporate restructurings, and on carve-out and preferred share deals. Noted for ‘professionalism and integrity’, the practice is jointly led by Petr Zákoucký, who oversees cross-border transactions with a particular focus on the US, Africa, Asia, and Australia, and Chris Watkinson. Watkinson leverages his English qualification to manage landmark transactions in the Czech Republic and across the CEE region, with a recent emphasis on venture capital work while David Šimek is renowned by clients for his ’precision’ and ‘strategic thinking’ while handling M&A deals in the technology, energy, and infrastructure sectors.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Accolades
Client satisfaction: Sector knowledge
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- We have been working with Dentons for approximately the past two years, and with David Šimek even longer, for approximately the past four years. Their services are excellent. They combine strong legal capability with a precise understanding of business drivers. They also keep transactions progressing - exactly what businesses require. We have seen that Dentons employs technology-supported transaction management processes that enable them to deliver through a single point of contact on transactions involving multiple jurisdictions.
- I would single out David Šimek, whose rare blend of legal precision and financial acumen gives him a clear edge in negotiating key terms. He is highly responsive, works seamlessly under pressure, and is unwavering in pushing transactions to successful completion. I would also like to praise Rob Irving, a partner whose extensive experience with international transactions allows him to significantly accelerate and efficiently drive the entire process forward. Among the younger team members, I would like to recognize Kryštof Vrtek, an associate who excels in both strategic and operational management of transaction processes, ensuring their smooth execution.
- 'The team demonstrated a deep understanding of complex corporate structures and handled negotiations with professionalism and integrity. Their approach was both pragmatic and collaborative — they focused on practical outcomes while maintaining an excellent grasp of the broader legal and business context.'
- ‘Highly capable team, deep expertise in various legal areas, availability and flexibility suit our needs very well, mainly in individual projects like M&A transactions.'
- ‘We particularly valued working with David Šimek, who led the engagement with confidence, precision, and a strong sense of fairness. His strategic thinking and ability to find balanced solutions were key to the project’s success.'
- ‘Trust, experience, international reach, high quality & standards. We work a lot with Petr Zákoucký and David Šimek.'
Key clients
- CPI Property Group
- BPD
- Draslovka Holding
- MND
- KKCGEPH
- Sev.en Energy
- Komerční banka
- KB Smart Solutions
- PPF Group
- Emma Capital
Work highlights
Advising the founders of Adastra Group SE on the sale of a majority stake in the group to global investment firm Carlyle (NASDAQ: CG).
Advising Japanese Yanmar on its acquisition of TEDOM, a Czech-based energy engineering company, from Jet Investment fund.
Advising AutoWallis Group on its acquisition of Milan Kral Group, player in the Czech automotive market.
Lawyers
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Petr Zákoucký; Chris Watkinson
Other key lawyers
David Šimek; Lukáš Výmola; Jana Málková Želechovská; Jan Gerych