Robert Neruda

Robert Neruda is a partner of Havel, Holásek & Partners and the head of’ the firm’s team of lawyers specializing in competition & state aid law. Robert focuses on advising clients in the areas of cartels, abuse of dominance, control of concentrations, state aid and public procurement. He typically represents clients in proceedings related to concentrations between undertakings and advises them on related issues, represents businesses suspected of anti-competitive conduct, and advises clients on the competition aspects of their contemplated projects. He also frequently advises clients on compliance issues.

Before joining Havel, Holásek & Partners, Robert worked at the Czech Office for the Protection of Competition from 2000 to 2003, first at the International Department, later as Director of the Analytical Department, then as Deputy Chief Director. He then served as an assistant to the judge at the Czech Supreme Administrative Court in 2004 and 2005. After his return to the Office for the Protection of Competition, he worked as the chairman of the appellate committee for antitrust and mergers, and as a member of the appellate committee on public procurement. Beginning in 2007, he served as the head of the Competition Section; in 2008 as Vice-Chairman of the Office; and in 2009 as the Office’s acting chairman.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS

Robert Neruda is mentioned as one of five Czech experts in competition law in the prestigious publication The International Who's Who of Competition Lawyers & Economists 2011, compiled by the independent international organization Who's Who Legal Research, and also in the www.whoswholegal.com database.

REPRESENTATIVE EXAMPLES OF LEGAL ADVISORY

• advising an internet company on issues of unilateral conduct
• advising a major telecom company in connection with alleged restrictive practices
• advising a major bank on the competition aspects of establishing a joint venture, in connection with an investigation conducted by the European Commission, and on various competition issues related to the generation of electricity by photovoltaic plants
• advising a local power company on the procedural aspects of the application of competition laws
• advising a major distributor of car parts in connection with a merger control proceeding
• advising a major forwarder on the competition law aspects of the formation of a joint venture, and advising the client before the competition office
• advising a major energy company on unilateral conduct issues

MEMBERSHIP IN PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

• Czech Bar Association