Jan Linda

Partner, Prague

Biography

“He is approachable, responsive and great at getting back to us. He is helpful and willing to give advice outside the formal assignment.”
Chambers Global 2019

Overview

Jan's practice includes the provision of legal advisory services to banks and other financial institutions in cross-border, syndicated and bilateral financing arrangements and related transactions, in particular, in the area of project, export, real estate and acquisition financing. He has also been involved in a number of major Czech and international out-of-court restructurings and insolvencies.

Mr. Linda also represented local as well as foreign lenders in more than 50 project and infrastructure financings in CEE and in other European countries (with and without PPP elements), including provision of legal advisory services in connection with structuring, preparing for implementation and due diligence of a first-ever prepared PPP project in the Czech Republic, the reconstruction of the Central Military Hospital in Prague.

He has been also involved in reviewing and commenting of documentation prepared by the Czech PPP Association.

Jan also specializes in the provision of legal services to German-speaking clients.

Bars and Courts
Czech Bar Association
Education
JD
Charles University
Faculty of Law, Prague, Czech Republic
MA
Charles University, Faculty of Law
Prague, Czech Republic
BA
Charles University Faculty of Social Sciences
(Area Studies), Prague, Czech Republic
University of Regensburg Law School
Germany
Languages
Czech
English
German

Experience

Representative transactions include the provision of legal advisory services to:

Erste Group Bank AG, Česká spořitelna, a.s., UniCredit S.p.A., UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia, a.s., Société Générale S.A. and Komerční banka, a.s. as mandated lead arrangers in connection with syndicated financing provided to CTP Group, one of the largest industrial developers in the CEE region, for the purposes of refinancing the existing financial indebtedness of certain property companies within CTP Group that operate logistic parks in the Czech Republic. At an amount of EUR 1.9 billion, this is one of the largest real estate financings in the CEE region.

Komerční Banka, a.s. and Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, pobočka Praha in connection with the CZK 1.011 billion financing of TATRA DEFENCE VEHICLE a.s., a member of the CZECHOSLOVAK GROUP, which is one of the largest industrial groups in the Czech Republic, focusing on engineering, automotive, rail, aviation and defense industries;

Avast Software in connection with incremental and refinancing amendments relating to US$1,285 million senior secured term facility used to finance the acquisition of AVG Technologies, a provider of security software solutions;

Česká spořitelna, a.s. (Erste Group) and Helaba Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen in connection with the EUR 78.144 million financing of Realty IV., a.s. for a development of VN 47 Project, a building located on prime address in centre of Prague.

Komerční Banka, a.s., Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft, pobočka Praha and UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia, a.s. in connection with the EUR 250 million financing of Sellier & Bellot a.s., a member of CBC group and the leading producer of a wide range of ammunition for pistols, rifles and shotguns. This was one of the largest domestic corporate financings in past years, with strategic importance for the whole CBC group due to its main purpose to refinance the USD 250m senior notes issued by CBC AMMO LLC;

Československá obchodní banka, a.s. in connection with provision of Lloyd´s and EGAP covered buyer credit facility to the Government of the Ivory Coast acting through Ministry of Economics and Finance of the Republic of Ivory Coast for the purpose of financing of supply of 500 buses produced by IVECO Czech Republic. Complex export finance transaction with two facility agreements, one covered by ECA insurance and the other by insurance by private insurers as well as combination of legal advisory services under French (facility agreements), English (private insurance), Czech (ECA insurance) with heavy input of matters governed by the laws of Ivory Coast (export contract);

Československá obchodní banka, a.s. in connection with export financing, secured by the EGAP of Deshbandhu Polymer Ltd. for supplies that are to be delivered by BSW Machinery, s.r.o.;

BNP Paribas Fortis SA/NV in connection with the provision of an EGAP-covered buyer credit facility to Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. Ltd for the purpose of financing two steam turbines and generators to be supplied by Doosan Škoda Power s.r.o.;

Bayerische Landesbank and Landesbank Baden Württemberg in connection with the refinancing of the development of the 13.6 MWp solar power plant in Stříbro, Czech Republic

Publications

Das neue tschechische Insolvenzrecht und seine Auswirkungen auf die Rechtslage der Gläubiger, (New Regulation of Czech Insolvency Law and Its Impact on the Position of Creditors, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft, 2007, (co-author)

Awards and Recognition

Ranked as "Highly regarded" in Banking and Finance (IFLR 1000, 2018 - 2019)

Ranked as one of the Next generation of lawyers in banking, finance and capital markets by Legal 500, 2019

Jan Linda focuses on project and export financing and is particularly strong in matters with export credit agency coverage. Clients say: "He is approachable, responsive and great at getting back to us. He is helpful and willing to give advice outside the formal assignment."
(Chambers Global and Europe 2019)

"Hard-working and client-oriented lawyer," Jan Linda is best known for his strength in export and project finance transactions, and has experienced an increasing real estate finance workload. He has a strong reputation in matters involving export credit agencies, and is described as "flexible with regard to finding solutions when you are in a cul-de-sac."
(Chambers Global and Europe 2018)

Clients say: "We regard Jan Linda to be the top professional in the area of export finance in the Czech Republic."
(Chambers Global and Europe, 2017)