Tomáš Zagar’s principal areas of practice include energy, mergers & acquisitions, banking and financial services, as well as dispute resolution.

Mr. Zagar has been working in Czech industry, government, and banking since 1981. He is intimately familiar with Czech and Slovak banking and commercial legislation, as well as with the practical aspects of the banking business in the Czech and Slovak Republics, having worked for three years in the legal departments of two major Czech banks.

Mr. Zagar focuses namely on advising utilities clients recruiting from the energy and gas industries. Mr. Zagar is an expert in energy regulatory and antitrust issues. For a number of years he has been advising ČEZ, a.s., the major Czech energy producer, on a range of issues including the above mentioned as well as the international expansion of ČEZ, a.s. to Bulgaria through acquisition of three Bulgarian energy distribution companies. He also advised RWE Gas AG, a German gas company, on the EUR 4.1 billion acquisition from the Czech Government of Transgas, a.s., the major Czech gas producer, and eight gas distribution companies. This was the largest privatization ever in the Czech Republic. Mr. Zagar also advised the same client on the subsequent restructuring of its Czech operations (known as the “unbundling”) in order to reflect changes in the new Energy Act and the EU Gas Directive.

In the area of banking law, Mr. Zagar’s experience has included the representation of CIBC Wood Gundy plc. and ČSOB, a.s. in connection with a USD 300 million financing of the purchase of up to ten 737 Boeing aircraft, guaranteed by the Export and Import Bank of the United States. He is also active in the area of dispute resolution and arbitration that involves major Czech banks. For example, he represented ČSOB, a.s. in arbitration proceedings before ICSID in Washington D.C., regarding approximately USD 500 million owed to the bank by a Slovak state entity, Slovenská inkasná spol. s r.o. He advised the same bank in its dispute relating to a certain bank guarantee in the amount of CZK 1 billion, which was issued by ČSOB to Komerční banka, a.s. In the area of litigation, he also advised RAMCO Energy plc, a British energy and oil services company, in arbitration with the Czech oil producer MND in connection with Ramco’s investment in the Czech Republic.

In addition, Mr. Zagar has been involved in several securities transactions. He has represented, among others, ČSOB, a.s. in connection with the first-ever public issue of mortgage-backed securities, involving extensive research of mortgage banking regulations applicable to Czech banks.

Mr. Zagar is also active in the legislation process in the Czech Republic. He is a member of the Working Group on Financial Law of the Legislative Council of the Czech Government. Most recently he has been commenting on the latest amendment of the Czech Energy Act and the implementation therein of the EU Electricity and Gas Directives. He also commented on the draft Bankruptcy Code.