Transportation & Infrastructure

Weinhold Legal provided comprehensive legal assistance to Transdev, a world-class player in the mobility market and business base operating in 20 countries, in connection with the acquisition of the 3ČSAD group (including ČSAD Havířov, ČSAD Karviná and ČSAD Frýdek-Místek bus companies, and the company Bus Management). As a result of the acquisition, Transdev becomes one of the strongest players in the public transportation sector in Czechia with nearly 1,350 employees and 600 coaches.

Weinhold Legal assisted the rolling stock leasing company Leo Mobility Management (LMM) with the entry of a new investor, CREDITAS Rail, which acquired a 51% stake in this company and also in the company Leo Mobility Holding. Comprehensive legal advice included the preparation and negotiation of the transaction documentation. In addition, Weinhold Legal also assisted with the purchase of 72 railcars from their Dutch owner for subsequent future lease. The cooperation also included the preparation of the loan documentation for the financing of this significant multi-million Euro transaction. For LMM, this is the second successful rail leasing project after the purchase of 40 railcars from Germany and their lease to the Austrian state carrier ŐBB. We also assisted LMM with this project, including its financing.

Ministry of Transportation / Roads Administration (ŘSD)

Weinhold Legal provided comprehensive legal advisory services to Ministry of Transportation and the Roads Administration (ŘSD) in relation to multiple multi-billion public tenders on winter and current maintenance of the roads.

Obrascón Huarte Lain (OHL) / ŽS

Weinhold Legal represented Obrascón Huarte Lain, S.A. (OHL) in its acquisition of two publicly listed Czech companies, ŽS Brno, a.s., a leading construction firm specializing in railway corridors and transportation infrastructure, and Železniční průmyslová stavební výroba Uherský Ostroh a.s. (ŽPSV), the dominant producer of concrete sleepers. Our engagement consisted of drafting and negotiating the pre-acquisition contractual documentation, legal due diligence on the group, including its subsidiaries in Slovakia, negotiating, drafting and finalizing the acquisition documents, including shareholder agreement and option contracts, filing for and obtaining anti-trust approval in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, corporate and structuring support, and advising on the settlement of the transaction and following compulsory take-over bids. Weinhold Legal obtained merger clearance from the Czech Antimonopoly Office for OHL in its acquisition of control of companies from the ŽPSV group, including ŽS Brno, and in its disposal of ŽPSV, the leading producer of concrete sleepers.

NedRailways / Abellio

Weinhold Legal provided legal services to NedRailways (Dutch railways group, now Abellio) with regards to the acquisition of a leading public transport provider. The legal services rendered included a due diligence exercise on four companies, assistance with negotiations and closing transaction documentation. Weinhold Legal provided legal services to Czech target entities (public transport companies) belonging to the Abellio Group during the acquisition process and in negotiations with Arriva (Deutsche Bahn Group). Our legal services included assistance with the due diligence process and drafting and revising selected transfer documentation.

Grandi Stazioni

Weinhold Legal represented a subsidiary of an Italian investor in court proceedings regarding contractual claims arising from the termination of a major lease contract. The client successfully claimed over a half of billion CZK.

HDS Retail Czech Republic and Aelia Czech Republic (Lagardère group)

Weinhold Legal provided legal services to HDS Retail Czech Republic and Aelia Czech Republic (both Lagardère group) in connection with corporate matters, franchising, leases, mergers and acquisitions and competition law. Weinhold Legal’s services also included drafting and review of contractual documentation, assistance in negotiating and various legal analyses. Weinhold Legal assisted in establishment of a subsidiary of Aelia, a member of the Lagardère group, for its successful bid to acquire Czech Airlines’s on-board sale and duty free business for CZK 764 million (nearly EUR 30 million), and provided various related corporate law services. Further Weinhold Legal assisted Lagardère group with a merger of three companies.