Michal Sylla

Practice Areas

Michal Sylla is an Associate Partner specializing in dispute resolution, general corporate law, banking and finance. Michal represents clients before ordinary courts at all levels, as well as in arbitration proceedings. He specializes in class actions and defending against them, which is why he was engaged in various stages of the legislative process in the drafting of the Law on Civil Class Proceedings. Michal has been included among the Top 10 Influential Czech Lawyers Transforming the Dispute Resolution Landscape by Business Today. This recognition implies that his work and possibly his publications have had a significant impact in the field.

Career

Michal joined PRK Partners as an associate in 2009. He was admitted to the Czech Bar Association as an attorney at law in 2012. He is the bar association’s representative in the Collegium of Experts for the execution of judgments of the European Court for Human Rights.

Professional Memberships

• Attorney at law of the Czech Bar Association

• Member of the Collegium of Experts for the execution of judgments of the European Court for Human Rights.

Publications

Michal has published several professional articles: on class actions, on topics of Czech procedural law and on proceedings before the Constitutional Court. Michal, along with other members of PRK Partners’ team, is the exclusive author of the Czech Republic chapters in the following Chambers Global Practice Guides:

• Enforcement of Judgments 2021

• Collective Redress & Class Actions 2023

• Collective Redress & Class Actions 2024.

Michal's articles in the law magazine Právní rozhledy (Legal Perspectives) are:

• Collective Enforcement of Law in the European Union?

• On the Law on Associations and Limits on Prohibition of Retroactivity (under the EU Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms)

• Development of ECJ Case Law in the Field of International Company Law.

Michal's contributions on the website epravo.cz are:

• Proceedings before the Constitutional Court and the Right to be Judged by a Statutory Judge

• Non-Statutory Judge Not Allowed to Enter Brno

• Strasbourg Scepticism

• Brno judgment for recognition in counterclaims

• Class Actions 3.0

• Class actions when the lights come on

• Why? Because that's why

• Set-off of claims under the Civil Procedure Code

• Procedural context of one court finding

• Legislative changes in the area of consumer loans.

Languages Spoken

Michal is fluent in Czech, German and English.

Clients

• VW Group (incl. ŠKODA AUTO)

• TESCO SW a.s.

• RPG Industries Limited

Work Highlights

Unfortunately, we are bound by the principle of professional confidentiality regarding most of his mandates. However, from his recent mandates, we can mention, e. g,• Provided legal advice to members of VW Group (incl. ŠKODA AUTO) in connection with the VW engine emissions problem ("Dieselgate") and its potential consequences for VW customers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

• Represented RPG Industries Limited, as the defendant, in a dispute over damages connected with flats formerly owned by OKD, a.s.

Expert in these Jurisdictions

• Czech

Experience

Michal's dedication to the field of litigation is most profoundly exemplified by his consistent presence in the courtroom, participating in an average of two court hearings per week.

Education

Awards