Vilém Podešva

Practice Areas

Vilém Podešva is the head of the Public Investment specialization at ROWAN LEGAL. He is a leading expert in both public procurement law and projects that involve public-private partnerships (PPPs), while also specializing in competition law.

Career

Vilém has led legal teams in implementing a number of key public investment projects, particularly in the construction and operation of public facilities (concession or quasi-concession projects in the field of administrative buildings, parking areas, health, social services, transport infrastructure and energy), public informatization of administration (for numerous implementation projects, traffic infrastructure and IT applications, the acquisition of hardware technology and complex outsourcing projects), the defense industry (procurement of security systems, as well as defensive and weapons systems), and various other services (waste management, facility management, water management and consulting services, to name but a few).

In his practice, he has also represented various entities in competition cases (antitrust and mergers of competitors) and in the assessment of public aid in proceedings before the Office for the Protection of Competition, the Czech administrative courts and the European Commission.

Since 2006, Vilém has been a member of the Appeals Committee of the Ministry for Regional Development in proceedings concerning the list of qualified suppliers. From 2012 to 2017, he was a member of the Appeals Commission of the Chairman of the Office for Public Procurement, and since December 2019 a member of the Appeals Commission of the Chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition. He has also been a member of the Board of Referees of the Football Association of the Czech Republic since 2016, and a member of the Environmental Section of the Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic since 2022.

Professional Memberships

Czech Bar Association (CBA)

Slovak Bar Association (SAK)

Ministry of Regional Development – Appeals Committee for proceedings concerning a list of qualified suppliers (Chairman)

Office for the Protection of Competition – Appeals Committee in proceedings concerning procurement

Football Association of the Czech Republic – Member of the Board of Arbitrators

Publications

• Podešva V., Sommer L., Votrubec J., Flaškár M., Harnach J., Měkota J., Janoušek M., Law in Public Procurement. Prague, Wolters

Kluwer, 2016.

• Annotation Release Regarding the Law on Special Proceedings, Sections 323-331. Procedure for Interim Agreements to Conduct

Investigations in Matters of Competition. Lavický P. et al, Wolters Kluwer CR, Prague, publication in 2015.

• ASPI Navigator Tenders, 2014, co-author.

• Podešva V., Olík M., Janoušek M., Stránský J.: The Public Procurement Act, Prague: Wolters Kluwer ČR, a.s., 2011, co-author

(Commentary after the amendment made by Act No. 55/2012 Coll., electronic version to ASPI)

Work Highlights

• Representing the operator of the Heureka portal in proceedings for damages for abuse of dominant position by Google (2020-

present).

• Representing clients operating in the electrical installation and energy construction sector in proceedings before Czech and foreign

competition authorities. He successfully represented EGEM and PROFI EMG in proceedings before the Office for the Protection

Competition regarding an alleged cartel agreement in a distribution system operator’s contract, where the proceedings were

dismissed without any sanctions or negative consequences (2018-present).

• Providing ongoing advice on the development, implementation and operation of compliance programs focused on criminal and

competition law for companies belonging to a major Czech holding company, bringing together contractors operating primarily in the

fields of design and construction in the energy sector, waste management and the production of public transport (2016-present).

• Providing legal advisory services related to transformations of operating models in the water sector for the largest owners of water

management infrastructures in the Czech Republic, notably Severočeská vodárenská společnost, Prague, Brno (2014-present).

Languages Spoken

Czech – native speaker

English – active, high standard of proficiency

Slovak – active, high standard of proficiency

Education