Dentons has appointed Jan Stejskal as a partner in its Corporate and M&A practice in Prague, strengthening the global law firm’s capabilities in complex domestic and cross-border transactions involving Central and Eastern European clients.
Stejskal advises private equity funds, family offices, financial institutions, founders and corporations on mergers and acquisitions, fundraising transactions, joint ventures and other strategic corporate matters.
He is qualified to practice law in England and Wales, New York and the Czech Republic, giving him the ability to advise clients on transactions involving three legal systems frequently used in international dealmaking.
His arrival supports Dentons’ strategy of building a leading cross-border transactional platform in Central and Eastern Europe by combining Czech, English and U.S. legal capabilities within its Prague office.
Stejskal primarily works on complex M&A and private equity transactions involving Czech and broader CEE-based clients. His experience includes advising investors and companies on acquisitions, divestitures, growth investments, ownership reorganizations and strategic partnerships across multiple jurisdictions.
Before joining Dentons, Stejskal was a partner at Perkins Coie in London. He previously served as a partner at White & Case in Prague, where he advised clients on regional and international transactions.
His experience across Prague and London gives him insight into the requirements of both CEE-based investors pursuing opportunities abroad and international organizations entering Central European markets.
Stejskal has been recognized as a leading M&A and private equity lawyer by legal industry directories including Chambers Global and IFLR1000.
His appointment comes as Czech and other Central European companies, investors and family-owned businesses increasingly pursue international expansion through acquisitions, investments and joint ventures.
Many CEE-based businesses have developed substantial capital resources, management experience and sector expertise, allowing them to consider larger transactions outside their domestic markets.
These outbound deals can require legal teams capable of coordinating several regulatory systems, financing structures and local counsel relationships while maintaining one consistent transaction strategy.
Dentons believes its presence in more than 80 countries can help clients manage these cross-border requirements through an integrated international team.
From Prague, Stejskal will be able to work with Dentons lawyers across Europe, North America, Asia and other regions to support Czech and CEE clients pursuing global transactions.
His qualifications in English, New York and Czech law will also allow Dentons to advise on several legal frameworks within the same office.
English law is frequently used in cross-border finance, shareholder arrangements and commercial contracts, while New York law is commonly selected for international capital markets and financing transactions. Czech law expertise remains essential for acquisitions, corporate governance and regulatory matters involving businesses operating in the country.
Combining these capabilities can reduce the need for clients to coordinate multiple law firms when a transaction involves different governing laws.
Stejskal’s arrival follows the 2025 relocation of Rob Irving from Dentons’ Budapest office to Prague.
Irving is co-head of Dentons’ Europe Corporate and M&A practice and a New York-qualified M&A and private equity lawyer with more than 30 years of transactional experience across Central and Southeastern Europe.
He advises private equity firms, institutional investors and multinational corporations on acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and other significant transactions.
The presence of Stejskal and Irving in Prague gives Dentons two senior lawyers with substantial international deal experience and New York law qualifications.
Their combined capabilities are expected to support financial sponsors, technology companies, institutional investors and regional corporate groups undertaking increasingly sophisticated transactions.
Dentons is also strengthening its Prague-based structured finance and capital markets capabilities by adding additional lawyers qualified in English and New York law.
The firm views these investments as interconnected because major transactions frequently involve several practice areas.
An acquisition may require M&A advice, acquisition financing, capital markets expertise, regulatory analysis, tax planning and post-closing integration support. Private equity transactions may also involve management incentive programs, refinancing arrangements and eventual exit planning.
By expanding several related practices in Prague, Dentons aims to provide clients with coordinated support throughout the complete lifecycle of an investment.
Stejskal’s work with private equity firms will strengthen the office’s ability to advise on leveraged buyouts, minority investments, portfolio company acquisitions and exits.
His experience with family offices is also relevant as wealthy families and founder-led businesses become more active participants in regional and global transactions.
Family offices may pursue direct investments, joint ventures or acquisitions without using a traditional private equity fund structure. These transactions can require customized governance arrangements and a longer-term approach to ownership.
Financial institutions may engage Stejskal for strategic investments, joint ventures and transactions involving regulated companies. Founders and corporations can also seek advice on raising capital, selling all or part of a business or entering partnerships with institutional investors.
Dentons said the appointment is part of a long-term effort to establish Prague as a major hub for cross-border transactional work serving CEE-based financial and technology groups.
Technology companies and investment firms from the region are increasingly evaluating global opportunities, creating demand for lawyers who understand local business culture while also having experience with international deal structures.
The firm expects Stejskal to collaborate closely with Petr Zákoucký, partner and co-head of Corporate and M&A in the Czech Republic, Irving and other members of Dentons’ international transactional practices.
Dentons positions its global footprint as a differentiator for clients whose deals involve countries where international law firms may have limited direct presence.
The firm’s decentralized international structure enables local offices to work together while providing jurisdiction-specific legal knowledge.
Stejskal said Dentons’ international platform was particularly attractive as Czech and regional investors increase their outbound deal activity.
His addition gives the firm further capacity to advise clients from Prague while coordinating legal work across the jurisdictions involved in each transaction.
KEY QUOTES:
“Jan’s arrival is a major step in our long-term strategy of building a first-choice platform for complex, cross-border transactions for CEE-based financial and technology groups out of Prague. The strengthening of our Prague-based M&A team goes hand in hand with the addition of new English and New York law-qualified colleagues in structured finance and capital markets.”
Petr Zákoucký, Partner and Co-Head of Corporate and M&A in the Czech Republic at Dentons
“I am delighted to join Dentons at a time when the CEE market is seeing a steady rise in outbound investment, with Czech and regional investors looking abroad for growth. Dentons’ global presence in more than 80 countries and integrated team is a great fit for transactions involving multiple jurisdictions. From Prague, we can support clients on deals across the globe.”
Jan Stejskal, Partner at Dentons
