Competition

Jakub Kocmánek

My journey through competition law began sometime at the beginning of my student internship when I was asked to define the relevant market of the anthracite coal. When they explained to me what a relevant market is (I knew coal from my granny’s cellar), I found that competition is a good fit for me. When not attempting to understand law, I’m a keen photographer and music listener (tending towards classical). As for my team affiliation, I am a Czech Philharmonic fan, supporting them both on their home turf in Rudolfinum and at away matches.

Robert Neruda

In my third year at law faculty, I went to Professor Bejček's lecture on competition law and ... I was lost. I was dealing with antitrust law as a student, as a trainee at the Office for the Protection of Competition, as an author of several books, as a lecturer, as a deputy chairman of the Office for the Protection of Competition, I worked at the court, until life took me to the legal profession. I like to learn how markets work, it fascinates me to be around great things. Competition law is the most, it sucks you in, but there is a risk it will drive you crazy. That's why I compensate: I run furiously and cheer a little less furiously at hockey games.

Dušan Valent

When I went to college, I couldn't decide between law and economics. In the end, I came out just somewhere in between. Competition law is great - intellectually interesting, evolving, and relevant. In addition, I am very lucky to have good colleagues. If you didn't know, the H&P competition team is top!

Lenka Štiková Gachová

I must admit that competition law completely passed me by at university. From the beginning of my legal studies (or even before that, due to my grandfather's influence as a police investigator), my dream was to become a prosecutor. It was only by coincidence and a nudge from one of my former classmates that I applied for a job advertised by the Office for the Protection of Competition, which was looking for new staff for the competition section. When I was hired at the Office for the Protection of Competition, I considered it a transitional experience. However, I was so engrossed in competition law that I have not been able to detach myself from it to this day (i.e. since I graduated from university in 2002). And why did it happen? Probably because I have always enjoyed mathematics and technical fields alongside the humanities. Competition law ties everything together. In order to apply it correctly, it is necessary to know how the different and very diverse markets work (from food sales to electricity distribution, steel production, etc.). Therefore, advising on competition law never gets boring, you are always discovering something new and new things to learn.

Monika Juriková

I have to admit that in my early years of law school I was convinced that my steps would lead to a practice in criminal law. However, in my fourth year, thanks to a lecture in a seminar on European law, I discovered competition law more or less by chance, and its complexity aroused my curiosity. In fact, it was an area that covered much more than any other. My next steps led me to H&P where, thanks to the support of great colleagues, I had the opportunity to work on interesting competition cases. These experiences only strengthened my conviction that I really wouldn't be bored in competition law. Today, what drives me to work in this field is the variety of cases and the fact that there is always so much more going on.

Dita Krumlová

I first encountered competition law in my second year at law school in one of the last lectures on European law. Honestly, there is only one thing I remember from that lecture to this day: "I just hope I will not pull it out in the exam!" I didn't. At that time, I guess it was still fortunate. However, I am a person who really doesn't like not understanding something. So a few months later I had my best idea yet and enrolled in a course on EU competition law. And as the saying goes, who is enthralled by competition law never comes back. So here I am. And if I’m not, you'll probably find me on the dance floor. In my free time I like to dance salsa, bachata and urban kizomba.