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.