The law firm TaylorWessing became the responsible medium-sized business for 2015 and seeks to promote clean and transparent business environment and good law enforcement in Slovakia. They provide the consultancy to the non-governmental organisations and they also participate in the pro-bono projects that aim to enhance legal environment in our country.  Due to the special legislation, the law firms use the mandatory legal traineeships commonly in Slovakia to ensure cheap labour force. TaylorWessing gives every successful and well-performing student a trainee position and each trainee a position of cooperating attorney. Each partner invests personally much of her/his time for the  education and cooperation with younger colleagues. To their co-workers – trainees, working for the company for at least two to several years, office offers the possibility of financial support for completing the year-long study program, Master of Law at one of the renowned foreign universities. They specifically focus on the area of start-ups because they have the potential to help the Slovak business environment, but also to promote interest in the social innovation.

The basis of their motivation is that the high-quality provision of legal services in a fair competitive environment is fulfilling and joyful. They realize that in an environment of pure competition they are able to be successful in the long term and at the same time it is also very important for the environment and society of the country.

We talked with Andrei Leontiev, Managing Partner in the company TaylorWessing e / n / w / c lawyers sro about the pride and commitment Via Bona Slovakia carries.

What did the Via Bona Award 2015 in the category of the Responsible medium-sized business mean to you?

In addition to the natural feeling of satisfaction and pride for our team, we felt surprisingly positive feedback from our clients and the entire business environment. It is this feedback that proves that our activities are relevant and go in the right direction.

How have you progressed in the recent year?

Given the long-term cooperation with Lucia Žitňanská, once she was appointed as Minister of Justice, we became part of the team of consultants and gain the opportunity to participate in actions aimed at improving law enforcement and the fight against corruption. This is a significant shift from the criticising the public affairs to co-create solutions. This shift implies necessarily an obligation to take responsibility for the result, which, given the atmosphere in the company is not an easy nor attractive task .

What sustainable activities you are currently participating in? What is your biggest future priority and what projects can we look forward to?

Our priority remains to shape and improve the legal framework for fair business making in Slovakia. The most significant activity of the last months is the close involvement in the preparation of law against letterbox companies. As firm, we have participated in the preparation of this regulation from the stage of formulating the legislative intent through its inclusion to the programming declaration of the Slovak government for 2016-2020 and the subsequent elaboration of the law into the individual articles including the guiding the law through commenting procedure and the expert discussions and the readings in parliament.  The law in approved form represents the highest European standard for detecting the actual owners of companies doing business with the state. Parallel to this, we have helped the Minister of Justice Lucia Žitňanská to identify and conceptually set reforms aimed at improving law enforcement (e.g.. personal bankruptcy, dunning proceedings, enforcement proceedings, fraudulent mergers of extended companies). In addition, we of course continue our other CSR projects (cooperation with the Stop the Corruption Foundation, support of Fair Play Alliance, participation in the Fund for transparent Slovakia).