The Legal 500

Headed by partner Bojana Tkalcic-Dulic, Lawyers Office Bojana Tkalcic-Dulic, Olodar Prebanic & Adela Draganovic remains one of the more highly esteemed domestic practices, considered ‘reliable and effective’ by clients. The firm has the capacity and track record to manage significant M&A transactions and, in 2008, acted for an international financial client in relation to the acquisition of a majority stake in Privredna Banka. Additionally, the firm has experience in advising European clients on subordinated loans and finance contracts pertaining to transactions in the local banking and finance market. It continues to be a popular choice for international investors when creating local subsidiaries or special-purpose vehicles in BiH. In a domestic market of variable quality, Lawyers Office Bojana Tkalcic-Dulic, Olodar Prebanic & Adela Draganovic offers dependable advice across a broad spectrum of practice areas, including competition, employment and capital markets.

Law Office Femil Curt’ BiH office underwent a reorganisation in 2008. The five fee-earner practice was cut free of direct oversight by Vienna-based partners and now enjoys a degree of autonomy. Highlights of 2008 include advising a European energy development company on the formation of a joint venture agreement with a domestic entity to implement a significant wind power plant project. The firm was also active in transactions in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. With its strong European network, the firm is well positioned to act for multinational investors and companies looking for legal work at a global standard. Clients go to the firm for ‘the certainty of quality’.

Maric Law Office is a four-partner firm headed by Branko Maric, regarded by clients as ‘the leading man in the Bosnian legal market’. Mr Maric specialises in banking and finance work and, whilst 2008 proved a quiet year for BiH, the firm advised the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE) in relation to their support for micro-finance organisations in the country. In M&A, the firm advised Turkish Airlines in the part-privatisation of B&H Airlines – the Bosnian domestic airline – which took the form of an exchange of shares in the airline for a major capital investment. Partner Predrag Radovanovic continues to be active in the energy sector, advising on an acquisition of several hydro power plants under construction. The firm handles the local end of international M&A deals, advising multi-national clients on merger-related competition and employment issues.

Wolf Theiss’ BiH practice is led by partner David Ayres, whom clients consider to be ‘experienced, knowledgeable and trustworthy’. The local team offers the full gamut of legal services to a predominantly central European client base, in conjunction with other offices in the firm’s network. The firm’s M&A clients in 2008 included GeoPost Paris, Soreltek Belgium and Lexmark International Technologies. The firm also continued advising UniCredit/HVB Group on the merger of HVB Central Profit Banka and Zagrebacka Banka Bosnia. The Bosnian practice benefits from the firm’s strong reputation for banking and financial work, acting locally for major players such as Bank Austria Creditanstalt, West LB, Citibank and ING Bank. Other significant corporate clients include technology companies Nokia Siemens Networks and Cisco Systems. With expertise in employment, corporate restructuring and competition, Wolf Theiss is a ‘go-to’ practice in the jurisdiction for international companies.

Advokat Karabdic Kerim is a respected local lawyer with an admirable record of work for international clients, and particular experience of establishing local representative offices for companies in the technology and pharmaceutical industries. In 2008, Kerim acted for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on a series of loans to financial institutions in BiH, including a €300,000 loan to Raiffeisen Bank. Kerim also advised furniture giant Ikea on pledge contracts and company registration and acted for Nomura International in relation to the privatisation of a domestic telecoms company. Clients praise Mr Karabdic’s ‘reliability and solid quality’.

Rizah and Inja Pasalic are the father-and-daughter team behind Lawyers Office Pasalic & Pasalic. With third partner Edin Sacic, the small firm has established a solid reputation for its commercial and corporate practice. In addition to its market-leading IP work, the firm specialises in the insurance sector and clients include Zurich, Allianz Insurance, Lido Insurance and ADAC.

At Attorney at Law Office Ruzica Topic, partner Ruzica Topic heads a team of seven fee earners and is one of the longest-established practitioners in the RS market. Ms Topic has particular experience in banking and finance work, having advised the IFC on various issues in the Serbian entity, including bankruptcy proceedings for domestic companies. In 2008, the firm acted for Italian investor Franzoni Filati Esine on the purchase of a local company. The team has expertise advising foreign companies on winning government contracts and concessions and, during 2008, advised Aricam 2001 on a concession for the exploitation of limestone and stone resources, acted for Statkraft on a contract for building hydro-electrical power plants and advised Strabag on a major BOT highway development for the RS Government.

At the helm of Advokatska Firma Sajic o.d. is the mother-and-son pairing of partners Stojanka and Aleksandar Sajic. With 16 fee-earners in total, this firm is the largest in the RS and is praised by clients for its ‘good knowledge of the RS legal context’. The firm has particular industry expertise in the telecommunications sector, advising Nokia Siemens Networks and Siemens on all types of corporate and day-to-day legal issues in the RS. In recent years, the firm has been advising Bosnian company JP Hrvatske Telekomunikacije in relation to their ongoing programme of building telecommunications stations across the RS.

The five fee-earner team at Stevan Dimitrijevic Law Office in cooperation with Karanovic & Nikolic is headed by experienced local lawyer Stevan Dimitrijevic and has close working ties with Serbian firm Karanovic & Nikolic. Based in Banja Luka, the firm is one of the few reliable outfits in RS and enjoys a strong reputation for small-scale banking and finance work. In 2008, the firm acted for the local subsidiary of Volksbank and began advising two domestic microcredit organisations (Sinergija Plus BL and Zdrado) on both financing and regulatory issues. The firm advised the European Investment Bank (EIB) in relation to a €24m loan to UniCredit. In M&A, the team acted for PepsiCo on the successful acquisition of a local snack company (Marbo). In 2008, the firm was appointed to advise the RS government, in conjunction with London firm Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (Europe) LLP, on a major PPP highway-building project. Clients praise Stevan Dimitrijevic’s ‘understanding, depth of knowledge and attention to the needs of the customer’.

Amila Ferizovic Kunosic, Attorney at Law is a four fee-earner practice headed by partner Amila Ferizovic Kunosic and provides general commercial legal advice and corporate services to mid-sized Bosnian clients. Additionally, the firm specialises in human rights law and has represented clients before the European Court of Human Rights.

At Emir Kovacevic, Attorney at Law, local lawyer Emir Kovacevic heads a four fee-earner team comprising lawyers Muhidin Karsic, Muhamed Grabus and new arrival Dijana Kunic. In 2008, the firm’s key new mandate was international electricity generating company GenI, whom the team advised on general corporate issues in relation to the establishment of a subsidiary operation in Bosnia.

Greek firm IKRP Rokas & Partners d.o.o. Sarajevo has a small local office of two associates overseen by Athens-based consultant Mira Todorovic-Syneonides. In 2008, the firm acted for a Chinese telecommunications company on the establishment of a Bosnian subsidiary, and continued to provide general corporate and employment advice to CareDirect and Microsoft Sarajevo.

Irena Mojovic of Advokatska Kancelarija Irena Mojovic has been a prominent figure in the legal market for nearly 30 years. Mojovic served as labour court judge for 12 years before opening her Banja Luka practice in 1992, building on her employment and company law experience, advising on several key privatisations in the RS. Mojovic’s qualification as a notary in 2008 indicates a shift in the focus of the practice towards real estate, although she continues to advise both private and public-sector clients on privatisation issues.

Former president of the Bosnian bar association, Mehmet Spaho, operates as Attorney at Law Office Spaho working in cooperation with Lansky, Ganzger & Partner GmBH, Austria. In 2008, the firm acted for Hypo Consultants Holding on the sale of 100% of the shares of Hypo Alpe-Adria Consultants to Auctor Projekt in a transaction valued at €37m.

Zlatko Sehovic, Attorney at Law is a capable domestic attorney-at-law with more than 20 years’ experience. Sehovic specialises in insurance work, representing German, Austrian and Swiss insurers in indemnity claims against Bosnian companies. Clients include Allianz and UniCare.