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What we say about the firm's legal practice in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Corporate and M&A
Within Corporate and M&A, Maric Law Office is a first tier firm,
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.
Intellectual property
Within Intellectual property, Maric Law Office is a first tier firm,
Respected partner Emina Pasagic left the practice at Maric Law Office in November 2008 to form her own IP boutique. Associate Anisa Strujic now heads the office, which is a registered trade mark agent. As well as acting to protect clients’ general, industrial and geographical trade marks, the firm advises on copyright and brand protection. Leading clients include Philip Morris International, Spirits Products International and LVMH Holding, responsible for brands including Moet Henessy and Louis Vuitton.
Legal market
Within Legal market,
Both the Federation and RS have separate laws, courts and bar associations, mirroring political fractures. The Federation accounts for the bulk of the economy and consequently Sarajevo houses the major law firms. Domestically, Maric Law Office continues to dominate, with a reputation amongst foreign clients as the most professional and reliable of the home-grown outfits. Three-partner Lawyers Office Bojana Tkalcic-Dulic, Olodar Prebanic & Adela Draganovic is not far behind and recommended sole practitioner Advokat Karabdic Kerim goes from strength to strength. The only international firms present in the market are regional players Law Office Femil Curt and Wolf Theiss, for whom their Bosnian offices represent the realisation of a general policy of ubiquity across Central and Eastern Europe. Whilst the latter firm continues to lead operations from Vienna, the former changed strategy in 2008 and concentrated on creating a more self-sufficient local practice. Both remain the first port of call for foreign investors and the influence of their respective networks guarantees a level of quality that the domestic market struggles to produce. Both are fending off hostility from Bosnian firms and the two bar associations. BiH’s profoundly illiberal legal market continues to discourage the presence of foreign firms. The RS has only a handful of firms, all operating out of its unofficial capital Banja Luka. Attorney at Law Office Ruzica Topic, Advokatska Firma Sajic o.d. and Stevan Dimitrijevic Law Office in cooperation with Karanovic & Nikolic– the one-partner outpost of Serbian operation Karanovic & Nikolic– are the leading players. Observers agree greater liberalisation is needed if the market is to grow and standards are to rise. Despite the modest demand, there remains a shortfall of highly qualified, multilingual lawyers capable of dealing with international clients.
Real estate and construction
Within Real estate and construction, Maric Law Office is a first tier firm,
In 2008, Maric Law Office advised on several small real estate deals for domestic and regional clients, including acting for Slovenian supermarket chain Tus on the purchase of several sites. Highlight of the year in real estate was the firm’s appointment to advise the buyer in a multi-million Euro purchase of several hydro-electrical power plants in BiH.
What we say worldwide
Please choose another Maric Law Office office to view full details of what we say in that region, or choose from this list to view a specific editorial reference in context.
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Offices in Sarajevo
Legal Developments worldwide
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Harmonising Anti-Circumvention Protection with Copyright Law
Technological measures are increasingly used by rightholders in order to protect their intellectual property rights in digital content. The effect of such measures is to restrict the access to and the use of digital content, by associating pre-defined and self-executing usage rules with it. Within an increasing number of legislations, technological measures enjoy legal protection against circumvention. However, these new rules have been subject to rather severe criticism, especially from a copyright law point of view, the general claim being that anti-circumvention protection threatens to ruin the delicate balance of interests cast in the provisions of copyright law. -
How to stop fraud before it happens
Stopping fraud before it happens is the ultimate goal of a successful fraud prevention and awareness programme. Whilst it is important that fraud prevention controls are robust and are methodically implemented, too often companies fail to recognize that it is the perception of the likelihood of detection and sanction which discourages a person from perpetrating fraud, rather than the actual effectiveness of the internal controls and anti-fraud measures. -
Consumer Protection Act and leases
The Consumer Protection Act 2008 (“ the Act ”) was assented to on 24 April 2009 and is to come into operation incrementally with the majority of the provisions coming into effect 18 months after the date on which the Act was signed by the President. Accordingly the majority of the provisions of the Act will come into operation on 24 October 2010. -
The impact of competition law changes/developments on M&A activity
The Impact of Competition Law changes/developments (including the practices and policies of the Commission/Tribunal) on M&A activity - with a specific focus on 2008 and also forward looking taking into account expected legislative changes. If possible mention actual company names/cases wherever possible to make it have real life application -
Contributed tax capital: simplicity at last!
By now, many will have heard something about c ontributed tax capital (CTC). A year or so hence, the concept will form part of the South African tax terrain – to the relief of tax practitioners who have had to trawl through the Income Tax Act’s (“the Act”) three-to-four page long definition of a dividend . I certainly heaved a sigh of relief when I read the Revenue Laws Amendment Bill of 2008 (“Bill”). -
The Consumer Protection Bill – Changing the Face of Litigation and Dispute Resolution
The Consumer Protection Bill is the Department of Trade and Industry’s omnibus consumer protection legislation which has been passed by Parliament and is currently awaiting the President’s signature. -
Deliberate manipulation of securities prices will invariably and inevitably be harshly penalised
Deliberate manipulation of securities prices will be harshly penalised. That’s the clear message to emerge from the 17 February 2009 Financial Services Appeal Board case of Michael Berman vs the Financial Services Board . -
Unconstitutionality of the Competition Amendment Bill By Andrew Smith and Emmylou Wewege
It is hoped that the President will refer the Competition Amendment Bill to the Constitutional Court rather than sign it into to law so as to resolve its unconstitutionality and avoid unnecessary litigation. Failure to do so will spark constitutional challenges which will prevent it from being implemented while that litigation unfolds. -
New Laws in the Pipe Line to Decisively Respond to the Challenge of Climate Change
New laws may be in the pipeline in South Africa to address climate change after the South African Finance Minister’s (“the Minister”) Budget speech o n 11 February 2009. In the 2009 Budget speech, the Minister announced specific additional measures which South Africa will implement in responding to climate change. -
Big business beware – the class and derivative actions are coming! by Carl Stein
The trend over the past decade in the USA , and more recently in the UK after the enactment of its new Companies Act in 2006, towards more aggressive shareholder activism seems likely to be followed in South Africa once our new Companies Act becomes operative. This new Act is only awaiting the State President’s signature in order to become law, although it will only come into operation at least one year after the State President does so.