Marić & Co Ltd.

Managing Partner: Branko Marić
Number of lawyers: 13
Languages: Bosnian, Croatian, English, French, German, Italian, Serbian

Firm Overview:
Marić & Co Law Firm is Bosnia’s largest multidisciplinary law firm with five decades’ long presence in the market. The firm has international orientation and its strong experience makes it the leading firm in the country. Being a member of South East Europe Legal Group, the firm offers clients legal service in the entire Balkan region and perform region related multinational projects. Lawyers are respected for their dedication to clients and creative legal solutions. Main Areas of Practice:

Banking & Finance:
The firm advised almost all banks and micro credit organisations in BH either on issues of acquisitions and reorganisation, or various bank operations, project finance, investment consulting, or matters with their ongoing business activities. It advises state company Elektroprivreda BiH Sarajevo regarding the 700M loan from CEXIM (Chinese Investment Bank).

Corporate/M&A:
Extensive experience relating to the companies matters, from their establishment to the acquisition, sales, mergers, restructuring, corporate governance and corporate litigation. Most recent transaction includes acting as local advisor for Inditex Group in intra-group restructuring of the shareholding of local subsidiaries.
Energy/Environment:
The fact that the firm was hired by the EU as a local consultant in implementation of the law establishing the production, transmission and distribution of the electric energy is its best credential in this field. It also led the establishment of SEE Coordinated Action Officecentral point for cross border capacity allocation in the region. Other notable experiences in the energy sector include legal advising on constructing, commissioning and connecting hydro, wind and thermal power plants, as one of leading law firms in this legal area in BH. With rising issues of environmental rights in BH, the firm is proud to be one of the first firms in BH that offers relevant advice in respect of environment protection in compliance with EU standards and regulations.

Real Estate/Construction:
The firm has vast experience in all kinds of real estate transactions and the ability to see the client through the entire construction process of the most comprehensive facilities, all while protecting the client’s interests at all stages of their projects, from planning to completion. Recent engagements include legal advising provided to Benetton Group, Bauhaus, Inditex Group, Microsoft as well as the USA Embassy in Sarajevo. Intellectual Property:
Through the years, the firm has established extensive IP prosecution, licensing and litigation practices predominantly in the field of trademark, industrial design and copyright protection by representing a number of globally-known companies major brand owners operating in various industries, such as electronic, spirits, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, car industry, fashion industry, food, music, art and other areas. It also provides legal assistance with respect to implementation of border-control measures against infringes and follow-up actions in seizure and destruction of infringing goods. Its major IP projects and clients are: Google Inc, YouTube Inc, Coca Cola HBC Group, Mattel Inc. USA, AB Electrolux, AstraZeneca, Avon Inc., Abbvie Inc., Procter & Gamble, Microsoft Inc, Unilever, Sanrio Ltd., Teva Israel, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, JTI S.A., Colgate Palmolive, Inditex Group, Fox International.

Trade Litigation/Indemnity Claims:
The experienced team of litigators, best described by the number of efficiently closed cases, has the ability to assess the likelihood of successful outcome of the case and to identify all related risks that should be eliminated or mitigated. The firm regards commercial litigation as a comprehensive service within its overall spectrum of legal counselling. It has also been engaged in indemnity claims in insurance matters and participated as a local consultant in the creation of all national insurance laws. The firm’s reputation has been recognised by the Association of Banks in Bosnia and Herzegovina when the Agency engaged the firm for developing a litigation strategy in a number of disputes initiated against the local banks over the loan processing fee. Labour:
The firm successfully represents both interests of the employers and employees. It has the relevant experience required to identify all potentially risky situations for employers as well as the expertise for adequate solutions to avoid or solve them. In 2016 a new Labour Act entered into force the firm advised corporate clients on their employment issues with an emphasis on Management contracts. The firm advised on redundancy programmes and drafting employment contracts for international companies like Microsoft, JT International, Scania, Heta Asset Resolution, Helios Group, Heineken Group, Zara - Inditex Group, several Embassies in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It also has significant experience advising on the employment implications of restructurings and acquisitions. Competition:
The firm prides itself with work related to concentration of Coca Cola and MB Impex, as well as merger notification of full functioning joint venture between LG Electronics and Lufthansa Technik. It also represents Addiko Bank in the proceeding related to prohibited agreement and abuse of dominant position in regard to the loans in Swiss Franc (CHF). Advice is offered on a complete range of antitrust, competition issues, including merger control, licensing and distribution, restrictive practices, abuse of dominance, and related damages claims. The firm is able to offer tailored guidelines with recommendations to be followed within the various companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the event of dawn raid controls.

Capital Markets:
After the stock market opened for transactions in BH, the firm acted in sale and acquisitions of various joint stock companies which resulted in significant experience in trade with different types of securities. Recently, the firm advised majority shareholder of the largest pharmaceutical company in BH on sale of its shares.

Product Liability:
The firm offers legal advisory and practice service in the fields such as: food/non food labelling, packaging requirements, labelling, health and safety regulations, technical standards, product liability, consumer protection, advertising and promotions, product recall and market withdrawals, as well as resolving all consumer issues arising in the local market, including distribution and distribution related matters. The multidisciplinary team of legal professionals, IP attorneys and tax professionals provides tailored advice in areas relevant to this sector.

Personal Data Protection:
The practice has emerged during the past years due to increased attention paid by public authorities and individuals to privacy related matters and, the increased need to ensure compliance with privacy related requirements. The firm has extensive experience in assisting clients in completing notification and authorisation processes before the DPA in respect of both local and international data processing operations and in advising clients on all data protection matters, including in respect of compliance with specific data protection requirements applicable to clients’ core businesses, marketing or employment activities, database cloud sharing and data protection implications of business transfers, projects and mergers, both national and cross-border.

Telecom/IT/Media:
The activities of the firm in the area of telecom/IT are developing every day. Lawyers regularly advise large multinational corporations on local telecommunications laws. They have successfully advised on setting up local operations, the firm has a considerable experience regarding registration of domain names and acquisition of licenses in the mobile telephony sector, as well as regarding all activities of Internet Service Providers (ISP). The practice works closely with its data protection, litigation, competition, distribution and intellectual property practices. It is capable of dealing with the most complex commercial, regulatory, and technical issues in the telecommunications and media sector. It offers legal advice and legal assistance at all stages of business transactions and telecommunication projects including advice on the regulatory regime (telecommunications, radio and TV broadcast); implementation of special projects in the fields of telecom and media, legal due diligence in connection with mergers and acquisitions of companies from the telecommunications sector; a full range of corporate servicing, assistance in its day-to-day operations, regulatory advices, dispute resolution and litigation, etc. It was recently engaged by AGICOA to represent their rights in various litigation disputes in this area of practice and Porsche GmbH with respect to use of Car Connect Services.