An in-depth look at Slobodan Doklestic of Doklestic Repic & Gajin covering his career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about him as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.
Career:
- Lex Adria; Member of the Managing Board; 2019-Present
- Doklestic Repic & Gajin; Managing Partner; 2013-Present
- Karanovic & Nikolic; Partner; 2008-2013
- United Nations Development Programme; Special Legal Advisor in Serbia; 2006-2008
Education:
- University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Law; Ph.D.; 2010
- CEU/Emory Law School; LL.M.; 2005
- University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law; LL.B.; 2003
Favorites:
- Out-of-office activity: Spending time with family, traveling, reading, and trying to stay in shape. During summer: boating and sailing. During winter: skiing
- Quote: “Cogito, ergo sum” (“I think, therefore I am”) – Rene Descartes
- Book: Belgrade by Sinisa Kovacevic
- Movie: The Martian by Ridley Scott
Top 5 Projects:
- Advising Philip Morris on its EUR 120 million investment for the expansion of its production facilities in Serbia for novel tobacco products based on “heat but not burn” technology
- Advising Beijing New Building Materials Plc. in relation to their USD 60 million investment into a joint venture with the Ugljevik mine and thermal powerplant in the Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina (a subsidiary of state-owned Electric Power Industry Company)
- Advising NLB Bank in relation to its merger by acquisition of Komercijalna Banka in Montenegro
- Advising Medicover on the acquisition of a chain of medical diagnostics laboratories in the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Advising Veolia Energy in relation to the public-private partnership project with the City of Belgrade relating to the treatment of waste in the City of Belgrade, reconstruction of the waste landfills at the outskirts of Belgrade, and the construction of energy-from-waste facilities by the private partner, as well as the operation of this project during the contracted 25 years
CEELM: What would you say was the most challenging project you ever worked on and why?
Doklestic: Our most recent projects often seem the most demanding due to their increasing complexity and our ambition to excel. Over time, our memories of past projects fade, and what once seemed intricate becomes less so with experience. If I had to highlight one project, it would be the 2010 strike at Crnogorski Telekom (aka Montenegrin Telekom). As a young lawyer at the start of my career, this project was a rollercoaster. It involved a premium international client, a strong trade union, heated emotions, media coverage, billboards with caricatures of management members, criminal charges, police involvement, and even some veiled threats. Although I later handled more complex and valuable projects, achieving a positive outcome in this one at the start of my career is something I will always remember vividly.
CEELM: And what was your main takeaway from it?
Doklestic: You always have to respect your adversary and treat them with the respect they deserve. That is the only way you will earn their respect. And often, that is the key to success.
CEELM: What is one thing clients likely don’t know about you?
Doklestic: When I was a junior lawyer, I was uncomfortable with public speaking. It took me some time and practice to overcome this. Gradually, I became more confident and comfortable in these situations. Now, my clients are often surprised to learn that I ever had this issue.
CEELM: Name one mentor who played a big role in your career and how they impacted you.
Doklestic: If I am to single out one individual who was important for my professional development, it would be Professor Tibor Varady who was my professor in my LL.M. studies and my mentor for my master’s thesis. He not only provided me with invaluable legal knowledge and skills but also instilled in me the importance of integrity, perseverance, and dedication to the profession. I am deeply grateful for his mentorship, which has had a lasting impact on my career and personal growth.
CEELM: Name one mentee, you are particularly proud of.
Doklestic: It has been a pleasure to watch Ljubinka Pljevaljcic grow her legal career. She joined our firm right after law school, and I have had the honor of collaborating with her since then. While the days of calling her my mentee are long gone, as she has now been promoted to Partner, I hope I have helped her along the way. Ljubinka is now one of Serbia’s leading lawyers in labor law and has become a mentor to many young colleagues in our office.
CEELM: What is the one piece of advice you’d give yourself fresh out of law school?
Doklestic: Never give up. Hard and honest work will always be rewarded. If you put these things together, the result will come.
This article was originally published in Issue 11.10 of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the magazine, you can subscribe here.
