The Zunic Law Firm, working with California-based Fenwick & West, has advised Wonder Dynamics on the sale of the company to Autodesk.

Selih & Partnerji, Polenak, Maric & Co, Kalo & Associates, and BDK Advokati have advised NLB Skladi on its acquisition of Generali Investments in North Macedonia. Papazoski and Mishev, an independent law firm in cooperation with PwC, advised Generali Investments.

In Serbia, most of the exclusivity arrangements between pharma companies need to be, prior to their implementation, individually exempt by the Serbian Competition Authority (“SCA”). Most recently, the SCA issued two decisions in the individual exemption process. In one it denied, while, in the other it only conditionally approved individual exemptions for exclusive distribution agreements between pharmaceutical companies. These developments show a noticeable shift in the SCA’s stand towards exclusivity arrangements with the SCA taking a stringent approach, limiting the parties' ability to contract exclusivity arrangements in the sector.

Cvjeticanin & Partners has advised health influencer Nastasja Nedimovic – known as the Cancer Influencer – on intellectual property matters. 

Companies are not obliged to use the stamp while doing business, as stated in Article 15 paragraph 1 of the Company law of Montenegro ("Company Law"). The legislator’s intention when prescribing freedom while regulating use of stamps in doing business was to unburden the Company’s business, i.e. to not burden the business with additional formal conditions, as well as to leave the issue of the use of the stamp to the company to regulate it by a general or special internal act.

When talking about notable recent developments in Serbia, Bojovic Draskovic Popovic & Partners Senior Partner Uros Popovic reports of an evolving business landscape in the country, marked by the substantial influence of foreign companies and dynamic sector activities, with a burgeoning real estate market and a quickly developing renewable energy sector.

NKO Partners has advised Dr. Max on its acquisition of the Miletic Plus pharmacy chain consisting of eight retail units from Biljana Miletic. Sole practitioners Rade Terzic and Milan Cvijovic reportedly advised the seller.

In The Debrief, our Practice Leaders across CEE share updates on recent and upcoming legislation, consider the impact of recent court decisions, showcase landmark projects, and keep our readers apprised of the latest developments impacting their respective practice areas.

In The Corner Office, we ask Managing Partners at law firms across Central and Eastern Europe about their backgrounds, strategies, and responsibilities. Given the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the legal profession, we asked: What is the one critical skill that you’re investing time and energy in to develop within your team, and why?

During 2023, there have been significant changes in the legal regulations in the field of planning and construction as well as in terms the Real Estate Cadastre in Serbia. In August, amendments to the Law on Planning and Construction entered into force, while in November, amendments to the Law on the Registration Procedure with the Cadastre of Real Estate and Utilities (which is now called the Law on the Registration Procedure with the Real Estate Cadastre and Infrastructure Cadastre) entered into force.

The Companies Act of the Republic of Serbia (“Off. Herald of RS”, Nos. 36/2011, 99/2011, 83/2014 - other law, 5/2015, 44/2018, 95/2018, 91/2019 and 109/2021; hereinafter: “the Law”) prescribes a circle of persons who have certain special duties towards the company:

The Commission for Protection of Competition (“CPC”) and the Republic Secretariat for Public Policy (RSPP), in cooperation with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), enacted a while back a Control List for Assessing the Impact of Regulations on Competition (“Control List”), which establishes whether a specific proposal or draft regulation could lead to competition distortion in the market.

In December 2023, The New York Times (“NYT”) filed a lawsuit against Microsoft and OpenAI for alleged copyright infringement and misuse of intellectual property, all related to the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT.

Cytowski & Partners has advised Collabwriting on its USD 1.1 million seed financing with Smok Ventures, Credo Ventures, Fiedler Capital, Underline Ventures, Startup Wiseguys, and several CEE angel investors. Schoenherr reportedly advised Collabwriting as well. San Diego-based Komorowski PLLC reportedly advised lead investor Smok Ventures.

On January 1, 2024, the amendments to the Law on Fees for the Use of Public Goods, published in the Official Gazette of RS No. 92/2023 (“the Law”), came into effect.

We continue to deal with court decisions that creatively interpret the provisions of the Labor Law concerning the termination of employment contracts, thereby introducing significant legal uncertainty in practice.

BDK Advokati has advised Hodler Asset Management on its acquisition of the remaining 32% of shares in Superior Foods, thus becoming its sole owner. Belgrade's Nikolic law office advised Superior Foods.

NKO Partners has advised CTP on a new real estate transaction in Serbia: the purchase of a 22-hectare plot located in the industrial zone of Sombor, near the borders of Hungary and Croatia, from the local municipality.