At Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW) we place our clients at the heart of our business. We understand that they are constantly facing new challenges, fresh opportunities and novel problems. They want advisors who can provide solutions. And that means being flexible. It may mean developing innovative legal strategies and liaising closely with the regulatory authorities to find ways forward; or putting together teams of experts to cooperate on international solutions; or it could mean acting as project managers or business advisors rather than just as lawyers. Whatever the issue, we will do whatever we can to serve our clients’ best interests.
Whether you are spearheading your firm’s entry into the Serbian market, already have well-established operations across the region, or are intending to expand your business, we can help. We hope that you will find some of the further information you need on our website. But nothing, of course, replaces the personal touch. Please don’t hesitate to contact us directly if you would like to discuss your business goals and how we can help you achieve them.
Founded in 2010
50 people in their team
Resolving disputes efficiently and cost-effectively.
Ever since the onset of the global financial crisis Serbia has experienced an increase in the volume of litigation coming before its courts, with ‘bet the company’ commercial cases at the forefront. Add to that the growth in arbitration and the continuing development of different ADR techniques, increasing cross-border cooperation between regulators, and the speed with which – in these highly connected times – a crisis can escalate, and you have the template for a complex and challenging legal environment.
At Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW) we have handled some of the largest, most complicated disputes in the region, either alone or as local counsel in conjunction with well-known international law firms. We act in a wide range of disputes, from general commercial and shareholder litigation, to real estate, environment and construction disputes, banking litigation, IP and IT disputes, employment litigation, and competition disputes, among other areas. Our particular experience in the energy sector means that we are a first choice for resolving the problems that arise in this field, while our premier position in large-scale bankruptcy proceedings has given us an outstanding grasp of all aspects of insolvency-related litigation.
We also understand the importance of resolving disputes as quickly and cost-effectively as possible, especially where the parties may want to maintain a business relationship in the future. So wherever possible we aim to help our clients achieve effective resolutions without expensive litigation and without compromising on their key objectives. Our talented team includes a number of lawyers who are listed as arbitrators with the Arbitration institute of the Chambers of Commerce & Industry of Serbia, and we also have experience of a range of ADR techniques. Just as importantly, we are experienced in undertaking risk management and regulatory audits to help prevent disputes from arising in the first place. Whatever the matter, however, we always aim to learn as much as possible about our clients’ businesses, so that we can give them the best possible advice tailored to their particular circumstances.
The team has represented some of the largest clients in agriculture (including UAB „ARVI” ir ko, part of ARVI Enterprises), media and entertainment (Kolosej Group – Serbia’s biggest cinema and bowling operator; European Broadcasting Union), energy (Brikel – major Bulgarian power company), construction, real estate and development (INGRA – major Croatian construction company; Marina Dorcol, part of Kimberly Enterprises NV; TM IMMO member of CA IMMO GROUP), engineering (Slovenian Fori Group), food and drink (Apatinska brewery, member of Molson Coors Beer Company; Imlek AD Beograd), financial services (Uniqa insurance – a leading CEE insurance group; Rand Edgar Investment Corp – Canadian specialist in early stage investment; CCBill – leader in Merchant global billing services; EBRD), mining and minerals (Jelen DO doo, part of Carmeuse group), life sciences (Novartis) and other sectors.
Pragmatic employment advice that you can trust.
As labour and employment regulations get ever more complex, and the penalties for non-compliance get ever more severe, it’s vital that your advisors don’t just understand the law, but also have the sort of in-depth experience of the local market that enables them to make difficult judgement calls – what conditions are really enforceable in practice, or when to fight and when to settle.
At Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW) we are committed to understanding our clients’ business needs and aims. We offer tailored and pragmatic solutions across the spectrum of contentious and non-contentious labour and employment law. This includes advice on the drafting of labour contracts, including contracts for high level executives, assistance with the preparation of employee handbooks and procedural rules, and help with the regulations on the employment of foreign citizens. Our skilled experts also have considerable experience in handling complex union and employee negotiations, as well as advising on the transfer of personnel following mergers, demergers, outsourcings or group restructurings.
Our employment team is fully integrated into the corporate, finance, dispute resolution and other practices, allowing us to work as part of larger teams, anticipating issues that may arise in a range of deals. For example, with Stankovic & Partners’ strong name for big-ticket restructurings and insolvency proceedings, our employment team has gained a corresponding reputation for creating and implementing major redundancy programmes. A similarly strong reputation in the technology sector has seen us acquire outstanding expertise in employee data protection and privacy issues, while other focus areas include health and safety, pensions and benefits, and social and health insurance.
The final word must go to our clients – and we are proud to say that almost all of the firm’s clients, including the Serbian operations of many global businesses, rely on our labour and employment expertise.
Our client list includes high profile names drawn from a wide variety of sectors, such as Sutherland Global Services, Apatinska pivara (a member of the Molson Coors Group), Marina Dorcol, Uniqa Insurance (one of the leading insurance groups in the CEE region), Takeda GmbH, Imlek AD Beograd (member of Mid Europa Partners), Hauzmajstor, VOJVODINAPUT, Technomer doo Belgrade, Lanus, CCBill (one of the largest global third party payment processors), Novartis, Jelen Do (part of Carmeuse Group), Gopa Consultants, Monster Energy, Rand Investments Canada, Dominion Voting and Radical Instal.
Swift and sound advice on mergers and acquisitions.
Corporate transactions can be high pressure, requiring fast responses, clear advice and a firm hand in negotiations. It’s important to have advisors who you trust representing your interests, particularly when you are working in an unfamiliar jurisdiction.
At Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW) we regularly handle some of the largest, most complex and demanding corporate transactions in Serbia and Montenegro. Our clients include major international corporate groups and investment funds, as well as domestic companies, public sector bodies and funders. We assist our clients at every stage in the deal process, from helping to define strategy, advising on transaction structuring, undertaking legal due diligence, assisting with financing, negotiating and documenting transactions, and finally helping with all aspects of implementation, including filing obligations and post-merger issues.
Experienced in handling transactions in a wide range of sectors, we have expertise in public and private M&A, disposals and demergers, negotiating complex cross border joint ventures and strategic alliances, as well as IPOs and equity offerings, corporate governance and directors’ responsibilities, and regulatory and commercial advice. We also work with colleagues across the firm to provide advice on related areas – whether employment, intellectual property, competition, real estate or risk management – to ensure that your transaction runs as smoothly as possible.
What our clients’ really appreciate, however, is our ability to treat their deal as a top priority. This means finding out about their business drivers and aims, thinking creatively about solutions to challenges, and working responsively right from the first strategy meeting to closing the deal and beyond.
Our client list includes many nationally and internationally significant businesses such as Mining & Smelting Combine Bor (the largest Serbian copper mine and smelting facility), Heta Asset Resolution AG (former Hypo-Alpe Adria bank International AG), AD Imlek, CCBill SRB doo Novi Sad (part of CCBill Group USA, a leading payments company), UCTAM (part of Unicredit Group), Apatinska pivara (part of Molson Coors Group), Sport Vision (the general distributor of Nike for Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina), Novartis, EMS SA Brazil, Takeda, Berlin Chemie AG, Uniqa Insurance, Monster Energy, Rand Investment Canada, Dominion Voting Canada, CB&I USA, GOPA Consultants, ODIEN Hotels USA, Technomer doo Beograd, Sberbank Serbia, Radical Instal Solutions SRL, Romania, Japanese Business Alliance in Serbia, and a host of other major names.
Real estate advice based on firm foundations.
The real estate markets of Serbia and Montenegro represent real opportunities for international real estate investors and developers. It’s vital however that they understand the nuances of the local region if they are to make the best decisions and avoid expensive mistakes. At Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW), we work closely with our clients to appreciate their business drivers and help them achieve their aims.
Our experienced real estate team can provide you with tailored, responsive advice covering the full spectrum of your real estate and construction law needs. We help a wide range of investors, developers, funders and occupiers to overcome a variety of real property challenges connected with the acquisition or development of commercial, industrial, residential and mixed-use assets. This spans everything from strategic advice on initial planning and due diligence stages, through to the acquisition of land or built assets, assisting with related financing issues, handling all aspects of the construction process, and finally ensuring that the eventual sale or leasing proceeds smoothly. We also offer a comprehensive property management service for real estate investors.
With our particular name for big-ticket energy and infrastructure projects, it’s hardly surprising that we are a first port of call for advice on the real estate aspects of numerous renewables, waste management and other projects, while our outstanding restructuring and insolvency expertise is complemented by considerable experience of handling the sale of real estate assets by distressed or bankrupt companies. Our admired dispute resolution and regulatory teams also offer considerable sector expertise, completing a first class, all round real estate offering.
Our clients include a range of important funders, such as UCTAM, Serbia (a member of the UniCredit group) and the Czech Export Bank, as well as international developers and investors such as Savana Holding AB and Kimberly Enterprises N.V., Netherlands. Other clients include Sutherland Global Services, Serbian Innovation Fund, CA Immo International, Dona Pharm, Serbia (affiliate of Farmaciile Dona, one of the largest pharmacy networks in Romania), GOPA, Germany (member of GOPA Consulting Group) and IMLEK, Serbia (largest dairy products manufacturer).
Tenacious and pragmatic support however challenging the circumstances.
When it comes to restructuring and insolvency matters in Serbia and Montenegro, Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW) is a premier choice. Deeply experienced in this field, our track record includes many of the largest insolvency actions and debt restructurings in the region, notably including the financial restructuring of the major mining and smelting business, M&S Combine Bor, which at €1.2 billion is the largest pre-pack financial restructuring in bankruptcy to date in Serbia.
We are experienced in acting for all parties in major insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings, including domestic and international banks and financial institutions, corporate debtors, private equity sponsors, bondholders, creditors’ committees, accountants and other financial advisors and insolvency practitioners. Our work ranges from debt rescheduling and restructuring, and corporate restructuring to avoid formal insolvency, to pre-pack administrations, bankruptcy sales and all related regulatory and commercial issues. Our talented contentious lawyers also assist with asset recovery and represent clients in a range of bankruptcy-related claims. We also work closely with other teams across the firm to handle the sale of corporate, financial and real estate assets out of bankruptcy.
What our clients really appreciate, however, is our dedication to their best interests and our willingness to work hard to understand their commercial imperatives and think creatively to achieve them.
We advise a wide range of domestic and international companies and organisations, including banks, investment funds and other financial services companies, public sector bodies, bondholders, accountants and administrators, and corporate debtors among others. Some examples include M&S Combine Bor, HETA Asset Resolution AG, UCTAM d.o.o (an affiliate of UniCredit Bank), and Celanova Group.
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