We are pleased to announce that Iva Basaric was promoted to partner at our firm as of 1 October 2015. Iva studied at the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Law and University of San Francisco, USA, where she earned a Master of Laws degree in International Transactions and Comparative Law. During her career with our firm, Iva has worked on a number of complex matters, including cross-border M&A deals, representing clients from diverse industries, ranging from pharmaceutical and energy to leisure industry and has demonstrated a dedication to our core values and bringing swift and professional service to the clients.

Please join us at IBA annual Conference in Vienna in October 2015. In particular, we are proud that Boris Babić, will co-moderate along with Ms. Izabela Zielińska-Barlożek, partner of Wardynski & Partners, Warsaw, a session titled „Negotiation clinic: sharpening your skills“. Details are further below.

Description:

To deal with real estate is to gamble. Real estate lawyers have to be at their top game to sit at the negotiating table. This session will present the perfect opportunity to train, develop and improve negotiating skills in order to achieve the best arrangements in typical real estate transactions. This interactive session aims to explore essential soft skills features such as non-verbal communication together with common cross-border legal challenges.

Speakers:

• Peter Alfandary, PRA CrossCultural & Development, London, England;
• Professor Walter Samuel Bartussek, Studio Gold Egg, Vienna, Austria
• Claudio Cocuzza, Cocuzza & Associati Studio Legale, Milan, Italy;
• Catherine Martougin, Jones Day, Paris, France;
• Peter Vocke, Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek, Düsseldorf, Germany
• Claudia Winkler, CDRC Vienna, Vienna, Austria

Date:

Thursday, 8 October 2015

Place:

Austria Center Vienna Bruno-Kreisky-Platz 1, 1220 Vienna

For more information please visit: http://www.ibanet.org/Conferences/Vienna2015.aspx

Relying on 2013 legislative amendments that streamlined relevant statutory setup and utilizing the boost in technical (forensic) capabilities, the Croatian Competition Agency (“Agency”) has recently launched a number of unannounced inspections (dawn raids) in different industries.

The raids are carried based on the decision of the High Administrative Court granting wide powers to the officials of the Agency. The decision will contain a start and end date of investigation in the range of four or more days. Agency officials will likely come at the opening hours and the team will consist of five or more officials accompanied by police officers. The officials will: i) present the court decision, ii) present their identification cards; iii) immediately ask that no personnel leave the premises; iv) request termination of all communication. A call to the outside counsel will be allowed, but it cannot be expected that the search will be suspended until the arrival of outside counsel. The officials will ask to examine books and records of the company and will make copies or extracts from such books and records. IT environment and media that can be subject of search include laptops, desktops, tablets, mobile phones, CD-roms, DVDs, USB keys etc. Inspections officials will make copies using their forensic IT tools. Some of the materials will be briefly inspected on the site while certain documents and other data will be taken from the premises.

Since the Agency’s proceedings are in early stages, it still remains to be seen to which extent will the competent High Administrative Court exercise control over the Agency’s actions and almost discretionary powers and accept the (likely) arguments on inadmissibility of certain evidence. The Agency’s activity also places additional emphasis on importance of well-organized and maintained competition compliance programs that would be fully tailored to local legal and practical specifics.

Drawing on success of previous events, 6th Annual IBA Real Estate Investment Conference will take place at the Hotel Principe di Savoia, in Milan, Italy on 18-20 June 2014. The annual conference organized by IBA – Real Estate Section is viewed today as one of the most important events of the year for lawyers involved in real estate transactions: captivating speakers, economists, preeminent experts and policy makers from the Americas, Europe and Asia will gather in Milan for this unique event to address topics including: (i) The real estate market: current trends, key players and opportunities; (ii) Luxury goods, fashion and real estate: what a real estate lawyer should know about this winning combination?; (iii) Cross-border real estate investments: hot topics at round tables; (iv) Retail real estate: the legal challenges of the ‘Omni-Channel’ model; and (v) Hotel real estate market: is there a market?

Evidencing our strong commitment to the expertise in real estate law, Babic & Partners will again actively participate in this internationally recognized event. We are proud that Boris Babić, acting Vice Chair of the IBA Real Estate Section, will moderate a Conference session addressing financing in the real estate projects: Shaping the deal so that the money comes! Do’s and don’ts in the search to fund a real estate project

IBA Real Estate Conference – Milan 2014

On February 25, 2014 the International Antitrust Law Committee of the American Bar Association, organized a dedicated teleconference covering the CEE antitrust issues of interest for the international practitioners. The teleconference followed successful publication of the Competition Law in Central and Eastern Europe, A Practical Guide, by Kluwer Law International BV and addressed major antitrust developments across Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Republic of Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine and Eurasian Economic Area. Some of the main topics included: (i) Legislative snapshot; (ii) Enforcement priorities, records and trends; (iii) targeted industries and (iv) landmark cases.

The program was moderated by Ingrid Vandenborre, Partner, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP with the presentations from speakers Astrid Ablasser-Neuhuber, Partner, bpv Hügel Rechtsanwälte, Aleksander Stawicki, Partner, WKB Wierciński, Kwieciński, Baehr Sp.k., Vassily Rudomino, Senior Partner, ALRUD Law Firm and Boris Babić , Senior Partner, Babić and Partners Law Firm Ltd.

A successful event ended with lively debate including participants from Stepanovski, Papakul and partners from Belarus, Djingov, Gouginski, Kyutchuko & Velichkov from Bulgaria,  Allen & Overy LLP from Czech Republic, Raidla Lejins & Norcous from Estonia, Raidla Lejins & Norcous from Latvia, Raidla Lejins & Norcous from Lithuania, Szecskay Attorneys at Law from Hungary, Sayat Zholshy & Partners Law Firm from Republic of Kazakhstan, bpv Grigorescu Ştefănică from Romania, Prica & Partners from Serbia, Čechhová & Partners from Slovakia, Jadek & Pensa from Slovenia, ELG Attorneys at Law from Turkey, Asters from Ukraine.