Živković Samardžić Lawyers recognized by The Legal 500 EMEA 2024
Monday, 01 April 2024
Živković Samardžić is truly delighted to learn about rankings in the Legal 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa 2024 directory. The office has been ranked across a diverse set of practice areas and our lawyers have been recognized as great professionals.
Miloš Milošević, Partner has been recognized as a Leading Individual, while Ivan Ljubisavljević, Partner as a Next Generation Partner, for their Dispute Resolution work.
Dispute Resolution team has also been recognized as consistently handling high-stakes commercial cases before the Serbian and Montenegrin courts, Živković & Samardžić Law Office acts for several domestic investment banks and insurance companies on an ongoing basis. The firm is home to experts in litigation and enforcement work, along with restructuring, reorganisation and insolvency proceedings. The career of Miloš Milošević includes being a civil law appellate chamber judge at the Belgrade District Court, while Ivan Ljubisavljević is a banking and finance litigation specialist. Civil litigation practitioner Tihomir Vlaović provides additional support.
One of the client testimonials are: ‘Expertise and experience make this team stand out by comparison to other firms.’, ‘Miloš Milošević is great for his understanding of banks’ business and aspirations.’
Additionally, Danka Draško has been recognized as a Rising Star for her Employment work, while the Employment team praised for being particularly active in advising on redundancies, reorganizations, union negotiations, employment disputes and executive terminations, to amendments of working conditions and disciplinary procedures
Client impressions were: ‘They are precise, efficient and professional in every way, and they respect tight deadlines.’, ‘Lawyers from this firm are interested in each client individually, knowing in detail the client’s organisation and type of work, as well as its business needs.’
Other ranked practice areas include Commercial, Corporate and M&A and Competition.
Commercial, Corporate and M&A department led by partners Sava Pavlović and Branislav Živković is known as exceptionally knowledgeable and experienced, acting for major commercial, financial and industrial businesses on complex business transactions. According to clients, “This team is truly impressive. They are incredibly focused and experienced, and their approach is remarkably flexible and innovative“, and “Clients highly value the excellent communication between lawyers and clients, as well as the team’s proactive engagement with them”.
The Competition practice is also recognized by the Legal 500, while Živković Samardžić is highlighted as a firm worth watching in the field of Real Estate and Construction practice. This practice is led by Uroš Đorđević, who has longstanding experience in real estate projects and project finance, as well as infrastructure and procurement contracts, however, he is supported by Srđan Zerdo, whose commercial real estate focus covers investment sales and acquisitions, property developments, FIDIC contracts, hotel operation agreements, and property joint ventures.
The Legal 500 is an independent guide, where firms and individuals are recommended purely on merit, considering various factors such as capabilities of the team and the law firm in general, the complexity and the variety of the performed work, with a great emphasis on client feedback.
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A new entry to Živković Samardžić’s track record in the Serbian banking sector: AIK Banka is the new owner of Eurobank Direktna
Friday, 03 November 2023
Following the announcement from March 2023, and upon receipt of the approvals by all competent regulatory authorities, on November 2, 2023, the shareholders of Eurobank Direktna completed the sale of their shares in Eurobank Direktna to AIK Banka a.d.
Eurobank S.A. (“Eurobank”) entered the banking business in Serbia in 2003 as Eurobank EFG Serbia. After the merger with Direktna Banka, in which Živković Samaržić has advised both merging banks as well, the merged bank – Eurobank Direktna, has become number eight in the Serbian market with a market share of 5.5% in assets, a loan portfolio of 1,7 billion euro and 1,5 billion euro deposits (as of September 2022).
Following this transaction, Eurobank Direktna’s and AIK Banka’s joint participation in the Serbian banking market will be higher than 13%, with over 4 billion euro deposits and a very strong capital base.
The acquisition of Eurobank Direktna is another milestone in the Serbian banking sector as it also reflects the increasing competition and consolidation within Serbia’s banking sector.
Živković Samardžić acted as local legal counsel to Eurobank SA on all aspects of this process. The transaction was led by Živković Samardžić corporate/M&A partners Branislav Živkovićand Sava Pavlović, and was supported by the team consisting of partner Uroš Đorđević, and associates Ilija Milosavljević and Ana Grebo.
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Živković Samardžić Advises on the Sale of HDL Design House to Capgemini Consulting Österreich AG
Thursday, 28 September 2023
Živković Samardžić, one of Serbia’s leading full-service independent law firms, has advised the shareholders of HDL Design House, a leading independent provider of silicon design and verification services in Europe, on the sale of this company to Capgemini Consulting Österreich AG, a multinational information technology (IT) services and consulting company.
HDL Design House was founded in 2001 and headquartered in Belgrade (Serbia) and it comprises approximately of 300 highly skilled engineers with substantial experience in delivering advanced custom chip designs for multiple industries.
Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. With its strong 55-year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fueled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering, and platforms. It is a responsible and diverse organization of 350,000 team members in more than 50 countries. Živković Samardžić team that acted as lead legal counsel to the shareholders of HDL Design House on all aspects of this transaction consisted of Partners Branislav Živković, Uroš Đorđević, Igor Živkovski, Sava Pavlović, and Associate Danka Draško.
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Živković Samardžić Advises on the Sale of Eurobank Direktna to AIK Banka
Thursday, 02 March 2023
Serbian banking market continues with consolidation and Živković Samardžić is again on the spot. Živković Samardžić, one of Serbia’s leading full-service independent law firms, has advised the shareholders of Eurobank Direktna a.d. Beograd (“Eurobank Direktna”) on the sale of the entire stake of 100% in Eurobank Direktna to AIK Banka a.d. Beograd(“AIK Banka”).
Eurobank Direktna is headquartered in Belgrade and operates through 4 primary segments: Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Small Business Banking & Digital Banking, and holds a market share of 6% in terms of total assets. It currently employs c. 1,600 employees, operates 98 branches and has a balance sheet size of €2.4bn. Eurobank Direktna is majority owned by Eurobank Holdings (70%) and former Direktna Banka shareholders (30%).
Eurobank Direktna has developed its banking business since entering the market in 2003 as Eurobank EFG Serbia. Following the merger with Direktna Banka, it has become number 8 in the market with market share of 5.5% in assets, loan portfolio of 1.7 billion euro and 1.5 billion euro deposits (as of September 2022). Through a wide network of branches and online platform, Eurobank Direktna provides a high-quality service to its clients.
Thanks to the complementarity of the activities of the two banks, the combined bank would have attained an over 13% market share in total assets, with over 4 billion euro deposits and strong capital base of more than 800 million euros (as of September 2022).
Completion of the transaction is subject to customary approvals by the competent regulatory and supervisory authorities and is expected to take place during the third quarter of 2023.
Živković Samardžić team that acted as local legal counsel to the shareholders of Eurobank Direktna on all aspects of this process consisted of Partners Branislav Živković, Igor Živkovski, Sava Pavlović and Uroš Đorđević.
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Branislav Živković: An Interview with CEE Legal Matters
Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Branislav Živković a founding partner of Živković Samardžić has recently been interviewed for CEE Legal Matters a print and online publication featuring news, interviews, analysis, and opinion in their “The Buzz” section on growing trend relocations, real estate, and fees in Serbia.
In an interview given Branislav believes that the high levels of migration from Russia and Ukraine have been causing a boom in the real estate sector in Serbia, in a period of an overall legislative slowdown.
Following the elections that were held this spring, no government has been formed yet, Živković points out that the process is still within the legal deadlines, but longer – the technical government is still sitting. Therefore, there are no new laws, no new pieces of legislation, except for urgent decrees and he states that since early spring, legislative activity has essentially stopped.
Branislav states that tens of thousands of Russian citizens now seek to emigrate to Serbia – both individuals and legal entities – as well as a smaller number of Ukrainian nationals, because of their peculiar status. He explains that this has generated huge amounts of work, with many family businesses, tech company employees, and the like. Freelances that worked for international companies have begun relocating to Serbia – as there are strong levels of support for the IT sector and tech companies here.
Finally, Branislav reports that Serbia is “soon to finalize” a free trade agreement with China and he explains that this will impact the market for sure, seeing as how tariffs will go down, and we might see an introduction of preferred rates or cancellation of customs duties to agricultural and other exports.
Branislav’s wide-ranging experience covers mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, privatizations, acquisition and corporate finance, transactional tax aspects, complex commercial contracts and real estate and project finance. As one of Živković Samardžić managing partners, he coordinates cross-border transactions and international cooperation within the LGP Legal Solutions Network consisting of independent business law firms covering the Southeast European region. IFLR1000 Financial and Corporate 2022 recognized Branislav as Highly Regarded lawyer in M&A, Real Estate Acquisitions and Real Estate Finance.
Full text of this article is available here.
CEE Legal Matters is a print and online publication for and about lawyers interested and working in Europe’s emerging legal markets, featuring news, interviews, analysis, opinion, and more with a mission to be the go-to source of information about lawyers and legal markets in Central and Eastern Europe. You can visit Magazine’s website and subscribe here.
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IFLR1000 recognizes Branislav Živković and Miloš Milošević as Highly Regarded Lawyers and Igor Živkovski as Rising Star
Wednesday, 27 July 2022
IFLR 1000, a guide to the world’s leading financial and corporate law firms and lawyers, has once again ranked Živković Samardžić, one of Serbia’s leading law firms, for its financial and corporate practice as well as recognized Branislav Živković as Highly Regarded lawyer in M&A, Real Estate Finance and Real Estate Acquisitions, Miloš Milošević as Highly Regarded lawyer in Restructuring and Insolvency and Igor Živkovski as Rising Star in Corporate and M&A practice areas in Serbia.
IFLR1000 has been producing legal market intelligence since 1990 and remains the only international legal directory dedicated to ranking law firms and lawyers on the basis of financial and corporate transactional work. The guide’s law firm rankings are based on three criteria: transactional evidence, peer feedback, and client feedback. The editorial for Serbia is available here.
Branislav Živković has been practicing law since 1988 and is a founding partner of Živković Samardžić. His wide-ranging experience covers mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, privatizations, acquisition and corporate finance, transactional tax aspects, complex commercial contracts and real estate and project finance.
Miloš Milošević joined Živković Samardžić in 2010. He graduated at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law in 1995 and spent 15 years in the judiciary, as a judicial clerk at the Commercial Court in Belgrade and the Supreme Court of Serbia, Judge at the Fourth Municipal Court in Belgrade and a Civil Law Appellate Chamber Judge at the District Court in Belgrade.
Igor Živkovski graduated at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law in 2010 and has been with Živković Samardžić since 2013, after six-month internship at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague and two years with another reputable law firm in Belgrade.
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Živković Samardžić successfully completed the merger Eurobank a.d. Beograd with Direktna Bank a.d. Kragujevac
Wednesday, 15 December 2021
Živković Samardžić, one of Serbia’s leading full-service independent law firms, has successfully completed advising on the merger of Eurobank a.d. Beograd (“Eurobank Serbia”), a Serbian subsidiary of Eurobank S.A. (“Eurobank”), subsidiary of “Eurobank Ergasias Services and Holdings S.A.” (Eurobank Holdings), with Direktna Banka a.d. Kragujevac (“Direktna”), with absorption of Direktna by Eurobank Serbia (the “Transaction”).
The combined bank (“Eurobank Direktna”), in which Eurobank holds 70%, with a strong capital and liquidity position and a market share of 6.5% in customer loans, becomes the seventh largest in Serbia.
As part of the transaction, Eurobank a.d. Beograd will distribute to Eurobank Group via dividend payment and capital return an amount of c. €232m.
The Živković Samardžić team provided legal assistance and advice both involved banks on the Transaction. This deal was led by Partners Branislav Živković, Slobodan Kremenjak, Uroš Đorđević, Igor Živkovski and Sava Pavlović..
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IFLR1000 recognizes Branislav Živković and Miloš Milošević as Highly Regarded Lawyers and Igor Živkovski as Rising Star
Thursday, 29 July 2021
IFLR 1000, a guide to the world’s leading financial and corporate law firms and lawyers, has once again ranked Živković Samardžić, one of Serbia’s leading law firms, for its financial and corporate practice as well as recognized Branislav Živković as Highly Regarded lawyer in M&A, Real Estate Finance and Real Estate Acquisitions, Miloš Milošević as Highly Regarded lawyer in Restructuring and Insolvency and Igor Živkovski as Rising Star in Corporate and M&A practice areas in Serbia.
Directory, released by International Financial Law Review, the market-leading financial publication for lawyers specialising in international finance in financial institutions, corporates and private practice, feature tiered rankings of the financial and corporate law firms and lawyers, recognized by their peers and clients to be the leading figures in their specialist areas, in more than 235 jurisdictions across the globe. The editorial for Serbia is available here.
Branislav Živković has been practicing law since 1988 and is a founding partner of Živković Samardžić. His wide-ranging experience covers mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, privatizations, acquisition and corporate finance, transactional tax aspects, complex commercial contracts and real estate and project finance.
Miloš Milošević joined Živković Samardžić in 2010. He graduated at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law in 1995 and spent 15 years in the judiciary, as a judicial clerk at the Commercial Court in Belgrade and the Supreme Court of Serbia, Judge at the Fourth Municipal Court in Belgrade and a Civil Law Appellate Chamber Judge at the District Court in Belgrade.
Igor Živkovski graduated at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law in 2010 and has been with Živković Samardžić since 2013, after six-month internship at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague and two years with another reputable law firm in Belgrade.
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Živkovic Samardžić Advises on Eurobank a.d. Beograd Merger with Direktna Bank a.d. Kragujevac
Friday, 02 July 2021
Živković Samardžić, one of Serbia’s leading full-service independent law firms, has advised on the merger of Eurobank a.d. Beograd (“Eurobank Serbia”), a Serbian subsidiary of Eurobank S.A. (“Eurobank”), subsidiary of “Eurobank Ergasias Services and Holdings S.A.” (Eurobank Holdings), with Direktna Banka a.d. Kragujevac (“Direktna”), with absorption of Direktna by Eurobank Serbia (the “Transaction”).
The Eurobank Group is a dynamic banking group active in six countries, with total assets of €67.7 billion and 11,394 employees. Established in 1990, the Group expanded through organic growth to become a leading force in Greek banking sector. In Serbia, Eurobank (after two successful acquisitions – Poštanska banka and Nacionalna štedionica) is today among the leading foreign investors and financial institutions.
Direktna is a modern, domestic and universal bank, whose business strategy is focused on business with the population and the economy. It was created by the purchase of KBM Bank, then Findomestic BNP Paribas and Piraeus Bank a.d. Beograd, which formed a strong and stable financial institution.
The combined bank (“Eurobank Direktna”) will have total assets in excess of €2bn, total equity above €300m and, accounting for the expected fully-phased synergies, pre-provision income and net income in excess of €50m and €35m respectively.
The combined bank’s market share will exceed 6.5%, in terms of total loans, making the bank the seventh largest in Serbia.
After the completion of the Transaction, Eurobank will control c. 70% of the combined bank while Direktna’s shareholders will own the remaining 30%. Both parties have committed to a growth-oriented business plan, incorporating ambitious expansion targets that will allow the combined bank to finance the Serbian economy and grow profitably in the next few years. Part of the Transaction is the payment of a dividend/capital return to Eurobank. The Transaction is capital neutral for Eurobank and earnings per share (EPS) accretive by 3% post synergies.
Completion of the Transaction is subject to customary approvals by the competent regulatory and supervisory authorities and is expected to take place during the last quarter of 2021. The Živković Samardžić team provided legal assistance and advice both involved banks on the Transaction. This deal was led by Partners Branislav Živković, Uroš Đorđević, Igor Živkovski and Sava Pavlović.
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IFLR1000 recognizes Branislav Živković and Miloš Milošević as Highly Regarded Lawyers and Igor Živkovski as Rising Star
Thursday, 01 October 2020
IFLR 1000, a guide to the world’s leading financial and corporate law firms and lawyers, has once again ranked Živković Samardžić, one of Serbia’s leading law firms, for its financial and corporate practice as well as recognized Branislav Živković as Highly Regarded lawyer in M&A, Real Estate Finance and Real Estate Acquisitions, Miloš Milošević as Highly Regarded lawyer in Restructuring and Insolvency and Igor Živkovski as Rising Star in Corporate and M&A practice areas in Serbia.
Directory, released by International Financial Law Review, the market-leading financial publication for lawyers specialising in international finance in financial institutions, corporates and private practice, feature tiered rankings of the financial and corporate law firms and lawyers, recognized by their peers and clients to be the leading figures in their specialist areas, in more than 170 jurisdictions across the globe. The editorial for Serbia is available here.
Branislav Živković has been practicing law since 1988 and is a founding partner of Živković Samardžić. His wide-ranging experience covers mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, privatizations, acquisition and corporate finance, transactional tax aspects, complex commercial contracts and real estate and project finance.
Miloš Milošević joined Živković Samardžić in 2010. He graduated at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law in 1995 and spent 15 years in the judiciary, as a judicial clerk at the Commercial Court in Belgrade and the Supreme Court of Serbia, Judge at the Fourth Municipal Court in Belgrade and a Civil Law Appellate Chamber Judge at the District Court in Belgrade.
Igor Živkovski graduated at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law in 2010 and has been with Živković Samardžić since 2013, after six-month internship at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague and two years with another reputable law firm in Belgrade.
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