Banking and Finance

More than 25 experienced attorneys at law and associates from our Banking and Finance Department advise and represent corporate clients, helping them to reach their potential and achieve their goals.

In addition to offering a broad range of client-oriented legal services in this area, our team provides advice and sophisticated assistance to regulatory authorities by participating in numerous expert forums and official government working parties. We are very proud to be able to offer our clients not only the services they need today, but also to acquaint them with legal developments they may expect in the future.

sector manager

Jelisaveta Janić

Partner - Attorney at Law

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Biography

We advise our clients in the following areas:

NPL portfolio acquisition and servicing;
Advising on compliance with the regulations of financial institutions;
Business finance services;
Bankruptcy and restructuring;
Asset resolution and distressed asset acquisition;
Investments and foreign exchange transactions.

NPL PORTFOLIO ACQUISITION & SERVICING

As soon as a claim becomes overdue, we are able to advise our clients how to minimize their recovery risks and fully utilize all the collateral at their disposal. We provide our clients with a complete set of outsourced services in this area of expertise, from the very first indication that there may be difficulties with recovering a claim up to the final stages of collection.

We provide the following services in this field:

Legal due diligence;
Transaction assistance;
LSPA drafting and negotiations;
Financial regulatory compliance;
Out-of-court and in-court enforcement;
Representation in ADR and CFR matters.

We represent and advise leading banks, leasing and insurance companies, and domestic and foreign NPL and distressed assets investors.

ADVISING ON COMPLIANCE WITH THE REGULATIONS OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

In addition to managing and servicing NPL portfolios, a core service we provide to banks, insurers, and other financial institutions, our team also has a wealth of experience in advising financial institutions on compliance.

Rules that govern the financial sector are constantly evolving. However, despite the continuous fine-tuning and enhancement of regulations in this area, the industry is yet to be fully liberalised to meet the demands of today’s market. As such, regulatory requirements designed to protect consumers of financial services have remained quite strict, at times excessively so, which may impact the operations of financial institutions.

On the other hand, sanctions for non-compliance are stringent and pose a major risk to businesses in the financial sector.

We provide the following services in this field:

Advisory support and production of legal opinions in all aspects of compliance;
Comprehensive support throughout the introduction of a new product or service;
Drafting of all types of legal agreements, procedures, corporate byelaws, and other legal documents;
AML compliance;
Legal representation in all procedures involving the National Bank of Serbia.

Focused on helping our clients overcome any constraints and operate efficiently and in compliance with regulations, we provide support and participate in clients’ business processes from the very start, beginning with the initial development of new ideas and business plans, and remain committed up until the new product or service is rolled out.

BUSINESS FINANCE SERVICES

Besides leading banks, leasing and insurance companies, and other major corporations, our long-standing clients include sole proprietors and other MSMEs, as well as business associations in a wide variety of industries.

Our team has a wealth of experience in advising all types of commercial entities seeking to enter into business relationships with clients, partners, and financial institutions such as banks, leasing firms, and insurance companies; we provide full legal support throughout these interactions. Our experience allows us to understand all aspects of a business relationship and so advise clients to effectively manage their business while optimizing costs.

We provide the following services in this field:

Advising clients seeking to access finance;
Drafting all types of the agreements;
Regulatory compliance in all industries;
Advising clients seeking to reschedule accounts receivable and payable;
Legal advice for optimizing operating costs;
Representation in commercial disputes;
Representation in out-of-court and in-court enforcement;
Representation in administrative proceedings.

Our extensive experience allows us to address any business-related issues quickly, effectively, and with minimal cost to our clients.

BANKRUPTCY AND RESTRUCTURING

We possess valuable experience, gained through some of the most prominent national cases in this area of expertise, and combine it with our general business-oriented approach to achieve the best possible results for our clients.

We represent creditors, bankruptcy administrators, directors, and other stakeholders during all stages of restructuring and bankruptcy proceedings, including representation at creditor committee meetings.

Our core legal team is able to draw on the support of experts in corporate law, real estate, labor law, and accounting and auditing, which enhances its proficiency and makes it fully prepared to face any challenge and deliver optimal results.

ASSET RESOLUTION AND DISTRESSED ASSET ACQUISITION

Our experience and involvement in NPL portfolio acquisitions and servicing and bankruptcy and restructuring have allowed us to build up a strong and firmly business-oriented practice offering full legal support for asset resolution and distressed asset acquisition.

In advising distressed asset holders and professional investors in these assets, our team focuses on business-oriented goals and guides clients through the complete process of restructuring any such assets and returning them to profitable use. Our lawyers frequently team up with our real estate and construction experts, accountants, and tax advisors to achieve the best possible results.

INVESTMENTS AND FX TRANSACTIONS

Our team successfully assists our clients with any legal challenges they may face when structuring their financial investments in Serbia. We have supported clients in many successful privatizations in Serbia and have helped establish greenfield ventures, which has allowed us to gain in-depth knowledge of general financial structuring and various modes of project financing.

We are particularly proud of our experience and quality of our services to foreign investors in helping them navigate Serbia’s complex foreign exchange transactions regulations, especially as this area is yet to see full liberalization. Our wealth of experience and knowledge in this field often contribute greatly to our clients’ success in the Serbian market.

Banking and Finance