With ‘unparalleled expertise in competition’, Gecić Law‘s practice routinely acts for clients throughout the Western Balkans in major investments and M&A transactions. Other areas of specialism include antitrust investigations, state aid, antitrust litigation, and EU competition and trade. The competition and state aid practice is led by the ‘focused and methodical’ founding partner Bogdan Gecić, while Ivana Stojanović Raišić ‘possesses outstanding knowledge of competition law, EU regulations and state aid’. Other key practitioners are Branko Gabrić, an adviser on competition, governance and compliance, and competition law specialist Vuk Leković.

Key areas of expertise for JPM & Partners‘ competition team, which is particularly focused on cross-border matters, are high-end international mergers and cartel investigations. Other notable specialisms include dawn raids, defence strategies for potential antitrust and damages claims, and restrictive agreements and individual exemptions. With ‘great experience in handling complex merger control procedures’, Nikola Poznanović leads the competition and antitrust department, which includes Bojana Javorić Mićović, who was promoted to partner in February 2023, and the ‘very responsive, practical and reliable’ Živko Simijonović. Luka Hajduković and Katarina Savic are are other names to note.

‘Definitely the firm to work with’, Karanovic & Partners acts for multinational, regional and domestic clients in the SEE region on major regional transactions with multi-jurisdictional features, as well as high-profile antitrust investigations. The main advisers are senior partner Rastko Petaković, who is particularly focused on private equity, TMT and fast-moving consumer goods clients; Bojan Vučković, the ‘absolute top choice for cartel and merger work’; and Bojana Miljanović Hussey, whose track record includes several significant merger control and antitrust matters. The team further features rising stars Mladen Vujić and Jelena Obradović.

Moravcevic Vojnovic and Partners in cooperation with Schoenherr‘s recent mandates include antitrust investigations into alleged cartels and abuses of dominant positions. The group also fields experts in merger control proceedings, damages actions, state aid issues, and competition law compliance. Srdjana Petronijević heads the EU competition practice group for the Balkans, while Danijel Stevanović advises on competition law and FDI control matters. The practice further includes Zoran Šoljaga, a former senior legal adviser at the Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition, and Minela Šehović, who assists with merger control proceedings.

‘A great local team with an international mindset’, BDK Advokati AOD‘s areas of specialism include the assessment of commercial contracts, commercial policies, business models, and transactions. The team also stands out for its state aid law specialism, along with the firm’s competition law expertise in the life sciences and telecoms sectors. The group additionally assists with compliance matters and infringement proceedings. The principal figures are Tijana Kojović, who ‘has extensive knowledge of competition law’, and Montenegro-based Bisera Andrijašević, an adviser on the competition and regulatory issues concerning life sciences.

‘One of the leading competition practices in the region’, Doklestic Repic & Gajin is the exclusive Serbian member for the Vogel Global Competition Network. The team regularly advises major Serbian companies, along with multinationals’ local subsidiaries, on competition work, including competition matters across the Western Balkans. The group also regularly handles mandates involving EU competition law. The practice is headed up by Dragan Gajin, who ‘has established himself as one of the preeminent competition lawyers in the region’. Gajin is flanked by managing partner Slobodan Doklestic, a private antitrust enforcement specialist.

Providing ‘sound, commercially-driven advice’, Prica & Partners advises on the competition law side to corporate acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures, and business partnerships. The team also assists with daily business operations, including competition law-related compliance. Darija Ognjenović is an expert in merger clearances, restrictive arrangements, and block and individual exemptions, along with state aid and Serbian Competition Authority proceedings; and Tijana Lalić advises clients from the pharmaceutical, retail, and banking and finance sectors. Ana Krstić‘s wide-ranging workload also covers the clearance of acquisitions before the Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition.

‘With immense expertise and market experience’, Radovanović Stojanović & Partners AOD acts in a range of proceedings before the competition authorities. The team also comprises experts in multi-jurisdictional merger control filings, and has extensive experience in vertical restraints. With ‘tailor-made solutions for any problem that may occur’, competition and antitrust law head Raško Radovanović is experienced in antitrust compliance programmes, dawn raids, individual exemption procedures, competition authority investigations, and vertical restraints and dominance abuse matters; Anja Tasić is merger control and state aid head; and Živko Kovačević is ‘a committed lawyer’.

‘Highly recommended’ boutique law firm Subotic & Jevtic - Attorneys at Law fields ‘great lawyers’, who are sector experts in media, IT, IP,  telecoms, pharmaceuticals, and banking and payments. Recent experience for the group includes both high-stakes investigations and state aid proceedings. Highly rated for her ‘command of competition law’, founding partner Milica Subotić has a strong track record in antitrust cases, merger control proceedings, and non-contentious competition work. Providing key support, competition law practitioner Andreja Petrović is an expert in internal and governmental investigations, as well as regulatory and compliance procedures.

Focused on merger control work and abuse of dominant market positions, Bojović Drašković Popović & Partners‘ team acts for clients from the TMT, pharmaceutical, healthcare, energy, automotive, manufacturing, and retail and consumer goods sectors. Qualified in both Serbia and the US, competition team head Uroš Popović routinely advises on the competition aspects of M&A deals. The practice is also home to Simona Vračar, who assists with a range of competition-related matters.

Key areas of work for BOPA Bojanovic & Partners range from merger notifications, state aid, and franchising, distribution and restrictive agreements, to trade-related issues, market investigations, dawn raids, and dominant position issues. With ‘a passion for getting clients the results they desire’, Vladimir Bojanović heads the firm’s competition and antitrust department, which also showcases Aleksandra Stojanović (a June 2023 hire from Doklestic Repic & Gajin), who maintains a broad competition and antitrust workload.

Joksovic, Stojanovic & Partners‘ ‘experienced legal experts’ consistently act for large distribution firms from a range of industries. Representative experience for the practice includes the competition aspects of major M&A deals and other transactional work. The group is co-led by Milan Joksovic, who advises on competition compliance and distribution agreements, in addition to acting before the Serbian Commission for Protection of Competition; and Petar Stojanovic, who is ‘great to work with’.

Law Office Miroslav Stojanovic, in cooperation with Wolf Theiss‘ track record encompasses transactions requiring competition expertise, including merger filings, leniency programmes, restrictive agreements, and market and dominance issues. The Belgrade office, which also has notable experience in state aid matters, both at local and EU levels, houses ‘highly competent lawyer’ Katarina Ranđelović, along with Jovan Mićović, and Aleksandar Jezdimirović. Guenter Bauer heads the firm-wide competition and antitrust team from Vienna.

Delivering ‘expert advice that is tailored to clients’ needs’, NKO Partners assists with the competition aspects of mergers, acquisitions and restructurings. The team also advises on the impact of antitrust and competition legislation on clients’ day-to-day operations, the prevention of restrictive and prohibited practices. Competition department head Djuro Otašević, whose ‘knowledge of the law in Serbia is second to none’, is highly active in the energy and pharmaceutical sectors.

‘One of the most professional and responsible legal teams on the market’, Petrikic & Partneri AOD in cooperation with CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz‘s Belgrade competition department specialises in merger control, antitrust, and state aid matters, particularly in relation to multi-jurisdictional competition matters. With ‘extensive expertise’, Srđan Janković, who heads the Belgrade competition, commercial, public procurement and TMC practices, routinely acts before the national competition protection authorities in a range of proceedings.

Stankovic & Partners (NSTLAW) is increasingly active in merger clearances and restrictive agreement exemptions. The team also assists with competition compliance and investigations. The group is co-led by name partner Nenad Stankovic, whose track record includes includes several high-stakes antitrust cases; and ‘leading expert in distribution agreements’, Mitar Simonovic, whose sector expertise covers the pharmaceutical, FMCG, and food and drink industries. Teodora Markovic also assists high-level clients with competition law issues.