Batarelo Dvojkovic Vuchetich Law Firm LLP

The team: BDV is a leading Croatian full-service law firm with a key focus on corporate, M&A, banking and finance, dispute resolution, tax, real estate, competition, IP and data protection. BDV aims to be the firm of choice for large businesses and financial institutions and to elevating the quality of the legal system on the local market. BDV already is one of the largest corporate law firms representing the most significant clients on the Croatian market. The firm builds lasting relationships with its clients by combining business acumen and understanding of the local market. The firm’s partners take an active role in every transaction and ensure smooth teamwork. BDV daily cooperates with leading international law firms in course of multijurisdictional transactions.

Main areas of practice
Corporate / M&A
3 partners; 8 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV covers the whole spectrum of corporate work in Croatia, having advised the largest corporates on their business combinations, acquisitions and restructurings. BDV's corporate team follows the best practices in vertical and horizontal corporate governance matters, applying these standards in the context of specific businesses. To that end, BDV assists clients with the implementation of efficient internal processes between multiple tiers of internal corporate organizations, and the regulation of horizontal (shareholders’) relations.

In special situations, BDV's corporate team assists in finding optimal solutions and strategies for resolving complex shareholder disputes or facilitating shareholder activism. The department is recognised by its large number of M&A transactions conducted in 2021.

Banking and finance
1 partner; 3 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV's banking and finance team focuses on advising clients in connection with asset finance, corporate lending, structured finance, leveraged and acquisition finance, project finance, real estate finance, commodities and export finance, and local tax issues in project finance. In the course of transactional mandates, BDV represents clients, either lenders or borrowers/guarantors, at all stages of a financial transaction acting as local or lead counsel in all stages – from negotiation and perfection of local law security documents to negotiating, signing, and closing facility agreements. Apart from transaction work, BDV's banking and finance team also advises on regulatory aspects of banking.

Dispute resolution
3 partners; 6 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV's dispute resolution team manages litigations and arbitration proceedings involving a wide range of disputes, including disputes between shareholders, damages claims, bankruptcy, employment law, tax controversies and general commercial law disputes. BDV's dispute resolution team assists clients in all stages of litigation – from primary assessment of strategies, through negotiations and settlements, to litigation and arbitration proceedings until the dispute is finally resolved in the enforcement proceedings.

Tax and customs law
1 partner; 2 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV's tax and customs team covers a range of disciplines – from VAT, corporate and personal income tax, transfer pricing and international tax law to tax controversy – with a main goal to achieve risk reduction, avoidance of disputes, and resolving issues that entities encounter when doing business in Croatia. BDV's tax law department is offering tax law advice to its clients, either on a project basis or as stand-alone engagements.

BDV's tax lawyers also actively cooperate with other departments – in structuring M&A transactions and deal with customs – related matters.

Real estate
1 partner; 3 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV maintains a real estate practice which includes project developers, real estate owners, private and institutional investors, and secured creditors. BDV's services include advice in ​​project finance, complex security instrument structures, restructuring, leases, and property disputes. BDV's tax team actively participates in structuring such transactions in order to achieve an optimal tax transaction structure for our clients.

EU and competition
1 partner; 1 fee-earners based in Zagreb

Our services in the field of competition law include merger filings, abuse of dominant position, distribution arrangements, state aid, cartels, public procurement, dawn raids, and general advice in relation to activities which may result in anti-competitive effects.

IP and IT and data protection
1 partner; 3 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV assists clients in the process of ensuring compliance with the GDPR and advise on a broad range of privacy and data protection matters, including: privacy impact assessments, data processing agreements, data protection by design and by default, codes of conduct, binding corporate rules, privacy policies and procedures, and data breaches. BDV also offers data protection officer services and specialised data protection training programs.

BDV acts as patent and trademark agents for our clients and advise them how to protect technological inventions; typical services in IP line of work include counselling, litigation, dispute resolution, and licensing in patent, trademark, and copyright matters.

When it comes to transactions in the tech industry, BDV offers a multidisciplinary approach, which covers M&A, AML, data protection, information security, finance, public procurement, intellectual property, taxes, dispute resolution, and litigation.

Employment law
1 partner; 3 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV's employment team advises HR departments, as well as management on variety of employment related matters, covering both collective and individual employment law aspects. The clients address BDV for strategic advice on substantial employment, compensation and benefits-related issues often including tax peculiarities, as well as for day-to-day support on employment issues. BDV's employment team negotiates with employees, work councils and other employee representatives, and where necessary – represent corporate clients, or managers in labor court litigation.

Commercial law
3 partners; 8 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV advises clients on a broad range of commercial contracts including distribution, supply, cooperation, licensing, sponsorship, franchising, and joint ventures, where we apply our combined and multi-specialist experience. Mandates in commercial matters often require complex, sensitive, and sophisticated legal engagement to fit the particular transaction demands; BDV's commercial law team can swiftly assess the risks and commercial issues involved in the contracts on which we advise, which enables us to provide both legal and strategic commercial advice.

Commercial contracts work is at the heart of BDV’s practice, being complementary to our M&A, corporate, tax, and technology law practices.

Bankruptcy and restructuring
2 partners, 4 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV's bankruptcy and restructuring team advises all stakeholders in restructuring, pre-bankruptcy and bankruptcy procedures including distressed companies looking to make a turnaround, creditors and lenders in bankruptcy proceedings, representing clients in litigation arising from bankruptcy proceedings and acting as bankruptcy and liquidation trustees.

When aiding our clients in circumstances of restructuring and bankruptcy BDV Is able to draw from its extensive expertise in dealing with M&A, dispute resolution, banking and finance, tax and other.

BDV also offers advice based on extensive experience with issues of fraudulent conveyance, liability transfer through asset purchases, challenges to changes of creditor positions in enforcement, bankruptcy and pre-bankruptcy proceedings and divestment obligation in merger clearance filings.

Energy and infrastructure
1 partner, 2 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV's energy law team provides practical advice to developers and financiers specifically on the intricacies of state aid issues or uncertainties related to real estate law when assessing the sustainability, profitability, and bankability of energy projects. BDV sustained commitment to follow the development of local energy projects and offer legal services in those areas has made us capable of advising clients in M&A, regulatory law, real estate, construction, finance, public procurement, environmental law, taxation, and antitrust law matters related to the development, financing, and sale of energy projects in Croatia.

BDV's team members are also involved in infrastructure projects in Croatia related to project financing, bond issuing, M&A, development projects or advising on regulatory matters in connection to the railway industry or shipping yards.

Capital markets
1 partner, 2 fee-earners based in Zagreb

BDV's capital markets team assist clients, investment funds, investment banks and issuers in preparation and structuring initial public offerings, MAR and other regulatory framework closing the gap between regulators, issuers and investors.