Serbia

Firm overview

CWB emerged as an unrivalled super-regional firm in 2023 following the merger of leading regional IP specialists Cedar White Bradley, PETOŠEVIĆ Group and Hahn & Hahn. With 29 offices, 170 practitioners, and 300 employees, CWB now manages the portfolios of some of the world’s leading IP owners across 100+ jurisdictions in Africa, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

Through our extensive network of offices and affiliated partners, we deliver centrally managed IP solutions supported by dedicated, cross-jurisdictional, client-specific teams. By combining advanced IP practices with deep local expertise, we ensure consistent, high-quality service across a vast and often challenging geographical region.

CWB offers a full spectrum of IP services covering virtually all IP rights, along with brand management and enforcement. Our teams safeguard thousands of IP rights for market-leading clients across a wide range of industries. We also provide specialized Media & Entertainment expertise, guiding clients through complex regulatory landscapes in areas such as film production, content streaming, crypto, advertising, data protection, social media, software licensing, and music usage.

CWB is thinking beyond the technology available today to transform the IP services industry. We are implementing the most innovative technologies and leveraging automation and AI to enhance the client and employee experience and to achieve industry-leading efficiencies.

CWB offers a full suite of IP and related services through its offices and affiliated offices in the following countries:
 
AFRICA: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

CENTRAL ASIA: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

EASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244), Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Ukraine

MIDDLE EAST: Bahrain, Gaza Strip, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kurdistan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, West Bank, Yemen.

Firm overview

Zivko Mijatovic & Partners (ZMP) is a full-service IP law firm, established in 1939 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, as a general practice law firm. It has grown progressively and today consists of 15 offices in 14 European countries. The overall protection of all IP rights, including prosecution, enforcement and litigation, is provided through the network of ZMP offices covering the Balkan Peninsula and Central and Eastern Europe, with a liaison office in Alicante, Spain, providing legal services in relation to European trademarks and designs and IP legal services in Spain. Over the last 30 years, ZMP’s primary activity has been the protection, via prosecution and litigation, of all IP rights.

The firm has gained reputation for having stellar and efficient services in the region. ZMP is known for being a creative, open and straightforward firm, with a meticulous approach tailored to the client’s needs. ZMP’s constant presence in Central and Eastern Europe means that clients receive immediate and simultaneous service across the region, simply by contacting one of the offices. That is why the service provided by ZMP is unique in the region.

ZMP offers a full range of IP services, providing legal assistance and advice on the protection of IP rights and management and enforcement of the same across Central and Eastern Europe. Services include filing and prosecution of IP rights; searches and watching services; IP portfolio management; dispute resolution; advice and representation in infringement and enforcement matters. ZMP and its attorneys are authorized to represent clients before judicial authorities, IP offices, customs offices and different administrative authorities of the countries in which the firm’s offices are located.

ZMP is particularly active in matters of counterfeiting and piracy. Given that the Western Balkans, due to its geographical location, is a gateway to the EU market and a fertile ground for the production and distribution of counterfeit goods, Rights' holders are advised to consider the measures available across the region and contemplate implementing a strategy that recognizes the root of the problem and provides a long-term solution. Countries of the Western Balkans should be considered as a single region. ZMP is uniquely positioned to provide this service through its network of tightly linked local offices. The firm has therefore introduced a “Customs Package” whereby it handles customs applications, seizures and destruction of all counterfeit products flowing through the countries of former Yugoslavia and Albania (eight jurisdictions in total) through only one point of contact, thus saving costs, avoiding heavy administrative burdens and consolidating customs matters with one agent.

As part of the firm´s business growth strategy, ZMP is more active on social media, dynamic, approachable and always on alert on the virtual space to detect any kind of unfair competition in the market through typo squatting, metatags, spamming and cybersquatting because we focus on our clients and consumer protection. ZMP strives towards corporate responsibility, through sponsorship activities and the number of professionals employed in our offices has increased by a minimum of 10% annually, with constant investment in education.

Network Memberships:
INTA, ECTA, AIPPI, MARQUES, PTMG

Firm overview

As part of CLAIMS network we work on projects all over the world. Located in Belgrade, we are highly visible on cross-border projects in the EU, UK, USA, South Korea, China, MENA region and many more jurisdictions. We are highly skilled and well-versed in the international law, and we understand the core ground of the IP law. This is why CLAIMS team is equally efficient in (almost) every jurisdiction, and this is our strong competitive advantage.

We are often involved in cases which don’t have a simple answer. Our work often sets precedents or overturns the outdated practice. This fact speaks clearly about the wealth of experience and skills our team brings to the tables of our clients.

We are active members of the international IP community. Our lawyers are members of INTA and AIPPI. Head of CLAIMS Balkans Ekaterina Pronicheva acts as a member of the Famous and Well-Known Marks Committee (INTA); Partner Alexey Petrov acts as a member of the Unfair Competition Committee (INTA); Partner Anastasiia Savosina is a member of the Designs Committee (INTA) and The Art Law Foundation (Switzerland). We are well-integrated in the international IP society, and we exchange ideas and insights with peers from all over the word. This is how we stay creative and efficient.

We educate and form the IP practitioners community in every country we settle in. We strongly adhere to the concept of sharing knowledge and passion to achieve synergies. CLAIMS maintain a youtube, linkedin and telegram blogs devoted to IP law peculiarities with over 5,000 subscribers in total. We also are involved into pro bono educational initiatives such as lecturing at universities and postgraduate programs as well as new intellectual property regulation activities such as IP Surrealism Manifesto or WIPO Conversation on Intellectual Property and Artificial Intelligence (AI).