Law Firms in Bosnia Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a civil law system with an unusual layered structure, and lawyers in Bosnia and Herzegovina must know which level of government a matter falls under. The state, the two entities (the Federation and Republika Srpska) and Brčko District each have their own laws and courts in many fields.

The profession is organised by entity. Lawyers in the Federation register with the Bar Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while those in Republika Srpska belong to the Bar Association of Republika Srpska. Both chambers keep rolls that confirm whether an advokat is licensed. Notaries are a separate profession, and notarial form is mandatory for real estate contracts, so no property sale is valid without one.

Court languages are Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian, with documents in Latin or Cyrillic script. Each entity has municipal or basic courts, cantonal or district courts and a supreme court, and the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina handles certain state level cases. The bar chambers publish fee tariffs that set rates per procedural step, and these also guide cost awards. Many firms agree hourly or fixed fees for advisory work.

Foreign clients often need help with inheritance of family property, registering land in the cadastre, setting up a company and obtaining residence or work permits. The diaspora in Germany, Austria and Scandinavia frequently instructs local counsel from abroad. Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Mostar and Tuzla are the main hubs for law firms. Choose a city below or narrow down by practice area.