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Corporate/M&A Law Firm & Legal Services in Montenegro

Whether you are planning a merger as part of your growth strategy, thinking about diversifying into new sectors or looking for new funding options such as non-bank lending or through equity investment, our experts offer you the right mix of legal and commercial advice. Having lawyers who think and act beyond their traditional role and seek to add value can help you secure the competitive edge you need in an ever-changing business environment. Our international team of more than 700 corporate lawyers in over 33 countries worldwide can assist you in all aspects of corporate law and M&A, both domestically and internationally.

Whatever your size, a large publicly listed company or a small privately owned business, we can deliver a tailored, commercial, cost effective solution for you, covering areas such as M&A, private equity, equity capital markets, outsourcing, group restructuring and privatisations. Our cross-border teams consist of experts from all practice areas and sectors such as banking, consumer products, energy, infrastructure, insurance, lifesciences, real estate and construction, hotels and leisure, technology and media. This allows us to understand your specific issues for a transaction and provide you with advice within context, saving time and money and allows us to pinpoint your real commercial issues and risks in a transaction.


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31/01/2024
CMS advises Actis on acquisition of telecom tower portfolio from Telekom...
Published on 31 January 2024CMS legal teams in Belgrade, Podgorica and Sarajevo have advised Actis on all Serbian, Montenegrin and Bosnian aspects of the acquisition of a carved-out tower portfolio from Telekom Srbija, one of the leading tele­com­mu­nic­a­tions operators in the CEE region.   The carved-out portfolio comprises approximately 1,800 macro towers, of which approximately 1,000 are located in Serbia, approximately 700 in Bosnia and Herzegovina and approximately 100 in Montenegro. CMS has provided legal advice on the buy-side due diligence, structuring of the carve-outs, negotiation of the transaction documents, transfer of the towers, regulatory matters (merger clearance, telecoms and energy supply regulations), tax matters and financing of the transaction. This landmark transaction marks Actis’ entry into the Western Balkans and reinforces Actis' commitment to the CEE region following previous investments in the energy sector in Romania and Bulgaria in 2022. The CMS team which advised on the transaction was led by partner Marija Tešić (Serbia, Montenegro) and included partners Radivoje Petrikić, Ivan Gazdić and Milica Popović, counsels Marija Marošan and Srđan Janković, senior associates Sandra Miljanić, Ksenija Boreta, Jovana Bingulac, Ksenija Ivetić Marlović, Tamara Zejak and Tamara Samardžija, associates Mila Drljević, Milica Tomić,  Jelena Đorđević, Teodora Vujošević and Jovan Bećirić (all Serbia, Montenegro), partners Indir Osmić and Andrea Zubović-De­vedžić, counsel Sanja Voloder, senior associate Ana Terzić and Zlatan Balta, associates Zlatko Mašović, Stefan Ćosović and Zerina Spahić (all Bosnia and Herzegovina).  
25/01/2024
Emerging Europe M&A Report 2023/2024
Despite geopolitical tensions, fears of recession and strong inflationary pressures across the EU, as well as the fiscal tightening needed to contain them, M&A in the CEE region has remained reasonably buoyant. Findings from the CMS Emer­ging Europe M&A 2023/24 report, published in cooperation with EMIS, demonstrate the resilience of the Emerging Europe deals market as activity holds firm against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions and strong inflationary pressures. Welcome to the 2023/24 edition of the Emerging Europe report.
18/12/2023
CEE M&A Outlook: Steady As She Goes
Published on CEE Legal Matters | 12 December 2023
24/10/2023
CMS European Energy Sector M&A and Investment Outlook 2024
As the world economy increasingly embraces the push towards decarbonisation, Europe has actively sought to place itself at the vanguard of the discussion on energy trans­ition. Op­por­tun­it­ies to deploy capital abound as power sources switch further towards offshore and onshore wind, solar, heat, hydrogen, battery storage, new networks, carbon capture, and industrial decarbonisation. The latter brings an interface with other sectors such as technology companies (with power hungry data centres a particular focus), real estate, low carbon transport and decarbonisation of industrial processes such as cement, glass and steel production. As much as it is difficult, complex and highly political, the energy transition is also a huge business opportunity. To reach net zero by 2050, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that global investment in clean energy alone will need to increase from the USD390bn in the first half of 2023, to USD 1.3tn in 2030. Many commentators worried that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would put back the transition and shift Europe back towards fossil fuels. While it appears to have resulted in a renewed political focus on energy security it has also laid bare the financial and political consequences of relying on oil & gas imports, giving further impetus to renewables as a secure form of energy. Europe has also sought to be a leading light on the concept of “reaching net zero”, with the European Union (EU) having set out its ambition, back in 2019, to become the world’s first major economic bloc to be climate-neutral by 2050. This has added momentum to energy investment and M&A over recent years – 2021 and 2022 saw the second and third highest annual aggregate values of Western European M&A in the sector on record, at USD 59.8bn and USD 53.7bn, respectively, bested only by the anomalously high total of USD 89.4bn logged in 2018. Energy M&A in the region has been more subdued in 2023, but our survey demonstrates that energy executives are gearing up for a more active dealmaking period, with most expecting more opportunities and anticipating increased levels of investment in the year ahead. Capital looks set to continue to flow primarily to renewable energy projects and related assets, with solar and batteries topping the list of attractive subsectors among our respondents. Consistent with this, South West Europe takes pole position as the most promising region for investment opportunities. But there are thorns among the roses. Our respondents are cognizant of the challenges in the energy market, with supply-chain volatility and commodity price increases emerging as a prominent concern. This is unsurprising after a period of dislocation following the pandemic and amid a time of rising global demand for renewable products and commodities. Persistent inflation and elevated interest rates, combined with an uncertain macroeconomic outlook, are raising investors’ concerns, with financing risk (including the increased cost of financing) also coming to the fore for respondents. Overall, while some sense a recent softening of the market due to these fundamentals, our survey paints a picture of steadily improving investor sentiment in Europe’s energy sector, laying the foundations for a busier period ahead for M&A activity.
13/09/2023
Turning the Corner? CMS European M&A Outlook 2024
We are pleased to share with you the 2024 edition of the European M&A Outlook, published by CMS in association with Mergermarket.
13/04/2023
CMS series: At CEEnter stage
Our engaging podcast and video series, "At CEEntre Stage," is a valuable resource for professionals and legal advisors seeking in-depth insights into various Corporate and M&A topics. Our series caters to diverse businesses in Central and Eastern Europe, providing comprehensive coverage of the ongoing challenges they face. Half-hour moderated discussions with legal experts and industry leaders allow us to gain valuable insights into their vision for the future, the challenges they face, and ways to improve their businesses. We also provide guidance on navigating legal complexities and avoiding potential traps, ensuring our listeners receive contextualized insights into the region's distinctive business landscape and regulatory environment. Our comprehensive coverage of various industries and their ongoing challenges makes "At CEEntre Stage" an essential resource for staying ahead of the curve in today's fast-paced economy. The podcast covers relevant Corporate and M&A topics from W&I insurances, FDI to ESOP, joint ventures, financing and ESG. Tune in to "At CEEntre Stage" today and stay informed on the latest insights and trends in the world of corporate law and M&A.
22/03/2023
CMS European M&A Study 2023
The CMS Corporate/M&A Group is pleased to launch the 15th edition of the European M&A Study
30/01/2023
Emerging Europe M&A Report 2022/2023
The year 2022 started with various challenges, including rising inflation and energy prices. Then the Russian invasion of Ukraine added yet another one. Nonetheless, the M&A market in emerging European countries proved to be extremely resilient. The region saw M&A activity maintain a steady pace, though deal values were notably lower. Also, variations could be observed across territories and sectors. While 2022 brought a unique set of challenges, dealmaking largely compared favourably to pre-pandemic levels. Welcome to the 2022/23 edition of the Emerging Europe report.
29/09/2022
Boom & Gloom? CMS European M&A Outlook 2023
We are pleased to share with you the 2023 edition of the European M&A Outlook published by CMS in association with Mergermarket.
01/06/2022
CMS Next
What’s next? In a world of ever-ac­cel­er­at­ing change, staying ahead of the curve and knowing what’s next for your business or sector is essential. At CMS, we see ourselves not only as your legal advisers but also as your business partners. We work together with you to not only resolve current issues but to anticipate future challenges and innovate to meet them. With our latest publication, CMS Next, our experts will regularly offer you insights into and fresh perspectives on a range of issues that businesses have to deal with – from ESG agendas to restructuring after the pandemic or facing the digital transformation. We will also share with you more about the work that we are doing for our clients, helping them innovate, grow and mitigate risk. To be able to provide you with the best support, we immerse ourselves in your world to understand your legal needs and challenges. However, it is equally important that you know who we are and how we can work with you. So, we invite you to meet our experts and catch a glimpse of what is happening inside CMS. Enjoy reading this publication, which we will update regularly with new content. CMS Executive Team
02/03/2022
CMS Belgrade and CMS Podgorica support Hystead Limited in the sale of Delta...
Following the successful sale of Delta City shopping mall in Belgrade Serbia, Hystead Limited, a London-based company and investor in the Western Balkans, has signed an agreement to sell Delta City Mall in Podgorica, Montenegro to Israeli company BIG Shopping Centres. Delta City Podgorica is the largest shopping mall in Podgorica and one of the most developed commercial facilities in Montenegro. The transaction value is EUR 95 million. Having advised Hystead Limited in the sale of Delta City Belgrade, CMS Belgrade has been engaged again, together with CMS Podgorica, to provide legal assistance in the divestment of Delta City Podgorica. Full legal support in negotiations and structuring of the transaction and signing of the sales agreement has been provided by the team of CMS experts led by partners Maja Stepanović (Corporate/M&A) and Milica Popović (Banking & Finance). Other team members included partner Ivan Gazdić (Real Estate & Construction) and attorney Tamara Samardžija (Corporate/M&A).
31/01/2022
Time for transition: Energy M&A 2022
While world leaders have been gathering for COP meetings for decades, what made COP26 perhaps particularly notable is that the private sector also gathered in force, and with a commitment and determination to be a key driver in the decarbonisation of the world’s economies.  In previous years, there have been murmurings from various corporates that to make social or environmentally driven investment decisions may not align with their fiduciary duty to act in the interests of shareholders. As shareholder activism has driven the debate into boardrooms from above, this attitude is rapidly reversing direction. While returns are generally seen as lower in the clean sector compared to, say, the oil & gas sector, being invested in the green transition is increasingly seen as a key route to preserving and protecting shareholder value. At the same time, voluntary and mandatory climate related disclosures are aligning the drivers for investors across the board so that capital is increasingly driven by the metrics they produce.  This is being reflected in, among other things, the plummeting cost of capital for green investments. At the same time high carbon intensive investments, such as coal based projects and businesses, are struggling to secure funding, with many facing in­solv­ency. In­vest­ments in the energy transition, a key part of the green transition, will principally take the form of M&A. The outcome of COP26 and the momentum it has generated means that European dealmakers in the energy sector will be even busier in 2022. Europe leads the world in the energy transition and the race to net zero is driving near-record levels of dealmaking – notably in wind and solar photovoltaic generation. At the same time, the energy transition is both expanding and fragmenting the energy sector. For many, it has traditionally been focused on energy generation. The transition is bringing to the fore less visible technologies. Everything from traditional hydropower to grid-scale batteries, electrification of transport and hydrogen. It is also bringing into the mix sectors that have not traditionally been focused on energy, such as industrial decarbonisation, shipping and mining for the natural resources needed for the energy transition. In parallel with this, there is a huge and growing story around energy transmission and distribution. Electricity networks will need to expand massively to facilitate electrification and new technologies. They are also becoming smarter with the use of digital technology to optimise the way power is distributed, traded and consumed. Further, new types of networks may provide investment opportunities for those looking for stable long term assets, such as hydrogen and carbon networks. Against this background, traditional fossil fuel-based players are decarbonising their operations. For the oil and gas majors, this means acquiring or significantly enhancing their capabilities in renewables, including wind, solar and hydrogen, while simultaneously divesting selected carbon-intensive assets in response to mounting ESG pressures. This may be one of the reasons why 50% of respondents in our study point to distress-driven deals as a top sell-side driver. Change is endemic in the energy sector, but the current transition makes the years since liberalisation of energy markets in the late 1980s seem almost steady-state in comparison. Despite the momentum and push for capital to be invested in the energy transition, there remain obstacles, not least the limited pipeline of good quality investment opportunities, continuing concerns over lockdowns and COVID-19 variants, financing difficulties arising from potentially unstable long term revenue streams and diminishing rates of return. Notwithstanding these challenges, our study finds that energy sector M&A will increasingly be an engine driving capital into propositions that match social and political ambitions for the green transition. Key findings  Energy remains a premium asset class for most institutional investors, with its performance during the pandemic and impetus from COP26 further enhancing its at­tract­ive­ness75% of energy companies are considering an acquisition and/or divestment in 2022Alongside premium assets, in some subsectors there are undervalued targets driving buy-side activity, with sellers shedding distressed assets as the sector shifts in response to the energy transition45% think COVID-19 will be a major M&A obstacle in 2022, but this remains a fluid situation that can change rapidly