The GRBA Law Firm was founded more than a decade ago, specializing in commercial law. As competence represents one of the most fundamental principles in the practice of law, we deem that, in the current circumstances when modifications in regulations and diverseness in precedents often happen, we simply had to develop a close specialization in legal education. Such an approach was bound to result in constant operational growth, as well as, in the growth of the number of esteemed clients. Some of these clients have been with us since our very beginning.
How are you now communicating with your business partners and clients?
From the very first day since the state of emergency was declared in the Republic of Serbia, our law firm started using the ‘work from home’ system, whereas all contacts with clients are carried out via electronic means as was the case in the prior period too.
Bearing in mind that our employees, as well as the attorneys engaged under business cooperation contracts, visit our offices occasionally in order to return / take files relevant to their work, we also use snail mail, all with the aim of dealing with our cases in a timely manner.
Although the Serbian government has issued the Ordinance stipulating the intermission of court activities until the termination of the state of emergency (The Republic of Serbia Official Gazette No. 38/2020), we have decided not to use this option, but to take a step forward, all in the best interest of our clients, so they don’t waste their precious time regarding the cases in which we represent them, both in litigation and enforcement.
We would like to underline that we have implemented all relevant measures and recommendations devised by the Serbian government from the very beginning. We obtained disinfection barriers, disposable gloves and masks, as well as disinfectants. Also, our office now has flexible working hours and thus allowing our employees to do their shopping or carry out personal errands during office hours.
How important is it for the companies to manifest solidarity and provide assistance in such extraordinary circumstances?
In my opinion, solidarity and social responsibility are primarily reflected in our attitude towards employees. Following my own example, and although it was very difficult to collect the money owed to our law firm, I have managed to pay out salaries on regular basis, and sometimes even much earlier than usual. Our clients, whom we represent, have the same approach.
For instance, in some of the companies on my client list, salaries for the previous month are disbursed by 10th of the current month. This is considered an employee privilege taking into account the regulation that states that the payment of the previous month salary should be done by the end of the current month. Also, and aside from the fact that we are in the state of emergency, none of my clients has been late in paying out salaries to their employees.
The FALC EAST Company from Knjaževac is a good example of this. They have been my clients for ten years, and the company has close to 1,200 employees in Serbia, as well as a leading position in the footwear manufacturing sector not only in this country and in the region, but also worldwide.
The company was founded by a foreign legal entity – FALC spa Civitanova Marche from Italy – and regardless of a very difficult situation in Italy, and consequentially in Serbia, the company has been fully operating and has promptly applied all relevant measures in cooperation with the Trade Union representatives, by releasing the employees suffering from chronic diseases from work obligations, as well as those who have children of up to 12 years of age.
Apart from applying all relevant health security measures, the company has also subcontracted an epidemiologist for the purpose of consultations regarding the protection of employees’ health.
Despite the production deadlines, FALC EAST had one of its many plants, the one in Ruma, starting sewing protective masks for several state institutions.
In the past, FALC EAST has given a lot to the local community, such as Christmas gifts for the children of their workers, as well as for the children from socially disadvantaged families. They have donated to Red Cross in money and in kind. In terms of very recent donations, they have donated medical equipment to the Knjaževac Health Centre.
I would also like to mention that I have been a legal representative of the International Transport Business Association for many years. As freight transportation in Serbia is fully functioning and the carriers have been transporting foreign goods destined for Serbia and goods for export from Serbia without a delay, the freight forwarding branch has been facilitating supply in Serbia in this manner, and provided transport services for those companies which manufacturing and exporting process has not been interrupted due to the current situation.
How do you spend your private time during the pandemic?
I have never had a lot of private time and the same applies now. My law firm is working at full capacity although there are no court proceedings during this period. The scope of our work has widened to include labour relations (preparing documents and such). Also, the enforcement officers and the notary publics are still working (in line with the state of emergency measures). In order to be of assistance to companies, I need to be at clients’ disposal 24/7. Despite the changed way of doing business and life in general in the current circumstances, I do my best to justify the trust that my clients have in me.
I see this “state of emergency” as a gift in terms of surplus time. Finally, I have time to properly organize and classify the documents in my law firm, to analyze in detail particularly demanding cases, and also to further develop previously acquired legal knowledge and skills.