Lawyer in Croatia

The legal profession has quite a long tradition in Croatia, dating from the 1200s. There are almost 4,000 lawyers practicing in Croatia and most of them are in the capital city of Zagreb. Foreign law companies are not allowed to be set up in Croatia. The Attorney’s Code of Ethics regulates the professional behaviour of attorneys in Croatia. A lawyer in Croatia must provide confidentiality of any information offered to him by the client. All attorneys in Croatia have to be members of the Croatian Bar Association. Also, it is mandatory that they are members in the local bar associations.

Admission

Being enrolled on the list of attorneys in Croatia gives a person the right to practise law. The decision on enrolling a candidate in the list of attorneys is made by a representative from the Bar Association. Some requirements have to be met in order to gain the right to practise the legal profession in Croatia. A candidate for becoming a lawyer in Croatia must have Croatian citizenship and must possess business capacity. He must have graduated from a Croatian Law School and after that, must have completed at least three years as a trainee in a law office. It is also important for a candidate to pass the bar examination. A proof of the fact that the candidate is not employed and that he is in good health condition and not under police investigation are also required for an applicant to the legal profession in Croatia.

Forms of practice

A lawyer in Croatia may work for a law firm. Many law firms in Croatia are specialized in different areas, such as real estate, company law or foreign investment. This way, all areas are covered and the client can find specialized help for his problems. There is also the possibility to form joint offices with several Croatian attorneys who are also members of the Croatian Bar Association. Nevertheless, a lawyer in Croatia may choose to practice the legal profession independently, in an individual law office in Croatia. In this case, the lawyer is considered an individual offering legal services and he is entitled to receive as many trainees as he wants. 

Activities

Lawyers in Croatia can either deal with general legal issues or can be specialized in a certain area, such as foreign investment or real estate. His knowledge in Croatian law must help an attorney in Croatia to manage cases from different domains.

BridgeWest offers company formation in Croatia, including virtual office and other related services.