Mentor
Speaker
Milovan Zvijer
Partner at Four Legal/M&A and Family Business Advisor
Joker
As Milovan’s promising basketball career was cut short, he dedicates himself to law studies and the legal profession.
In addition to his maximum commitment to academia, he never lost interest in sports. He collaborated part-time with sports agents, as a lawyer, he represented numerous athletes on various (not only sports) issues, enjoyed the successful careers of many of his friends who played all over the world (from Asia, through Europe, all the way to the NBA) and volunteered in few basketball clubs as their legal advisor.
He has been a member of the ABA League Appeals Committee for 3 consecutive seasons.
References
Video
What others say
„Milovan is one of the most important contributors and speakers at BIZIT seminars related to family businesses. The audience appreciated the way he openly presented all the practical issues he faced through his career and the fact that he managed to present complex legal matters in a simple and comprehensible manner. In addition, he is a valued author of articles in the PC Press magazine on topics related to successions in the family business, family constitutions, and related matters and his texts have always been attractive to read.“
– Vesna Čarknajev, co-owner, and director of PC Press / BIZIT –
„Milovan is a trusted legal adviser for Delmax for many years. His significant corporate experience coupled with a deep understanding of family business challenges helps us tremendously in everyday operations. Among many other contributions, he was our counsel in the strategic M&A processes that were vital for our growth and successful development of our core business.“
– Vule Lopušina, owner of Delmax –
„In addition to being a proactive lawyer in general, Milovan’s most valuable contributions are those in M&A processes where the target company is family-owned / founder-led. The importance of good legal guidance in M&A, as one of the most sensitive processes for every organization, is amplified when such organizations are family-owned, as in the selling phase of their businesses founders and families need more than a good lawyer – they need a reliable and trustworthy person that is available 24/7. That is what makes the difference, and Milovan excels in this segment.“
– Dušan Tomić, Partner in Ernst&Young –
„I cooperated with Milovan in Appeals board of ABA league for 3 consecutive seasons, and it was my pleasure to work with someone who shares the passion for sports and at the same time has a strong legal background and knowledge. His contribution to work of the appeals board was of vital importance for the quality of decisions made and for development of that body within ABA league.“
– Boštjan Koritnik, President of Appeals board of ABA league and Minister of Public Administration in the Government of Slovenia –
„Milovan and I have been talking about basketball and sports a lot. What I admire is that he was supportive wherever I worked and he was always curious not only regarding the success of my team but also about all other aspects of life and basketball abroad. His immense knowledge of the world of sports, life experience, and legal background were very helpful to me in some of the critical moments of my career.”
– Predrag Badnjarević, a basketball coach in CSKA Moscow –
Short Bio
Milovan started his career in 2004 in a reputable law firm, and the first tasks he worked on marked his career path. At the beginning of his career, he had the opportunity to work on some of the largest merger and acquisition transactions in Serbia and the region so far, which today helps him understand the complexity and importance of this type of service, making him a top expert.
At the same time, he worked on daily business, commercial, and employment jobs for various international companies in Serbia. As a relatively young lawyer, he has had the opportunity to work on high-profile international arbitration cases and complex commercial and corporate litigation before the courts. With his many years of experience, Milovan has mastered outstanding communication skills, strong analytical skills, the ability to balance multiple tasks simultaneously, leadership skills, the ability to agree with the client’s situation, and a strong work ethic.
Eight years ago, he founded Four Legal with childhood friends and colleagues. That decision endangered their friendship because the general attitude is that we should not do business with friends and family. However, they are still together, stronger and united than ever and their team numbers about 20 great young people and professionals.
In the meantime, he decided to narrow down his merger and acquisition expertise and focus on family businesses because there are many local businesses that are disadvantaged by global companies and private equity funds when it comes to transaction issues. That decision helped him strike a balance in the client portfolio, and now it is made up of global clients and local businesses in relatively similar proportions.
He has completed official training for mediators and is also a member of the ABA League Appeals Board (Adriatic Basketball Association). Holds L.L.B. from the Faculty of Law, University of Belgrade, and is a member of the Belgrade Bar Association.
Although he stopped playing professional basketball due to his law studies, he never lost interest in sports. He is extremely enthusiastic to share all the experiences with young athletes and their family members about the beauty of sports and big dreams, but at the same time about all the challenges and obstacles they could face in case of lack of family support and proper career planning.
Also, experience in working with numerous businesses owned by the family/founders has allowed him to have a clear insight into all the challenges they face in the most sensitive decisions – Mergers & Acquisitions (ie selling or buying a business) and inheritance planning
Our mentor is guided through life by the fact that the knowledge base must be constantly replenished and upgraded, changes in laws and regulations must be constantly monitored. For him, the principle of work of a great lawyer and legal expert is the one who does not give up, who uses his professional education for the purpose of representing the interests of various natural or legal persons.
Certifications / Achievements / Publications
BAR Exam
Official training for mediators
Publications related to successions planning and family constitutions
