International alliance ofbusiness law firms

Meritas membership

General

Lalin Law Office is the only Serbian member of MERITAS – Law Firms Worldwide: An established global alliance of independent, full-service law firms.

Since the founding in 1990, Meritas has been distinguished by quality standards. Leon Steinberg, a practicing lawyer and founder, created Meritas in response to a need: He was frustrated by the difficulty of finding and hiring qualified, local counsel. And he was disappointed by the lack of quality control in firms outside his jurisdiction. Steinberg developed a rigorous system for evaluating firm performance and launched Meritas.

Over the years, Meritas has carefully vetted and invited select, like-minded firms to join the non-profit alliance for their mutual benefit. Today, there are 6,868 experienced lawyers in 179 Meritas law firms worldwide, in over 70 countries.

Meritas selects independent, mid-sized firms that are flexible, accommodating and attentive. Firms become members through invitation. To maintain membership, they agree to perform under uniquely comprehensive Quality Assurance Program, ensuring that clients receive the same high quality legal work and service from every Meritas firm.

Typically in the top tier in their jurisdiction with practice areas spanning the full range of domestic and international business law, Meritas firms offer a depth of experience and skill proven over many years in their local markets and in the international business arena. Each firm adheres to specific client service standards for engagement, communication, reporting, documentation and billing, including:

  • Acknowledgment of client communications within 24 hours
  • Preliminary estimate of fees and basis for rate
  • Providing a range for disbursement charges and currency for payment
  • Issuing a standard letter of engagement
  • Agreement on client’s requirements for status reporting
  • Submitting billing statements for work performed, according to client’s requirements.
  • Offering an English-speaking administrator and voicemail or messaging service in English
  • Documentation using Microsoft Word or WordPerfect.

The Meritas model provides essential peace of mind for business owners, in-house counsel and others who can easily connect with carefully qualified, independent business legal expertise worldwide. You’ll work with firms that are top ranked in their local market and have access to partner-led counsel.

Meritas law firms are well established in their local markets, with years of valuable practical experience in local laws and business customs. Their working knowledge of local cultural and jurisdictional issues typically exceeds that of most international law firms and facilitates positive and timely outcomes.
The rule of law may be complex and diverse across global jurisdictions, but Meritas offers the constancy and consistency you need to conduct global business with confidence.

Meritas firms offer clients the high-caliber, multinational legal service they need to thrive in our global economy. By connecting businesses to our worldwide alliance of experienced, responsive practitioners in independent commercial law firms, we help clients operate globally – and grow with confidence.

The Meritas member firms represent a wide range of clients such as: Bank of America, Bausch & Lomb, CNA Insurance, General Electric Corp, General Motors, Lubrizol Corporation, Merrill Corporation, Multivac, Reuters, McDonald’s Corporation, Motorola, EG Inc., Williams Scotsman, Wal-Mart Stores Inc, etc.

In our 25-year long practice, Lalin Law office has had an honour to represent following companies in Serbia: Mirotin Group (Mirotin Energo in their project of establishing electrical energy and hot water production by using wind and existing biomass, Ecka AD, PP “Sava Kovacevic”), Pink TV, Government of Serbia – Ministry of Agriculture (in the mutual IDR Project with World Bank), SUBA, CNN, Rodic MB, Exit – music festival, Associated Press, Kompresor AD, Cinema City International Film Festival, Ruitenberg Ingredients, Flora doo (in acquision of ‘Moj Auto’ internet platform by Ringier Axel Springer), Naftachem doo and Dunav Oil Term doo ( both oil and petrol industry, oil terminal storaging), Titan Machinery USA (agricultural and construction machinery distribution), EIPIX doo (computer game and software development), and many more.