About Law Office Đokić — English- and German-Speaking Lawyers in Pula, Croatia

Property and real estate

First and foremost, we check whether the building is legal: that it has valid building and use permits, and that what stands on the plot matches the permits and the registers. This prevents problems from surfacing after you have bought. We then check the land registry and cadastre for ownership, mortgages and easements, draft or review the purchase contract, obtain your OIB and take the purchase through to your entry in the land registry.

Property and real estate law →

Inheritance and estates

We represent heirs in Croatian probate proceedings before the notary acting as court commissioner, including heirs who live abroad and never travel to Croatia. We handle waivers, transfers of inheritance shares, division among heirs and the European Certificate of Succession. The estate is settled and the property registered to the right people.

Inheritance law →

Construction and development

We advise developers and owners on building land, building rights, permits and the legalisation of existing buildings. We draft building contracts and check that a project can be approved, divided into units and sold as planned.

Building and developing in Croatia →

Company formation, corporate law and M&A

We set up Croatian limited companies (d.o.o. and j.d.o.o.) and branches for foreign founders and register them with the court register. For mergers and acquisitions, we run due diligence and handle the purchase and sale of companies and company shares, as well as changes in ownership, management and share capital. You get a company that is properly registered and ready to trade.

Corporate law →

Contracts and disputes

We draft and review commercial contracts and general terms and conditions, and we collect outstanding claims. When a dispute reaches court, we represent clients in civil and commercial litigation, enforcement and insolvency proceedings across Croatia.

Disputes and litigation →

The lawyer you speak to does the work

You have one point of contact who handles your entire case, from the first check to the final entry in the land registry. You always know who is working on your file and how to reach them.

Croatian attorney, familiar with German law

Stefan Đokić holds an LL.M. from the University of Regensburg, wrote the Croatian chapter of the 5th edition of the NOMOS commentary on German property law, and has been Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Pula since 2023. He is familiar with German law and can explain where a Croatian purchase or inheritance differs from what you know at home.

Big projects without a big team

Large projects no longer need large teams. With AI-supported research, drafting and document review, one attorney handles large transactions and high caseloads quickly and thoroughly. You get the capacity for big projects and keep the same point of contact throughout.

In Pula's courts and land registry since 1988

Ranko Đokić has practised as an attorney in Pula since 1988, after starting his career at the Municipal Court in Pula. Our paralegal, Anđelka Radonić, was head of the land registry department at the Municipal Court in Pula for many years. Croatian registry problems, such as unregistered extensions or outdated co-ownership entries, are familiar ground for us.

Five working languages

We work in Croatian, German, English, Italian and Hungarian. Bilingual contracts are drafted in two columns, Croatian next to German or English, so you can read every clause you sign.

Ranko Đokić, mag.iur. — Founder and attorney

Ranko graduated from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Law in 1987, passed the bar exam in 1988 and was sworn in as an attorney the same year. He focuses on property and contract law and works in Croatian, English and Italian.

Stefan Đokić, LL.M. — Attorney and Honorary Consul of Germany

Stefan graduated from the University of Zagreb Faculty of Law in 2015, earned his LL.M. at the University of Regensburg and passed the Croatian bar exam in 2017 with a commendation from the examining board. He focuses on real estate, company law, M&A, inheritance and cross-border matters, and wrote the Croatian chapter of the 5th edition of the NOMOS commentary on German property law. He has been Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Pula since 2023.

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Robert Đokić, mag.iur. — Trainee attorney

Robert joined the firm in 2024 and works mainly on real estate and corporate matters, as well as crypto-asset regulation and anti-money-laundering compliance. He works in Croatian and English.

Anđelka Radonić, bacc.admin.publ. — Paralegal

Anđelka was head of the land registry department at the Municipal Court in Pula for many years and now handles land registry and document work for our clients. She works in Croatian, English, German and Italian.

Ines Bartoletti, prof. — Court interpreter

Ines prepares certified translations for our clients as a court interpreter for German and Hungarian.

Communication

We work by email, phone and video call, in German, English or Croatian.

Response times

We respond very quickly, almost always within a day. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00.

Who you work with

One attorney, Stefan or Ranko Đokić, is responsible for your file from start to finish, and Anđelka Radonić handles land registry and document work.

Getting started

Send us a short description of your situation and any documents you already have, such as a land registry extract, a draft contract or a death certificate. We reply with an initial assessment of your case. You then sign a power of attorney, and we obtain your OIB if you don't have one yet.

Working from abroad

Most clients never need to come to Pula. You sign the power of attorney before a notary at home, and we handle everything on the ground in Croatia. If you would rather meet, our office is at Ul. Marka Marulića 3 in Pula.

Typical timelines

Timelines depend on each case, and we tailor the process to your situation. You receive our assessment of the expected timeline at the start of our cooperation.

Do you speak German and English?

Yes. Stefan Đokić works in German, English and Croatian, and the team also covers Italian and Hungarian. Bilingual contracts are drafted in two columns so you can read every clause.

Where is Law Office Đokić located?

Our office is at Ul. Marka Marulića 3, 52100 Pula, Croatia. We work for clients across Croatia and abroad, and most never need to visit in person.

Can I buy property in Croatia as a foreigner?

In most cases, yes. Citizens of EU countries such as Germany and Austria buy property under the same conditions as Croatian citizens. Buyers from outside the EU generally need approval from the Ministry of Justice, which depends on reciprocity with their country.

Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Croatia?

Croatian law does not require one, but the notary usually only certifies the signatures on the purchase contract. Checking whether the building is legal, the title and any encumbrances, and drafting a contract that protects you, is a lawyer's job.

Do I need to travel to Croatia to buy a property?

No. You sign a power of attorney before a notary in your home country, and we sign the contract and handle the land registry entry for you in Croatia.

Do I need an OIB?

Yes. Every buyer needs a Croatian personal identification number (OIB) for the contract, the land registry and the tax office. We can obtain it for you while you are still abroad.

How long does a property purchase take?

It depends on the case, but we work very quickly, because we know a purchase usually has to happen fast. The biggest variable is how clean the land registry and permits are when we start.

I have inherited property in Croatia. Can you handle probate from abroad?

Yes. We represent heirs in probate proceedings before the Croatian notary, and in most cases you do not need to attend in person. Where other EU countries are involved, we obtain the European Certificate of Succession.

Can you set up a company in Croatia for a foreign founder?

Yes. We set up d.o.o. and j.d.o.o. companies and branches for foreign founders, obtain the founders' OIBs and register the company with the court register. In most cases you do not need to come to Croatia.

Do you only work in Istria?

No. We are based in Pula and handle matters across Croatia, from Zagreb and Rijeka to Split and Dubrovnik.