Reflecting on his path from a fascination with aircraft landings to leading Sarajevo International Airport’s legal team, Sarajevo International Airport Head of Legal Berin Ridjanovic discusses the complexities of air law, managing expansion projects, working with external counsel, and navigating EU regulatory alignment.
CEELM: Tell us a bit about your background and the journey that brought you to your current role as Head of Legal at Sarajevo International Airport.
Ridjanovic: My legal career is dedicated to air law, and complementarily to labor and contract law. Regarding air law, it can be said that it all began during a 2007 summer vacation in Santorini, where every day I would go to a cliff that lay along the airplane landing route, and I remember telling myself that I would love to work in aviation-related fields.
My wish came true, and since November 1, 2007, I have been employed at P.C. International Airport Sarajevo LCC, initially assigned to the position of Associate for Air Law and Legal Affairs. A cargo theft incident in the warehouse directed my professional path and interest toward compensation for damages in international air law, leading me to complete my master’s degree in 2012 at the Faculty of Law, University of Sarajevo, with a thesis on Harmonization of Certain Regulations in International Air Transport and the Problem of Compensation for Damages in International Air Law.
At an international level, in 2014, I obtained an International Air Law diploma from the International Air Transport Association, and, in 2018, I earned a diploma in Airport Management under the Airport Management Professional Accreditation Program, a program designed and organized by the world’s largest international civil aviation organization and the leading global airport organization.
I passed the bar exam on February 8, 2010, which is the basis for representing the company in legal proceedings before the courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In September 2015 and again in 2019, I was appointed as an independent expert of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. On December 30, 2020, at the Faculty of Law, University of Sarajevo, I earned the title of Doctor of Legal Sciences by defending my doctoral dissertation titled Liberalization of Air Transport – The Experience of the European Union and Possible Solutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, thereby completing my education in the field of air law.
Currently, I serve as Head of the Legal Affairs and Protocol Department at J.P. International Airport Sarajevo, responsible for matters in the fields of international private and public air law, contract and labor law, as well as representing the company before the competent courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
CEELM: When you first moved in-house, especially into the aviation and infrastructure sector, what was the biggest adjustment or surprise for you?
Ridjanovic: My greatest surprise was realizing how little I actually knew, and how much theory and practice differ. In substance, legal knowledge is truly a fusion of theory and practice.
In the field of aviation, completing law school did not mean much initially, as my legal beginnings at the international airport were closely tied to air law and the study of international conventions, such as the Convention on International Civil Aviation – the Chicago Convention of 1944, along with its accompanying technical annexes, as well as the Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air – the Montreal Convention of 1999.
Work in both international public and private air law has defined my career so far, ultimately leading me to earn the title of Doctor of Legal Sciences in this field. I have published scholarly articles in the most prestigious journals in these areas, including labor law, and have delivered lectures at leading international conferences.
CEELM: How large is your in-house team currently, and how is it structured?
Ridjanovic: The Legal Affairs and Protocol Department consists of 15 employees, including: four legal professionals responsible for legal matters related to procurement, obtaining construction permits, land acquisitions, personal data protection, court representation, drafting normative acts, and preparing contracts in the field of commercial airport services; five human resources staff dealing with recruitment, employee interviews, absenteeism, and other HR-related matters; and five protocol staff managing reception and dispatch, as well as mail distribution.
CEELM: Airports operate in a highly regulated and complex environment. In your experience, what are the legal challenges that are unique to the aviation and infrastructure sector, and how do these differ from the broader challenges faced by general counsel across industries in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Ridjanovic: The greatest legal challenges are linked to investment cycles involving the expansion of the airport, particularly the reconstruction and extension of the runway, which represents a highly complex legal issue. This also includes related matters such as land acquisitions and obtaining construction permits, given the spatial constraints surrounding the airport.
In addition, challenges in daily work are tied to cooperation with other stakeholders, such as Border Police, air traffic control, customs authorities, and carriers, which provides both a unique professional experience and a significant legal challenge.
CEELM: How do you decide which matters to handle internally and which to outsource, and what is the starting point for you when looking for outside counsel?
Ridjanovic: Regarding legal affairs, the decision to outsource certain tasks was linked primarily to representation and the resolution of complex legal disputes in commercial contracts, particularly those related to long-term leases. Outsourcing was also applied in situations where, in addition to the internal opinion of the Legal Department, the company’s management held a different view, in order to obtain confirmation or an alternative, independent legal opinion.
CEELM: In your work with external counsel, have you noticed any shifts in what you need from law firms or in the way those relationships are managed? For instance, are there new expectations, skills, or expertise areas that have become more important in recent years?
Ridjanovic: With regard to the engagement of external firms, there were no changes in terms of skills or additional expertise. In the case of Sarajevo International Airport, the sudden growth in passenger traffic, combined with a shortage of legal staff, created the need to outsource certain tasks – such as representation – and, in some cases, to involve external firms in negotiations aimed at resolving disputes through out-of-court settlements.
CEELM: Looking ahead, are there any regulatory developments or legislative trends in aviation or infrastructure that you’re particularly excited about? And on the other side, are there any proposals or changes under discussion that raise concerns for you?
Ridjanovic: The incorporation of European Union regulations into the legal system of Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly in the area of airport operator certification – EU Regulation 139/2014, completed in 2022 – resulted in a new approach to operations. This included the certification of the Training Center for Aviation Security Personnel, as well as the implementation of Regulation 2016/679 on the protection of personal data (GDPR), which led to the prioritization of tasks and a strategic focus on meeting data protection requirements, especially in contractual relations with air carriers.
In addition, following the expansion of the terminal building and commercial facilities, Sarajevo International Airport now faces its next major challenge: the reconstruction and expansion of the runway.
CEELM: Finally, what advice would you give to young lawyers who aspire to one day lead the legal function of a large organization?
Ridjanovic: Due to technological innovations, legal affairs are subject to constant change and reorganization, requiring young lawyers to be adaptable and to quickly acquire new knowledge and skills, which can often be stressful. Working in large organizations frequently demands new and rapid solutions, as well as decision-making within short timeframes.
On the other hand, working in large organizations is multidisciplinary, requiring the acquisition of knowledge and understanding of other fields such as economics, construction, and information technology, and at times even the performance of non-legal tasks. While this broadens professional perspectives, it can also create a certain distance from strictly legal work.
This article was originally published in Issue 12.8 of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the magazine, you can subscribe here.