Three partnerships - Bartholdi · Sphere · BOLV
Schule is not an agency. Schule is a house with a network. Three partnerships form the spine of that network - each adds a dimension that exceeds the reach of one firm. Bartholdi Labs covers large EU mandates we wouldn't carry alone - Brussels-Frankfurt-Vienna axis for federal investments, multi-country consortia, infrastructure projects. Sphere Consulting connects regional clusters - Adriatic, Balkans, EU southeast through Sarajevo-Belgrade-Zagreb axis. BOLV (Belt and Road Lawyers Vision) is a legal network in 8 Chinese provinces that makes the difference between paper cooperation and actual business with China. Partnership logic: three vertical collaborators, three geographic compasses, three types of mandates. Schule remains the coordinator and mandate seat in the Adria region, partners bring their specialized depth. No fragmentation, no loss in communication, no agency overhead. The client has one contract with Schule, we have upstream contracts with partners.
Bartholdi Labs
EU big mandates · Brussels-Frankfurt-Vienna axis
Consulting group headquartered in Brussels with offices in Frankfurt and Vienna. Team of 40+, focused on large EU mandates. Led by former partner of a major Big4 firm. Specialization in Horizon Europe Pillar 2 consortia, IPA III technical assistance, WBIF large infrastructure projects, EBRD and EIB structural loans.
Access to mandates beyond Schule's solo reach - federal investments, multi-country consortia (5-15 countries), infrastructure projects 20-300M EUR, sector strategies for EU institutions. Appointments by EU institutions (DG INTPA, DG NEAR, DG ECFIN), EBRD, EIB, KfW. Depth of expertise in the Brussels regulatory environment through former DG members on the team.
Schule enters as Adria/SEE partner in their mandates. Bartholdi brings us in when local Southeast Europe expertise is needed - legal-regulatory landscape of ME/SRB/BIH/HR/AL, local language, cultural context, contacts in ministries and development agencies. We lead the regional component, they lead the main narrative on the EU institutions side. Fees by clear upfront split - typically 60-70% Bartholdi, 30-40% Schule for the SEE component.
Sphere Consulting
Adriatic-Balkans clusters · Sarajevo-Belgrade-Zagreb axis
Consultancy headquartered in Sarajevo with offices in Belgrade and Zagreb. Team of 25+, focused on Western Balkans + Adria region. Marko Đurović and Nikola Krstić, two co-founders, both former EBRD with deep experience in development financing. Specialization in Interreg cross-border programs, EBRD Small Business Initiative, local WBIF projects, sector strategies for Southeast Europe.
Regional clusters - when a project requires simultaneous presence in Montenegro, Serbia, BiH, Croatia, Albania. Local account, language, culture, legal structure in each country. EU grant applications where regional component scores points. Direct contacts at EBRD Montenegro, Serbia, BiH; at IDF; at national economy ministries of five regional countries. Access to PE funds focused on Western Balkans (BlueOrchard, Mid Europa Partners, Innova Capital).
Schule and Sphere are linked via Sphere Ventures (JV for EU grants in Western Balkans, focused on large multi-country consortia) and Sphere Consulting (regional clients where Schule is the project partner). We cover Montenegro, the court and expert side of the mandate, the China bridge where relevant. They cover the rest of the region, EBRD/EIB navigation, multi-country implementation. Fees by clear split based on countries and expertise.
BOLV (Belt and Road Lawyers Vision)
Chinese legal network · 8 provinces · operational language Mandarin
Legal network of Chinese law firms founded 2017 in Shanghai. Network in 8 provinces: Shanghai (anchor partner), Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chongqing, Suzhou, Tianjin. Specialized in international contracts, IP protection (CNIPA registration), FDI structures (WFOE, JV), joint ventures, cross-border disputes. Operational language Mandarin, with member firms capable in English and one partner (Shanghai) for German/French/Spanish.
Local legal expert in every Chinese province where our client operates. Partner DD on the ground (SAIC registration, financial statements, credit standing, court proceedings via China Judgments Online). Contracts under Chinese law with simultaneous EU lawyer co-control. Brand registration in CNIPA, ICP license, JV contract per local MOFCOM process. Access to CCPIT (China Council for the Promotion of International Trade) for official investment delegations.
Schule MENHU brand is the formal partner of the BOLV network in the Adria region. Client Chinese mandates run through us - coordination, strategy, EU component, cultural-linguistic support. The BOLV lawyer on the ground works directly for our client, we coordinate strategy and the European component. Fees by BOLV hourly rate for local legal work + our fixed fee for coordination and strategy.
Schule d.o.o. · Kralja Nikole 12, 81000 Podgorica, Crna Gora · office@schule.co.me · +382 67 338 777