On 13 August 2025, in his 89th year, Academician Jakša Barbić passed away. He was a long-standing and esteemed member of our Society, a full member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts and Head of its Adriatic Institute, as well as Professor Emeritus of the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb.
Professor Barbić was born in Zagreb on 12 December 1936. He graduated (1960) and obtained his doctorate (1973) at the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, where he worked from 1963 until his retirement in 2007, serving as assistant, assistant professor, associate professor, full professor, and tenured full professor in Commercial Law and International Trade Law, later Company Law. He lectured in postgraduate studies in commercial law and company law at faculties of law in Croatia and abroad. He held, among others, the positions of Vice-Dean, Dean, Head of the Department of Commercial and Company Law, and Director of the Postgraduate Programme in Commercial Law, later Commercial and Company Law. He became a corresponding member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in 2002, a full member in 2004, Vice-President from 2011 to 2018, and from 2019 a member of the Academy’s Presidency. From 2021 until his death in 2025, he was Head of the Adriatic Institute of the Academy.
Alongside his distinguished academic and scholarly career, Professor Barbić also possessed exceptionally rich practical legal experience, which he skilfully wove into all his numerous written works and lectures. From 1961 to 1963, he worked at the District Court in Jastrebarsko, the District Court in Zagreb, and the Higher Economic Court of Croatia in Zagreb as a judicial trainee. After passing the bar exam in 1963, he served at the Municipal Court I in Zagreb and at the Higher Economic Court of Croatia. He was a long-standing member of the Presidency of the Permanent Arbitration Court of the Croatian Chamber of Economy in Zagreb, cooperated with the Higher Economic Court of Croatia and the High Commercial Court of the Republic of Croatia, and arbitrated in numerous arbitration proceedings in domestic and international trade disputes both at home and abroad. Academician Barbić contributed to the drafting of many laws, most notably in his leading role in preparing the Companies Act. In the past three decades, he was chairman, vice-chairman, or member of supervisory boards, as well as chairman of general assemblies of numerous joint-stock companies, mostly within large international groups. In his lectures, public appearances, and collegial discussions, he always emphasised the importance of uniting theory and practice, scholarship and profession.
His most important written work is Company Law in three volumes, totalling 5,000 pages—the first and largest systematic treatment of company law in Croatia. Through this, from the drafting of the Companies Act to the comprehensive scholarly elaboration of company law, he established a new branch of Croatian law and introduced it into the curricula of faculties of law. For this work, he received the HAZU Award (2003) and the National Science Award (2006). He was also the recipient of many other recognitions and awards, including the Acknowledgment for Contribution to the Development of Commercial Judiciary (1979), the Zagreb Chamber of Economy plaque, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Croatian Managers’ Association “Croma” (2005), the plaque of the Croatian Notaries’ Chamber for outstanding contribution to the notarial service (2009), the Croatian Chamber of Economy “Golden Kuna” for lifetime achievement (2011), recognition from the High Commercial Court of the Republic of Croatia for long-standing cooperation (2013), recognition of the Permanent Arbitration Court of the Croatian Chamber of Economy (2017), and the special “Nikola Tesla” Award for contribution to the success of the First Croatian Radio Forum (2018). In 2022, the “Dr. Jadranko Crnić” Foundation awarded him the Lifetime Achievement Award for exceptional accomplishments in the legal profession and for promoting the rule of law in Croatia. He was decorated with the Order of Danica Hrvatska with the image of Ruđer Bošković.
Although not directly part of the circle of Croatian maritime lawyers, Academician Barbić wholeheartedly and with characteristic energy took on the duty of leading the Adriatic Institute of the Academy, giving the Institute fresh momentum and generously sharing his knowledge, abilities, and scholarly authority. At the same time, he granted the Institute’s researchers boundless trust in their projects—a hallmark of a wise man, for such trust both inspires additional zeal and obliges its bearers to maintain the highest standards in their work.
Academician Barbić was undoubtedly one of the greatest Croatian jurists and legal scholars in history.
With deep sorrow and profound respect, we bid farewell to our beloved professor, an extraordinary scholar whose encyclopaedic knowledge and wide-ranging erudition enriched the Croatian legal and academic community. His nobility, optimism, inexhaustible life energy, perceptiveness, and wit left an indelible mark on all who had the privilege of working with him.
Professor Barbić was an unwavering driving force. He selflessly shared his knowledge and experience, always ready to support constructive initiatives. He was committed to the professional and personal development of his students and younger colleagues, serving as their support, advisor, and mentor. His dedication to higher goals of general interest—particularly the development of legal science and education, the protection and strengthening of the rule of law, and the creation of a fair and modern legal order in our country—shaped his institutional and academic efforts permanently.
We will remember him for his tireless cheerfulness and goodwill. He approached problems calmly and resourcefully, often turning obstacles into seemingly easy stages on the way to positive outcomes. His works, intellectual contributions, and the memories of days spent in his company remain a precious legacy and a lasting encouragement to follow the example of his dedication, wisdom, and professional integrity.
In his private life, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. He treated friends, colleagues, collaborators, and all those he came into contact with with exceptional human warmth, cordiality, directness, modesty, and genuine simplicity. He loved social gatherings, travelling, Dalmatian song, and his second home on the island of Hvar, the cradle of his family. He lived life to the fullest until his very last breath. We extend our sincere condolences to his family and our profound gratitude for all that Professor Barbić gave to our community.
Rest in peace, dear Professor.
