Female partners at Romania’s TOP 3 law firms: their expertise and most important projects

Women lawyers dominate the top management in the largest and most powerful law firms in Romania. The main three players in the local market have altogether 23 female partners and only 19 male partners. Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii law firm which took the top spot in revenues in 2008 has 5 female partners, Musat & Asociatii which ranked second according to the firm’s revenues in 2008 has 7 female partners, while the female to male ratio stands at 11:4 in NNDKP.

More so, NNDKP has the highest number of women partners on the local legal services market. Manuela Nestor, founder, is a Managing Partner while Ana Diculescu-Sova and Adriana Gaspar are Senior Partners. At Musat & Asociatii too, one of the women partners has entered the senior management structure of the firm: Mona Musat is Co-Managing Partner, while all of the other women partners are equity partners.

Therefore, who are the leading female lawyers that stay in the shadow of some of the biggest transactions? What are their areas of practice? What where the companies assisted by them in the recent past? Find out the answers reading the below text.

Ioana Hrisafi-Josan, Partner at Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii, co-heads the firm's litigation and arbitration practice group. A former President Judge of a Bucharest district court, Ioana Hrisafi-Josan is both a pleading lawyer having acquired an impressive amount of expertise in dealing with complex disputes and also an insolvency practitioner. She has been involved in numerous domestic and international arbitration files, commercial disputes, bankruptcy/insolvency proceedings, competition law related litigation, labour disputes, contentious and administrative disputes, including tax disputes, as well as property law disputes. In her capacity of insolvency practitioner, Ioana Hrisafi-Josan is one of the associates in TZA Insolvenţă S.P.R.L.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Representation and assistance to member firms of Alstom Group in various court disputes;
· Successful assistance and representation for Colgate-Palmolive Romania in the court proceedings against the Competition Council;
· Assistance and representation for OMV Group/Petrom in a complex fiscal dispute;
· Assistance and representation for A&D Pharma/Mediplus in litigation files against the Competition Council;
· Assistance and representation for the member firms of CEZ group in various court disputes.

Ioana also coordinates the team of lawyers assisting and representing Alstom’s member firms in various commercial disputes, with a value of over EUR 70,000,000. She has coordinated the team of lawyers having successfully represented Colgate-Palmolive Romania in proceedings before courts, including the High Court of Cassation and Justice, and obtained the annulment of the order issued by the Competition Council for the reopening of an investigation on the company’s potential abuse of a dominant position.

Ioana coordinates the team of lawyers assisting and representing the companies of CEZ Group in various disputes, including commercial disputes aimed at the recovery of over EUR 50,000,000, as well as in intellectual property disputes and various labor disputes.
As coordinator of the team of lawyers, she has successfully assisted and represented OMV Group / Petrom in a tax exemption file, resulting in the restitution by the fiscal authorities to our client of the amount of EUR 7,000,000.
A full profile of this lawyer (and photo) is found here

Levana Zigmund, Partner at Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii, specializes in international arbitration/dispute resolution, corporate law, as well as mergers, acquisitions and privatizations. She has an extensive experience in international arbitration proceedings flowing from breaches of bilateral investment protection treaties, as part of the team who represented the Romanian State in three such arbitration cases before the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

Some of her most important projects include:
· Successful representation of Romania in two ICSID international arbitration proceedings initiated against Romania by foreign investors - EDF Services LTD and Noble Ventures Inc.;
· Assistance in the sale of several maritime drilling platforms and on-shore real estate and industrial equipment;
· Assistance in the privatization of Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR);
· Assistance in the privatization of CEC-House Savings Bank;
· Assistance in the acquisition of Sicomed Bucharest;
· Assistance in the acquisition of Royal Brinkers and Prod Ardealul SRL by Orkla Foods Romania (the local subsidiary of the Scandinavian Orkla Group);
· Assistance in the privatization of Distrigaz Nord and Distrigaz Sud.

Levana coordinated the team of lawyers selected by the Ministry of Public Finances to represent Romania in an international arbitration case initiated by EDF Services Ltd before the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), which has claimed damages amounting to 110,000,000 USD. After four years from the beginning of the arbitral proceedings, the team of lawyers at Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii has contributed to achieving a favorable solution for Romania and the claims brought by EDF Services Ltd. were dismissed by the arbitral tribunal.

She is also the coordinator of the team of lawyers representing Romania in another ICSID international arbitration initiated by S&T Oil Ecquipment and Machinery, seeking damages of over 150.000.000 USD for alleged abusive expropriation of the investments made in Nitramonia SA Fagaras according to the privatization contract concluded with the Romanian State.

Levana was part of a team of lawyers who successfully represented Romania in the first ICSID international arbitration case initiated by a foreign investor, ie Noble Ventures Inc., who claimed damages of over 450,000,000 USD.

She was a senior consultant as part of the teams that have assisted many foreign companies in relation to investments in Romania: she has represented Zentiva AS in the acquisition of Sicomed Bucharest, supported OMV Group / Petrom in various representative transactions on the local market, including the sale of an offshore drilling, including the sale of several maritime drilling platforms and on-shore real estate and industrial equipment, amounting to 100,000,000 USD, assisted in a 12,000,000 USD transaction for the sale of BOSS Campina unit – specialized in special drilling services to the Romanian subsidiary of the US company Weatherford International Ltd., one of the world’s largest diversified upstream oilfield service companies, as well as in a EUR 10,000,000 transaction for the sale of another unit of Targu Jiu to Dosco BV. Levana was one of the selected lawyers to represent Orkla Foods in several representative local market transactions, including the acquisition of Royal Brinkers and Prod Ardealul.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), is found here

Raluca Vasilache, Partner at Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii, has represented numerous multinational companies in a wide array of legal issues in the field of competition law, as well as intellectual property, from notification procedures to the Romanian Competition Council of some national and international transactions, dawn raids of the Competition Council and State aid matters to representation in diverse investigations initiated by the authority in sectors such as: oil, telecommunications, consumer goods, steel, pharma, etc.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assistance to Voestalpine AG, Austria's largest steel company, for the development of a major greenfield project in South-Eastern Romania;
· Assistance in relation to the Competition Council’s investigation on the banking and inter-banking services markets;
· Assistance on merger and State aid issues in relation to the acquisition / privatization of Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR) and CEC- Home Savings Bank;
· General assistance for numerous companies such as OMV Group / Petrom, Colgate - Palmolive Romania, CEZ, Carrefour, ArcelorMittal, UPC Romania, A&D Pharma/Mediplus, Philip Morris, and many others, in various aspects of competition law and intellectual property.

Raluca is also the coordinator of a team of lawyers assisting Erste Bank / Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR) within the Competition Council’s investigation on the banking and inter-banking services markets concerning a possible cartel aiming at interest value fixing between banks within the context of the international financial crisis between undertakings active on such market.

She is also coordinator of the team of lawyers currently assisting large companies, including Colgate - Palmolive Romania and Carrefour Romania in various aspects of competition law. Carrefour Romania received assistance under the necessary procedures for the purpose of obtaining the Competition Council’s clearance of a EUR 55,000,000 transaction for the acquisition of Artima chain of supermarkets, as well as assistance in the implementation of a Code of Good Practices between suppliers and retailers on the retail market, including assistance in amending the code and in negotiations with the relevant parties. She has also advised Carrefour Romania in relation to the investigation launched by the Competition Council on the retail market.

Raluca is the coordinator of the team of lawyers assisting ArcelorMittal in connection with the competition issues arising from its client activities on the Romanian market.
She has also led the team of competition law lawyers who have assisted Voestalpine on all relevant issues concerning State aid / competition law - related to the development of a large greenfield project in South-Eastern Romania with an investment of about EUR 7,000,000,000. She has been part of the team of lawyers who has assisted Voestalpine in the closing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Romanian Government.

Raluca also coordinates the team of lawyers assisting UPC Romania in connection with various competition issues pertaining to client’s activities on the Romanian market (i.e. promotions, joint-ventures, etc). She was also part of the team who has successfully assisted UPC Romania in the opposition against the decision of the Competition Council regarding an alleged participation to a market sharing cartel and abuse of dominant position and obtained the annulment of the Competition Council’s decision as well as of a EUR 7,000,000 fine inflicted by the authority under the same decision.
A full profile of this lawyer (and photo), is found here

Cristina Metea, Partner at Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii, specializes in corporate law and international arbitration. Her experience covers all aspects of corporate law, drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts, establishment and restructuring of commercial companies, domestic and international joint-ventures, consultancy in corporate management and operational structures, duties and liabilities of the managing bodies.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Successfully representing Romania in the ICSID international arbitration case initiated by EDF International Services Ltd., claiming damages amounting to 110,000,000 USD;
· Representing Romania in the international arbitration case brought to ICSID by S&T Oil Equipment and Machinery, claiming damages amounting to 150,000,000 USD;
· Successfully representing Romania in the first ICSID international arbitration case initiated by Noble Ventures Inc., a foreign investor claiming damages of over 450,000,000 USD;
· Assistance in the acquisition of Sicomed Bucuresti by Zentiva;
· Assistance in the acquisition of Royal Brinkers and Prod Ardealul SRL by Orkla Foods Romania (the local subsidiary of the Scandinavian Orkla Group);
· Assistance in the privatization of Distrigaz Sud.
A full profile of this lawyer (and photo), is found here

Oana Ureche, Partner at Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii, has a significant experience particularly in corporate acquisitions and sales transactions in the real estate sector, addressing issues related to financing, negotiation and preparation of complex sale transactions, including drafting of merger plans, due diligence reports and legal documents needed for such transactions. She has also been involved in major property development projects for the retail, residential or office spaces. Her experience includes assistance given in major merger, acquisitions and privatization projects in the electricity and banking sectors.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting CA Immo AG in relation to group's investment projects in Romania, including the sale of Charles de Gaulle Plaza for EUR 80,000,000, or the purchase of Bucharest Business Park for EUR 50,000,000;
· Assisting ING Real Estate Investment Management in its first acquisition in Romania – ie the acquisition of Felicia Shopping Center in Bacau, including assistance in negotiations with the seller;
· Advising Armedica on a EUR 14,000,000 transaction for the acquisition of the majority stake held by German group Celesio in PharmaFarm;
· Assisting Intelcan Canada in all aspects arising from the construction and development of Brasov Airport, a project estimated at EUR 100,000,000.

Oana also coordinated the team of lawyers in the field of real estate law having assisted Voestalpine in all relevant aspects related to property law in regards to the development of a major greenfield project in South-Eastern Romania with an investment of about EUR 7,000,000,000. She was also part of the team of lawyers assisting Voestalpine in the closing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Romania.
A full profile of this lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Mona Musat, Partner at Musat & Asociatii, coordinates the firm’s real estate and project finance areas of practice, while performing the role of Co-Managing Partner. She has an extensive experience in real estate and construction, due to her constant involvement in major projects conducted by top domestic and foreign companies in Romania. Throughout her career, she has advised founders, developers, financiers and contractors on various matters ranging from sale/acquisition of real estate, corporate and private leases, complex development projects and expansion of large retail activities.

As well as being an insolvency and corporate & debt restructuring practitioner, Mona Musat is advising on the creation and structuring of joint ventures, on various corporate/commercial law matters including share sale and purchase, distribution and management agreements, and is instrumental in addressing debt and funding issues and acquisitions or disposals of business.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting GRUPO LAR in connection with various land acquisitions in Bucharest and Cluj, and in the development of residential compounds involving project investments of more than EUR 300,000,000;
· Assisting Nova Imobliare in all legal matters related to the development of the largest shopping center in Bucharest, the total value of the necessary investments being in excess of EUR 500,000,000;
· Advising PPF Investments (the largest investment fund in the Czech Republic) on the legal matters pertaining to several acquisitions carried out in the hotel industry in Romania, as well as utilities and other industry sectors, while also assisting in various real estate acquisitions with a total value in excess of EUR 200,000,000;
· Assisting LA CAIXA Romania in relation to the financing of several residential or commercial development projects;
· Assisting CEIF Properties in relation to a EUR 225,000,000 loan term facility made available by Hypo Real Estate Bank for refinancing of its property assets portfolio held in the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Romania;
· Advising Equest Partners, a British real estate investment fund, in relation to the acquisition of two shopping malls in Iasi and Bucharest, for a total value exceeding EUR 60,000,000;
· Assisting ING Real Estate Development in connection with the acquisition and development of residential, commercial and office projects;
· Advising TORNATOR, a Finnish forest management company, on the acquisition of various forest lands in Romania totaling more than 11,000 hectares worth EUR 40,000,000.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here

Miruna Suciu, Partner at Musat & Asociatii, has a broad expertise in energy, banking, mergers, acquisitions and privatization. She is recognized as one of the most valuable lawyers in the energy field, being consistently engaged in financing and restructuring of energy projects. Miruna Suciu is also renowned for her in-depth knowledge of specific legal peculiarities of the banking and finance sector, especially in respect to syndicated lending, project finance, derivative products, as well as financial regulatory.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting ENEL in a EUR 820,000,000 acquisition of Electrica Muntenia Sud, the third largest privatization in value in Romania;
· Coordinating the team of lawyers involved in assisting ENEL in a series of acquisitions carried out in the Romanian energy sector, among which Electrica Banat, Electrica Dobrogea, and Blue Line;
· Assisting in the completion of the sale of the majority stake held by Banca Transilvania in BT Asigurari to GROUPAMA (France), following a EUR 100,000,000 transaction;
· Advising PPF Investments (the largest investment fund in the Czech Republic) in a series of acquisitions on the Romanian market, which recently included gas distributors – GAZ SUD and GDR, following transactions with a value in excess of EUR 62,500,000;
· Assisting the European Investment Fund (EIF) during the negotiation proceedings with the Romanian Government in connection with the implementation of EUR 100,000,000 JEREMIE project in Romania, throughout which EIF shall manage on behalf of the Romanian State the structural funds provided by the EU to enhance the SME sector in Romania;
· Advising SABMiller in conducting the local public offering regarding a EUR 7,100,000 acquisition of the majority stake in Bere Azuga, as well as assisting in the subsequent delisting procedures of Bere Azuga from the Bucharest Stock Exchange.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Luminita Popa, Partner at Musat & Asociatii, is constantly involved in investment projects and major international acquisitions, advising leading investors in Romania, and also a large number of companies and public authorities on matters relating to public procurement, concessions, PPP/PFI, greenfield projects development, as well as environmental matters and acquis communautaire. She is also coordinating numerous large projects in the natural resources field, having as object the exploitation of mineral deposits and the structuring and implementation of agreements in the oil and gas sectors.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting Rosia Montana Gold Corporation in connection with the exploration and exploitation of the largest gold and silver mining site in Europe located at Rosia Montana (one of the largest foreign investments in Romania with the total value being in excess of USD 4,000,000,000);
· Assisting and representing a Swedish investor in a complex international arbitration case with aggregate claims of more than EUR 450,000,000 brought against Romania before the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID);
· Advising SAGACARBON SA, wholly owned subsidiary of Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations France, on the implementation under the European Union Emission Trading System of the first transactions in Romania concerning greenhouse gas emission allowances for 2008-2012;
· Advising ENEL on the full range of environmental law issues pertaining to its investments in the energy field in Romania, including assessing the environmental impact of major on-going investments, such as the development of Units 3 and 4 of Cernavoda nuclear power plant, the brownfield project for the modernization of the power plant in Braila, the development of wind farms.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Ana-Maria Placintescu, Partner at Musat & Asociatii, has a wealth of expertise in advising on all aspects of labor and employee benefits. She is frequently assisting both state-owned and privately-held companies, as well as governmental bodies in complex labour matters, including collective bargaining agreements, negotiations with trade unions, employee layoffs, voluntary retirement plans and termination schemes. She is also instrumental in advising various companies on the planning and implementation of extensive restructuring plans in Romania, with emphasis on the full range of employment law issues.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting VA TECH WABAG, one of the world’s leading companies in the water treatment field, in connection with the transfer of a significant number of employees;
· Advising Abbott Laboratories US in the implementation of a transfer of business and transfer of employees to General Electric, following the latter attempt to acquire the core laboratory diagnostics divisions (Abbott Diagnostics Division and Abbott Point of Care);
· Assisting L'OREAL on various aspects of employment law, including: review of the individual employment agreements, review of temporary employment contracts, termination of individual employment agreements and labor related disputes;
· Assisting Unilever South Central Europe, the global leader of FMCG industry, in connection with a wide range of labour matters;
· Advising MICHELIN ROMANIA on the implementation of a merger project of five different divisions of the group, including assistance in all subsequent labour and employment law issues, as well as in the negotiation of the collective bargaining agreement to be concluded at the level of the absorbent company.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here

Anca Buta Musat, Partner at Musat & Asociatii, has an extensive experience in dealing with the whole range of competition law issues, as she successfully advised and represented clients involved in major takeovers on the Romanian market in the proceedings and hearings for obtaining the necessary merger clearance both before the European Commission and the Romanian Competition Council. Her expertise includes all aspects of exclusivity arrangements, cartels, investigations, State aid and public services contracts. Also, in her capacity as a certified intellectual property counselor, Anca Buta Musat has advised on the full range of intellectual property rights, including registration of intellectual property rights, transfer of technology specific issues resulting from joint venture agreements or mergers and acquisitions etc.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Advising Enel SpA on all competition matters in connection with the EUR 820,000,000 acquisition of Electrica Muntenia Sud. To date, she is also assisting Enel in relation to the competition law matters pertaining to client’s investment in the Units 3 and 4 of Cernavoda nuclear power plant, mainly as regards merger control, State aid and “golden share” issues;
· Assistance to the Ministry of Economy and Commerce in connection with the drafting and preparation of the necessary legal bills for the implementation of a EUR 1,000,000,000 debt restructuring strategy of TERMOELECTRICA;
· Advising one of the largest pharmaceutical players on the market in the opposition against the investigation report on the local insulin market conducted by the Competition Council;
· Assisting SABMILLER in lodging the merger control notification before the relevant authorities following the company’s acquisition of BERE AZUGA, a transaction worth EUR 7,100,000;
· Advising an impressive portfolio of multinational corporations such as ELI LILLY, GSK, HOFFMAN LA ROCHE, NOVARTIS, LUNDBECK, GENERAL ELECTRIC, PPF INVESTMENTS, KBC BANK, SBS BROADCASTING, JONES APPAREL, VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION, INTEL on various competition and antitrust issues, notification and merger clearance, exclusivity and individual exemption rights, etc.
· Assisting Liebrecht & Wood in a wide range of competition matters relating to the development of an outlet nearby Bucharest, following investments worth EUR 100,000,000.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here

Iuliana Craiciu, Partner at Musat & Asociatii, has built an impressive expertise in banking & finance and capital markets matters, including assistance in structuring and negotiating of financing projects, secured and unsecured loans, consumer finance projects and project financing. She is also advising a number of international financial groups in bank greenfield projects, in relation to the provision of services by credit institutions authorized in other Member States, on various bancassurance matters, etc.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting Enel SPA in the development of Units 3 and 4 of Cernavoda nuclear power plant;
· Advising Rompetrol Group NV on the mandatory public offering regarding its Romanian subsidiaries, Rompetrol Refining SA and Rompetrol Well Services SA;
· Assisting the Ministry of Communications and Information Society in relation to the restructuring of CN Posta Romana SA in view of its privatization;
· Assisting KBC group in connection with the acquisition of Romstal Leasing IFN and Swiss Capital SA (KBC Securities Romania SA) and also in connection with the establishment of its consumer finance business in Romania, including in relation to the integration thereof within the organizational structures of the group;
· Assisting Palace Resort & Spa in Sibiu in connection with its affiliation to the Hilton chain - one of the few franchise contracts that Hilton hotels have implemented in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the first affiliation of a Romania hotel outside Bucharest to a renowned international brand.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here

Delia Topoleanu, Partner at Musat & Asociatii, has a wealth of experience in litigation and arbitration. Over the years, she has successfully represented many governmental and non-governmental institutions and leading multinational corporations in disputes before the Romanian courts and in numerous international arbitration proceedings.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Representation of ThyssenKrupp in a historical dispute, involving claims amounting to USD 40,000,000 - dispute arisen from the sale and purchase of steel during the communist regime which was settled irrevocably in favor of ThyssenKrupp, after over 25 years from the beginning of this case;
· Assisting and representing the Romanian Government and the Ministry of Education and Research in court proceedings relating to the validity of certain administrative deeds issued for awarding public procurement contracts with a total value of more than EUR 70,000,000;
· Assisting and representing a Swedish investor in a complex international arbitration case with aggregate claims of more than EUR 450,000,000 brought against Romania before the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID);
· Representing Orange Romania before the Romanian administrative authorities and competent courts of law in connection with the annulment of a public procurement procedure for services, as well as in a complex administrative litigation against several measures enacted by the National Regulatory Authority for Communications;
· Assisting and representing Indian England NV for the recovery of a debt amounting to EUR 12,000,000 from a Romanian soda ash manufacturer.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Manuela Nestor, Partner at NNDKP, In the past 30 years of professional activity, she has consistently assisted and advised numerous corporations and public and private Romanian companies, playing a major role in some of the most significant commercial transactions in Romania, including privatization, mergers and acquisitions, financing, restructuring and asset deals. She is recognized as one of the leading business lawyers in Romania in the practice areas listed above.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here

Ana Diculescu-Sova, Partner at NNDKP, is a pleading lawyer with an outstanding experience. She has assisted and represented clients in front of various courts of law on diverse matters related to civil, commercial, administrative, procedural aspects of law, labor law and insolvency.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Successful representation of an important foreign company (Otto Wolff Handelgesellschaft GmbH) in a large complex commercial litigation arisen from an international sales contract concluded by a former communist state enterprise. The dispute between Metalexportimport (plaintiff) and Otto Wolff America Inc., Thyssen Krupp Steel AG, Otto Wolff GmbH and Cideco SA (defendants) was the longest trial before the Romanian courts, which began in 1983 and ended with the delivery of a final and irrevocable decision by the High Court of Cassation and Justice of Romania in favor of Otto Wolff Handelgesellschaft GmbH;
· Successful representation of Bechtel Inc. Company in a number of disputes against CNADNR and/or other public authorities;
· Representing Jupiter, a large property developer, in front of Pitesti Courts in certain property claims regarding a real estate project valued at several million euros in relation to the largest mall to be built in Pitesti;
· Successful representation of an important real estate developer, member of the Plaza Center, in front of Iasi Courts, in a claim concerning the largest mall to be built in downtown Iasi;
· Representing Lafarge in a large number of complex litigation disputes (capital markets, property rights, environmental law and corporate law);
· Assisting Rosia Montana Gold Corporation in all disputes carried in relation to one of the most controversial gold mining investment project in Romania;
· Representing Tenaris in a significant number of disputes having as object forced execution proceedings and collective execution.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Adriana Gaspar, Partner at NNDKP, assisted the Romanian-American Enterprise Fund in the structuring, negotiation and execution of the sale of its entire shareholdings in Domenia Credit, Ralfi SA and Leasemart Holding BV companies to the US General Electric, during one of the most important transactions that took place in the consumer credit sector in Romania.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting Smithfield Foods, Inc., in connection with a series of transactions to acquire control, develop and integrate major hog production and meat processing facilities, following successive investments in excess of USD 800,000,000;
· Assisting the International Airport Traian Vuia Timisoara in relation to the expanding/developing the airport infrastructure and logistic park;
· Advising Strabag AG, Ashtrom International - Roichman Bros. Infrastructures, Solel Boneh in structuring of public-private partnerships in order to build / upgrade, operate and maintain sections of the Bucharest-Ploiesti motorway and Predeal-Brasov motorway, as well as the 2D National Road;
· Assisting the consortium consisting of Bilfinger Berger BOT Europe GmbH and Porr Solutions Immobilien- und Infrastrukturprojekte GmbH in the entire tender procedure for the award of the engineering, finance, construction, operation and maintenance of Comarnic-Brasov motorway.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Adina Chilim-Dumitriu, Partner at NNDKP, has developed particular expertise in the gas field (gas distribution, supply and transportation), project finance, public procurement, mergers & acquisitions and telecommunications.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH in connection with a five-nation project to construct and operate a natural gas pipeline linking production areas located in the Caspian Sea and Middle East regions to Central and Western Europe;
· Advising Gaz de France in an international tender procedure for the acquisition of Distrigaz Sud, the largest gas distribution company in Romania;
· Over recent years, she has constantly assisted GDF Suez Energy Romania (formerly Distrigaz Sud), part of GDF Suez, in connection with complex transactions for the company’s restructuring and different regulatory issues, etc;
· Advising Gaz de France in an international tender procedure for the acquisition of the largest regional Romanian electricity distribution company - Electrica Muntenia Sud;
· Assisting Gaz de France in relation to the restructuring of Depomures and Amgaz companies, two Romanian operators in the gas storage industry majority-owned by GDF Suez.

Adina Chilim-Dumitriu has also coordinated major public procurement projects, including:
· Assisting ABB Group and drafting legal opinions on third party liability compensation as a result of a nuclear damage;
· Advising SICPA on the applicable procedures under the public procurement legislation, regarding the activity of printing of banknotes and stamps for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products;
· Assisting in the conclusion, in accordance with the applicable regulations, of a novation agreement concerning the local GE based on a public procurement contract concluded with Transelectrica in relation to the Cernavoda project.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Alina Radu, Partner at NNDKP, was involved in some of the most important privatization projects in the banking sector in Romania and has gained significant experience in assisting financial institutions and borrowers in a wide range of complex financing transactions, as well as in advising on the launch of new banking products and other specific legal matters pertaining to the financial services sector.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting the Romanian Government, as a member of a consortium led by Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe Limited, in connection with the sale of a majority interest in Romania’s largest state-owned financial institution to Erste Bank der oesterreichischen Sparkassen AG, following a EUR 3,750,000,000 transaction;
· Advising RREEF Real Estate (member of Deutsche Bank Group) on the financing of the largest real estate transaction concluded in Romania thus far which consisted in the closing of some forward-type transactions on two office buildings and two residential buildings owned by three different SPVs; the transaction value exceeded EUR 340,000,000;
· Acting as a coordinator of the legal team who assisted Globe Trade Center (GTC) in relation to its development projects in Romania (office - City Gate, America House, Rose Garden; residential - Felicity; shopping centers outside of Bucharest - Galleria Buzau, Suceava, Piatra Neamt), more significantly in connection with various real estate matters and other aspects related to project financing;
· Assisting in connection with the acquisition, development and renting procedure of America House, which was eventually sold for EUR 120,000,000 in 2007;
· Assisting various real estate developers (Bluehouse, Fabian Capital GTC, North Asset Management, Sonae Sierra) in relation to financing to be obtained from credit institutions for the acquisition and/or development of important real estate projects (commercial centers, residential projects, office buildings);
· Assisting and representing the buyer in the privatization process of Banca Agricola;
· Assisting the vendors/shareholders in connection with the sale of their interests in Banca Romaneasca to the National Bank of Greece.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Ruxandra Bologa, Partner at NNDKP, has coordinated numerous M&A transactions (equity and assets deals), and was directly involved in the drafting and negotiation of commercial/administrative contracts (including in the energy field), of complex legal memoranda on corporate reorganizations and insolvency law. She acted on two of the most important privatization projects in Romania, advising ING Credit Suisse First Boston London Branch in connection with the privatization of Petrom SA, Distrigaz Nord SA and Distrigaz Sud SA.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting in the acquisition by Lime Rock Partners (an American private equity fund) of Wizard Petroleum Ltd. (active in the exploration, development, oil production and rehabilitation of oil fields);
· Assisting in the acquisition of the majority stake in Radius Medical LLC and Integrine LLC by The Gada Group Limited - a renowned medical equipment distribution company;
· Advising a major international media and publishing company on the proposed takeover of a news portal in Romania;
· Assisting an international media corporation in connection with the attempted acquisition of the majority interest in a Romanian company specialized in media services, including the sale of space for advertising purposes and the management of distribution of television channels;
· Assisting one of the largest investment funds in Central Europe in its proposed acquisition of the majority ownership in one of the largest credit brokerage companies in Romania;
· Assisting Petrom in the negotiation and closing of oil agreements, oil transfer agreements, contracts for ancillary services for oil exploration and production, transport and storage of oil / gas, concession of gas distribution services and trade of natural gases, as well as representation in front of the National Agency for Mineral Resources;
· Advising on various renewable energy matters, including in relation to the construction, development and operation of a biomass power plant, as well as the acquisition of a wind farm project and trade of renewable energy;
· Assisting in regards to the acquisition by transfer of some oil agreements in Romania.
A full profile of the lawyer can be found here.

Simona Neagu, Partner at NNDKP, has represented clients in a wide range of civil litigation, commercial law, banking law, corporate law, insolvency proceedings, labour law, administrative law, including public procurement, fiscal law and telecommunications. Simona Neagu provides assistance and ensures the representation of clients before all courts, including the High Court of Cassation and Justice, as well as in domestic and international arbitration procedures.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Successful representation of an important foreign company (Otto Wolff Handelgesellschaft GmbH) in a large complex commercial litigation arisen from an international sales contract concluded by a former communist state enterprise. The dispute between Metalexportimport (plaintiff) and Otto Wolff America Inc., Thyssen Krupp Steel AG, Otto Wolff GmbH and Cideco SA (defendants) was the longest trial before the Romanian courts, which began in 1983 and ended with the delivery of a final and irrevocable decision by the High Court of Cassation and Justice of Romania in favor of Otto Wolff Handelgesellschaft GmbH;
· Representing Jupiter, a large property developer, in front of Pitesti Courts in certain property claims regarding a real estate project valued at several million euros in relation to the largest mall to be built in Pitesti;
· Representing Vodafone in a highly complex administrative dispute for the cancellation of a Government Decision on the organization of a public tender procedure for granting telecommunication licenses while excluding Vodafone on the grounds of company’s already held licenses;
· Representing Smithfields in an administrative dispute for the cancellation of a Government Decision on the main measures for the prevention and reduction of the effects in case of a swine flu pandemic, as well as in the litigation case in which the client sought compensations worth EUR 8,000,000 for damages suffered during the 2007 swine flu outbreak;
· Assisting and representing Search Corporation in challenging the public procurement procedure for awarding the consulting services contract related to infrastructure works at Cernavoda - Constanta highway;
· Representing Hochtief in a dispute regarding the cancellation of a public procurement procedure for acquisition of works contract in infrastructure utilities;
· Representing Alpha Bank in a fiscal dispute related to the applicable rules on reserves/provisions;
· Assisting Electrocentrale Bucuresti in the negotiation procedures during a pre-litigious phase regarding the execution of a contract to design and build a residential park;
· Assisting Asmita Gardens in monitoring the execution of a contract to build a residential park.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Ana-Maria Miron, Partner at NNDKP, has acquired extensive expertise in structuring of transactions in the most tax efficient manner, complex mergers and spin-offs, as well as in matters related to taxes on income (ie applicable to non-residents in Romania) and profit (ie applicable to Romanian enterprises). Her experience also encompasses VAT issues, tax treatment of employee benefits and employee stock option plans, fiscal implications in international financings, securitization and capital investments.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Advising an international pharma producer on the fiscal implications of its operations on the local market;
· Assisting an important Swiss medical equipment manufacturer in connection with the reorganization of its business operations in Romania;
· Advising on an envisaged securitization to be performed by a renowned international financial institution, including advice on the fiscal regime applicable to the securitization operations with an estimated annual turnover of EUR 100,000,000;
· Tailored legal assistance to Portuguese company active in road construction and fit-up projects in relation to the fiscal implications of various services provided either directly, on its own behalf, or through a consortium;
· Fiscal assistance to an important manufacturer of military equipments in connection with a key-fitting project having as beneficiary the Romanian state, including assistance on the VAT treatment, PE exposure, structuring of payments etc;
· Implementing a fiscal restructuring scheme and assessing the fiscal implications in Romania of the acquisition of certain local IT companies;
· Assisting a state-owned enterprise in preparing a thorough report on the main fiscal obligations derived from Romania’s involvement in a transnational infrastructure project.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Ioana Niculeasa, Partner at NNDKP, specializes in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions and banking law. She is regularly assisting on complex real estate projects. She specializes in real estate, mergers and acquisitions and corporate law. She has extensive expertise in drafting due diligence reports, drafting and negotiating real estate documents, providing assistance on construction and development of real estate projects, such as office, residential projects, as well as shopping centers or industrial parks.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting Deutsche Bank Group in a EUR 341,000,000 acquisition of three real estate projects (two office buildings and one residential), including the performance of a due-diligence report on the targets, assistance in the negotiation procedures and closing of the transaction which currently stands for the largest deal on the real estate market concluded in Romania thus far;
· Assisting Globe Trade Center in a EUR 120,000,000 transaction for the sale of America House office building, including in the negotiation of the transaction documents;
· Advising the Greek fund Bluehouse Capital on the real estate aspects pertaining to client’s investments in Romania, including in connection with the construction and development of two A-class office buildings located in Bucharest - Victoria Building and Olympia Tower;
· Assisting Quadrant Beverages SA, the local subsidiary of Pepsi, in relation to the acquisition of a 8 ha plot of land with a view to developing a new Pepsi factory, including performing a due-diligence investigation, drafting and negotiation of the sale-purchase agreement etc;
· Advising Sonae Sierra, a major Portuguese shopping centre specialist, in relation to the due diligence analysis regarding the acquisition of Craiova Mall shopping and leisure center, an innovative commercial project having a leasable area exceeding 55,ooo sqm;
· Assisting Argo Real Estate Opportunities Fund in the structuring of certain transactions for the development of retail parks and residential projects in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova;
· Assisting Millennium Bank in connection with various real estate matters regarding the necessary office space for its headquarters and other branches in Romania;
· Assisting Europolis Real Estate Asset Management in relation to the due-diligence analysis on several plots of land of the future Cefin Industrial Park, including the drafting and negotiation of the related contracts for the acquisition of the developers, as well as the acquisition of the infrastructure company within the Cefin Industrial Park (also owning a private industrial railway).
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Gabriela Cacerea, Partner at NNDKP, specializes in mergers and acquisitions, having been involved in significant privatization projects in the energy sector (such as the successful privatization of four electricity supply and distribution companies and also the listing of Transgaz on the Bucharest Stock Exchange). Furthermore, she has coordinated a series of restructuring projects of various enterprises, as well as several asset deals. Her experience in the energy field includes electricity and gas projects, such as transport, production (including renewable energy), supply and distribution (including unbundling projects). Gabriela has also an extensive expertise in insurance law.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Assisting E.ON Kraftwerke in the privatization procedure organized by Termoelectrica SA regarding the construction of a 800 MW power plant in Braila;
· Advising Raiffeisen Capital and Investment on the initial public offering for Trangaz, including the conduct of a due-diligence investigation;
· Assisting Unilever South Central Europe, the global leader of FMCG industry, in the acquisition of the ice-cream business from Friesland Group-Napolact Romania;
· Assisting AXA, one of the leaders on the French insurance market, during certain competitive procedures for the acquisition of the majority interests in two of the top 10 local insurance companies;
· Assisting Distrigaz Sud in the implementation of the unbundling requirements in the gas sector, including an in-depth assessment of the applicable domestic and EU laws and regulations in the field;
· Assisting the Romanian government as part of the consortium led by Bank of America in the privatization process of two regional electricity distribution companies - Electrica Moldova and Electrica Oltenia.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.

Sorina Cretu, Partner at NNDKP, is experienced in representing clients before the Romanian courts at all levels, as well as in front of the High Court of Cassation and Justice and the Constitutional Court, in relation to a wide range of intellectual property disputes, civil and commercial litigation, banking disputes, corporate disputes, insolvency related litigation, labour disputes, administrative law cases. She has acquired a substantial level of specific expertise in assisting and representing clients in domestic and international (ICC, LCIA) arbitration proceedings related to international trade, privatization agreements, civil and commercial construction agreements.

Some of her most important projects include:
· Representing top foreign investors against AVAS/Fondul Proprietatea before the arbitral courts of Bucharest and Paris in complex disputes governed by ICC arbitration rules, in relation to the fulfillment of investment obligations arising from the development of share sale-purchase agreements concluded by foreign investors with the Romanian State within the privatization process;
· Assisting and representing an important group of companies specializing in consulting services and engineering, Jacobs Gibb Ltd, against CNANDR, before the arbitral courts of Bucharest and Milan, in several arbitral disputes governed by UNCITRAL rules, concerning the inappropriate fulfillment of contractual obligations arising from FIDIC-based civil construction agreements;
· Coordinating the team of lawyers assisting Zentiva, a pharmaceutical company, against Lundbeck A/S in a patent dispute concerning the annulment of the patent registered by the latter on the Romanian territory;
· Representing US giant Colgate-Palmolive in a dispute against the French company Laboratoires Radiatex concerning the fraudulent registration of a trademark on the Romanian territory with the infringement of client’s exclusive proprietary rights protected by the law;
· Advising Unilever Romania in legal actions on the protection of intellectual property rights on the client’s portfolio trademarks;
· Assisting the US textile producer Microfibres Inc. in disputes against several Romanian companies on the counterfeiting of client’s industrial drawings and models;
· Assisting the Canadian investor Gabriel Resources in administrative disputes against the Romanian Minister of Environment concerning the exploration and exploitation rights deriving from the mining licenses granted for the Rosia Montana project, as well as representation in the administrative disputes regarding the authorization procedures of the same mining project.
A full profile of the lawyer (and photo), can be found here.