Clifford Chance Badea’s Litigation practice has representation mandates with a total value of approximately EUR 1.5 billion

The Clifford Chance Badea Litigation practice currently has representation mandates with a cumulative value of approximately EUR 1.5 billion, representing clients from dynamic industries such as Energy, Construction, Pharmaceuticals, Banking, and Insurance.

The Bucharest office's litigation portfolio has grown significantly over the past three years. Currently, the Clifford Chance Badea lawyers are involved in wide and complex local matters, ensuring a balanced ratio of cross-border projects and domestic projects, as well as classical court files versus risk management disputes. The Clifford Chance Badea lawyers' professionalism and expertise has secured multiple favorable solutions for clients.

The most recent success is the final favorable decision secured for a large bank in Romania, at the end of last week. The team of lawyers including Ștefan Dinu (Counsel), Alexandru Viespe (Senior Associate), Sabina Crângașu (Senior Associate) and Andreea Crețan (Associate) advised in a case whose object was the qualification of a personal guarantee as an autonomous, transferable guarantee through succession. The courts obliged the debtor's heirs to pay the guaranteed amount.    

The definitive solution in this case follows the first instance solution secured last week for an important Energy player in Romania and the Republic of Moldova (Premier Energy), in a litigation related to the interpretation of the provisions of an addendum amending the gas supply contract, thus ensuring the rejection of the claim for damages made by the plaintiff (the Azomureș chemical fertilizer plant, part of the Ameropa group).

The team of lawyers was formed by Simona Neagu (Counsel), Sabina Crângașu (Senior Associate) and Laura Costea (Associate). Lawyers from Zamfirescu Racoți Vasile & Partners (ZRVP) also advised on the case.

The upward evolution of litigation mandates follows the general trend resulting from the unitary approach of the Romanian market. The ongoing cooperative relationship between Clifford Chance Badea and its clients has extended legal advice services to all practice areas. For example, the representation of Premier Energy in the litigation with Azomureș is in addition to the advice provided by lawyers in connection with Premier Energy's IPO and the listing on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, a transaction valued at almost 700 million RON.

The Clifford Chance Badea Litigation practice is coordinated by Simona Neagu, seconded by Radu Ropotă and Ștefan Dinu, and consists of 14 lawyers, seven of whom are senior lawyers with multi-jurisdictional experience.

The portfolio of recent national matters includes litigation and arbitrations regarding:

•    Actions to cancel the fine imposed by the Competition Council;
•    Other actions in administrative litigation;
•    Commercial contractual disputes;
•    Disputes between shareholders;
•    Public tender procedures;
•    Actions for damages related to the impossibility of completing projects under development;
•    Labor disputes.