Category: Partners

Bogdan ILEA is recognized for his solid juridic skills, professionalism and dedication. As Secretary of State within the Ministry of Justice, he had an essential role in shaping the legal reform, being also recognized for the outstanding results obtained in complex and strategic projects. His mandate has been characterized by a firm commitment to increase the efficiency and transparency of the judicial system, and his vision is marked by collaboration with various institutions to promote a fairer legal system.

Throughout his career, Bogdan ILEA has successfully handled multiple challenging and complex tasks, such as negotiating the Ministry of Justice’s budget, showcasing his skills as both a negotiator and strategist. He also coordinated the National Administration of Penitentiaries for three years – a complex system notable for its critical mission and intricate operations.

Bogdan ILEA has successfully led the team responsible for liaising with the World Bank, demonstrating remarkable project management skills in the “Justice District” project, a major investment initiative aimed at creating optimal conditions for judicial institutions in Bucharest, a project that registered significant progress during his mandate. Thus, his contributions have been essential in developing and implementing important initiatives for the Ministry of Justice and the Government of Romania, standing out as one of the few attorneys who have achieved favorable outcomes for Romanian Government.

Bogdan ILEA coordinates the Regulatory, Government & Public Affairs practice, a position from which he will make a significant contribution to the development and consolidation of this practice area, essential for the clients of Popescu & Asociatii. 

PhD. Nicoleta Tandareanu is one of the highly regarded and recommended legal professional, with extended experience in Banking, Insolvency and Restructuring matters as well as highly complex commercials.

Moreover, she is arbitrator at the Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania, trainer at the National Institute of Magistracy and trainer and member of the Scientific Council of the National Institute for the Training of Insolvency Practitioners. Her experience includes a long career as a judge, including at the High Court of Cassation and Justice, and academic experience as a lecturer at various scientific events in universities and other institutions.

PhD. Nicoleta Tandareanu has a rich activity, with over 53 scientific communications at national and international symposia and conferences, over 60 articles and studies in commercial and insolvency matters in various specialized publications, 7 books published as sole author as well as she is the co-author of several specialized works, also receiving awards and scientific recognitions.

A prominent figure of the current legal environment, with over 45 years of experience, both as a magistrate and as an attorney-at-law, Prof. Dr. Gheorghe Buta is specialized in handling disputes and national and international commercial arbitrations, area of practice that he will mainly coordinate within the law firm.

Dr. Gheorghe Buta is one of the most famous attorney-at-law in Romania who, over the years, has assisted the most important local and international players, from a diverse sectors of activity, in the most well-known and complex litigations and arbitrations from Romania, with a special emphasis on commercial, civil and administrative disputes, insolvency and enforcement procedures, public acquisitions claims, debt recovery, large-scale tax litigations initiated against the control authorities in respect of VAT matter, income tax and other taxes, European or Union judicial procedures for regulating or establishing good practices in national law, etc., to list only a few of his areas of expertise.

During his career, as a magistrate, Dr. Buta held first the position of prosecutor, then that of judge, at all levels of jurisdiction, including as a judge at the High Court of Cassation and Justice. He was the President of the Bistrita-Nasaud Tribunal, of the Cluj Court of Appeal, and in the last period of his career as a magistrate he held the position of President of the Commercial Division of the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

Prof. Dr. Buta is also an arbitrator at the Court of International Commercial Arbitration attached to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and the International Arbitration Courts in Vienna and Paris. Twice a member of the Superior Council of Magistracy, in 2007 he was nominated by the Romanian Government as a candidate of the Romanian State for the position of judge at the European Court of Human Rights.

Mr. Buta is a Scientific Researcher I (university professor) at the Institute for Legal Research of the Romanian Academy and the author/co-author of numerous reference books in civil, commercial, and civil procedure matters, as well as over 100 studies, articles and comments published in renowned specialized journals. He is a full member of the Romanian Academy of Legal Sciences and the President of the Law Enforcement Section and the Vice-President of the Romanian Legal Practitioners Union.

“Gheorghe Buta is one of the most well-known and respected experts in commercial, civil and criminal disputes in Romania. An exceptional lawyer with experience, dedicated to the profession.” [Source: Legal 500 EMEA, 2020]

Gheorghe Buta is a highly regarded dispute resolution practitioner, who has „an extraordinary capacity for analysis, as well as a true understanding of how Romanian courts and judges can interpret the law, based on his extensive judicial career.” [Source: Chambers Europe, 2015]

The “exceptional” Gheorghe Buta [Source: Legal 500, 2014] is a “terrific lawyer with extensive technical knowledge”, according to clients. [Source: Chambers Global, 2014] being praised by clients for “always paying attention to sensitive issues”. [Source: Chambers Global, 2013]

Mirel RĂDESCU has a solid background in the field of white-collar crime, accumulated in over 25 years of activity in leading institutions of the Romanian judicial system. Mirel RĂDESCU is a former Chief Prosecutor of the Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism and of the High Court of Cassation and Justice Prosecutor’s Office. He has coordinated complex investigations on organized crime, money laundering and economic-financial crimes, being involved in some of the most high-profile cases in these fields. As Deputy Chief Prosecutor and later Head of Service, he implemented innovative legal strategies, contributing to the development of institutional frameworks that detect and prevent financial fraud.

Throughout his career, Mirel has played a key role in training future legal professionals, serving as a trainer and expert at international seminars and conferences. His lectures have covered financial investigations, cross-border judicial cooperation and anti-corruption measures, contributing significantly to the development of Romania’s legal sector.

With almost 30 years of experience as a top-level litigator and legal advisor on public-private partnership projects, Andreea MIHALACHE has successfully represented multinational companies from the energy, telecommunications, and financial sectors in numerous critical cases. She is recognized for her strategic approaches, thanks to her ability to develop customized solutions that have generated exceptional commercial results for the firm’s clients.

In addition to her litigation expertise, Andreea provides strategic advice in risk management, dispute prevention and restructuring of distressed companies. She has managed notable projects including representing major entities in retrocession litigation, tax litigation and compliance investigations. Her extensive experience in coordinating cross-border cases enables her to provide a global perspective on complex legal challenges.

Adina VLAICU is a key contributor to the team, recognized for her outstanding skills in prevention and compliance with legal standards and regulations, and has been involved in numerous projects on the implementation of anti-corruption and money laundering practices at the corporate level. With extensive experience in handling the legal aspects of corporate criminal liability, Adina provides effective and knowledgeable solutions for a wide range of domestic and international business actors. Her expertise includes assisting companies in assessing and addressing legal risks, through legal analysis and opinions, as well as by closing transactions with impact in the Romanian business environment.

Throughout her career, Adina has managed complex mandates, including anti-corruption investigations, as well as judicial proceedings deriving from and related to the economic-financial or administrative area. Among her clients are leaders in the banking, energy and retail industries, whom she has successfully represented before the authorities in numerous judicial proceedings. Her professionalism, combined with an in-depth knowledge of criminal law, recommends Adina as a reliable partner for clients facing major legal challenges.

Anca SIMERIA has over 10 years of experience, being involved, over the years, in numerous M&A mandates, assisting clients in a wide range of corporate, commercial and employment law matters, being part of teams managing complex financial transactions, mergers and division procedures, transfers of business and assets, followed by restructuring and reorganization of companies from employment perspective, in areas such as insurance, real estate, energy and natural resources, medical and pharmaceutical services, IT&C.

In addition, her legal assistance included advising large multinational companies, private equity funds, key local and international players operating on various markets in Romania, during the legal procedures related to regulation and authorizations, the restructuring of the property portfolio, as well as real estate guarantees, being involved in all stages of transactions, from due diligence to post-closure operations.

Loredana POPESCU focuses on commercial, civil and administrative matters, including capital markets and share capital issues, shareholder disputes, but also real estate litigation including claims on restitution of nationalized properties and expropriation, incidents related to enforcement procedures.

Having a thorough and solid knowledge of the Romanian civil and commercial law, Loredana regularly advises European companies in agreements negotiation and important business transfers, regularly representing a substantial number of domestic or international corporations and individuals in negotiations related to the prevention or to the termination of disputes. She is also involved in civil lawsuits, advising major domestic and international corporations on various legal issues.

Loredana received Top Lawyer Award in Real Estate and Top Lawyer Award in PPP and Public Procurement at the Top Lawyers Gala, 2020 edition.

“Loredana is one of the best lawyers that I know in PPP and litigation derived from this matter. She understands very well the nature of work, very efficient and pragmatic in the pursuit of solutions.” (Benchmark Litigation). „Her particular skill is the correct understanding of our needs and the potential effects of the legal matters. Fantastic practitioner with a supernatural knowledge of the Romanian law.” (IFLR 1000)

Adrian is focusing his activity on corporate compliance, regulatory, surveillance and corporate investigation, by meanings of establishing a preventive approach aiming the earliest identification of the legal risks with criminal relevance in the companies economic and commercial activity. He has significant experience in criminal business law and tax fraud, representing numerous companies in various criminal proceedings or businessmen in various fields such as IT and telecommunications, banking, pharmaceutical, real estate, construction, energy and public utilities.

Adrian provides specialized assistance both in front of the prosecution bodies and of the relevant courts in Romania, achieving remarkable results in high importance projects that include economic crimes, tax evasion and money laundering, cybercrime and corruption cases, as well as legal assistance to companies who are subject to criminal or administrative investigations.

Adrian received Top Lawyer Award in White-Collar Crime, at the Top Lawyers Gala, 2019 and 2020 editions.

“Partner Adrian Chirvase is a thoughtful, intelligent lawyer who also has an extremely good manner with clients. He can decrease the pressure in the room, and his depth of knowledge about our business and his overall experience handling complex white-collar crime matters is impressive.” (Legal 500 EMEA). Adrian Chirvase is an „extremely talented lawyer, very careful with details and, most importantly, always tremendous when it comes to fast advice”. (IFLR 1000)