SUCIU POPA

Address: 15 B/C Maresal Averescu Blvd., 6th floor, 1st District 011454, Bucharest
Tel: 0374 494 944
Fax: 374 094 490
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.suciupopa.ro
Most senior representative: Miruna Suciu
No. of local partners: 7
No. of lawyers: 25
Year founded in Romania: 2016
Offices in Romania: Bucharest
Representative clients include: Enel, Colas, Hunt Oil, KazMunaiGas, Daimler AG, Strabag, SABMiller, Hili Properties, Kirchdorfer, Orbico, Azvi, Hidroelectrica, Dnata, Muller Dairy, Mazarine Energy, Central Bottling Company, Black Sea Oil & Gas, SIF Transilvania, Engie, Monsson Group, Hochtief, Gat Foods, AOP Pharma

Partners and heads of practice

Miruna Suciu, Managing Partner

Miruna Suciu is regarded as a leading lawyer and one of the most experienced practitioners in mergers & acquisitions, energy & natural resources and related regulatory matters, as well as in finance and capital markets, advising a significant portfolio of top-tier corporate clients, investment funds, private equity and banks in a variety of cutting-edge transactions of both domestic and international dimension. Miruna constantly provided legal assistance to major corporate clients and private equity funds on disposals and acquisitions of assets, takeovers, joint ventures, equity financings etc., as well as on general corporate & commercial issues in both listed and non-listed companies.

Luminita Popa, Managing Partner

Luminita Popa is recognized as a leading expert in international dispute resolution in a wide variety of business sectors, including energy, natural resources, infrastructure, construction and engineering, mergers & acquisitions, partnership & corporate governance. She constantly advises high-profile clients and represents their interests in all types of alternative dispute resolution cases, coordinating complex and substantial international disputes. Luminita has also developed a broad expertise in advising on natural resources projects, assisting major international companies on the implementation of large projects and oil & gas operations, as well as in all aspects related to project development. Luminita Popa is a Court Member of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce. 

Cleopatra Leahu, Partner

Cleopatra Leahu has substantial experience in natural resources field, being recognized for her ability to devise tailored structures which helped companies preserve their titles and navigate the permitting process for major new developments, often in the face of intense scrutiny Cleopatra Leahu is additionally an extremely knowledgeable practitioner in environmental law, being involved in major M&A deals from highly regulated industries, where she coordinated the transactional due diligence process and provided advice related to regulatory compliance, strategic environmental assessment and transfer of liability for past polluting activities.

Dan Ciobanu, Partner

Dan Ciobanu is regarded as a leading practitioner in mergers & acquisitions both in shares and in asset based deals as well as in corporate matters and shareholders disputes, being involved in a wide range of local and international transactions in the field, advising many high-profile clients, most of which multinationals or leading local companies. Dan Ciobanu participated in complex transactions involving, mergers, acquisitions, energy, natural resources and privatization. His professional ambit also covers real estate & construction matters, where he advised clients on the whole range of due diligence and construction permitting issues, as well as in land zoning and planning.

 

Roxana Fercala, Partner

Roxana Fercala gained a wide experience in advising major foreign investors regarding the implementation of various joint ventures and investments, greenfield or brownfield projects in Romania, as well as for the resolution of international disputes concerning investments, privatisations, mergers and acquisitions in energy and infrastructure areas. Roxana was involved in numerous international arbitration cases involving complex commercial disputes settled before the ICC, as well as in ad-hoc proceedings under the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, entailing issues pertaining to international commercial law, construction law, as well as international public and private law.

Andrei Georgescu, Partner

Andrei Georgescu specialises in Romanian and EU competition law but also advises extensively on areas of regulation related to competition law, State aid, regulatory & compliance and pharma. Over the years, Andrei has provided legal advice and representation to both national and international clients in a diversity of engagements comprising merger control, antitrust investigations and dawn-raids, antitrust litigation, distribution and franchise agreements in various economy sectors. Andrei is also an intellectual property adviser. He provides a “one stop shop” for trademark, design and copyright protection, having advised many household names from pre-launch copyright and branding advice or advertising clearance to trademark, design and copyright protection and enforcement or copyright licensing negotiations with collective societies. Andrei is also specialised in data protection law, advertising and contractual issues.

Crina Ciobanu, Partner

Crina Ciobanu’s practice is predominantly focused on domestic and cross-border real estate investment and finances. She has an in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the transactional market and related financial schemes, specifically regarding the acquisition financings, project financings and general banking matters. Crina frequently represents clients in all aspects of acquisitions, dispositions, development projects, joint ventures and financings involving all property types. Crina has also represented major foreign and domestic investors in connection with various construction and infrastructure investments throughout Romania, offering the clients hands-on advice at every stage of the project, from the tendering phase, up to mediation and arbitration, when necessary.

List of the most representative projects

Corporate and M&A

Advising the world's second largest brewer in relation to the sale of its business in Romania, as part of the commitments towards the competition authorities to divest all European activity, within the more than $100 billion merger combining the world’s two leading beer companies.

Advising the Italian largest electricity companyin finalizing the acquisition of 13.6% of the share capital of the power distribution and supply companies in Romania, a transaction worth EUR 400 million which increased its interest in the two companies to 78%.

Advising an oil & gas international group on various corporate and regulatory matters in connection with two of its subsidiaries in Romania, structuring and creation of an investment fund as a way to promote investments in a number of sectors such as energy and infrastructure, with projected investment values of over USD 1 billion. 

Advising a large Maltese group, in relation to the acquisition of a business center located in northern Bucharest, having as tenant the largest private hospital in Romania.

Advising a Romanian based oil & gas company controlled by Carlyle Groupinin the transaction whereby the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has become a minority shareholder of the Romanian company.



Banking

Representing an international renewable energy player in connection with the successful recovery of funds debited by ING Bank under a bank letter of guarantee issued based on a credit facility for the sale of electricity. 

Advising a professional association made up of 36 credit institutions active in the financial sector which concentrate the entire banking market from Romania, on a variety of legal and regulatory matters, including on the review and renegotiation of several cooperation agreements concluded between the Romanian banks and the central public authorities regarding issues such as data and information exchange and banking

Assisting a Romanian top real estate developer of residential projects in Bucharest, in relation to several financing packages for the construction and development of a new residential project and two ongoing real estate projects. 

Advising the largest Korean bank in connection with multimillion financing for the development of two large photovoltaic parks in Romania.

Advising a leading European in connection with the multimillion financing granted to the Kazakh subsidiary of the largest corporation in Romania and the largest oil and gas producer in Southeast Europe



Energy and Natural Resources

Advising an oil & gas international group in connection with structuring and creation of an investment fund as a way to promote investments in a number of sectors such as energy and infrastructure, with projected investment values of over USD 1 billion. 

Advising an international oil group with operations in 15 countries on the environmental compliance matters for Vega Refinery located in Ploiesti. As part of our mandate, we are advising on the permitting of the project, as well as regulatory, tendering and contract issues.

Advising a private oil and gas exploration and production company focusing on conventional exploration, development and production opportunities on various issues resulted from the acquisition of 19 onshore oil & gas fields, workover rigs and associated crews from the largest Romanian oil and gas group, including on the take-over of several gas power generation units and the power distribution grid pertaining to the aforementioned oil fields. 

Representing a major energy company active in hydro power generation and services in complex disputes for the recovery of receivables from one of the most important energy traders.

Assisting one of the largest international energy providers in finalizing the acquisition of 13.6% of the share capital of two Romanian distribution and supply companies, which increased its interest to 78%; the acquisition of the additional share stake involved a total consideration of EUR 400 million. 



Competition

Advising a Romanian private company of public interest, in relation to Competition Council investigations related to natural gas transactions executed on the gas hub operated by the client, as well as regulatory intervention hindering competition with another gas hub operator.

Advising a German multinational automotive corporation in relation to their selective distribution agreements implemented in Romania.

Advising one of the largest milk and dairy supplier and distributor in relation to various regulatory, competition and antitrust matters. 

Advising an important air services provider in relation to an investigation carried out by the Romanian Competition authority focused on airport food and beverages services, including the operation of 20 food and beverage facilities, provided to the most important international airport in Romania.

Advising a Romanian based oil & gas company controlled by an international private equity firm, in connection with the drafting and negotiation of the joint sale agreement for the gas produced from a gas project, developed in the Black Sea together with its co-ventures, two important European companies, including on competition and regulatory issues.



Real Estate

Advising one of the top Italian global contractors involved in the development of international turnkey public and private works, in relation to assessing various delay and quantum related matters arising from several FIDIC contracts for the rehabilitation of national road infrastructure in the Republic of Moldova.

Advising a Romanian top real estate developer of residential projects in Bucharest, in relation to several financing packages for the construction and development of a new residential project and two ongoing real estate projects.

Assisting the world leader in the construction and maintenance of infrastructure for transport with regard to renegotiating and restructuring of several FIDIC agreements concluded with the Romanian National Company for Motorways and National Roads, totalling over EUR 200 million.

Advising one of the largest real estate companies in Romania in a complex and long-lasting series of litigation files concerning the ownership title of a historical building.

Advising a leading company acting in the production and supply of cement, raw materials and precast products, in connection with the tender procedure for a large national infrastructure project for concrete vehicle road restraint systems with an overall value of over EUR 100,000,000. 



Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Successfully representing one of the largest international energy companies as lead legal counsel, in a highly complex ICC arbitration (venue of arbitration: Paris) arising out of a privatization contract, involving claims in excess of USD 1.2 billion.

Successfully representing one of the largest international energy companies in an ICC arbitration (venue of arbitration: Paris) against the Romanian State arising out of a privatization contract, with value in excess of EUR 600 million.

Representing a private oil and gas exploration and production company focusing on conventional exploration, development and production opportunities in a dispute involving OMV Petrom SA, the largest Romanian oil and gas group and a Romanian producer of electrical equipment.

Advising a renewable energy international player in significant enforcement proceedings and a real estate mortgage against ING Bank. The enforcement proceedings were based on a credit facility contract for sale purchase of electricity.

Representing an international oil group with operations in 15 countries in a series of complex environmental law litigations.



Tax

Representing a major energy player specialised in renewable energy, in a variety of litigations files against 7 municipalities of Romania in connection with the building tax imposed in connection with wind turbines.

Advising the subsidiary of one of the largest FMGC and cosmetics distributors, on the day-to-day tax matters arising from the recent legislative changes applicable to services invoiced by international key accounts.

Assisting one of the largest international energy companies in connection with a complex fiscal litigation concerning VAT, income tax and depreciation treatment at the level of one of the distribution services subsidiaries and one supply services subsidiary of the group.

Representing the client in negotiations of a protocol between Romanian banks and the central tax authority in relation to exchange of information in situations governed by legal requirements in the fiscal field and situations related to the security and prudence of the banking activity.



PPP Public Procurement

Advising an international company acting in the production and supply of cement, raw materials, precast products, and prefabricated houses, in connection with the structuring and overseeing participation in the tendering organized by the National Company for Road Infrastructure Administration SA for the acquisition of concrete vehicle road restraint systems, including by all relevant contracts and subcontracts, joint venture etc.

Advising an oil & gas international group on various corporate and regulatory matters in connection with two of its subsidiaries in Romania, listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, as well as in connection with structuring and creation of an investment fund.

Advising an international air service provider in relation with the legal effects of a joint-venture contract concluded with the Romanian State through the National Airport Company for the development and operation of the food and beverage location facilities inside the National Airport Henri Coanda in Bucharest

Representing a construction company based in Germany in few disputes (DAB) with contracting authorities in Romania, in pre-arbitration phases, involving multiple FIDIC claims.

Advising one of the largest energy providers in Europe in relation to an unbundling project and all the legal matters arisen as a result of secondary legislation regulation by ANRE, for the application of the third energy package directive.



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