Romania > Tax > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

CMS covers direct, indirect and personal individual taxes with particular focus on dispute resolution, VAT audits and M&A-related tax work. The team provided structuring, disclosure and regulatory advice to a multinational telecommunications company on the tax implications arising from the sale of its European assets to Vodafone. In another work highlight, it advised the founders of a Romanian cybersecurity and anti-virus software company in relation to the sale of a 30% stake in the company. Work involved acting on the tax warranties and other tax-related clauses during the drafting and negotiation of the transaction documents. Roxana Popel heads the practice.

D&B David si Baias SCA represented Grup Servicii Petroliere in the Supreme Court of Justice, successfully obtaining the suspension of a tax assessment decision totalling €30m. The team also assisted Yazaki Europe with the annulment of several tax decisions that rejected the client’s right to interest under late reimbursements of VAT. Dan Dascălu and Anda Rojanschi head the practice and specialise in tax-related litigation and M&A work, respectively. Areas of expertise include VAT, profit tax, transfer pricing, social contributions, excise duty and environmental tax issues. Ana-Maria Iordache is also singled out.

DLA Piper Dinu SCA’s team is ‘knowledgeable, experienced, logical, supportive and customer-oriented’. It covers the full range of tax-related work, handling consultancy and litigation regarding all forms of direct and indirect tax. Recent highlights include representing IAP–ECC, a subcontractor of the US Navy forces in Romania that should benefit from VAT exemption, on the recovery of VAT invoiced by its suppliers. Practice head Tudor Nedelea assisted Orkla with a challenge to a tax assessment decision pertaining to its acquisition of food company Hame. Ionela Florescu has been promoted to tax director.

Marius Ionescu and Alina Timofti jointly head the practice at Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen. Ionescu is an expert in investment tax, transaction advice and due diligence projects and Timofti has strong international tax, restructuring and tax review capabilities. The client roster includes names from the oil and gas, banking, real estate and construction, automotive and energy industries.

Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii's team is praised for its ‘professionalism, very good understanding of industry specifics and efficiency in delivering answers’. It is headed by Alexandru Ambrozie and Mihaela Pohaci and covers the full range of both direct and indirect tax. Pohaci assisted Dedeman with the tax aspects of its acquisition of The Bride from Forte Partners. She also advised Fondul Proprietatea on the sale of its shares in four electricity supply companies.

Ţuca Zbârcea & Asociaţii fields a team of ‘highly specialised professionals’ who ‘provide the full range of legal and tax services, showing an integrated approach’. Transactional tax is a cornerstone of the practice; it advised Carrefour Romania on the tax implications of its takeover of IT application platform Bringo. Key client Deutsche Bank instructed the team in relation to tax issues pertaining to the client’s activities on the financial services market, most notably its acquisition of an NPL portfolio from Alpha Bank. Alexandru Cristea and Razvan Gheorghiu-Testa jointly head the team.

Noted for its ‘ability to understand the nature of the business it is analysing’, Biriş Goran SPARL's team handles the full spectrum of tax work with particular expertise in tax litigation. Ruxandra Jianu heads the practice with Gabriel Biris, who acted for Banca Comercială Română in its large tax audit relating to financial transactions. On the transaction front, the team advised ECC Romania on the tax aspects of its cross-border merger with Fire Corporation. Alina Andrei and tax manager Ioana Cartite ‘are both very good professionals’.

Bohalteanu şi Asociaţii possesses ‘experience with very complex tax mandates’ and is noted for its ‘full expertise and efficiency’. Practice head Ionut Bohalteanu, who is ‘highly professional and dedicated to finding the best solutions’, represented Aforti Exchange Romania regarding tax implications of agreements entered into with service providers. In another highlight, the team advised a life sciences logistics provider on tax considerations arising from various agreements with healthcare professionals.

At bpv Grigorescu Ştefănică, practice head Anca Grigorescu is well regarded for tax structuring of transactions and handles a range of contentious and non-contentious tax issues. She advised Hootsuite on the implementation of new fiscal measures and the potential tax exemption of the company’s computer programmers. In another highlight, the team assisted Raben Group with the incorporation of a Romanian entity, providing counsel on the tax aspects of invoicing.

Muşat & Asociaţii covers the full range of tax issues on both the contentious and advisory fronts. Razvan Graure and Angela Porumb head the practice, which advised Amazon on various employee-related tax considerations. Graure also assisted Enel Distribuţie Banat with a general tax inspection as well as the tax implications of a share capital increase. The group directs particular attention towards the financial services, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, real estate and construction, media and technology, and energy industries.

Radu si Asociatii SPRL fields a team of ‘excellent professionals, with great skills in disputes’. The practice is reputed for its tax litigation work, with Emanuel Băncilă and senior managing associate Alex Slujitoru particularly singled out. Băncilă delivers ‘very solid experience in tax disputes with great pleading skills’ and Slujitoru is ‘very analytical and a persuasive litigator’. The pair represented Petrotel-Lukoil in a high-profile tax evasion and money laundering case alleging damage to the state budget of €2bn. The amount has since been reduced to €600m with other related disputes ongoing.

Schoenherr şi Asociaţii SCA represents Alpiq Energy in a dispute with the Romanian tax authorities regarding €175m of VAT, corporate income tax and penalties imposed on the client. Theodor Artenie, praised for his ‘pragmatism, helpfulness and proactive approach’, heads the practice, which has core strengths in litigation, transfer pricing and transaction-related advice.

Buzescu Ca advised Viking International on various matters including a tax audit, customs duties, tax enforcement proceedings and VAT issues. The group handles a broad range of mandates and is headed by Adrian Tomescu. Peter Buzescu is a key member of the team; he assisted Central European Drilling with its tax registration in Romania.

Laurentiu, Laurentiu & Asociatii's ‘overall level of service is excellent’ and the ‘professional team’ is ‘smart, intuitive, creative and reliable’. Practice head and ‘strategic mind’ Alin Mihai Laurentiu is an ‘excellent professional with obvious knowledge and expertise’; he assisted Steelcase with its application of income tax exemptions for IT employees.

Felix Tapai and Gelu Titus Maravela lead the team at MPR Partners | Maravela, Popescu & Roman. The group covers the entire spectrum of tax-related instructions including compliance, litigation and advisory work. Tapai advised Betty Ice on the tax considerations of its sale to Unilever.