The Legal 500

Within Banking, finance and capital markets, Musat & Asociatii is a first tier firm,

Musat & Asociatii is ‘one of the most active firms in Romanian capital markets, with significant know-how in a wide range of equity matters’. The team is acting on Transelectrica and Transgaz’s secondary offerings, and national airline Tarom’s IPO. Other highlights included advising Astra Rail Industries on a €120m rollover syndicated facility agreement. This ‘excellent’ team’s key banking and finance partners are Mona Musat, who is ‘a very good negotiator with a real talent for structuring financing transactions’, and Monia Dobrescu. On the capital markets side, Miruna Suciu is ‘intelligent, pragmatic and a problem-solver’, and Ionut Bohaltenau is ‘hardworking and responsive, and a strategic thinker’.

[back to top]

Within Corporate and M&A, Musat & Asociatii is a first tier firm,

Musat & Asociatii advised new client Astra Rail Industries on its €250m acquisition of three Romanian companies; Nokia on its €60m divestiture of its Jucu plant to De’Longhi; and Oz Mineral on its €200m bid to privatise Cupru Min, the country’s largest copper mine. Managing partner Gheorghe Musat is ‘a real leader with an impressive personality’, Gelu Titus Maravela is ‘professional and dedicated’, and new partner Alina Popescu has ‘strong legal knowledge and excellent communication skills’. Silvia Sandu was promoted to the partnership.

[back to top]

Within Dispute resolution, Musat & Asociatii is a second tier firm,

Musat & Asociatii’s ‘very dynamic’ seven-partner dispute resolution team has ‘strong knowledge and experience’, and is noted for its expertise in arbitration and all areas of litigation. It represented Enel Romania in a number of commercial litigation cases, including a multimillion-euro liability case against a subcontractor. It is also representing Discovery Communications Europe in a multimillion-dollar dispute with a communications provider concerning the broadcasting rights of several TV channels in Romania. The group is also acting in various ICC arbitrations, mainly relating to construction matters. This ‘very efficient team’ includes managing partner Gheorghe Musat; Nicolae Viorel Dinu, who has ‘strong written and advocacy skills, and US experience’; international arbitration expert Luminita Popa; and practice head and former Supreme Court judge Gheorghe Buta.

[back to top]

Within Energy and natural resources, Musat & Asociatii is a first tier firm,

Musat & Asociatii is ‘among the best in town’ for energy matters, and is noted for its ‘excellent service level and great industry, legal and regulatory framework knowledge’. It recently advised Enel Green Power on the development of three wind farms totalling 310MW, and also acted on the €1.3bn Tarnita-Lapustesti hydropower plant project. George Musat is ‘a real team leader’, practice co-head Luminita Popa ‘runs a good team’, and fellow co-head Miruna Suciu is ‘a powerhouse lawyer in energy and M&A’. Cleopatra Leahu was promoted to the partnership.

[back to top]

Within IT, telecoms and media, Musat & Asociatii is a first tier firm,

Musat & Asociatii’s IT team has ‘a strong understanding of the local business and legislative environment’. It advised General Motors on the regulatory aspects of the proposed installation of the GM Infotainment system and On-Star System into cars on sale in Romania. It also advised Apple Inc regarding sales of its products in Romania through the Apple Store, and represented Facebook in a project relating to music management embedded in Facebook pages. Other clients include Discover Europe, First Data and Intel. Catalin Baiculescu is ‘responsive, influential and well connected’.

[back to top]

Within Public private partnership and procurement, Musat & Asociatii is a first tier firm,

Musat & Asociatii is advising Enel SPA on a €4bn project initiated by the Romanian Ministry of Economy and Finance to build two reactors at the Cernavoda nuclear power plant. The group also continues to advise the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business and Hidroelectrica, the state-owned energy producer, on the development and construction of the €1.3bn Tarnita-Lapustesti hydropower plant. Mona Musat and Gelu-Titus Maravela co-head the group.

[back to top]

Within Real estate and construction, Musat & Asociatii is a second tier firm,

Musat & Asociatii is ‘one of the strongest local players in the market’. In 2012, the team advised real estate developer Anchor Group on the leasing agreements for two shopping centres. Klösters Beteiligungsgesellschaft was recently assisted with various acquisitions of agricultural land. Other clients include Oz Mineral, Bluehouse and Erste Group. Practice head Mona Musat is ‘a very reliable and result-oriented professional’. Marius Bârladeanu is also recommended.

[back to top]