POPESCU & ASOCIATII Appoints New Partners
POPESCU & ASSOCIATII announces new promotions within the law firm's leadership structure, starting January 1, 2025. Adina VLAICU, Andreea MIHALACHE, and Mirel RĂDESCU have joined the firm’s management team, following a decision that unequivocally emphasizes the performance standard and full commitment to POPESCU & ASOCIATII projects, marking a significant step in the firm's organic evolution.
Octavian POPESCU, Managing Partner of POPESCU & ASSOCIATII, stated: "We have constantly committed ourselves to support and capitalize on the team's performance, and these decisions come as a recognition of the significant contribution made over time by Adina, Andreea or Mirel in our projects. They are elite professionals, with notoriety and remarkable impact in their fields of expertise, and their presence in our coordination structure strengthens POPESCU & ASOCIATII's position as a reliable legal partner in the business environment in Romania and beyond. We are confident that their involvement will continue to define the success and excellence that we consistently promote."
Adina VLAICU – Prevention & Compliance
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.
At POPESCU & ASOCIATII, Adina Vlaicu is committed to providing innovative and tailored legal solutions, contributing to strengthening the firm's position as a leader in the field of prevention and compliance.
"This promotion is a defining moment in my professional career. I am grateful to the Popescu & Asociatii team for their trust and proud to contribute with all my ability to the success and excellence of our firm", said Adina Vlaicu.
Andreea MIHALACHE – Dispute Resolution and PPP
With almost 30 years of experience as a top-level litigator and legal advisor on public-private partnership projects, Andreea 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.
At POPESCU & ASOCIATII, Andreea Mihalache contributes to development through an integrated approach aimed at meeting the needs of clients from diverse industries. Dedicated to excellence, she reinforces the firm's reputation as a leader in providing innovative and effective legal solutions.
"I am honoured to be part of a team that supports excellence and professionalism. To add value to any project requires innovative solutions, and here at POPESCU & ASSOCIATII, I have always found the environment to achieve this,” said Andreea Mihalache.
Mirel RĂDESCU – Corporate Investigation & White-Collar Crime
Mirel Rădescu has a solid background in the field of economic-financial 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 strengthening of institutional capacity in the fight against economic crime.
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.
At POPESCU & ASSOCIATII, Mirel leverages his extensive expertise to achieve outstanding results for the firm’s clients. His professionalism, strategic approach, and in-depth legal knowledge establish him as a leading expert in his field.
"Joining the management structure of one of Romania’s most prominent law firms marks both a height and a new chapter in my career, but above all an additional motivation to confirm the trust, rigorously continuing to develop winning strategies for our clients", said Mirel Rădescu.
About POPESCU & ASSOCIATII
Established as a full-service law firm, POPESCU & ASOCIATII is one of Romania’s most respected law firms, delivering top integrated services to companies in various industries, both in local and cross-border transactions and cases, in all relevant practice areas and, in particular, in all industries of interest to active economic actors.
POPESCU & ASOCIATII and its lawyers are included in the elite of Romanian business law in areas such as Corporate/M&A, Litigation, Public-Private Partnerships and Public Procurement, Restructuring and Insolvency, Tax and Criminal Business Law, based on their outstanding capabilities in the legal sector and client accolades, recognized by the most recent editions of all the renowned legal directories such as Chambers & Partners, IFLR 1000, Benchmark Litigation and Legal 500 EMEA.
In 2024, POPESCU & ASOCIATII received, for the 2nd consecutive year, the title of Firm of the Year in Eastern Europe at the Women in Business Law Awards EMEA in London and the "Best in Business Law Women Empowerment" award at the Romanian Top Lawyers Gala.
In 2023, at the Top Lawyers Gala, the Litigation team received the special award "Excellence in Dispute Resolution". In 2022, POPESCU & ASOCIATII was named Law Firm of the Year in Romania at the Romanian Legal Awards. In the same year, the firm was designated, for the 2nd consecutive year, Highly Commended Law Firm in South Eastern Europe, at The Lawyer European Awards, with this achievement POPESCU & ASOCIATII being positioned among the most important names on the European legal market. The distinction continued the path initiated in 2021, when POPESCU & ASOCIATII was the first law firm in Romania, with less than 3 years of activity at that time, to obtain the above-mentioned title.
The firm was also nominated by Europa Property, the leading publisher and organizer of online events in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe in the commercial real estate field, for the Real Estate Law Firm of the Year in Romania at the 15th edition of the SEE Real Estate Awards, and by Benchmark Litigation Europe - the definitive guide to the world's leading litigation firms and lawyers - for the Litigation Law Firm of the Year in Romania.
The Best Real Estate Law firm in Romania, Best Litigation Law Firm in Romania, Best White-Collar Crime Romanian law firm, at the Legal Awards Gala, were obtained on the basis of the firm's outstanding experience and recognition in the Romanian market, as well as Best Banking and Finance Law Firm in Romania, and Best Real Estate Law Firm in Romania, by Legal Marketing's Legal Innovation Awards.
In addition, Octavian POPESCU, Managing Partner of POPESCU&ASOCIATII, received the highest recognition a Romanian lawyer can receive in his career - Lawyer of the Year in Romania - at the Benchmark Litigation Europe Awards 2020, and Loredana POPESCU, Partner, was awarded Equity Capital Markets Capital Markets Lawyer of the Year at the Women in Business Law Awards EMEA 2024. Also, Adrian CHIRVASE, Partner, received the White-Collar Crime Lawyer of the Year award at the LMG Life Sciences Awards Gala EMEA 2024.