Press Release
The Romanian Academy, Represented by Popescu & Asociații, Secures a Significant Victory in a Complex Restitution Litigation
Bucharest, February 4, 2025 – Popescu & Asociații announces a major victory in a complex and long-standing litigation, successfully representing the Romanian Academy. Our legal team, led by Octavian Popescu, Managing Partner, and Andreea Mihalache, Partner, with valuable contributions from Ana Maria Bulea-Ciuraru, Junior Associate, secured the recovery of 4,500 hectares of land through a favorable court ruling that sets an important precedent in protecting assets of national significance. This decision reinforces the Romanian Academy’s ownership rights, further strengthening its historical patrimony.
The successful resolution of this high-profile case was made possible by the legal expertise of Popescu & Asociații, which skillfully represented the prestigious academic institution in a challenging litigation spanning several years. The dispute involved multiple public and private entities and required a well-structured legal strategy, effectively managed by our team.
"This victory not only restores a historical right but also represents a key step in consolidating the national patrimony of the Romanian Academy. We take pride in this success and in our ability to protect public and academic interests in such a complex litigation. Through our legal expertise and a carefully calibrated strategy, we have once again demonstrated that resolving such disputes requires both deep legal knowledge and perseverance." – Octavian Popescu, Managing Partner, Popescu & Asociații
Case Background and Legal Implications
The dispute stemmed from a 2007 court ruling that recognized the Romanian Academy’s ownership over 18,023 hectares of forest land. However, local authorities refused to return 4,457.95 hectares, effectively blocking the enforcement of the decision for an extended period.
The intervention of Popescu & Asociații was pivotal in unlocking this legal deadlock. Following legal proceedings initiated by the firm, the court admitted the request for review and ordered the partial annulment of the 2007 ruling, allowing for the actual restitution of the land. Judicial expert assessments played a crucial role in this process, confirming that while certain areas could not be restituted, other plots in Gura Teghii, Nehoiu, and Siriu were available and could be lawfully returned to the Academy in accordance with current legislation.
This victory not only reinforces the patrimony of the Romanian Academy, but also reaffirms Popescu & Asociații’s reputation for successfully handling complex restitution cases. With a strategic approach and a high level of legal expertise, our team continues to deliver favorable outcomes in cases with a significant impact on national heritage.
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.