Between around 2001-2011, certain private electricity suppliers (the “smart guys”, as they were called by the press) entered into long-term (10-15 years) bilateral power purchase agreements (“PPAs”) with state-owned producers (amongst which, notably Hidroelectrica) under quite unfavorable conditions for the latter.  Basically, the “smart guys” used to buy electricity from the state-owned producers at very low prices while making large profits by re-selling this cheap electricity at much higher market prices. Such PPAs were directly negotiated between the parties outside an organized market (the whole process and the contract itself being a private and confidential matter) and many of them were loss making for the selling state-owned producers (for instance, Hidroelectrica filed for insolvency and unilaterally terminated all such contracts eventually).

Bondoc & Asociatii has assisted McGuire Woods on the transformation and sale of its Romanian entity.

White & Case has advised the PPF Group on its USD 2.1 billion acquisition of Central European Media Enterprises. Bondoc Si Asociatii advised PPF on Romanian law matters. CME was advised by Covington & Burling and Sullivan & Cromwell.

Bondoc & Asociatii has advised eMag on the creation of a European online interface that connects participating marketplaces.

Bondoc & Asociatii has advised eMAG on its acquisition of 54% of shares in online food delivery platform EuCeMananc in Romania.

Bogdan Bunrau, Diana Ispas, and Raluca Voinescu have been promoted to partner at Bondoc si Asociatii.

Bondoc & Asociatii has advised Sarica Niculitel on the acquisition of the Zoresti winery from Domaine Vinarte, which was supported by Wolf Theiss.

Francois d’Ornano, together with almost the entire Budapest office of Jeantet, has left the French firm to launch the D’Ornano Partners law firm, with offices in Hungary, Serbia, and Romania.

Partner Serban Patriciu and Senior Associate Andreea Secu have left Bondoc & Asociatii to set up a new real estate boutique law firm, Patriciu Law. 

Bondoc si Asociatii has assisted JD Norman Industries Inc., a US-based manufacturer of steel components, with Romanian law aspects of its acquisition of REGE Automotive Brasov. The transaction, which involved the shareholdings of REGE Group in several countries, including Germany and Romania, involved financing by Wanxiang America Corporation, and Bondoc si Asociatii assisted JD Norman Industries on Romanian law aspects of that as well. Dentons advised Wanxiang America on the financing.  

Former Bulboaca si Asociatii lawyer Cosmin Stavaru has joined Bondoc si Asociatii as Partner.

Maravela|Asociatii is representing Chimcomplex Borzesti S.A. in a tender for the assets of Romania's Oltchim chemical company. Oltchim is being assisted by Bondoc & Asociatii and White & Case.

Former PeliFilip Partner Monica Iancu has joined Bondoc si Asociatii in Bucharest.

RTPR Allen & Overy has advise the Enterprise Investors private equity fund on the sale of the Profi Rom Food – the largest supermarket chain in Romania – to Mid Europa Partners. Dechert and Bondoc & Asociatii advised the buyers on the deal, which is reportedly the largest deal ever completed by a private equity fund in Romania and the largest deal in the retail sector in the country’s history. The transaction remains subject to approval by Romania's Competition Counsel.

Bondoc si Asociatii has advised investment fund Global Finance on the sale by its real estate division of the land of the former Automatica factory in Bucharest to the French group Auchan and One United. Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii advised the buyers on the deal.

White & Case has advised Waterland Private Equity Investments B.V. on its acquisition of 61.16% of the shares in Kredyt Inkaso S.A. from its current shareholders.

Rizoiu & Poenaru, Clifford Chance, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom have advised Affidea on its acquisition of the Hiperdia diagnostics centers in Romania. Bondoc & Asociatii and Weil, Gotshal & Manges advised Hiperdia on the transaction, which remains contingent on obtaining regulatory approvals.

On Tuesday, July 11, 2016, ten senior Romanian lawyers gathered at the Bucharest office of Wolf Theiss for a CEE Legal Matters Round Table to discuss the state of the Romanian economy, the Romanian legal market, and their expectations for the future.