Vertis Legal has successfully represented Romanian basketball titleholder U-Banca Transilvania Cluj-Napoca and players Giordan Watson and Patrick Richard in a dispute with the Romanian Basketball Federation (FRB) over the team's right to field two naturalized athletes.
A Bucharest first instance court ruled in favor of the two naturalized players and the U-BT basketball team, issuing a presidential order to suspend the September 21, 2021, FRB decision which precluded clubs from fielding two naturalized athletes in a game. The order has immediate applicability and stands until a final court decision will be reached.
According to Vertis Legal, "following the December 14, 2021, court decision, Richard and Watson will be able to play together, as Romanian players, in national basketball competitions."
US-born Watson and Richard both hold Romanian citizenship and have played for Romania's national basketball team.
The Vertis Legal team included Partner Grigore Pop and Associates Simona Chiperi and Iulia Jinar.