With an
increasing work load and Client portfolio on the rise, Maravela|Asociații’s
competition department sustained a considerable development throughout the past
five years, driven by the passion and specialization of the entire team.
Established and developed by Founding Partner Alina Popescu, the firm’s competition practice has a team of 7 lawyers, with practical experience in all competition law segments, including antitrust (economic concentrations, anticompetitive deals and practices, abuse of dominant position, on-site and forensic investigation procedures) as well as State aid and unfair competition.
The firm’s lawyers’ activity has been repeatedly acknowledged by its clients, one of the partners of a reputed USA-based law firm stating, for instance, that one of firm’s competition related work product was „the most complex and best analysis” of a distribution agreement, compared to that of other „20 firms, throughout the past 15 years”.
Amongst firm’s clients in the competition field there are important local companies such as Chimcomplex and Betty Ice as well as international corporations, as Monsanto, Japan Radio Co., Alphatron Marine, Hertz Autohellas, BBraun Avitum, Eberspächer, etc.
In addition, the competition department’s team members are active contributors to specialized international publications. Last year alone, they have been exclusive contributors for the Romanian jurisdiction for reputed materials of international reach such as Getting the Deal Through: State aid, Lexology Navigator: Cartels, and have equally published numerous dedicated materials in the local media.
The rise in work load levels triggered the need for team development, equally at partner levels, thus Răzavan Pele, reputed competition and IP specialist joined Maravela|Asociații starting this June, as partner within the firm’s competition and intellectual property practices.
Răzvan graduated from the University of the West Timișoara Law School and holds an LL.M in International and Community Law from Nicolae Titulescu University. He has a notable experience of over 10 years with one of the most important local firms, being furthermore one of the Romanian specialists in competition, regulatory, IP, consumer protection matters and related litigation. Răzvan advised clients from various industries, including weaponry manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, energy, postal services, wood processing, spare parts distribution, telecom, audio-visual, etc. Notable projects he coordinated and was involved in include:
- the first assessment by the Romanian Competition Council of a potential dominant position abuse in the pharma market;
- the litigation concluded with the annulment of the fine for one of the members of an alleged cartel on the EEE market;
- representing one of the most important Swiss weaponry producers in challenging a decision passed by the Romanian Competition Council finding a rigging of bids in a public procurement procedure organized by the Romanian Ministry of Defence;
- advising one of the largest Chinese telecom technology companies in the Romanian part of a worldwide dispute generated by a patent troll in connection with the use and extent of Standard-Essential Patents from a competition and IP law perspective.
„Increased activity of the Competition Council, overall business and economic climate as well as numerous local businesses reaching maturity drove a spike in our competition practice’s activity. This is very good news indeed, especially since it provides the opportunity to extend our team ranks with a high calibre professional who has a wealth of experience in the field. Besides recruiting external talent, we develop internally our team members, thus shaping our own future competition experts.” Alina Popescu, Founding Partner of Maravela|Asociații.
„I am thrilled to have joined Maravela|Asociații for several reasons, amongst which the excellent professional relationship that I have had with firm’s founding partners, the trust I have in their professional and management abilities, the impressive client portfolio, firm’s international achievements and, naturally, the perspective of a dynamic, high quality legal service. Both competition and IP are two fields of the law very dear to me. I have thus commenced my activity at Maravela|Asociații with the desire and aim to greatly contribute to the development of these two departments alongside firm’s partners.” Răzvan Pele, Partner of Maravela|Asociații
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Further information about the team, services and achievements of Maravela|Asociații is available at http://www.maravela.ro