Vasile Baiculescu, managing partner of Baiculescu & Associates, shows the methods through which the firm has adapted to the challenges in the legal sphere in Romania, thereby consolidating its position in specialized areas such as economic crimes and dispute resolution.

1) What do you see as the main points that differentiate [law firm name] from your competitors?

Our team, at Baiculescu & Associates, possesses extensive expertise in managing cases in the field of white collar crimes and dispute resolutions. We adopt a personalized approach for each case, allocating the necessary time and resources to deeply understand the details of the litigation. This approach allows us to offer legal solutions that are perfectly aligned with the specific needs and requirements of each individual client.

We strongly believe that providing the best legal solutions can only be achieved by understanding the business type of each client, ensuring that the legal solutions delivered are customized for each client.

We have chosen to provide legal services to a limited number of clients, which enables us to maintain a high standard of quality and attention. As a result, each client benefits from the highest level of expertise and dedication from our team.

2) Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

For the next 12 months, in addition to our current activities where we also anticipate considerable evolution, we foresee a significant growth in two major areas: Dispute Resolutions and Anti Money Laundering. This growth is driven by multiple factors.

In the field of commercial litigation, we observe an increase due to the complexity of business transactions and interactions in the globalized economy. Commercial disputes are becoming more frequent and require specialized legal expertise for their efficient resolution.

On the other hand, combating money laundering is an area that is gaining increasing importance, and we anticipate a growth in the demand for legal services in preventive consultation, legal auditing, and compliance with legal provisions, representing clients in potential investigations and educating individuals involved or exposed to potential risks of violating legal provisions regarding AML policies adopted at the European Union level and implemented by the Romanian state.

3) What's the main change you've made in the firm that will benefit clients?

At Baiculescu & Associates, we believe that excellence in legal services begins with the continuous development of our lawyers. This is why we have implemented a program for personal and professional development. Each day starts with a dedicated 30-minute session (8:30-9:00 AM) for study and professional enrichment.

This approach ensures that our team is always up-to-date with the latest legal developments and trends, allowing us to provide our clients with innovative and well-informed legal services.

Furthermore, we have adopted a full-time work program of 6 hours per day. We believe that this framework significantly streamlines the time for creativity and recovery of our lawyers, leading to increased productivity and superior work quality. This work structure allows us to focus intensely on each case, ensuring our clients meticulous attention and personalized services.

Another key aspect of our strategy is working with a limited number of clients. This policy allows us to provide each client with a high level of expertise and dedication, ensuring that all their legal needs are met with the utmost attention and professionalism.

Moreover, the growth of our client portfolio is directly proportional to the expansion of our team, thus ensuring that we maintain an optimal ratio between the number of lawyers and the volume of work.

These initiatives reflect our deep commitment to innovation and excellence in legal services.

At Baiculescu & Associates, we not only aim to meet the current standards of the industry but also to exceed them, setting new benchmarks for quality and efficiency in legal practice.

4) Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Technology has a significant impact in the field of business law. Online communication platforms have allowed us to maintain constant contact with clients, regardless of their geographical location, thus facilitating rapid and efficient consultations.

Additionally, the use of technology for virtual meetings saves precious time for clients and enhances the efficiency of the consultation process. We have even noticed a recent openness from the judicial authorities in Romania to conduct hearings through communication platforms, which substantially contributes to the conduct of our activities.

The integration of advanced software solutions in the management of cases and documents has significantly increased internal efficiency. This allows us to approach cases in a more structured and organized manner, thereby enhancing the quality of the services offered.

5) Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

A concrete example of how Baiculescu & Associates added value to a client's business is linked to our expertise in the field of economic crimes. We recently worked with a very large company in Romania, listed on the stock market, which was facing serious financial accusations that could have severely affected its reputation and financial stability.

Our team thoroughly analyzed the case, identifying key aspects and vulnerabilities in the accusations. We worked closely with the client to build a solid defense strategy, focusing on minimizing the potential negative impact on the business. This included legal representation in court, consultancy on managing the impact, and strategic communication to protect the company's image.

The outcome was not only favorable from a legal standpoint but also contributed to strengthening the client's compliance and corporate governance practices.

6) Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms - where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

Looking towards the next three years, our vision is to consolidate our expertise in key areas such as economic crimes and dispute resolution, while at the same time expanding our practices to cover new areas that respond to changes in the business and legal environment.

This will involve a continuous investment in the professional development of our team, ensuring that we are equipped to tackle the complex challenges of our clients.

We aim to be recognized for our innovative approach and for our ability to make a significant contribution to the success and evolution of our clients' businesses.

Baiculescu & Associates will continue to adapt to market dynamics, remaining a trusted, proactive, and forward-looking ally for all our partners.