Interview with: Roger Gladei, Managing Partner

What do you see as the main points that differentiate Gladei & Partners from your competitors?

From day one (17 years ago) we’ve defined and posted on the web-site our value proposition. It reflects our client-centric strategy and we’ve further developed in into the brand SMART model:

Strength – built on the deep expertise and long experience

Meaning – we turn our knowledge and skills into meaningful solution for the client

Attitude – we take the client’s needs as our own, getting into the client’s shoes and looking beyond the horizon

Responsiveness – prompt reaction, proactive approach, anticipating the client’s needs

Technology – one click/call distance from the client, employing the modern tech tools to create value for the client, getting used to but not used by AI.

 

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

Our agenda is driven by the client’s agenda. So, 3 core drivers are shaping our current agenda: Moldova EU scheduled accelerated accession, with an ambitious reform calendar for the next 3 years; Moldovan judiciary reform, were we walk the talk; and increased interest of the foreign investors, on the background of robust investment climate improvements.

Notably, 2025 has started with many clients’ deployment of earlier contemplated but kept on hold cross-border projects, primarily in M&A, relocation and restructuring. It may be explained by the investors’ getting confidence in the political stability, after the recent President elections, and in the irreversibility of the judiciary reform. A remarkable contribution to the latter, I believe, is the maturation of the ADR mechanisms, where our CACIC (the international arbitration court of AmCham, where I’ve just got renewed my Presidency mandate) has a prominent role.

Transposition of the EU laws, from GDPR-related to industry-specific requirements, has also generated high demand for the associated legal advice and assistance, which translates into mandates for our firm, as early adopter.

Further, the legal risk management has generated high demand for legal services, both from SMEs and large MNEs, with growing demand for assistance in the areas like antitrust, FDI authorization, regulatory clearance, data privacy and impact assessment.

Last but not least, the ESG agenda is conquering the agendas and minds of executives and business owners, who turn to seek for legal assistance from our side, as forerunners.

 

What’s the main change you’ve made in the firm that will benefit clients?

First, we’ve set in motion the integrated (one-stop-shop) client service model, where the client can find all business support services in one go. We’ve developed a web of professional best friendships with reliable selected Moldovan accountants, tax advisors, property valuators, translators, notaries, court bailiffs, insolvency practitioners, so that the client doesn’t need to shop around and can benefit of our professional network, securing the same high standards. On the other side, whenever a Moldovan client would expand overseas, we can liaise with one of dozens of our foreign best friend law firms, eventually on any continent, offering the benefit of the created synergies.

Second, with the recent internal promotions, including at the partner level, we’ve upgraded the client service, shortening the response time and securing full-time contact with the senior lawyer in charge.  This is demanding indeed, but the client satisfaction fuels our sense of achievement and service.

Third, we’ve gone proactive. Good foreign and international clients have strong internal systems and business processes, but the practice has shown that local legal risk management is the Achilles’ heel. And the price for non-compliance is too high.

 

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

Tech is a threat we’ve aimed to turn into opportunity. Digital internal workflow, seamless client communication, data privacy and protection are the areas coming first to my mind when I think of recent developments. Also, we’ve gone online with business support platforms, like www.ghidulafacerii.ebrd.md (EBRD-branded portal) or www.controale.md, well-received and widely-used by the Moldovan SMEs and larger businesses.

With the AI advent, our sustained effort is to keep and enhance the human authenticity and develop an ‘acoustic’ brand.

 

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

The above free of charge online platforms are an example. Another one is orchestrating a cross-jurisdiction team of professionals for the purpose of setting the first of its kind Moldovan investment vehicle, to bring alternative funding to Moldovan businesses. What we’ve learnt in this project is that there is no big and small when it comes to serving people.

A third example is the post-acquisition legal housekeeping. In most of the recent M&A projects, the buyers retained our services after completion, not only to remedy the due diligence issues, but also to implement their group standards and Moldovan requirements, thus ensuring compliance and competitive advantage.

 

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

Stability is the by-product of strength, which is No.1 in our SMART model. Honestly, I’ve been touched to see that all the clients we invited to our recent anniversary gala made time to come and share nice words. I’ve been also touched every year to read the nice words of appreciation our clients say about us in the Legal 500 rankings. You’ll find all these sayings on our web-site, these are the jewelries in our professional diadem and the nutrients for our future pursuit.

“I’m not only a banker as you are not only a lawyer” – I often recall this phrase a good client of ours dropped while in my office. Isn’t it an evidence of appreciation but also of the trust I’ve referred above? Or isn’t it the spark igniting the passion of my fellows and keeping it alight when we burn the midnight oil?

Moldova has a long way ahead and so we do.