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Cătălin Barb Law Office

Practice areas

One integrated practice, from negotiation to the courtroom

The same matters seen from both sides: advisory work that prevents disputes, and litigation run with transactional discipline.

Energy and environment

I assist investors and developers across the full life-cycle of energy projects, with a focus on renewables (wind and photovoltaic): from land rights and permitting to grid connection, financing and transaction.

Typical work

  • ANRE set-up authorisations and licences
  • bankable project due diligence for wind and photovoltaic parks
  • land rights: superficies, easements, access, use
  • grid connection and relations with distribution and transmission operators
  • prosumers and support schemes
  • environmental obligations in permitting and operation

Real estate development and construction

I have worked with developers, contractors and investors for over a decade: land due diligence before acquisition, transaction structuring, permitting assistance and the contracts that keep a site moving, with particular care for the contractual balance between employer and contractor.

Typical work

  • real estate due diligence and land book verification
  • pre-sale agreements, sales, exchanges, plot divisions and mergers
  • works and subcontracting agreements: drafting, negotiation, payment mechanisms and guarantees
  • building permits and relations with local authorities
  • acceptance procedures, performance guarantees, remedying of defects
  • neighbouring properties: easements, access roads, boundaries, co-ownership

Corporate law. Foreign investors

I assist Romanian entrepreneurs and foreign investors, particularly from France, Italy and the Netherlands, entering and operating on the Romanian market: the right structure, documents done properly from the outset, and a frictionless relationship with the Trade Registry and the tax administration.

Typical work

  • incorporation of companies, branches and secondary offices
  • articles of association, shareholders' agreements, governance
  • share transfers and internal restructurings
  • domestic and cross-border mergers [Directive (EU) 2019/2121]
  • withdrawal and exclusion of shareholders; valuation of rights
  • ongoing bilingual assistance for foreign groups present in Romania

Public procurement, concessions, PPP

A field in which I also hold a dedicated academic specialisation (LL.M. in Public Procurement, Concessions and PPP, University of Bucharest): I assist economic operators and contracting authorities in procedures, in remedies and throughout the life of the contract, where the real stakes are decided.

Typical work

  • bid strategy, clarifications, tender documentation
  • challenges before the CNSC and appeals before the court of appeal
  • performance of public contracts: amendments, price adjustment, penalties, termination
  • works and services concessions
  • public-private partnership structures

Civil and commercial litigation

I run disputes from the initial merits assessment through to enforcement: an honest evaluation of the risks, methodically built evidence, and advocacy at first instance, on appeal and in second appeal. Construction disputes and shareholder conflicts form a significant part of the practice. Administrative litigation also belongs here: I represent companies, individuals and public-sector professionals in their dealings with the authorities, from the mandatory preliminary complaint through to second appeal, including applications to suspend enforcement of administrative acts.

Typical work

  • contractual and tort liability claims
  • construction disputes: delay penalties, performance guarantees, defects, acceptance procedures
  • ownership claims, boundary actions, easements, access roads and judicial partitions (inheritance or co-ownership)
  • shareholder disputes, withdrawal from the company and valuation of shares
  • enforcement challenges and defence at the enforcement stage
  • annulment and suspension of administrative acts; damages for losses caused by public authorities
  • civil service and higher education matters: appointments, dismissals, competitions, salary rights
  • permits and approvals: urban planning, environment, operation

Outsourced legal department

For companies whose activity does not justify an in-house legal department: a monthly retainer covering day-to-day advice, contracts and sensitive correspondence, with agreed response times and a single point of contact who comes to know the business from the inside.

Typical work

  • drafting and reviewing day-to-day contracts
  • ad-hoc written and telephone advice
  • pre-litigation correspondence: notices, demands, responses
  • assistance in negotiations
  • alerts on legislative changes relevant to the client's activity

Describe your situation. I will come back with a first assessment.

The first discussion clarifies the legal framing, the possible steps and the estimated costs. Confidentiality is protected by legal professional privilege (art. 11 of Law no. 51/1995), whether or not we end up working together.

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