1990  Gheorghe Muşat (acting litigation lawyer since 1983) starts his activity as a business legal adviser alongside two younger lawyers under the brand name “Muşat & Associates”; by the end of that year, his “boutique” gathered eight lawyers, most of them young practitioners, being regarded as one of the most dynamic business law practices on the Romanian legal market.
1991 –1995 Advising a large portfolio of high profile foreign corporations, such as Societe Generale, Rhone-Poulenc (currently Sanofi Aventis), Cement Francais, Renault, Bouygues, Credit Lyonnais, American International Group (A.I.G.), AT&T, Standard Oil, British Petroleum etc. on their investments & business ventures in Romania.
1996 

Acting as lead legal advisor to Shell (U.K.) and Shell Exploration Romania in connection with the implementation of the first oil exploration agreement concluded by Romania with a foreign investor as well as with regard to other Shell’s investments in Romania.

The launch of the first edition of the legal guide “Doing Business in Romania”, which has reached its twentieth edition.
1997  Assisting Glaxo Smithkline Beecham in the successful acquisition of Europharm Group, the first high profile private transaction in Romania (valued at: »100 million EUR).

Retained by the Romanian Government as lead legal advisor for the privatization of S.N. Petrom S.A. to a strategic investor.
1998  Acting as lead legal counsel to GE Capital in connection with the acquisition of Banc Post, the first privatization of a Romanian bank.

Assisting Sumerbank (Turkey) and Akmaya (a leading Turkish oil corporation) in relation to the acquisition of S.C. Petromidia S.A. (the largest Romanian oil refinery).

Selected by the Romanian Government as lead legal advisor in relation to the proposed privatization of TAROM (the national airline company of Romania).
1999  Assisting the Romanian Privatization Authority (FPS), in connection with the sale of Banca Agricola to Raiffeisen Bank, in a transaction which was acclaimed by the World Bank as the most successful privatization of the year.

Selected by the World Bank as lead Romanian legal advisor for restructuring the bad loans of Bancorex (valued at: »1,5 billion EUR).
2000  Advising Michelin on the takeover of the Tofan Grup, regarded by the business community and the local business media as the largest private transaction of the year.

Assisting EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction) and IFC (International Finance Corporation) in connection with various investments and financing facilities provided to diverse Romanian companies.
2001  Acting as lead legal counsel to Arcelor Mittal (former Mittal Steel) in connection with the EUR 800,000,000 successful acquisition of Sidex Galati (the largest Eastern European steel producer), which was awarded as the largest privatization/acquisition of the year.

Advising Eurocopter (France) on its investment projects in Romania and related joint-venture agreements with the Romanian aviation entities.
2002  Advising the Romanian Government in connection with the successful privatisation of Alro S.A. – Slatina and Alprom S.A., the leading national aluminium producers.

Acting for Suez Lyonnais des Eaux (a leading French utilities company) in relation to the joint venture with Bucharest Municipality for Crivina Project and respectively with Timisoara Municipality for Acquatim Project.

Muşat & Asociații changes its headquarters to 43 Aviatorilor Blvd, a modern A-class building specifically designed for a team of over 100 lawyers and 60 support staff.
2003  Acting as legal advisers of Arcelor Mittal (former Mittal Steel) in connection with the acquisition of three leading national steel producers, namely Siderurgica S.A. – Hunedoara, Petrotub S.A. – Roman and Tepro S.A. – Iasi (the second largest acquisition of the year). 

Advising Cora (the leading French retailer) on various acquisitions and project investments.
2004  Assisting SBS Broadcasting on the successful acquisition of Prima TV, and of the leading Romanian FM radio stations: Kiss FM, Radio Star, Canet Radio, TV Klumea etc., so far the largest media acquisitions ever conducted in Romania.

Acting as lead legal advisor to Occidental Oil & Gas Corporation (a leading U.S. oil corporation) in connection with the attempted acquisition of S.N. Petrom S.A.
2005  Advising Enel (Italy) on the successful acquisition of Electrica Dobrogea and Electrica Banat, the first privatization of electricity distribution companies in Romania.

Successfully representing / defending Romania in the first ground-breaking investment arbitration (with claims of over EUR 350,000,000) against Noble Ventures U.S., before The International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
2006  Advising Sider Sipe S.A. (Italy) on the EUR 120,000,000 sale of  Ductil Steel Buzau SA to a leading European investor (the second largest acquisition of the year).

Assisting KBC Bank (Belgium) in connection with the EUR 75,000,000 acquisitions of Romstal Leasing IFN S.A. and of Swiss Capital S.A. as well as in connection with the attempted acquisition of BCR (Romanian Commercial Bank).
2007  Assisting Enel (Italy) in connection with the EUR 820,000,000 acquisition of Electrica Muntenia Sud (acclaimed as the third largest privatization ever conducted in Romania).

Retained by AFI Europe as lead local adviser in respect of the EUR 78,000,000 successful acquisition of New Century Holding in Cotroceni Park (the company developing AFI Palace Cotroceni, with an investment value in excess of EUR 300,000,000).
2008  Advising PPF Partners (a major pan-European investment fund) in connection with the acquisition of S.C. Continental S.A. and other acquisitions, amounting to over EUR 200,000,000, as well as in connection with the EUR 62,000,000 successful acquisition of Gaz Sud SA.

Acting for Nokia Corporation (Finland) in relation to the implementation of “Jucu Greenfield project” regarding the relocation of Nokia’s production facility from Germany to Romania (acclaimed by the local business media as “largest Greenfield investment of the year”).
2009  Assisting Banca Transilvania in connection with the EUR 100,000,000 sale of the majority stake held in BT Asigurari to Groupama (France), which was awarded by the business local media as the largest transaction of the year in the insurance industry.

Acting for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) as lead local counsel in connection with the EUR 700 million loan facility granted to the Municipality of Bucharest and Metrorex for infrastructure rehabilitation and urban development.
2010  Assisting Rompetrol Group NV in connection with the EUR 90,000,000 acquisition of the remaining free float of Rompetrol Rafinare S.A., the most successful mandatory public offering of the year conducted on the Bucharest Stock Exchange.

Successfully acting for ThyssenKrupp in relation to one of the most complex and long lasting international litigations before the Romanian courts (claim value: USD 50,000,000), arising from the sale and purchase of steel during the communist regime
2011  Retained by the Romanian Government (the Ministry of Economy) as lead legal advisor in connection with the EUR 1.3 billion construction of the Tarnita-Lapustesti Hydropower Plant, with a forecasted installed capacity of 1,000 MW.

Muşat & Asociații was awarded the “National Law Firm of the Year” by the International Financial Law Review (IFLR), as well as the “Romania Law Firm of the Year”, by Chambers Europe (Chambers Awards for Excellence 2011).
2012  Retained by the Ministry of Economy in connection with the sale by the Romanian State of 15% of the shares held in Transgaz, as well as the sale of 15% of the shares held in Transelectrica, with a total transaction value in excess of EUR 109 million (the largest capital markets transactions of the year).

Assisting the Ministry of Transports in relation to the proposed privatisation of CFR Marfa S.A.

Retained by Colas (the world leading construction company) to provide legal assistance and representation in a complex ICC international arbitration against CNADR (the National Company of Highways and Roads) with a claim value in excess of USD 95 million.

Muşat & Asociații received the “Gold Award” for “Best Central and Eastern Europe Law Firm 2012” granted by International Legal Alliance Summit (Paris 2012).
2013  Selected by the Ministry of Economy to provide legal assistance for the sale of 10% of the shares in Nuclearelectrica on the capital market (IPO), successfully closed for a transaction in excess of EUR 70,000,000 (the largest capital market transaction of the year).

Muşat & Asociaţii secured a fully successful arbitration award by defending Enel in ICC international arbitral proceedings, with claims amounting to USD 59,000,000.

Muşat & Asociaţii won for the second time the Award „The Law Firm of the Year in Romania” (2013) granted by the International Firm Law Review (IFLR).
2014  Muşat & Asociaţii was selected to provide legal advice to Electrica SA in relation to the sale (IPO) of the 105% share stake in DFEE Electrica with a transaction value of EUR 440,000,000 (the biggest capital market transaction ever conducted in Romania).

Advising Enel on the (attempted) sale of its Romanian subsidiary Enel Muntenia S.A., Enel Banat S.A., Enel Dobrogea S.A. and Enel Energie S.A.

Acting for Sterling Resources Ltd. in connection with the transfer of its 65% interest in the offshore Block 15 Midia (Black Sea) to ExxonMobil Exploration and OMV Petrom SA.
2015  Acting as lead local counsel to CRH (Ireland) in relation to the acquisition of Lafarge Romania (part of a global deal of EUR 6.5 billion) recognised by Ziarul Financiar as the largest transaction of the year in Romania.

Advising the Romanian Government (in consortium with UBS – U.K.) in connection with the sale of the 46% share stake held by the Romanian State in Telekom Romania (former Romtelecom).

Representing Enel in the most complex ICC international arbitral proceedings ever conducted against a Romanian company with claims in excess of EUR 900 million.

Muşat & Asociaţii celebrates 25 years of excellence in the legal profession, being acclaimed by clients, media and peers alike for its professional standards and contribution to the Romanian legal practice.
2016  Advising Ciech S.A. and its local subsidiary Ciech Soda Romania S.A. (one of the largest firms in the chemical sector in Europe), in connection with the EUR 373 million bank credit facility financing for Ciech S.A. to refinance its existing debt, consisting of high yield bonds (with a value of EUR 245 million), revolving credit facilities and financing of working capital needs.

Successfully acting for the President of Romania in a complex court litigation with A.N.I. (The National Integrity Agency).

Assisting Premier Capital PLC on the acquisition of McDonald’s local operations, a transaction that involved the team in all the stages of the acquisition process – both in negotiations conducted by Premier Capital with McDonald’s, and those with the bank financing a part of the acquisition price, BRD-Groupe Société Générale.
2017 Assisting Emerson (a world leader in the field of production and technology) in connection with the acquisition of Leroy –Somer and Control Techniques divisions by Nidec Corporation, a transaction value of approximately USD 1.2 billion.

Assisting Penta Investments (a leading European pharma distribution company) on the EUR 300 million successful acquisition of A&D Pharma (the leading pharma distribution in Romania), with a network of +600 pharmacies, which was awarded by the business media as the largest private transaction of the year.
2018  Assisting Damen Shipyards Group in connection with the acquisition from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering of one of the biggest shipyards in Romania with over 2,000 employees and a turnover exceeding EUR 500 million. The mandate envisaged unique characteristics, involving negotiations with both the selling company and the other shareholder of the target (a state-owned company), as well as with the Ministry of Economy and the Romanian Government.

Successfully representing the Prime Minister of Romania in a criminal law case involving alleged illegal financing of the election campaign.
2019  Assisting Spectrum Brands Unit, a $5 billion consumer products company, in connection with the $2 billion sale of its global battery and portable lightning business to Energizer Holding Inc., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of primary batteries and portable lighting products.

Assisted J.P. Morgan on the Romanian law matters of a multi-jurisdictional EUR 475 million financing through bilateral and capital markets instruments, between, among others, J.P. Morgan Securities as arranger and bookrunner and the Pepkor group (as borrower), the largest non-food retail chain in Central and Eastern Europe.

Assisted Google on the Romanian law matters of its USD 2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit, one of the leading producers of smart health and fitness wearable devices.
2020 Assisting Rhône Capital,  a multi-billion-dollar private equity fund, and its affiliate Wellbore Integrity Solutions, on the USD 400 million acquisition of the drilling businesses and associated assets of Schlumberger, the world’s leading provider of technology for reservoir characterization, drilling, production, and processing to the oil and gas industry.

Representing Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding B.V. (the military shipbuilding division of Damen Group) before the Romanian Courts in a public procurement dispute aimed at cancelling an EUR 1.26 billion military public procurement contract for the acquisition of corvettes.

Successfully representing the consortium Rheinmetall Man Military Vehicles GmbH (an international technological group specialized in security and mobility) and MHS Truck & Bus S.R.L. (sole importer of the Rheinmetall products in Romania), in an EUR 800 million public procurement dispute aimed at cancelling the award of a military public procurement contract for the acquisition of military trucks for breaches of law.

Representing BCR Banca Pentru Locuințe (a member of the Erste Bank group), in an EUR 300 million regulatory dispute with the Romanian Court of Accounts, before the High Court of Cassation and Justice, concerning the implementation of the Bauspar system in Romania.

Muşat & Asociaţii celebrates 30 years of excellence in the legal profession, acclaimed by clients and peers alike for its professional standards and contribution to Romanian legal practice.
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