Lawyers in Romania
Corporate law · contracts · intellectual property · tax law · compliance · AML & GDPR
Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L. provides English-speaking legal support for international entrepreneurs, investors and companies operating in Romania. Legal advice, representation and documents that need a lawyer’s signature are handled by our partner lawyer, an avocat registered with a Romanian bar under Law 51/1995; we prepare the files, coordinate the work and keep it in English. Together we cover the full range of matters that arise when a foreign business establishes, operates and grows in Romania – from company formation documents and shareholder agreements to intellectual property protection, GDPR compliance and tax law advice.
Legal support is delivered as part of our integrated professional services model – meaning your legal matters are coordinated with your accounting, tax, HR and company registration work. This eliminates gaps between advisers and reduces the risk of legal decisions being taken without the full operational context.
In short: lawyers in Romania are avocați, each registered with a Romanian bar and listed in the national register kept by UNBR, the National Union of Romanian Bars. Romanian courts conduct proceedings in Romanian (Article 128 of the Constitution), so a contract, a claim or a power of attorney written only in English has to be translated before a court or the Trade Register will accept it. We coordinate corporate, contract, tax, IP, compliance and GDPR work in English with our partner lawyer, at €150 per hour or on fixed fees from €150 for an NDA, bring in partner litigation firms when a dispute goes to court, and work alongside a Romanian immigration lawyer on residence and citizenship files. A property purchase also needs a notary: the Civil Code (Article 1244) makes a transfer of land or buildings void unless the deed is authenticated.
Legal services in Romania
fixed fees for standard documents below
Legal engagement typically begins with a scoping consultation. Common engagement types:
- Fixed-fee engagements – Standard contracts (employment, NDA, service agreement, shareholder agreement), GDPR policy packages, trademark registration, AML policy preparation – where scope is defined and predictable.
- Hourly / day-rate advice – Complex corporate transactions, M&A, tax structuring, dispute-related advice, regulatory guidance for licensed sectors – where scope evolves during the engagement.
- Retained legal support – Ongoing legal advisory retainer – a fixed monthly fee for a defined number of advisory hours and standard document reviews. Suitable for companies that need regular legal support without a full in-house team.
- Project-based scope – Due diligence packages, compliance audits (GDPR/AML), IP portfolio reviews, contract framework builds – scoped and quoted per project.
Indicative fixed-fee items
- NDA / confidentiality agreement (standard bilateral) from €150
- Employment contract (Romanian law compliant) from €200
- Service agreement / commercial contract from €300
- Shareholder agreement (up to 3 parties) from €500
- GDPR privacy policy & cookie policy package from €400
- AML policy & procedure manual from €600
- Trademark registration – Romania (OSIM) from €350
- EU trademark application (EUIPO) from €900
- GDPR / AML compliance audit – initial assessment from €800
- Legal opinion letter (Romanian law) from €400
All fees confirmed in writing before engagement. Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L. prepares and coordinates the work; legal advice and representation are provided by our partner lawyer (avocat, member of a Romanian bar). Advice is general unless confirmed as specific to your situation in an engagement letter. Fees may be subject to Romanian VAT.
All legal services delivered in English
Every client communication, advice letter, contract draft and compliance document is delivered in English. Where Romanian-language originals are required (e.g. for ONRC filings, court submissions or ANAF), bilingual versions are produced. Clients based outside Romania receive the same standard of service as clients in Bucharest.
Why International Businesses Need Local Legal Support in Romania
Entering and operating in Romania without qualified local legal support exposes a business to risks that are avoidable – and that become significantly more expensive to resolve after the fact. The following are the most common legal risks our international clients face:
| Risk area | What happens without local legal support |
|---|---|
| Contracts governed by Romanian law | Standard international contracts may not be enforceable in Romania without adaptation to Romanian contract law requirements. Terms valid in the UK, US or Germany may be unenforceable or void in Romania. |
| Employment disputes | Employment contracts that do not comply with the Romanian Labour Code expose employers to reinstatement orders, damages and significant penalties in tribunal proceedings. |
| Intellectual property loss | Trademarks and software that are not registered or properly documented in Romania may be exploited by third parties. Trademark and patent rights generally require registration, while copyright protection arises automatically and does not require registration. |
| GDPR non-compliance | Companies operating in Romania are subject to full EU GDPR requirements enforced by ANSPDCP (the Romanian data protection authority). Fines reach €20 million or 4% of worldwide annual turnover, whichever is higher (GDPR Article 83(5)). |
| AML non-compliance | Companies in regulated sectors – financial services, real estate, accounting, legal, gambling – must have AML policies, risk assessments and compliance programmes in place. Non-compliance results in significant regulatory penalties. |
| Shareholder disputes | Without a clear shareholders’ agreement, Romanian company law default rules apply – which may not reflect the parties’ intentions, particularly on exit, deadlock and minority protection. |
| Foreign documents rejected | A UK, US or Indian passport copy, board resolution or power of attorney is accepted by the Trade Register (ONRC), the immigration office (IGI) or a court only with an apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention (or consular legalisation for non-member states) and a translation by a Romanian authorised translator (traducător autorizat). A missing stamp sends the whole file back. |
| Tax law misapplication | Romanian tax law is complex and changes frequently. Misclassifying income, missing related-party documentation requirements or applying incorrect VAT treatment can lead to substantial back-tax assessments with penalties and interest. |
Legal Practice Areas
Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L. supports clients in six areas of Romanian law relevant to international businesses operating in Romania. Each practice area has a dedicated page with detailed service descriptions and FAQ content.
Intellectual Property
Protecting brands, inventions, software, creative works and trade secrets in Romania and across the EU.
- Trademark registration (OSIM Romania & EUIPO)
- Copyright protection & licensing
- Software & technology IP
- Trade secret protection
- IP due diligence
Corporate Law
Company structure, governance, shareholder relations and corporate transactions in Romania.
- Shareholder agreements
- Director service agreements
- Corporate governance advice
- M&A and due diligence
- Restructuring & dissolution
Contract Law
Drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts under Romanian law for commercial and employment purposes.
- Commercial contracts & SLAs
- Employment contracts
- NDA / confidentiality agreements
- Supplier & distribution agreements
- Contract dispute advice
Tax Law
Romanian tax law advice for international companies – structuring, disputes and tax planning.
- Tax structure selection
- Transfer pricing advice
- VAT and customs disputes
- ANAF assessment challenges
- International tax treaty advice
Compliance
Regulatory compliance frameworks for companies operating in Romania’s regulated sectors.
- Regulatory compliance audits
- Sector-specific licence compliance
- Environmental compliance
- Labour law compliance
- Corporate compliance programmes
AML & GDPR
Anti-money laundering and data protection compliance for companies subject to EU and Romanian law.
- AML policy & procedure manuals
- GDPR compliance audit & gap analysis
- Data processing agreements
- Privacy policy & cookie policy
- ANSPDCP interaction support
Romanian Law in Brief: the Acts Behind Our Advice
Romanian law is a civil-law system. Rules come from the Constitution, Parliament’s codes and statutes and directly applicable EU regulations. Apart from Constitutional Court decisions, a court ruling binds other courts only when it is a decision of the High Court of Cassation and Justice on an appeal in the interest of the law or a preliminary ruling on a point of law. Cases start at a local court (judecătorie) or a county tribunal and can go to a court of appeal and then to the High Court in Bucharest. The acts below are the ones a foreign-owned Romanian company runs into first; all were in force when we checked them on 6 October 2026.
| Act | What it governs for a foreign-owned company | Practice area |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Code (Law 287/2009, in force since 1 October 2011) | Contracts, liability, property and the form of deeds, including the notarial deed for land and buildings | Contract law |
| Companies Law (Law 31/1990) | SRL and SA formation, articles of association, shareholder and director rights, share transfers, dissolution | Corporate law |
| Labour Code (Law 53/2003) | Employment contracts, working time, dismissal procedure and reinstatement claims | Contract law · Corporate law |
| Fiscal Code (Law 227/2015) and Fiscal Procedure Code (Law 207/2015) | Profit and micro-company tax, VAT, dividend tax, ANAF audits and objections to tax assessments | Tax law |
| Trademark Law (Law 84/1998) | National trademark registration with OSIM, opposition and infringement | Intellectual property |
| GDPR and Law 190/2018 | Personal data processing, national rules on employee monitoring and ID numbers, ANSPDCP inspections | AML & GDPR |
| AML Law (Law 129/2019) | Customer due diligence, beneficial owner declarations and reporting to ONPCSB for regulated businesses | Compliance · AML & GDPR |
Lawyer, Notary or Authorised Translator: Who Does What in Romania
Foreign clients often expect Romanian lawyers to handle every step. In practice three regulated professions share the work, and a file stalls when the wrong one is asked to sign. Romanian attorneys are organised under Law 51/1995; notaries public under Law 36/1995; authorised translators are certified by the Ministry of Justice.
| Professional | What they do in a foreign client’s file | When you need one |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer (avocat) | Legal opinions, contract negotiation, representation before courts and authorities, attestation of documents they draft | A dispute, a court claim, an IGI or ANC application, a transaction with legal risk |
| Notary public (notar public) | Authenticated deeds: transfer or mortgage of land and buildings (Civil Code, Article 1244), articles of association when a property is contributed to capital (Law 31/1990, Article 5), many powers of attorney | Buying property, contributing a building to a company, signing a power of attorney in Romania |
| Authorised translator (traducător autorizat) | Certified translation of foreign documents into Romanian, often followed by notarial legalisation of the translator’s signature | Every foreign-language document filed with ONRC, ANAF, IGI or a court |
To check a lawyer in Romania, search their name in the national register of lawyers (Tabloul Național al Avocaților) on unbr.ro: it shows whether the lawyer is active, suspended or incompatible, and which bar they belong to. UNBR also runs cautavocat.ro, its official portal for finding a lawyer by city and field. There is no official list of the best lawyer in Romania: independent directories such as Legal 500 rank law firms by practice area (banking, corporate and M&A, dispute resolution), which says more about large transactions than about who should draft your first shareholder agreement.
Who We Help – Legal Services for International Clients
The table below matches common client types to their typical legal needs and the relevant practice area pages on this site. If your situation is not listed, contact us – most legal questions arising from a Romanian business presence fall within our scope.
| Client type | Typical legal need | Relevant practice area(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign entrepreneur / founder | Company formation documents, Articles of Association, shareholder agreement, employment contract for first hire | Corporate law · Contract law |
| International company entering Romania | Subsidiary or branch structure, tax planning, Romanian contract adaptation, GDPR compliance for EU operations | Corporate law · Tax law · Compliance · GDPR |
| Investor (M&A / acquisition) | Target due diligence, share purchase agreement, representations and warranties, regulatory clearance | Corporate law · Contract law · Tax law |
| Technology / software company | IP protection (trademarks, copyright), software licence agreements, SaaS terms, data processing agreements | IP · Contract law · GDPR |
| Financial services / regulated entity | CAEN-specific regulatory advice, AML policy and procedures, compliance framework, licence application support | Compliance · AML · Corporate law |
| E-commerce / digital business | Terms and conditions, privacy policy, consumer rights compliance, cross-border contract disputes | Contract law · GDPR · Compliance |
| Employer with Romanian staff | Employment contracts, director service agreements, restrictive covenants, HR policy documentation | Contract law · Corporate law |
| Foreign national relocating to Romania | Company and financial documents for a residence permit file at IGI, Romanian citizenship applications to ANC, including by descent under Article 11 of Law 21/1991, filed together with a Romanian immigration lawyer | Corporate law · Immigration (with partner lawyer) |
| Company seeking EU market access | GDPR compliance audit, data processor agreements, cross-border contract structuring, VAT and tax advice | GDPR · Tax law · Contract law |
How We Work – Legal Engagement Process
Legal engagements begin with a scoping consultation – a structured conversation to understand the matter, identify the legal issues, and agree on scope and fee basis before any work begins. This is our operating standard – no work is started and no fee is committed until the engagement is agreed in writing.
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Initial enquiry | You describe the matter – by email or via the contact form. Our team reviews and identifies the relevant practice area and adviser. |
| 2. Scoping consultation | A structured call or meeting (30–60 minutes) to understand the facts, identify the legal questions and assess the scope. This consultation is charged at a fixed rate or may be included in the engagement depending on the matter. |
| 3. Scope and fee confirmation | A written scope of work and fee confirmation is provided before any substantive work begins. Fixed-fee matters are priced upfront. Hourly-rate matters include an estimate with a review mechanism. |
| 4. Work delivery | All advice, documents and drafts are delivered in English. Romanian originals are produced where required. Client reviews are incorporated promptly. Timeline is agreed at scoping stage. |
| 5. Ongoing support | Legal engagements can transition to retained support – a fixed monthly retainer for ongoing advisory access, document reviews and standard matter handling. This is particularly useful for companies in their first 12 months of Romanian operations. |
Integrated legal and business advice – one team, full context
Because Romania for Business Advisory S.R.L. coordinates legal, accounting, tax and HR services, your legal adviser has access to your company’s full operational context – the corporate structure, tax regime, employment arrangements and compliance obligations. This eliminates the risk of legal advice being given in isolation from the business reality.
Why Choose Romania For Business for Legal Services
| What we offer | Why it matters for international clients |
|---|---|
| English-language delivery | All advice, contracts and compliance documents in English. No translation layer – no risk of information loss or miscommunication. |
| Transparent fee structure | Fixed-fee pricing for standard legal products. Complex matters at €150 per hour, with an estimate upfront. No surprise invoices. |
| Integrated with accounting & HR | Legal advice is coordinated with tax, accounting and employment – so structural decisions reflect the full picture, not just the legal question in isolation. |
| Romanian law expertise | All legal advice is grounded in current Romanian law – not adapted from other jurisdictions. Regulatory updates are tracked and reflected in client documents. |
| Remote delivery capability | Legal engagements are managed remotely for international clients. Video consultations, electronic signatures and digital document delivery as standard. |
| Specialisation in foreign-owned companies | Our team and partner lawyer focus on the issues that arise specifically when foreign individuals and companies operate in Romania – not general domestic Romanian law practice. |