Legal Services in Romania

Corporate law · contracts · intellectual property · tax law · compliance · AML & GDPR

Romania For Business SRL provides English-speaking legal services for international entrepreneurs, investors and companies operating in Romania. Our legal team covers 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.

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. Romanian IP law requires active registration — rights are not automatic.
GDPR non-compliance Companies operating in Romania are subject to full EU GDPR requirements enforced by ANSPDCP (the Romanian data protection authority). Fines of up to 4% of global annual turnover can be issued.
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.
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 SRL covers six core legal practice areas 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

Protect your IP in Romania →

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

Get corporate law advice →

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

Draft or review a contract →

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

Get tax law 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

Build a compliance framework →

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

Achieve AML & GDPR compliance →

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
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 SRL 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. Hourly rates disclosed upfront for complex matters. 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 legal team focuses on the issues that arise specifically when foreign individuals and companies operate in Romania — not general domestic Romanian law practice.

LEGAL SERVICES IN ROMANIA

on request
quoted per matter

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 SRL provides legal services through its qualified legal team and partner network. Legal advice is general unless confirmed as specific to your situation in an engagement letter. Fees may be subject to Romanian VAT.

Frequently Asked Questions — Legal Services in Romania

Yes. All client communication, legal advice, contract drafts and compliance documents are delivered in English. Where Romanian-language originals are required — for court submissions, Trade Register filings or ANAF — bilingual versions are produced. International clients receive the same standard of service as clients based in Romania.

Romania For Business SRL covers six core practice areas relevant to international businesses in Romania: intellectual property, corporate law, contract law, tax law, compliance and AML & GDPR. Each practice area has a dedicated page on this website with detailed service descriptions and FAQ content. Contact us if your matter does not clearly fit one of these areas.

Fees depend on the type and complexity of the matter. Standard legal products (NDAs, employment contracts, privacy policies, standard shareholder agreements) are available on a fixed-fee basis. Complex matters — M&A, tax disputes, regulatory advice — are billed at agreed hourly or day rates with an upfront estimate. Retained legal support is available on a monthly fixed fee. All fees are confirmed in writing before any work begins.

Yes. Romania For Business SRL coordinates legal, accounting, tax, licensing, real estate, recruitment and HR services through an integrated model. This means your legal adviser is aware of your company’s tax structure, accounting obligations and operational context — which reduces the risk of decisions being made without the full business picture.

No. All legal consultations can be conducted remotely by video call, phone or email. Document signing is handled electronically where possible. For documents requiring notarisation in Romania (e.g. certain corporate filings), we coordinate the process remotely using a power of attorney prepared by our team.

Yes. Romania For Business SRL provides GDPR compliance audits covering: data inventory, lawful basis analysis, privacy notice review, data processor agreement review, data subject rights procedures and documentation. The audit produces a gap analysis report and an action plan. See our AML & GDPR page for full details.

Traditional Romanian law firms typically work in Romanian and focus on domestic clients and proceedings. Romania For Business SRL specialises in international clients — all advice is in English, fees are transparently structured, and legal services are coordinated with accounting, tax and HR in a single engagement. We do not handle Romanian litigation — for court proceedings, we connect clients with specialist litigation firms.

Yes. Romania For Business SRL coordinates trademark registration with OSIM (the Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks) and EUIPO (the EU Intellectual Property Office) for EU-wide trademark protection. See our Intellectual Property page for full details on the trademark registration process, timelines and fees.

Yes. AML (anti-money laundering) compliance support includes: AML risk assessment, AML policy and procedures manual, customer due diligence (CDD/KYC) framework, training materials and interaction with ONPCSB (the Romanian AML authority). See our AML & GDPR page for the full scope of AML compliance services.

Our shareholder agreements for Romanian SRL companies are drafted under Romanian law and address the specific issues relevant to foreign-owned companies: deadlock resolution, exit mechanisms, share transfer restrictions, reserved matters requiring unanimous consent, minority protection and drag/tag-along rights. See our Corporate Law page for full details.