About us
Expertise
Applied experience, dual perspective and tangible results for clients
Mihail Petcu, Attorney
Founding Partner — Petcu Partners
- Experience: 14+ years of practice
- Specializations: Business law, Tax and customs law, Litigation
- Working languages: Romanian, English
Professional profile
Mihail is an attorney with a practice focused on the business environment. Over more than 14 years of practice with leading firms, including from the Big 4, he has advised companies across a wide range of sectors: pharmaceuticals, energy and natural gas, public sector, automotive, transport, construction and infrastructure, IT, retail and financial services. Exposure to different industries has given him an applied understanding of how legal decisions translate into concrete financial and operational impact.
What sets us apart is our dual perspective, developed both as external counsel and as in-house legal advisor for international companies.
We founded Petcu Partners with the aim of delivering expertise at a high professional standard in a format that is accessible, direct and efficient — with no intermediaries and no additional operational or logistical costs.
Our experience spans the full life cycle of a business: from development and business-to-business disputes to disputes with public authorities, including assistance during tax and customs audits, challenges to assessment and reassessment decisions, suspension of enforcement, and representation before courts at all levels, including the High Court of Cassation and Justice and the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Mihail has handled cases in which the financial stakes exceeded tens of millions of euros, in contexts where the legal solution had to be integrated with the client’s commercial strategy and operational realities.
Mihail provides legal assistance in English and Romanian.
Selected successfully completed projects
Below is a representative selection of mandates, organized by the industries in which we have built relevant experience.
Energy & Oil & Gas
- Representation of a major energy industry player in the annulment of an assessment decision concerning additional VAT (~€14m) relating to natural gas transactions.
- Assistance for a major energy industry player in administrative court litigation concerning the restriction of economic operators’ rights by acts of the tax authorities.
- Legal counsel on offshore concession and exploitation projects.
Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare
- Representation of major pharmaceutical industry players in complex tax litigation (VAT, claw-back, direct taxes), with impact exceeding €3m.
- Assistance in litigation concerning tariff classification and tax implications of products.
- Representation in contravention proceedings concerning advertising and sector-specific regulations.
Automotive & Industrial
- Representation of a major automotive player in litigation concerning customs duties, anti-dumping and VAT (~€5m).
- Assistance in commercial litigation concerning conformity guarantees and contractual obligations.
- Representation in employment litigation arising from internal reorganization processes.
Transport & Logistics
- Representation of major transport players in tax litigation concerning VAT and additional taxes.
- Assistance in litigation concerning per diems and the tax treatment of drivers’ income.
- Legal support in contravention and tax proceedings specific to the sector.
Retail, FMCG & Consumer Goods
- Representation of a major consumer-goods player in litigation concerning tariff reclassification (excise duties and VAT).
- Assistance in intellectual property litigation (trademark counterfeiting).
- Representation in commercial and contractual litigation.
Financial — Banks & Insurance
- Representation of a major banking player in insolvency and enforcement proceedings.
- Legal assistance in tax litigation (local taxes, VAT).
- Involvement in insolvency and restructuring proceedings of systemic impact, including for a major insurance industry player.
Technology, Media & Telecom (TMT)
- Representation of major technology and media players in litigation concerning copyright and collective remuneration.
- Assistance in litigation concerning software use and IT systems.
- Legal support in litigation arising from digital business models.
Construction & Infrastructure
- Representation of a major construction and infrastructure player in contravention litigation (including e-Transport).
- Assistance in commercial litigation concerning public procurement and subcontracting contracts.
- Counsel on the implementation of publicly funded infrastructure projects.
Public Sector & Public Procurement
- Legal assistance provided to public and private entities in public procurement and concession procedures.
- Representation in CNSC challenges and court litigation.
- Involvement in EU-funded projects (infrastructure, waste management).
- Experience in drafting tender documentation and assisting evaluation committees.
Agriculture & Food Industry
- Assistance for a major agricultural industry player in complex business-transfer transactions (including transfer of assets and personnel).
- Support in due diligence and legal structuring projects.
Real Estate & Insolvency
- Representation in litigation concerning pre-contracts and real estate transactions.
- Assistance in insolvency proceedings, including challenges to creditor schedules and protection of creditors’ rights.
- Involvement in enforcement proceedings and related litigation.
Transactions, Corporate & Due Diligence (Cross-industry)
- Assistance in major due diligence projects (receivables portfolios, assets, shareholdings).
- Legal counsel in assignment, restructuring and reorganization transactions.
- Legal support in voluntary liquidation processes and complex corporate operations.
Professional affiliations
- Member of the Bucharest Bar
- Member of the Romanian National Union of Bar Associations (UNBR)
Professional principles
Integrity
We practice law with honesty and transparency, upholding the highest ethical standards of the profession.
Excellence
We strive to provide legal services of the highest quality, with careful attention to every detail.
Dedication
We treat every case as if it were the only one, devoting the time and resources needed for the best outcome.
Confidentiality
We strictly protect the information entrusted to us by our clients, upholding professional secrecy.