Diana Neagu
Partner
Diana is a recognized leader in Romania and Moldova in labor and employment matters as well as banking and finance.
She has extensive experience in finance and banking matters, having represented both lenders and borrowers. Her banking experience includes new product development, negotiating complex syndicated loan agreements and advising on banking regulations both in Romania and the Republic of Moldova. Her most recent transactions include representing various lenders (syndicates and clubs) against Moldova’s largest borrower. In addition to her lending work, Diana has overseen several significant M&A transactions and matters.
In addition, Diana has represented a variety of international and local clients in their employment issues, including British Petroleum (BP), Michelin, Unicredit Bank, Tarmac, I.D. Sarrieri and many others. In the course of her work, she has represented clients in all types of labour matters including litigation, collective bargaining, work permits and visas, dismissals and management structuring. Diana has a deep specialization and is a leading attorney in relation to employment issues for financial institutions.
Recently, Diana advised the World Bank and the Moldovan State with regard to re-drafting of the Moldovan Labor Code.
Her banking experience includes both transactional and regulatory work for some of the largest banks in Romania and Central/Eastern Europe. She has negotiated hundreds of millions of Euros in credit facilities, including project financing, commodities financing, corporate restructuring and construction projects. Diana has also worked on implementing some of the most exciting new financial products on the Romanian and Moldovan market, including the drafting of the necessary standard documentation.
In terms of regulatory experience, she advised banks on compliance issues related to the regulations of the National Bank of Romania and, respectively, Moldova, including matters related to internal control and supervision of banking activities, as well as risk management and rules on internal audit and the regulatory aspects of outsourcing. She has also advised foreign investment funds on regulatory matters concerning the Romanian capital markets and on de-listing issues.
In addition to her career as a practitioner, Diana also taught at the University for European Studies of Moldova.
- Lead borrower counsel for one of the largest private real estate financing in Romanian history (value well over EUR 250 million).
- Advised a Romanian leading bank on the development of new financing products for the Romanian market, including Romania’s first cash pooling arrangement. Work also included implementing the cash pooling product with a world leading brewery.
- Acted as local counsel for the world-wide financing of a major steel producer. The role of local counsel was critical, since one of the company’s major facilities was located in Romania. Deal value was US$1 billion.
- Drafting a new leasing law for the benefit of the Government of the Republic of Moldova (an EBRD financed project) which included drafting the leasing law for the Republic of Moldova as well as amending other related Moldovan legislation including the fiscal code, customs regulations, repatriation of proceeds regulations and the Civil Code.
- Advised one of the top banks in Romania in relation to regulations related to internal control and supervision of its activities as well as risk management and internal audit rules, including regulatory aspects on outsourcing of services and the limitations thereto as well as various matters related to newly enacted banking regulations (particularly with retail banking rules).
- Advising a top Romanian bank in relation to various project financings, lending and real estate development transactions including drafting all lending documents and related security agreements (pledges on accounts, shares, receivables and mortgages). Value of the work was well over Euro 500 million.
- Advised on the integration of two major banks, including advising on management agreements, internal rules and regulations and general employment issues. This was one of the largest labor transactions of its kind in Romania.
- Advised a leading international manufacture in relation to its collective bargaining agreement (number of employees involved was in the 1,000’s).
- Lead counsel (for the banks) on organizing a national collective bargaining agreement for the banking sector, the first national collective bargaining agreement of its kind in Romanian history.
- Advised on the drafting of a new labor code for Moldova, an IFC sponsored project.
- Advised a leading Bank on its management structure and the dismissal of high-ranking personnel.
- Represented a large Oil & Gas company in relation to a series of employment and labor issues, including giving assistance during a major fraud and forensics investigation.
- Represented a variety of companies on visa and work permit matters and issues.
Education:
- LL.B, University of Bucharest, Romania
Qualified:
- 2003