​Professional history:

• Member of the Bucharest Bar 

• Senior Legal Adviser, DIFC Dubai 

• Founder of Romanian Arab Investments House 

• Mentor, Leiden University

Studies:

• LLM, Stockholm University​

• LLB, University of Bucharest

• Diploma in Islamic Commercial Law and Islamic Finance, CIMA 

• Certificate in Private International Law, Hague Academy of International Law

• Contracts Law Course, Harvard University

• Private International Law Course, Leiden University

• Certificate of achievement - Incoterms, International Chamber of Commerce

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Awards and distinctions:​​​

• Business Elite 40 under 40

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Memberships & organizations:

• GIIIF – Global Islamic Impact Investment Forum 

• DBWC – Dubai Business Women Council, Dubai Chamber

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Casiana Dușa | Partner

Casiana Dușa is a multi-jurisdictional lawyer with more than 12 years of international experience in the Middle East and Romania, Islamic Finance certified, holding an elite education in world-class universities and institutions. 

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She is advising leading foreign investors with regards to their business in Romania, handling challenging legal issues at the intersection of various jurisdictions and law systems. Casiana was involved in major projects in Romania and the United Arab Emirates, holding a significant expertise in: international and domestic investment; real-estate and construction; local and international corporate & commercial; credit recovery; cross-border transactions; international disputes and businesses expansion covering a wide range of industries; project finance; Sharia compliance.

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KEY PRACTICE AREAS:

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Corporate & commercial

Real estate & construction

Intellectual Property

Shariah / UAE Laws

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EXPERTISE:​

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• Legal advice on all types of corporate matters related to local and foreign entities, including but not limited to company expansion, mergers & acquisitions, dissolutions, liquidation, insolvency / bankruptcy procedures, shareholders' agreements, negotiation of shareholders rights etc.;

• Assistance and representation of Romanian and foreign clients, both natural and legal persons, in front of Romanian authorities and national courts of all levels;

• Amicable disputes settlement, negotiation and conciliation;

• Negotiation, drafting of full documentation, structuring, due diligence, closing for all types of real-estate transactions; 

• Consultancy regarding brand registration, transfer of IP rights, licensing etc. in front of the State Office for Inventions and Trademarks;

• Consultancy on UAE Laws / Shariah: business expansion and corporate matters, real estate acquisition, recovery of funds placed in suspended/cancelled off plan projects, cross border transactions / JV / international supply & distribution of goods, service and agency agreements involving partners from the Middle East.

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REPRESENTATIVE CASES AND TRANSACTIONS:​

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•Assisting Romanian leading concrete tiles producer with its relocation to the United Arab Emirates;

•Advising one of the largest hospitality groups with regards to property management and acquisitions in Dubai;

•Advising major Romanian real estate investors on all types of contractual arrangements in Dubai;

•Legal and business consultancy on distribution of various Romanian brands to the UAE market;

•Enforce considerable number of foreign awards in Romania and the Middle East;

•Provided legal advice on the internationalization of European businesses to other continents, including corporate advice, incorporation of companies, mergers, acquisitions and de-mergers;

•Provided legal consultancy on a wide range of issues arisen from domestic contracts based on UAE laws (civil law system), as well international commercial contracts of all types;

•Carried out numerous international commercial projects (including drafting, negotiation, coordination, legal assessment) related to joint ventures, international supply & distribution of goods, service and agency agreements involving partners from Middle East, North Africa, Asia, Europe.

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Corporate and M&A
§ Involved in numerous domestic & cross-border projects; Assisted international clients with all the formalities involved
in the processes of company formation, restructuring, share capital increase, shares’ transfer and M&A.
Banking & finance
§ Assisted natural and legal persons with a wide range of banking operations, including inter alia loans, mortgages, debt
restructuring, opening/closing current bank accounts.
§ Assisted both creditors and debtors in credit recovery procedures.
Dispute resolution
§ Assisted foreign investors in negotiations and mediations of conflicts related to contractual breach.
§ Involved in major litigation cases in front of the Romanian Courts, assisting international clients in settling commercial
and civil disputes in relation to their Romanian branches.

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