Mihai Ionescu-Balea

Partner

Overview

Mr. Mihai Ionescu-Balea has experience in International Arbitration, Public Procurement, Construction Law, Contractual Law and Litigation.

In international arbitration Mr. Ionescu-Balea has represented clients in construction disputes regarding quality of works claims, delay penalties, price adjustment, etc. His calling for new and continuous challenges made him gain a broad expertise in commercial litigation, expanding his know-how to disputes related to energy, technology, financial contracts, joint ventures’ conflicts, etc.

He has the reputation of a specialist with experience in numerous public procurement procedures. His area of expertise in public procurement covers every phase of the procedure: drafting tenders; identifying risks in contractual terms; counseling the client in relation with the contracting authority; representation in complaints before National Council for Settlement of Complaints and in litigation procedures regarding the execution of public procurement contracts.

Mr. Mihai Ionescu-Balea has a prolific research activity in the fields of law he acts in and he is the author of numerous studies and articles published in law reviews and participates as a speaker at national and international law conferences.

Work Highlights

· Assistance and representation in an international arbitration conducted under the ICC Paris rules, in a dispute worth over €35 million, arising from a design and execution of works contract;
· Represented a leading company in the heating installation and construction sector in an ICC arbitration, with the seat of arbitration in Geneva, involving claims in the amount of €9 million;
· Advised a prominent Romanian construction firm in DAB and arbitration concerning claims in the amount of RON 12 million arising from a FIDIC contract;
· Representing a Romanian tech company against a joint venture member in a case concerning the development of a RON 104 million project for modernization of Romanian Emergency System (112);
· Representing a thermal power plant in an appeal against enforcement and suspension of the enforcement of a €8 million deed;
· Advising a leading construction company during notification of claims and DAB procedure for additional works in the amount of €6 million;
· Representation of a Romanian company specialized in building-assembly of installations in front of National Council for the Settlement of Complaints in challenging the awarding decision of a contract valued at RON 61 million;
· Enforcing an ICC award against a Romanian third party under garnishment against a French debtor in insolvency, case which implied the application EU Regulation 2015/84, Roma I Regulation, French insolvency law and Romanian insolvency law;
· Represented multiple international companies from USA, EU and outside the EU in recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards and judgments in Romania, including the establishment of precautionary measures to secure cashing in at the end of the exequatur procedure.

Publications and Conferences

Publications

· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Tasiana Timofticiuc, Romanian Chapter, în J. Tirado, International Arbitration, ed. 10, GLG, London, 2025, pp. 180-194, ISBN 978-1-83918-410-9;
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Recunoaşterea şi executarea hotărârilor arbitrale străine în România, în Pandectele Romane nr. 5/2024, pp. 102-115;
Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Tasiana Timofticiuc, Romanian Chapter, în J. Tirado, Global Lebal Insights International Arbitration, ed. 10, GLG, London, 2024, pp. 190-207, ISBN 978-1-83918-336-2;
· Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Analiză de jurisprudență CNSC – Complicații create de modificarea Documentației de Atribuire. Valoarea juridică a Graficelor de execuție. Anularea procedurii, în Revista de Achiziții Publice nr. 162/2021 🔗
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Gestionarea contractelor suspendate din lipsă de finanțare guvernamentală, Profit.ro, August 2025 🔗
· Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Challenging Arbitral Awards in Romania, American Bar Association International Arbitration Commitee Newsletter, August 2025 🔗
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Claim Management in EPC Contracts in Romania, ICLG, June 2025 🔗
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Evitați capcanele din Contractul Național de Lucrări (HG 1/2018): Decăderi frecvente care afectează constructorii, Arena Construcțiilor, Iunie 2025 🔗
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Tasiana Timofticiuc, Public Procurement 2025 Romania – Law and Practice, Chambers and Partners, April 2025 🔗
· Sarbu Partners: Principalele concluzii de la Conferinţa ABA ILS 2025 Asia-Pacific din Singapore, Martie 2025🔗
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Exequatur of International Commercial Arbitral Awards in Romania, ICLG, March 2025 🔗
· Sarbu Partners – partener la Conferinţa despre arbitraj în contractele publice, Martie 2025 🔗
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Tasiana Timofticiuc, Public Procurement 2024 Romania – Law and Practice, Chambers and Partners, April 2024
· Mihai Ionescu-Balea, A Lawyer’s Guide for a Successful Arbitration in Romania, ICLG, August 2023 🔗
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Tasiana Timofticiuc, Public Procurement 2023 Romania – Law and Practice, Chambers and Partners, April 2023
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Impactul creșterii prețului materiilor prima în piața achizițiilor publice din România, Ziarul Financiar, Iunie 2021 🔗
· Eugen Sârbu, Mihai Ionescu-Balea, Retrospectiva unui an de achiziţii publice în pandemie – sectorul sanitar, Ziarul Financiar, Aprilie 2021 🔗

Conferences

· ABA International Law Section hosts Asia-Pacific conference in Singapore, February 26-28, 2025, American Bar Association 🔗

· Conferința INSIDE Constanta – The BIM Challenge, Cluster TEC, speaker, August 2025Conferința Necesitatea clauzei de arbitraj în contractele de achiziții publice, Club Antreprenor, speaker, Martie 2025 🔗

Memberships

> Member of Bucharest Bar
> Member of American Bar Association – International Law Section

Education

> Degree in Law at Faculty of Law, University of Bucharest

Languages

> English

Latest Insights

Challenging Arbital Awards in Romania

Introduction This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the legal framework and procedural mechanisms for challenging arbitral awards in Romania,…

Qualification, Selection and Award Criteria in Romanian Public Procurement

This case study analyses the correct use of qualification, selection and award criteria in public procurement in Romania, highlighting common misuses and their impact on competition and transparency.

CNSC Case Law Shows Common Problems Leading to Annulment

This case study examines a relevant decision delivered by Romania’s National Council for Solving Complaints (CNSC), focusing on a critical issue in public procurement procedures: the impact of amendments to the tender documentation during the bidding period. The case highlights the practical consequences of inconsistencies between the technical and financial proposals resulting from a misinterpretation of the contracting authority’s amendment notice.

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