Levana Zigmund

Levana Zigmund practices in the areas of public and private international arbitration/dispute resolution.

She is one of the few public international arbitration lawyers in Romania, having been involved in major international arbitration cases brought against Romania to the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes ICSID.

Her expertise also encompasses arbitration under the leading institution rules, including under the UNCITRAL Rules or the International Chamber of Commerce. She has acted in complex commercial, real estate, fiscal and administrative disputes.

Levana Zigmund has represented public and private companies in corporate and commercial transactions, business transfer projects, cross-border investments as well as shipping and transport projects

She is fluent in English. 

Relevant Matters:

• Lead legal advisor retained by a Governmental authority in a complex ICSID international arbitration initiated against Romania by EDF Services LTD claiming over USD 100,000,000. The case mainly regards issues of expropriation, standard of fair and equitable treatment and investment protection, as well as Romanian law matters on corporate, contract law and public procurement issues.    

• Lead legal advisor retained by a Governmental authority in an arbitration case before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) initiated by S&T Oil Equipment & Machinery, seeking payment of damages valued at more than USD 150,000,000. The case was closed further to the arbitral tribunal issuing an order of discontinuance of the proceedings.  

• Lead legal advisor retained by a Governmental authority in an arbitration case before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The claimants in this case are Turkish investors (Omar Dede and Serdar Elhuseyni), concerning the alleged breach by Romania of the guarantees afforded to investors by bilateral investment treaties, in respect of the privatisation of the company IMUM Medgidia. 

• Legal advisor to a major oil company in an international arbitration before ICC Paris in connection with drilling services agreements concluded with Iranian entities for oil rigs located in the Persian Gulf.  

• Legal advisor retained by one of the world’s leading international financial service providers, based in Germany in connection with the acquisition/privatization of Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR), the largest Romanian bank; the mandate included analysis of relevant Romanian legal framework applicable to credit institutions, conducting a thorough due diligence investigation, amending the sale-purchase agreement to serve the client’s interests and analysis of specific issues identified during the due diligence investigation.       

• Legal advisor retained by the number one integrated oil and gas group in Central Europe in connection with a USD 100,000,000 sale-purchase transaction of several maritime drilling platforms and on-shore real estate and industrial equipment, including the analysis of the sale assets, the preparation and negotiation of the sale-purchase agreements and escrow agreements for the financing of the operation, transfer of drilling operation agreements in force and conclusion of conventions regarding allocation of use of docks in the Constanta Harbour and of charter parties.