Final ruling which protects the land ownership and the investment made by the Daruieste Viata NGO for the Marie Curie Hospital’s expansion and modernization

A multidisciplinary team of lawyers specialized in administrative and commercial litigations from Reff & Associates | Deloitte Legal obtained, as a result of pro bono legal services, a Bucharest Court of Appeal decision which definitively rejects the request for in-kind restitution of a piece of the Marie Curie Hospital land, on which the Daruieste Viata Association has expanded and modernized the medical unit in order to ensure optimal treatment and therapy conditions for all the hospitalized children, after an investment estimated at approximately 43 million euros. Obtaining this favorable solution therefore contributes to the consolidation of this large non-governmental project and confirms the hospital’s rights over the respective area.

The lawsuit, filed by a person who claims to be the heiress of the former owners, is part of a series of complex litigations initiated about three years ago, in which Reff & Associates | Deloitte Legal has represented Daruieste Viata and Marie Curie Hospital, with the aim of protecting the ownership on the land managed by the medical unit, as well as the validity of the building permits regarding the expansions and the modernization of the children’s hospital, built as a result of the fundraising efforts initiated by the association.

The litigation team which obtained the solution was coordinated by Ana Galgotiu-Sararu, Senior Managing Associate, and included Anca Belciu, Senior Associate, and Alexandra Tuta, Associate. The legal expertise in real estate of the lawyers Maria Nitulescu, Managing Associate, Diana Stan, Managing Associate, and Ioana Georgescu-Muresanu, Managing Associate, part of the real estate practice, coordinated by Irina Dimitriu, Partner, has also contributed to the preparation of the procedural strategy and to the successful defense before the Bucharest Court of Appeal.

“We are honored to have had the opportunity to contribute to the Daruieste Viata’s extraordinary endeavor to modernize the Marie Curie Hospital, and our efforts led to the Bucharest Court of Appeal’s solution through which the Marie Curie Hospital has obtained the final confirmation of its right to manage the land on which the investment was made. The solution also reconfirms the outstanding competencies of our litigation team and of our colleagues in the real estate practice”, said Mihnea Galgotiu-Sararu, Partner at Reff & Associates | Deloitte Legal, leader of the administrative and commercial dispute resolution practice.

“The construction of a hospital and of all the necessary facilities involves some of the most diverse challenges. However, the request for the in-kind restitution of the land on which the construction was built really represented one of the greatest challenges, because it could have raised serious problems to the project. The collaboration with Reff & Associates | Deloitte Legal helped us in two ways: the final decision in favor of the hospital recently obtained, and the confidence in the lawyers’ professionalism along the trial, which made us feel safe to continue with the investment and not put the entire project on hold. Children, parents and medical staff who will soon be able to benefit from this hospital are the main winners from this collaboration between Daruieste Viata and Reff & Associates | Deloitte Legal,” said Oana Gheorghiu, Vicepresident, Daruieste Viata.