This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Concrete situations must be analysed individually, together with a lawyer, based on the documents in the case and the legislation applicable at that time.
1. Why choosing the right lawyer matters – and not “the best lawyer” in the abstract
When people start looking for a lawyer, the instinctive question is often: “Who is the best lawyer for X?” In practice, the more useful question is: “Which lawyer is the right fit for me, for my problem and for the way I want to work?”
The legal profession in Romania is regulated by Law no. 51/1995 on the organisation and practice of the legal profession, by the Statute of the Legal Profession and by deontological rules adopted at national and European level. These instruments emphasise that the legal profession is a free and independent profession, organised autonomously, whose mission is to defend the fundamental rights, freedoms and legitimate interests of clients.
At European level, the Model Code of Conduct for European Lawyers and the Charter of Core Principles of the European Legal Profession underline core values such as independence, loyalty to the client, confidentiality, avoidance of conflicts of interest and fair treatment of clients, including in relation to fees.
Against this background, a “good lawyer” is not necessarily the one who is most visible in the media or on social networks, but one who:
- has real competence in your type of legal problem (criminal law, civil or commercial litigation, tax law, administrative law, urban planning, employment, etc.);
- is independent and able to tell you uncomfortable truths, not only what you would like to hear;
- works in a way that is compatible with your style (communication, pace, availability);
- takes an ethical and transparent approach to fees and costs.
2. Legal and ethical framework: what an “authorised” lawyer is and which duties they have
Before discussing style, fees or “chemistry”, it is essential to check whether the person you contact is truly a lawyer within the meaning of the law – and not merely a “consultant” or “legal specialist”.
2.1. How the legal profession is regulated in Romania
Some basic points:
- The title of lawyer is obtained following a professional exam and registration with a local Bar and in the National Register of Lawyers, in line with Law no. 51/1995 and the Statute of the Legal Profession.
- Lawyers are organised in Bars (one in each county and one in Bucharest), grouped in the National Union of Bar Associations of Romania (UNBR).
- Only persons entered in the roll of a Bar and in the National Register have the right to use the title “lawyer” and to provide legal assistance in the conditions laid down by law.
Law no. 51/1995 has been amended several times since its adoption; the consolidated version and subsequent amendments (for example, those introduced in recent years) can be consulted on official legislative portals and on the websites of Bars and UNBR.
2.2. Core principles – what you should find in any lawyer
The main legislative and ethical texts (Law no. 51/1995, the Statute, the Romanian Code of Deontology and the CCBE instruments) insist on a number of key principles:
- Independence – the lawyer must be free from any pressure (from the state, from third parties and even from the client) that could affect professional judgment.
- Confidentiality and legal professional privilege – what you tell your lawyer is protected by a strict confidentiality regime; without this, genuine trust is impossible.
- Loyalty and integrity – the lawyer must represent your interests honestly and fairly and refrain from conduct that undermines public confidence in the profession.
- Avoidance of conflicts of interest – a lawyer cannot represent parties with conflicting interests and must decline or discontinue mandates where such conflicts arise.
- Transparency on fees – you must be informed clearly and intelligibly about the way fees are calculated and about associated costs.
When choosing a lawyer, it is useful to keep these benchmarks in mind. They are not abstract notions but concrete standards that lawyers are required to follow in their daily practice.
3. Step 1 – Clarify your legal problem and what you actually need
Many frustrations in the lawyer–client relationship arise because people enter the relationship without having clarified their own expectations. Before looking for a name, it is worth asking yourself a few basic questions.
3.1. What type of legal issue are you dealing with?
- Criminal law – you are involved in a criminal investigation as a suspect/defendant, as an injured person/civil party, or you are a witness in a sensitive file.
- Civil or commercial law – contract disputes, liability, shareholder conflicts, business litigation, partition and inheritance, property issues.
- Tax law – tax inspections, assessment decisions, tax disputes, alleged tax offences.
- Administrative and urban planning law – disputes with authorities, building permits, planning instruments, administrative fines.
- Employment law – dismissal, harassment, non-payment of salary rights, non-compete clauses.
In general, it is advisable to look for a lawyer with substantial experience in your type of case, rather than relying only on a generic “practice area” label on a website.
3.2. Do you need advice, representation, or both?
- Legal advice – you need to understand where you stand, what risks you face and what options you have (for example, before signing a contract or before filing a complaint).
- Representation – there is already a case pending before an authority or court and you need a lawyer to act on your behalf in the proceedings.
- Long-term strategy – you are looking for a broader perspective, not only for a single file (for example, for a business, a complex criminal–tax situation or recurring disputes).
3.3. What do you realistically expect from the relationship with your lawyer?
It is helpful to formulate, even just for yourself, a few expectations:
- how often you need updates (only when something important happens, or very frequently);
- which communication channels you prefer (e-mail, phone, video calls, in-person meetings);
- what level of detail you want (full explanations or mainly short, practical conclusions);
- what budget you are prepared to allocate, and how much you are willing to invest in prevention versus “firefighting”.
4. Step 2 – Where and how to search for information about lawyers
4.1. Official registers and bar lists
The very first filter should always be: “Is this person actually registered as a lawyer?” In Romania, Bars and UNBR make available online registers of lawyers, where you can verify the name, the form of practice and sometimes additional information (such as suspensions).
At European level, the “Find a lawyer” section of the European e-Justice Portal connects to national bar registers and allows you to search for lawyers in EU countries by name, location, spoken language or practice area.
Using these tools helps you avoid confusion between lawyers and other providers who offer “legal assistance” without being part of the regulated profession.
4.2. Personal recommendations – useful but not decisive
Recommendations from friends, relatives or colleagues can be helpful, but they should be calibrated:
- what worked very well for someone in a divorce may be irrelevant for a tax fraud investigation or for a complex business dispute;
- a lawyer may excel in negotiation and settlements, but be less active in courtroom hearings, or the other way round;
- a satisfied client is often influenced more by the final outcome than by the underlying legal strategy or evidential context.
Personal recommendations can be a good starting point, but it is still wise to do a minimum cross-check (professional profile, practice areas, articles published, ethical stance).
4.3. Online matching platforms
In recent years, a number of platforms have emerged that connect lawyers and clients. Bars and the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) have stressed that such platforms must comply with standards on independence, confidentiality and conflicts of interest and should not undermine the profession’s self-regulation.
As a prospective client, you can use these platforms as an information tool, but it is advisable to:
- verify whether the lawyer is actually registered with a Bar;
- avoid relying solely on star ratings or reviews, which may be incomplete or distorted;
- schedule a direct consultation, during which expectations, fees and the structure of the collaboration are discussed explicitly.
5. Step 3 – Practical criteria to compare different lawyers
5.1. Relevant experience in your type of case
More important than the total number of years in practice is the type of cases in which the lawyer has substantial experience. Useful questions might be:
- “Have you previously worked on cases similar to mine (for example, high-value tax cases, corruption charges, urban planning disputes)?”
- “What are the main types of cases you currently handle?”
- “Is your work primarily focused on litigation or on advisory work and transactions?”
5.2. Communication style and availability
Even the most technically skilled lawyer may not be the right fit if their communication style does not work for you. Clarify:
- how you will communicate (e-mail, phone, secure platform, video calls);
- during which hours you can usually reach the lawyer and how quickly you can expect a reply;
- whether you will be dealing mainly with the lead lawyer or also with other team members (associates, collaborators, trainees).
5.3. Ethical approach and transparency
Some warning signs that should make you cautious:
- firm guarantees such as “I guarantee you will win” – these are incompatible with professional ethics;
- absence of a written legal services agreement and lack of clarity about how fees are calculated;
- encouragement to engage in morally or legally questionable actions (for example, falsifying documents, influencing witnesses).
National and European codes of conduct emphasise that lawyers must remain independent and avoid selling illusions or telling clients only what they want to hear. The right lawyer is not the one who promises the impossible, but the one who gives you a realistic picture of risks and options.
6. Step 4 – The first consultation: what to ask and what you should receive in return
The initial consultation is the moment to test both the professional match and the communication style. It is worth coming prepared with a few focused questions.
6.1. Questions about your situation
- “What is, in your view, the legal characterisation of my situation?”
- “What are the possible scenarios (favourable, medium, unfavourable) and what conditions would need to be met for each?”
- “What should I do immediately and what can wait?”
- “Are there urgent risks (deadlines, limitation periods, precautionary measures, enforcement, short time limits for appeals)?”
6.2. Questions about strategy and cooperation
- “How do you see the overall strategy in this case?”
- “Which types of evidence should we look for or prepare?”
- “What will my role be in gathering and organising facts and documents?”
- “How will you keep me informed about the progress of the case?”
6.3. Questions about fees and costs
- “What is the structure of the fee (fixed, hourly, mixed, any success-based component for civil claims)?”
- “Which services are included in the fee and which may generate additional costs (expert reports, translations, travel, administrative fees)?”
- “What happens if the case becomes significantly more complex than it appears now (new evidence, new charges, additional parties or proceedings)?”
By the end of the consultation, you should have a clearer picture of your situation, of the likely next steps and of how a potential collaboration with that lawyer might work – even if you ultimately decide not to move forward with them.
7. Step 5 – Lawyers’ fees: what the law says and what is negotiable
Under Law no. 51/1995 and the Statute of the Legal Profession, fees are set freely by agreement between lawyer and client, taking into account factors such as complexity, time, importance and value at stake.
The National Union of Bar Associations (UNBR) has adopted guidance on recommended minimum fees, with an advisory role. These guidelines are not mandatory tariffs, but reference points intended to encourage fair and proportionate fees and to discourage both derisory and unjustifiably high fees. The actual fee may be higher or lower, depending on the specific case and the nature of the services.
When you discuss fees, it is helpful to:
- ask for a clear explanation of how the fee is calculated (per hour, per stage, per case);
- clarify whether the fee covers only one phase (for example, the investigation) or the entire procedure (investigation, trial, appeals);
- ask what will happen if the case becomes more complex than initially expected;
- check how additional costs (expert reports, translations, court or administrative fees, travel) will be handled and invoiced.
Regardless of how urgent the case seems, it is in your interest to sign a written legal services agreement that clearly records the fee, the services included and any conditions under which the fee may be adjusted. This protects both you and the lawyer and reduces the risk of misunderstandings later on.
8. Online presence: how to use it without being misled by marketing
A lawyer’s website, articles, interviews and social media presence can give you useful indications about:
- how they explain legal issues (clear and structured versus vague generalities);
- the areas in which they seem to have practical experience (based on the topics they regularly discuss);
- their general communication style (more technical, more pragmatic, more focused on “big picture” analysis).
At the same time, ethical rules limit how lawyers may market themselves. They cannot make guarantees of success, present themselves as absolutely superior to all other lawyers, or use aggressive advertising techniques. For this reason, a modest but coherent and serious online presence can be as relevant as very visible marketing.
9. Common mistakes when looking for a lawyer – and how to avoid them
- Choosing solely on price – the lowest fee does not necessarily mean the best outcome, just as the highest fee does not guarantee success; the key is a realistic balance between what is offered and what you need.
- Relying exclusively on notoriety – media visibility does not replace actual experience in your type of case.
- Failing to clarify your expectations – starting a collaboration without knowing how often you want updates, how much time you can dedicate yourself and what your minimum and maximum budget are.
- Not asking about strategy – accepting representation just because “everyone recommends this lawyer”, without understanding how they see your case concretely.
- Not reading the legal services agreement – signing on the spot, without clarifying what is included, what is not and how and when the fee can be changed.
10. Conclusions – what “the right lawyer” looks like in practice
In practice, choosing the right lawyer means bringing together three dimensions:
- Legal dimension – the lawyer must be properly authorised and registered with a Bar, comply with ethical rules and have the necessary competence in your type of case.
- Human dimension – you should be able to speak openly, understand what is explained to you, feel that your concerns are heard and trust the lawyer’s judgment.
- Economic dimension – fees and costs must be clear, agreed, and realistic in light of the stakes and complexity of the case.
There is no official ranking of “the best lawyers”, and the decision cannot be fully delegated to friends or to the internet. What you can do, however, is to use the available tools (official registers, bar websites, European portals, deontological codes), to ask precise questions and to treat the initial consultation as a key step in deciding whether that lawyer is a good fit for you and for your case.
Whatever the area of law, one thing remains constant: the earlier you speak to a lawyer and the better informed your choice is, the greater the chances of having a coherent, realistic strategy tailored to your concrete situation.
11. Useful public sources and tools
- Law no. 51/1995 on the organisation and practice of the legal profession (Romania)
- Statute of the Legal Profession – UNBR
- CCBE Model Code of Conduct for European Lawyers
- Charter of Core Principles of the European Legal Profession
- European e-Justice Portal – “Find a lawyer”
- National Union of Bar Associations of Romania (UNBR) and the websites of local Bars, where you can find official registers of lawyers