Linklaters loses five lawyers as Romanian boutique trend continues

Linklaters' Romania office has lost five lawyers who quit to launch their own independent boutique in the country's capital Bucharest.

The defection, led by Romania managing associate Adrian Bulboaca, could create an opening for a number of international firms looking to break into the market.

Bulboaca, who was Linklaters' head banking and finance lawyer in the country, said he was open to the possibility of linking with another international firm.

"We're not ruling out possible alliances with domestic or foreign firms," said Bulboaca, who is managing partner of the new firm.

Firms understood to be searching for an opening in the market include Allen & Overy, Baker & McKenzie, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and White & Case.

Bulboaca took a banking and finance and litigation associate with him and two trainees to form Bulboaca & Asociatii.

Bulboaca, who had been at Linklaters since 2001, follows in the footsteps of Daniel Badea, who left the firm in 2002 to form Badea & Asociatii before linking with Clifford Chance. Badea is now Clifford Chance's Bucharest managing partner.

Others to leave Linklaters' Romania office include Marian Dinu, who joined oil and gas giant Petrom as general counsel, and a group that formed local firm Radu Taracila Padurari Retevoescu.