London Calling: Interview with Oana Ijdelea, Managing Partner of Ijdelea & Associates

CEELM: To start, it's been quite a while since lawyers in the region have had a chance to get together in person for quite some time. What are you most excited about?

Ijdelea: I really look forward to direct interaction with old colleagues and old friends. And the same goes when it comes to meeting new people.  

CEELM: Why did your firm find it important/useful to support this event?

Ijdelea: As winner of the 2018 DOTY for Romania I know how gratifying and empowering peer recognition is. The Award, which stands on my desk to this day is a gentle reminder of all this and it only came naturally to give back to the CEELegal community by supporting the event. On top of that, the work of the CEE Legal Matters team shows a shared ethos and therefore it is an event we trust.

CEELM: Which of the sessions of the Dealer's Choice conference are you looking forward to the most? Why?

Ijdelea: The State of CEE will be most interesting in order to get a better understanding of the on-ground perspectives and challenges as the (almost) post-pandemic era is taken over by the tragedy in Ukraine and its worldwide reverberations.

CEELM: Would you like to place a bet on which one deal you believe will win the CEE (regional) DOTY award? Why would you bet on that one?

Ijdelea: This would not be a safe bet so I would rather not. As a Juror for Romania, I can say that a significant number of deals from the ballot were highly relevant in equally alike and unique criteria, and this made their ranking a challenging task. This I imagine goes for the other CEE jurisdictions as well.

CEELM: On the lighter side, when was the last time you were in London, and what is one thing, you'll make sure to tick off while in town?

Ijdelea: I will not miss a stroll in Hyde Park in the company of a ham, pickle, and cheese sandwich, that’s for sure!