Bucharest - London, October 3rd - Lina & Guia, one of Romania's top law firms, has today announced its association with the international law firm Eversheds. Immediately after obtaining the approval of the Bucharest Bar, Lina & Guia will operate under the name Eversheds Lina & Guia.

Lina & Guia is a well-established Romanian full service law firm, boasting a prestigious track record and an impressive client portfolio, including Danone, Cosmote, GlaxoSmithKline, Tyco, Sigma Bleyzer, RBS, Medicover and Volvo. The firm's areas of expertise range from M&A, Commercial and real Estate, to Energy & Projects, Banking, Employment, Telecommunications, Antitrust, Dispute Resolution and Insolvency.

Lina & Guia is an energetic, fast-paced and enterprising legal practice committed to providing the highest level of quality in legal services in Romania. Working at large-firm standards and being able to undertake complex work, coupled with small-firm client care and attention to detail, Lina & Guia now marks another era in its evolution.

Eversheds International is a top-ranking global London based law firm with 46 offices world-wide. Its continuing expansion speaks of a better understanding of local markets and legal contexts, dedicated to offering impeccable services.

Mihai Guia, managing partner of Lina & Guia said: "Our collaboration with such a prestigious global law firm will enable us to provide our clients with seamless international service and, in return, we will be able to share our local knowledge of the Romanian market and this region with our new colleagues overseas. We share the same perspective, to be committed locally but to operate as one firm globally."

"We are proud to collaborate with such a strong and highly reputed law firm. This is a crucial milestone in our evolution and we will continue to uphold the highest of standards, now benefitting from a wider global perspective," Cristian Lina, managing partner of Lina & Guia, declared.

Bryan Hughes, Chief Executive of Eversheds LLP said: "Lina & Guia has an exceptional reputation for its ability to undertake complex work, coupled with a high standard of client service. The Romanian market is a critical hub for the Central and Eastern European market and has strong growth potential as well as being a strong trade partner with Russia."

Lina & Guia is proud to announce its collaboration with the recently established Romanian Society for Developmental Biology (RSDB), a non-profit organization that aims at providing a forum for the best Romanian scientists, irrespective of their country of residence or affiliation, working in the field of stem cells and developmental biology at large. RSDB aims at strengthening the Romanian scientific community in these areas, building on the local tradition of the field and the experience of young investigators, both abroad and working in the country.

"This is one of the fastest-growing disciplines in biology and science in general," says Dr Octavian Voiculescu, of Cambridge University, the body's acting President, who added that the organization "will seek to elucidate fundamental aspects of living matter organisation, and their application at the frontier of modern medicine."

Adrian Iordache, the Partner who has helped with the project set-up, stressed the firm's continuing commitment to pro-bono work for worthwhile causes. "It is our way of giving back to the community" said Mr Iordache, who added that "We are confident that RSDB will be a hub for Romanian scientific excellence and we are particularly pleased to be able to contribute, with our own expertise, to the visionary efforts of some best Romanian researchers in the field."

Mihai Jelea has joined Lina & Guia to strengthen the Corporate and Commercial practice of the firm. His arrival will also significantly increase the capabilities of Lina & Guia in the Insolvency and Recovery practice area - a field that has seen in the past two years an unprecedented growth in terms of client mandates. Mihai's previous career includes working with Bulboaca & Associatii, with the legal arm of KPMG and with a leading insolvency practice in Romania. Mihai graduated from the Law School of the Bucharest University and from the University of Paris I, Pantheone - Sorbonne, Faculty of European Law and is a member of the Bucharest Bar. He also holds a LLM in Business Law from Bucharest University. He is fluent in English, French, Italian and Romanian.