Elena Zoiţa LL.B.
Managing AssociatePrior to joining DLA Piper, Elena Zoita has pursued a series of internships with local and international law firms, with a strong focus on construction and zoning law, as well as public procurement and FIDIC litigations, while also acting as editor to a reputable legal journal.
Since joining DLA Piper, she has acted for clients such as PPF Real Estate, Prime Kapital, Rimo, Nova Imobiliare and Atrium Properties. Elena has been constantly involved in projects spanning various areas of real estate, including real estate financing projects, due diligence investigations of various property types (e.g. agricultural, logistics, historical monuments, industrial), drafting lease agreements, while also being involved in the day to day legal matters of the lease process and landlord-tenant relationship.She has also regularly acted for real estate developers, being involved in all stages of project development, ranging from drafting construction agreements to planning and permitting matters, including fire safety and regulatory issues, as well as the relation with public authorities.
Elena’s activity is focused on drafting transaction documents, including civil contracts and corporate approvals, performing due diligence analysis and preparing relevant reports, as well as legal research of complex legal matters.
EXPERIENCE
- Assisted an investment company with the real estate due diligence analysis over a portfolio of 9 premium developed office, residential and mixed-use projects located in Bucharest, together with the corporate team in view of a potential acquisition of the developer’s shares, as well as analysis of regulatory, environmental and permitting matters pertaining to such projects.
- Assisted a software company producing a customer relationship management (CRM) system for the acquisition of a Romanian company. We assisted the client with the due diligence process, the drafting and the negotiation of the acquisition documentation.
- Assisting a Czech based real estate developer with the operation and lease of two office buildings in Bucharest. Our assistance included advice on construction permitting and agreements for refurbishment and restructuring works in the buildings, fire permits and related measures and tenants’ compliance, drafting and negotiations for concluding new lease agreements or extending and re-negotiating new terms with existing tenants and detailed advice on COVID-19 impact on activity and on tenants’ relations.
- Assisting a Serbian real estate developer with several matters related to the joint venture structure in which it is involved for developing residential real estate projects. We assisted the client with respect to the acquisition of the bank loan and related security over the property and the settlement of the seller's debt assumed as part of the acquisition documents for completing the acquisition of the land located in North Bucharest and settling of all third party debt. We also assisting the client with the due diligence process and the transaction documents for purchasing a neighbouring plot of land to be added to the owned land and with other day-to-day tasks related to the future development on the land, including planning and permitting aspects.
- Assisting a CEE real estate developer with the leasing process of office buildings and the due diligence process for the acquisition of a plot of land in Romania. We are assisting the client with the development and leasing process of an office and business district of approximately 100,000 sqm, part of a mixed-use project of 300,000 sqm. We are also assisting the client with the legal due diligence exercise for the acquisition of approximately 65,000 square meters of land in the East part of Romania and with the negotiation and drafting of the lease agreements to be concluded with future tenants for a property located in Iasi city, Romania.
- Assisting a Romanian based real estate company with the acquisition process of a plot of land near Bucharest. We have assisted the client, one of the largest residential developers in Romania, with the acquisition process of approx. 17 ha of land near Bucharest. Our assistance consisted of performing a legal due diligence of the land and negotiating the transaction documents.
- Assisting an Indian multinational conglomerate with rental matters for several spaces in Romania. We are assisting the client with respect to the negotiation, conclusion and day-to-day matters related to lease agreements for several spaces in Romania where the client operates. Our team has been involved in ensuring that the client’s various operations and specific requirements are covered, aligned and their interests protected, while negotiating with various skilled and experience landlords.
- Assisting a large CEE insurance company with respect to the envisaged acquisition of an office building, as well as landlord-tenant matters. Assisting the client, in its capacity of landlord, in its day-to-day relationship with its tenants, including negotiations with tenants and enforcement proceedings and also related litigation. We are also currently assisting the client with the due diligence analysis, drafting and negotiation of transaction documents for the acquisition of a historical monument office building located in Bucharest, ensuring that the client is well informed and prepared for any development and operational challenges deriving from the building’s age and special regime.
- Assisting a German leading energy company with the acquisition, urbanism and permitting of their photovoltaic and wind projects in Romania. Providing day to day advise to the client in connection with their project companies in Romania developing wind energy projects, dealing with all legal aspects encountered by the client in connection with its investments in Romania, including representation and negotiation with public authorities, as well as with the due diligence and transactional process for the envisaged partial disposal of projects in Romania.
- Romanian
- English
- German
- University of Bucharest, Faculty of Law, LL.B., 2018
Publications
- Cladirile sustenabile - instrumentele sectorului imobiliar impotriva schimbarilor climatice, Juridice.ro, November 2021
Prior Experience
- May 2021 – present: Associate, DLA Piper Romania
- October 2018 – April 2021: Junior Associate, DLA Piper Romania
- November 2015 – September 2016: Part-time Editor with JURIDICE.ro
Memberships And Affiliations
- Member of the Bucharest Bar and the National Union of Romanian Bars
