Alina Matei: How did you choose the Faculty of Law?

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: At that moment in time I was thinking to follow an university that would allow me in the future to earn some good money let’s say and where I could make use of my assets: curiosity, communicative and analytical person and unlimited research skills. That is how I chose the Faculty of Law from Babes Bolyai University, European Law department.

Alina Matei: What did you know about law before you became a lawyer and what was your first thought after a month of law?

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: I thought that someone will lead the way for me and will show me at every step what needs to be done and how to solve problems, where to find answers etc. In reality, there is no time to ask questions and seek for advises as everyone is busy and, at the risk of making some mistakes sometime, you need to find all by yourself the solutions and to quickly adapt in a new work environment, so much different from the academic one that you are used during the university studies.

Alina Matei: Please tell us what you are doing now. I know you are a Senior Legal and Regulatory Advisor at Petrom

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: I am the head of legal department in charge with the gas and power division in OMV Petrom. Even though there must be many people who associates OMV Petrom with the gas stations, OMV Petrom supplies 40% of the gas and fuels demand in Romania and up to 10% from the internal electricity generation. And, as a lawyer in charge with this activity, this implies a significant demand of legal support, both in day to day business and in the main projects of the division.

Alina Matei: What to do and how to do to be the best in this field that you have chosen to practice?

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: I think you really need to understand this business. Gas and power projects are extremely complex, the regulations are countless and in a constant change and you need to be vigilant and in a permanent communication with the colleagues from the other teams (technical, legal, financial, commercial etc). It is really difficult to give an advice in this industry without getting the entire picture. I am also very lucky to be able to rely on my team.

Alina Matei: Please tell us about the regulations, how they are, how do you think they should be?

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: As I said, the regulations are extremely bushy, rather technical sometimes, also difficult to understand by lawyers and legal advisers and in a constant change, and well, the constant change is a problem from us, people from Ardeal :). And this is not just at national level, but also at the European one. Taking for example the European Commission „Fit for 55” proposal package, we are facing thousand and thousand pages of legislative proposals, the biggest legislative package ever released by the Commission aiming to prevent the climate change. Predictability and clarity are a must for energy regulations.

Alina Matei: From your point of view, what should the Green Deal mean for Romania?

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: It will be one of the most ambitious project not only for Romania but also for the rest of the member states, Europe is willing to become the first neutral-climate continent by 2050. Romania should be prepared to capitalise certain opportunities that will certainly appear. All industries should adapt to new requirements and I am sure that the oil and gas industry will be part of the solution.

Alina Matei: What are the changes in energy markets, how often do they occur and what impact do they have?

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: The changes in the energy markets are quite often and the legislation technical and difficult to understand, new technologies emerge etc. Therefore, if everyone is good at football and politics, in this sector you need to be a specialised professional to fully understand the regulations. For example everyone discussed at the beginning of this year of the gas and electricity markets liberalization, but who really understood what is to be done in the contracts with the gas and electricity suppliers?

Alina Matei: Is there anything else to invent in this market? I mean a major one, like the electronic signature. Today, electronic signatures have replaced writing. I can not remember the last time I psysically signed, because the Certsign signatore dethroned the ancinet pen.

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: On the legal professions market, some significant changes will occur in line with this technology advance. For example when I read about companies such as UiPath and the acceleration of the robotic process automation in the legal sector or the artificial intelligence and legal professions, I become a bit worried. For sure, the digitalization of the profession is a positive element, but same applies for using the AI in the law professions? Shall this be regulated? I guess time will tell

Alina Matei: We spend a lot of time at the office. What do you do in your free time and what is the most beautiful vacation spent in Romania or abroad?

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: All holiday destinations are in general beautiful, relaxing, and each one special in its own way. And as much as I like to discover new places, new countries and cultures, still the holidays at countryside at my grandma in the Apuseni Mountains are the ones that fill me with the biggest positive energy. In weekend you probably could find me on a tennis court, chasing desperately a small green ball :).

Alina Matei: A message, please, for J readers and what suggetions do you have for J. 🙂

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: To try as much as possible to read trustful information sources only, to read a lot before embracing an opinion and each one to do its „own homework” let’s say, irrespective of their sector of activity.

Alina Matei: Thanks for talking to me.

Ioana-Teodora Tirca: Thank you. The pleasure was all mine.