An in-depth look at Paul Buta of Musat & Asociatii covering his career path, education, and top projects as a lawyer as well as a few insights about him as a manager at work and as a person outside the office.
Career:
- Musat & Asociatii; Partner; 2016-present
- Musat & Asociatii; Managing Associate; 2013-2016
- Musat & Asociatii; Senior Associate; 2012-2013
- Private practice; 2009-2012
Education:
- Nicolae Titulescu University of Bucharest; PhD – Intellectual Property Law; 2014
- University of London; LL.M. – Intellectual Property Law; 2014
- University of London; PgDip – International Business Law; 2013
- University of London; PgCert – Commercial and Corporate Law; 2013
- Babes-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca; MA European Affairs and Program Management; 2006
- Nicolae Titulescu University of Bucharest; LL.B.; 2005
- University of Bucharest; BA Political Science and Government (English); 2004
Favorites:
- Out-of-office activity: Spending time with my family and reading
- Quote: “Always remember that you are unique. Just like everybody else.” – seen on a poster
- Book: Novecento by Alessandro Baricco
- Movie: Snatch (Guy Ritchie, 2000)
Top 5 Projects:
- Representing ZTE in the ZTE vs Vringo SEP dispute – one of the first multi-continental SEP litigations with a huge number of parallel and incidental procedures and a lot of business, technical, logistical, and political perspectives to keep track of.
- Representing CDK in the CDK vs IT Top Solutions litigation – a major precedent-setting dispute redefining the jurisdiction for preliminary injunctions for infringement of IP rights (for the better) and for main claims of infringement (for the worse) where an arbitration clause also applies.
- Advising Sig Sauer in a competition law investigation – cleared the client of alleged infringement of competition law in a rare precedent-setting decision annulling the infringement decision due to a wrongful definition of the relevant market.
- Representing the George Calinescu Institute of Literary History and Theory in a pro bono case currently with the CJEU which could end up reshaping the core concept of copyright law in Europe and also solve many of the current questions on AI.
- Advising Electrolux in a competition law investigation – this was the first known use of mathematics (not economics) to counter a cartel allegation, involving looking at a linear Diophantine equation with 2,356 unknown variables.
CEELM: What would you say was the most challenging project you ever worked on and why?
Buta: I believe that the ZTE vs Vringo SEP dispute would qualify as it involved not only multi-territorial IP litigations of every possible kind (preliminary proceedings, infringement claims, patent annulment counterclaims, mandatory licensing proceedings – the latter for the first time ever to be brought in Romania) on a very complex and novel type of patent (standard essential patents for telecommunications), but also a very complex factual and legal background (contractual and corporate history of Vringo, the NPC, and Nokia from whom the patent portfolio had been acquired), multiple non-IP legal proceedings but still related to the patents (competition law complaints with competition authorities in multiple jurisdictions, enforcement proceedings and counter-enforcement proceedings, provisional measures in enforcement proceedings, contractual claims before US courts and provisional relief measures related to such litigated in multiple US states, federal agencies national and cross-border investigations, etc.) and an overall very sensitive international geo-political component with very surprising effects on the ongoing proceedings.
CEELM: And what was your main takeaway from it?
Buta: In order to bring value to such a challenging project, which can be the centerpiece of a lawyer’s career, the increasingly intertwined relationships across borders and continents and the increased complexity brought on by technology require not only the widest perspective of analysis (across practice areas and jurisdictions) but also a basic understanding of (and a hungering curiosity for) many, many things beyond the law.
CEELM: What is one thing clients likely don’t know about you?
Buta: I would guess there are not many clients who know that I also hold a Political Science degree and that I consulted on marketing, branding, and communication strategy before becoming an attorney.
CEELM: Name one mentor who played a big role in your career and how they impacted you.
Buta: Professor Viorel Ros had a major impact on my career. He was one of the very first persons I met when I moved from Cluj to Bucharest, who I worked with both in the university (for over 18 years now) and as a young attorney and trademark and patent attorney, who I had the privilege of accompanying in his many efforts to create and consolidate NGOs in Romania to encourage the study of intellectual property law and to publish scientific magazines and organize conferences on relevant subjects, and who also coordinated my PhD thesis and guided my career toward the practice of intellectual property law. It is difficult to name all the ways in which his guidance is reflected in who I am as a person, as a lawyer, and as an academic.
CEELM: Name one mentee you are particularly proud of.
Buta: My Deputy Managing Partner, Dan Minoiu, is a lawyer who has grown a lot while working with me and whom I have tried to guide (not sure the quality of my advice would qualify me for mentorship, though) from a Senior Associate position through to his current role. His professional, social, and personal skills clearly set him apart in our market (and I am very happy that he was very recently recognized at a European level as Regulatory Attorney of the Year). But it is his ethics, together with his desire to improve both the business, professional, and social environment around him, that I believe truly set him apart among the people I know. I am, therefore, very proud of his achievements, both as an attorney and as a person and, even though I can’t take any credit for most of it, I am certain that he will continue to progress.
CEELM: What is the one piece of advice you’d give yourself fresh out of law school?
Buta: Use as much of your for-now-significantly-increased spare time to learn as much as possible about as many different things as possible. It is very likely that you will put almost all of that knowledge to good use later on and, more importantly even, use it as a springboard to widen your perspectives even further.
This article was originally published in Issue 11.5 of the CEE Legal Matters Magazine. If you would like to receive a hard copy of the magazine, you can subscribe here.
