From a kitchen-table startup in the wake of Romania’s 1990 revolution to one of the nation’s first full-service firms, Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen marks its 35th anniversary this year. Founding Partner Ion Nestor together with newly-appointed Executive Partners Adina Chilim-Dumitriu and Emil Bivolaru talk about the firm's growth from two lawyers to more than 120.
CEELM: Big congratulations on your anniversary! Let’s start with how the firm first came to be 35 years ago. If you had to pick no more than three, what would you highlight as the landmark moments in the firm’s evolution over time?
Nestor: I’ve told this story many times, so I’ll keep it brief. We launched in February 1990, just after the Romanian revolution, with a team of two, my wife Manuela and I, the “two Nestors” on our letterhead. Starting out in our tiny apartment kitchen, we worked around the clock with whatever equipment we had, producing as many documents as possible. This was also when we began building our client network, laying the groundwork for our future international practice.
It was exhilarating: we were young, ambitious, and knew exactly what we wanted. We brought on friends, formed a proper team, and opened our first office. In those early years, we spearheaded the first wave of privatizations in Romania and started to build up a pipeline of foreign mandates.
Then, in 1995, two outstanding young American lawyers joined us, leading to our first major rebranding as Nestor Nestor Kingston Petersen. “Building bridges” became our slogan, at that time, marrying Western expertise with local insight. From this moment on, the firm truly “took off.”
By 2001, we decided to strengthen our firm. We invited Ana Diculescu-Sova, one of the most famous litigators at the moment, who was running her own successful practice, to join us. And she did and thus became the third founder of the firm. Hence Nestor Nestor Diculescu Kingston Petersen was born, a name that endures to this day.
Over the years, we grew steadily, from two to 20 lawyers, then to 40, which at the time I feared Romania’s market couldn’t sustain. But we proved ourselves wrong, doubling to 80 and ultimately reaching 120+ lawyers. As I like to say, “when you stop, you die, you have to keep moving forward.”
In 2008, because under Romanian law, the tax advisories and legal practices operated separately, we set up a dedicated tax advisory entity under the umbrella of our brand, in compliance with the legal requirement, bringing in a bright top-tier team of former Big Four specialists. NNDKP became “Legal & Tax”. At that time, some even said that our move prompted the Big Four themselves to start advertising and highlighting “Tax & Legal” services together, in Romania.
Andy Kingston and Patricia Petersen returned to the US in 2001, but we retained the brand and kept building.
CEELM: Was there a deal in the early days you felt was your make it or break it project? What was it?
Nestor: The first five or six years of the new millennium were our most challenging period. Romania was undergoing massive restructuring and privatization, and we were involved in most of them (electricity, gas, banking). The standout project in that period was the privatization of the Romanian Commercial Bank – a two-stage transaction spanning more than three years and, at EUR 3.75 billion, remaining, even today, the largest commercial deal in Romania’s history.
To give you a sense of its scale, at certain times, we had up to 30-40 lawyers working literally day and night. It was intense and a true professional milestone.
Chilim-Dumitriu: I remember that project well. It was incredibly demanding. Being a young lawyer at that time, I was around the clock in the data room at the bank’s headquarters for weeks on end, immersed in documents but the lessons we learned and the expertise we gained were beyond anything we could have expected elsewhere.
CEELM: The firm is one of the few national champions with offices in “secondary” cities like Timisoara and Cluj-Napoca. Why did you decide to open those offices? Are there plans for other cities down the line? If so, which?
Nestor: In Timisoara, we followed clients who were expanding into western Romania. The local boom convinced us to offer more hands-on service there. As for Cluj-Napoca, after opening our own local office, we chose to join our forces, five years ago, with a distinguished and well-established local practitioner.
We believe many sectors will develop outside Bucharest, so following clients and emerging markets is key to seizing new opportunities. While we have no firm expansion plans, we’re monitoring Iasi closely. It has strong local expertise but remains somewhat isolated; once regional infrastructure and post-war Ukraine reconstruction efforts ramp up, it will likely become an attractive next step.
CEELM: We recently covered a redesign of the firm’s management team. Can you walk us through the new structure and the rationale behind the update? What were the reasons for choosing Adina Chilim-Dumitriu and Emil Bivolaru for the new roles?
Nestor: Last year, the founders of the firm decided that it was time to start preparing the new chapter in the firm’s life. We wanted a framework that allows NNDKP to evolve smoothly into the future. A law firm’s greatest asset is its people, and transitions must be managed delicately to preserve relationships and culture.
We’ve set up a two-year trial period under which two partners, chosen by consensus, among the equity partners, will assume additional responsibilities while shadowing current leadership, in their capacities as Executive Partners. It was agreed among the partners that Emil and Adina will be the first to participate in this pilot. They were ideal picks because both bring deep knowledge of the firm. Emil, with 24 years, and Adina, with nearly 28 years at the firm, have shown a willingness to shoulder the challenges of daily management. Manuela and I will remain Co-Managing Partners, mentoring them, and after two years, the partnership will decide how to proceed further in the transition process. In addition to the Executive Partners, our new management structure includes a number of important committees (Remuneration, Knowledge Management, Compliance, IT & AI), involving the other equity partners. It is the partnership’s strong belief that this staged approach ensures we make the right call.
Bivolaru: It’s been a great experience to join NNDKP’s leadership development phase. With our 120+ strong team, I was surprised by the daily challenges of managing a firm with such heritage. Every month, I gain invaluable hands-on experience. In a few years, together with the firm’s equity partners, I look forward to contributing fully to decisions about our firm’s future.
Chilim-Dumitriu: I completely agree. Emil and I understand our firm deeply, but there’s still much to learn. We’re excited to develop these skills and are confident that, with our founders’ guidance, the next 35 years will be as successful as the first.
CEELM: The firm’s announcement talked about ensuring “a successful transition” – a concept that’ll likely become increasingly relevant in the Romanian legal market. How would you define “success” in this regard?
Nestor: That’s a nuanced question. Today’s Romanian legal market is far more mature than it was 35 years ago. Success now means maintaining a top-five position in Romania for quality, brand, and reputation.
For us – and I believe for my colleagues too – success is steady, sustainable growth without disruptions, preserving our culture and client trust. That, to me, is the goal. Speaking of which, we are extremely honored and proud to be the only law firm in Romania to have received last week, for the seventh time, the Law Firm of the Year Award by Chambers and Partners at the Chambers Europe 2025 awards gala. To us, this recognition, in the year when we celebrate our 35th Anniversary, illustrates the ultimate definition of success.
CEELM: What can we expect from the firm in the upcoming couple of years? What about the next 35?
Nestor: I’m not planning to be on the front lines for the next 35 years – but I know NNDKP will remain a market leader.
Chilim-Dumitriu: I expect to maintain the exceptional quality of our work and remain among Romania’s best law firms for at least another 35 years.
Bivolaru: I’m certain we will preserve our firm’s values and build on what we’ve learned, ensuring NNDKP continues to thrive well into the future.
