Cosmina Maria Simion

Managing Partner

Practice areas:

Gaming & Gambling
Intellectual Property
Consumer Protection and Advertising
Technology & Media
Data Privacy & Personal Data Processing
Corporate, M&A

Phone: +40-31 437 80 13 Mobile: +40-744 581 569

Expertise:

By formation, Cosmina is a regulatory, intellectual property and technology lawyer with more than 20 years of professional experience, with expertise in various industries, with an emphasis on the media and entertainment, online and gaming industries.

Prior to setting up SIMION & BACIU, Cosmina was an intellectual property partner and co-head of the gambling, consumer and advertising practices at the largest and oldest law firm in Romania. She combines her strong advisory expertise acquired during her coordination roles in leading law firms with the specific approach built during her in-house role (at a US group, leader in the regional media sector). Throughout her career she coordinated teams of specialists in complex licensing procedures, acquisitions and tenders.

In the gaming field, Cosmina’s experience encompasses the full range of regulatory and operational gaming aspects for betting and gaming operators, software & platform suppliers, financial services providers, auditors & certifiers, industry relevant associations or marketing affiliates, including representing clients in front of the Romanian regulator and has been actively involved in the review and drafting of the Romanian gaming legal framework.

She regularly advises local and multinational clients on intellectual property aspects relating to trademarks and designs, enforcements and border measures, domain names, copyright, as well as IP transactional. She has advised several software development companies, as well as private equity funds, in relation to the protection of their intellectual property, drafting and negotiation of software and trademark license agreements, joint venture agreements, assignment agreements, SaaS agreements etc., as well as telecom operators in relation to intellectual property risks arising in the context of retransmission agreements, white label agreements.

She is frequently advising on consumer protection aspects relating to product safety and product liability, including warranties and product recall, promotional activities and labeling, distance contracts/e-commerce.

Cosmina regularly addresses clients’ needs on data protection and privacy issues and assists them with integrating privacy-related requirements into their core businesses and internal processes, including as part of sales and marketing operations, human resources management activities, data sharing, internal control processes and audits and has performed privacy audits, including FCPA audits, data protection impact assessments, personal data and cybersecurity breach management procedures.

Finally, Cosmina has been involved in and coordinated cross-border mergers & acquisitions transactions in the industry sectors she focuses on or has been involved in the structuring and management of intellectual property rights in the context of complex transactions involving the acquisition of software companies within some of the largest corporate groups developing software solutions for industrial and civil constructions, integrated CAD solutions, structural analysis, global leaders in engineering and entertainment software etc.

Recognized by clients for her broad media regulatory experience, Cosmina regularly contributes to domestic and international working groups seeking to improve the business and regulatory approaches in the industries she is active in. She is a regular contributor to specialized publications and lecturer on gaming, IP, social media and digital matters.

Accolades

Cosmina is ranked as Leading Individual by Legal 500 in the Gambling Area and Recommended in the Intellectual Property and TMT areas. She is acknowledged by Chambers and Partners as Global Market Leader in the Gaming & Gambling Area. In addition, she is one of the only two lawyers acknowledged for gaming law in Romania by Who’s Who Legal (WWL) and is included in the Silver Band of Top Trademark professionals by WTR1000. Furthermore, in the intellectual property field – patents, Cosmina is acknowledge as Recommended lawyer by IAM Patent 1000.

Cosmina is the first Romanian lawyers nominated for the Best Regulatory Lawyer award at the VIXIO Gambling Compliance Global Regulatory Awards (2022).

Testimonials

Cosmina Simion is recognised for her commercially savvy approach to IP law. She walks with clients through every step of the way and instils confidence in them. (IAM Patent 1000, 2023)

Cosmina Simion is excellent – dedicated, knowledgeable and solutions focused. Her understanding of local gambling regulation is unsurpassed. (Legal 500, 2023)

Cosmina Simion’s historical media background makes the exchanges as smooth as if they were embedded in the business. (Legal 500, 2023)

Cosmina Simion is amazing. She is very responsive and very nice to work with. (Chambers and Partners, Global, 2023)

She understands what clients want and need. (Chambers and Partners, Global, 2023)

(Cosmina is a) top performer (…), who has over 20 years of experience in intellectual property. In addition to her traditional advisory work, Simion also excels in handling sophisticated transactional deals. (WTR 1000, 2023)

Cosmina’s depth of the understanding of the gambling industry in Romania and its legal framework is unrivalled. Good ability to turn client’s problems into practical solutions. (Legal 500, 2022)

We have strongest confidence in Cosmina Simion who is a brilliant lawyer and a very trustworthy person. She has managed to gather a strong professional team around her practice. (Legal 500, 2022)

She is highly experienced in gambling law and provides well-rounded detailed responses with speedy turnaround times. (Chambers and Partners, 2022)

Cosmina Simion has a refined understanding of IP and gaming law, and has walked in the shoes of clients thanks to time spent in-house at a US company. (WTR 1000, 2022)

Cosmina Simion earns impressive recommendations for her work in the gaming sector, thanks to her “detailed responses with a quick turnaround” and “reliable, strong advice”. (Who’sWhoLegal, 2022)

This firm provides expert advice not only from the legal and regulatory perspective, but also from a business and practical approach. Furthermore, both [Ana Maria Baciu] and Cosmina Simion are undisputed experts in their subject areas. (Legal 500, 2021)

Cosmina Simion is an extremely pleasant person to deal with, responds almost immediately to emails, and proactively finds solutions to problems. Billing always appears reasonable, and good value. (Legal 500, 2021)

[Ana-Maria Baciu] and Cosmina Simion are the go to gambling and IT lawyers in Romania. Both very experienced, success driven and extremely knowledgeable. The associate in their team that stands out is [Andrei Cosma]. (Legal 500, 2021)

[Andrei Cosma] and Cosmina Simion are super professional, attentive to the client needs and committed to find suitable solutions. They always respond in timely fashion and provide their advice clearly and pro-actively. (Legal 500, 2021)

Simion operates with equal dexterity on both sides of the contentious divide, and has carved a particular niche in the gaming industry; while a stint in-house at a US company has given her an insider’s appreciation of the ambitions and concerns of international brand owners. (WTR 1000, 2021)

Cosmina Simion [and Ana-Maria Baciu] are a great double-act. They work together seamlessly to pick up client queries and requests and ensure first class service delivery. (Legal 500, 2020)

The deep and extensive knowledge of [Ana Maria Baciu and] Cosmina Simion is unparalleled and this helps any business significantly in constant issues that surface from time to time. (Legal 500, 2020)

Cosmina Simion [and Ana-Maria Baciu] are “excellent lawyers with excellent gambling law knowledge.” (Legal 500, 2019)

Education:

Nicolae Titulescu University, Law School, LLB

WIPO Academy, distance learning course on Electronic Commerce and Intellectual Property

Licensed European Trademark Attorney

Memberships and Affiliations

Bucharest Bar
Romanian National Chamber of Industrial Property Attorneys
International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL), General Member, currently acting as First Vice President
International Trademark Association (INTA)

Languages:

Romanian – native speaker

English – business proficiency

French – conversational