September 2026

Every year, BACIU PARTNERS organizes the Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition (MCC IP) alongside our partners at ELSA Bucharest.

But who makes all these possible? And what are their takeaway from the experience?

To answer these, in the spirit of the transparency and accessibility that define how we work, we invited the BACIU PARTNERS team members involved in this year’s edition into a series of open conversations about ideas, expectations, professional instincts and the subtle details that often remain behind the scenes of such initiatives.

Titled “Conversations beyond the Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition“, the serios is concluded with a heartfelt discussion with Ana-Maria BACIU, the voice and spirit behind all the initiatives of the firm, meant at amplifying the sound of knowledge.

Read the full interview below.

• Looking at this experience as a whole, what stood out to you regarding how the participating students approached this competition?

Ana-Maria Baciu: This year, the words that I believe most accurately describe how the students approached this competition are seriousness, deep engagement, and a genuine drive to be the absolute best.

• Looking beyond the actual performance, what stayed with you from your direct interaction with the students during the competition? How would you describe the energy and dynamic of interacting with them throughout the journey?

Ana-Maria Baciu: Every single time, I leave the interactions we have with students in our joint projects with the conviction that, as some classics said before us – the kids are alright. Their energy is fascinating, and their desire to take action is genuinely palpable.

• Beyond legal knowledge, what do you think is that single element that tips the scale in favor of a participant’s performance? What if we look at it from a team perspective?

Ana-Maria Baciu: Just like in front of real courts of law, in addition to preparing the case file thoroughly beforehand, what matters is the ability to be fully present, to truly hear what the other side has to say in order to respond effectively, and spontaneity in identifying the arguments that fit best when faced with unexpected situations. Not both team members need to possess all these qualities. Usually, a well-balanced combination achieves far more than a single brilliant participant in a team where they cannot bring out the best in their teammate.

• From your experience, what is the factor that consistently makes a difference, beyond the theoretical framework a participating team presents?

Ana-Maria Baciu: This year, perhaps more than in previous editions, I noticed and deeply appreciated a highly effective strategy in the presentation of the pleadings, alongside an impressive big-picture vision demonstrated by the participating teams.

• Reflecting on the evolution of the competition from one edition to the next, what are the benchmarks that matter most to us, and how do we manage, through this project, to make the students’ voices heard?

Ana-Maria Baciu: For me, the essential part is that the students who participate in our project do so because they want to be there, not because they have to. This is the ultimate benchmark that I dearly wish for us to maintain.

On the other hand, I find it fascinating how buzz about our competition is passed down from one generation of students to the next. The fact that they have the courage to step out of their comfort zone in front of us and their peers, that they speak—with more or less stage fright—about legal concepts they sometimes haven’t even had the chance to study in class yet, shows a very solid preparation for the life that awaits them after graduation, regardless of what they choose or happen to do in period of their life.

And I have no doubt that their voice, as we hear it through our project both in writing and orally, will grow stronger and more persuasive with every similar experience they choose to be a part of.

More details about the 2026 edition of the Intellectual Property Moot Court Competition organized by BACIU PARTNERS are available HERE.

BACIU PARTNERS is a Leading Partner to ELSA Bucharest for the academic year 2025-2026.

For more details about our approach and objectives, please contact: Ileana Nicolescu-Decsei, Raluca Comănescu and Anca Stefanescu Toma.