September 2025

WOMEN IN LAW initiative curated by Alina Matei on JURIDICE.ro meets Iunia Epure.

Alina Matei: Thank you, esteemed Mrs. Iunia Epure, Senior Associate at BACIU PARTNERS, for taking the time to speak with the readers of JURIDICE.ro. Women in Law is about women, about what they achieve in their professional lives and beyond. May I kindly ask you to share what defines you as a professional?

Iunia Epure: Thank you very much for the invitation!

I must admit it is not easy for me to answer such a question, perhaps because, like many of us, I tend to look more at what I could improve in myself rather than at what defines me as a professional.

Still, looking back and reflecting on my journey, I believe there are a few traits that have guided me in my professional life. Ambition has been with me even in difficult times, pushing me never to settle for “just enough.” Alongside it, attention to detail has helped me understand that success does not lie solely in having a good idea, but above all in the way that idea is put into practice.

Equally important are the care I show for the needs of those who seek my help and my constant drive to move forward—values that I embraced even before my personal life became intertwined with the legal profession.

And, not least, the thought that, in the end, I may bring a smile to the person I interact with is another element that helps me overcome the inevitable obstacles along the way.

Alina Matei: In your opinion, is the involvement of women in legal professions limited or unlimited?

Iunia Epure: I believe that women’s involvement in the legal professions is unlimited—or rather, it should not be limited by anything other than their own choices and aspirations.

There are many fields in which women have proven they can excel. In the legal profession, women have consistently shown that they can successfully face the challenges of every branch of law—from advocacy and the judiciary to academia or leadership positions in top institutions and companies.

I firmly believe that qualities such as adaptability, the ability to manage complex situations, and the capacity to truly understand the client’s perspective are essential aspects that allow us to end each day with a profound sense of fulfillment.

That being said, we cannot ignore the fact that, in practice, certain barriers still exist—some visible, others more subtle—rooted in perceptions, biases, or imbalances in opportunity. This is precisely why it is so important for each of us to find a working environment where competence and dedication matter, rather than gender.

Alina Matei: For women lawyers, the shift from the role of wife/partner/mother to that of legal professional – what “filters” should be applied to ensure that neither role suffers significant harm?

Iunia Epure: As for myself, I can say that this transition was not a complicated one, given that my personal life is shared with a professional from the same field. However, I believe that in a different situation, this transition could have required greater effort to balance these roles.

In my view, the most important filter is the awareness that professional success should not come at the expense of personal life—and vice versa. Balance is achieved through organization, prioritization, but above all through accepting that we cannot do everything perfectly, all the time. Sometimes we need to ask for help, and at other times we need to show ourselves understanding and patience, without placing unnecessary pressure on ourselves.

Alina Matei: Does the legal environment offer women the opportunity to be what they want to be?

Iunia Epure: Without any hesitation, my answer to this question is “yes.” Today, the legal environment offers numerous opportunities—the key is to choose the one that allows you to grow in the direction best suited for you.

In other words, what matters most is for each of us to find that “place” where we can truly evolve, one that supports our development in an authentic way. After all, it is our uniqueness that brings value to this field, and the beauty lies precisely in the different ways we choose to express ourselves and to shape our professional journey.

Alina Matei: From every perspective, I don’t know of a time more favorable to women’s development than the one we are living in. Every right, like every prejudice, has consequences. What role can women lawyers play in fostering the understanding that everyone is responsible for their own choices, both professional and personal?

Iunia Epure: We live in a time when women have greater access than ever to resources, visibility, and real opportunities for recognition. In this context, women in the legal profession can play a crucial role in promoting the idea of personal responsibility.

Every choice—professional or personal—comes with consequences, and recognizing this is an important step toward maturity. Through integrity, balance, and a mindful approach, women in law can inspire a culture where individual responsibility becomes a form of personal strength.

Alina Matei: Have you had a female role model who inspired you over the years?

Iunia Epure: I cannot say that I have had a single role model in my career. Rather, it is a sum of all the professionals I have worked with over time, taking from each one different aspects that helped me shape my own style. Every collaboration, every project, every challenge came with examples of professionalism, balance, empathy, courage, or perseverance—qualities I admired and chose to integrate, in part, into my own approach.

I strongly believe that each of us is a “product” of the interactions we have, the contexts in which we grow, and the people we encounter every day—from curious students joining us for summer internships to seasoned professionals with decades of experience.

In my nearly six years of practice, I have met women who inspired me through the balance they maintained between personal life and career, others who knew how to assert their perspective with both firmness and grace, and some who led teams with a quiet yet highly effective elegance. Each of these experiences has helped me grow and set increasingly ambitious goals for myself.

Alina Matei: We have lived through the pandemic and COVID-19 strains. How was that period for you, both personally and professionally?

Iunia Epure: The pandemic period found me at the very beginning of my journey, at a time when things seemed more complicated than they actually were. Despite all the difficulties of that time, for me it was, paradoxically, a period of growth—one that also made me reflect on matters I had previously considered trivial.

It was a moment when I was forced out of my comfort zone. The change in the way of working—remotely, without direct contact with the team, at a stage when I needed guidance as a newcomer—challenged me to become more disciplined and more aware of my role within the team.

On a personal level, it was a time when I learned to value more deeply time, health, and above all, loved ones. I took full advantage of the opportunity to spend time with those close to me—time that, under normal circumstances, was often scarce during busy workdays.

I believe that beyond the isolation and uncertainty, which affected us all, that period was a wake-up call—it showed us who we are when the pace stops and we are confronted not only with our own limits but also with our inner resources.

Alina Matei: A message, please, for all women in the legal community.

Iunia Epure: To continue to show professionalism in everything they do, but, for this to be sustainable in the long run, not to forget how important the balance between professional and personal life is.

Alina Matei: Thank you for this conversation!

Iunia Epure: Thank you for the opportunity!

The original version of the interview, in Romanian, is available HERE.

WOMEN IN LAW MEETS BACIU PARTNERS. These conversations go beyond professional achievements. They are about values, about balance, about how personal journeys shape professional paths. At BACIU PARTNERS, we believe that questioning the status quo and searching for better answers to our clients’ needs must go hand in hand with recognizing the individuality, passions, and aspirations of each of our team members.

We find inspiration in the exchange of ideas, in the courage to stay authentic, and in the power of knowledge when amplified by diverse perspectives. Through these interviews, we celebrate the stories, the values, and the unique voices of our very own lady-lawyers.