Category: Russia

Russian lawyer Maria Kobanenko has been promoted to Partner at Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners.

EPAM describes Kobanenko as a “renowned expert in antitrust law and has extensive experience in dealing with comprehensive matters related to state and corporate procurement, anti-competitive agreements and abuse of market dominance.” According to the firm, “she has been representing clients in proceedings before courts and the FAS Russia, and has been engaged in legislative drafting, namely in the development of the fourth antimonopoly package and amendments to the procurement laws.”

Kobanenko graduated with honors from Saratov State Law Academy and also holds a Master of Economics degree from Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.

“I am happy to have been on the EPAM team for over ten years now and I’m grateful to clients and colleagues for their support, trust, and our successful teamwork,” commented Kobanenko. “At my new position, I’ll keep focusing on antitrust matters and develop procurement aspects.”

DLA Piper has advised Raspadskaya on its USD 920 million acquisition of Russian coal producer Yuzhkuzbassugol from EVRAZ that, the firm reports, “will lead to the creation of Russia’s largest and the world’s fifth largest coking coal company.” Linklaters advised the seller on the deal.

Raspadskaya is a Russian integrated group of coal mining and enrichment facilities.

EVRAZ is a mining company and a producer of infrastructure steel products, with operations in Russia, the United States, Canada, the Czech Republic, and Italy, among others.

DLA Piper’s Moscow-based team included Partners Julien Hansen and Igor Antonyan, Counsel Alexander Klochkov, Senior Associates Ilya Skalkov and Azamat Abdulmenov, and Associates Alexander Mysov and Dmitry Kravchenko.

Linklaters team consisted of, in Moscow, Partners Hugo Stolkin and Denis Uvarov and Managing Associate Mikhail Fufaev; and in London, Managing Associate Lauren Renshaw and Associate Thomas Bishop.

Former Counsel Yury Babichev has been promoted to Partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.

Babichev’s focuses on international arbitration and cross-border litigation. According to BCLP, “he is “experienced in commercial and investment arbitrations, fraud and conspiracy claims, derivative litigations, shareholder disputes, contentious M&A transactions, large-scale debt recovery and restructurings, distressed asset sales, and other special situations involving multiple jurisdictions.”

Babichev is a graduate of the Moscow State University Law School and holds an LL.M. from Columbia Law School. Before joining Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, Yury worked with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton for ten years.

Vironika Pilyugina has been promoted to Partner at the Moscow office of Hogan Lovells as part of the firm’s global promotion round.

In her work, Pilyugina primarily focuses on the areas of intellectual property, media, and technology. Prior to joining Hogan Lovells in 2008, she spent two years at Trade House Rollton. She obtained her bachelor’s degree from the Russian State Institute of Intellectual Property in 2009.

“The promotions of this talented group are the result of the hard work and dedication of each individual, and their commitment to collaboration and to putting clients at the center of everything we do,” said Miguel Zaldivar, CEO at Hogan Lovells.

Former Counsel Dmitry Kaysin has been promoted to Partner at Rybalkin, Gortsunyan & Partners.

According to RGP, Kaysin “focuses on the resolution of cross-border commercial disputes and represents clients in litigation and arbitration proceedings both in Russia and abroad.” According to the firm, “he has significant experience in representing clients in disputes with the involvement of states. He has outstanding expertise in disputes involving public-law entities and international investment disputes. He also possesses significant experience in providing legal support in restructuring projects and bankruptcy proceedings. Dmitry’s clients include leading companies in banking and finance sectors, industrial enterprises, oil and gas companies, transportation and logistics companies, as well as leaders of FMCG sector and major retail networks.”

Kaysin holds an LL.M. from NYU and a Ph.D. from the Moscow State Academy of Law. Prior to joining RGP in 2020, he spent two years with ALM Feldmans Advocates Bureau, over a year with JSC Noginskiy Myasokombinat, almost three years with Burchills Advocates Bureau, over two years with the Russian Standard Company, and over seven years with Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners.

“I am grateful to my colleagues and clients for their ongoing trust and support,” said Kaysin. “Together we have succeeded in building a truly unique practice, one of the national leaders in dispute resolution, and I am delighted to be given an opportunity to contribute to the success of such a strong professional team”

“We are pleased to welcome Dmitry as a partner and will offer him every assistance in achieving the most ambitious goals in his new role,” commented RGP’s Head of Arbitration Dmitry Dyakin. ”Our clients have already had an opportunity to appreciate Dmitry’s vast experience and professional skills in court and arbitration dispute resolution, and we wish him every success in reaching new professional heights,”

“Dmitry Kaysin is a brilliant lawyer, one of the best litigation and arbitration specialists I’ve come across,” added RGP’s Head of Litigation and Investigation Ilya Rybalkin. “His appointment to partnership is a logical step in the rapid development of our practice. In these challenging times, we continue to strengthen our positions on the Russian market by offering the highest quality services to our clients.”

Liniya Prava was lead counsel to ITI Capital, co-arranger along with Sovcombank, EDB, Freedom Finance, and Univer Capital, on SKCN Finance’s RUB 2.5 billion debut bond issue. The ultimate borrower was Samruk-Kazyna Construction, a Kazakh operator of state programs in residential and commercial real estate that is wholly-owned by state-owned Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund JSC. The Lecap law firm reportedly advised ITI Capital on an element of the issuance as well.

According to Liniya Prava, as collateral for the issue, Samruk-Kazyna Construction issued a public irrevocable offer to purchase the bonds.

Liniya Prava’s team was led by Senior Associate Aleksandr Kuznetsov.

Stanislav Petrov has been made Partner at Moscow’s Infralex Law Firm.

Petrov heads the firm’s Bankruptcy practice. According to Infralex, “the appointment of Stanislav is due to the outstanding performance of the practice headed by him, as well as his personal role in achieving the company’s goals.”

“We are pleased to announce the new appointment of Stanislav Petrov,” commented Infralex Partner Artem Kukin. “The Bankruptcy practice is one of the most effective and successful areas of Infralex’s business. The appointment of a new partner from a number of proven employees testifies to the progressive development of the firm by realizing the potential of its best lawyers.”

Andrey Gorodissky & Partners has advised Tashir Medica on a Round B investment in Botkin.AI.

The RUB 160 million round was led by Unicorn Capital Partners and included venture funds RBV Capital, Digital Evolution Ventures, PrimerCapital, and ExpoCapital.

According to AGP, “the Botkin.AI platform analyzes and identifies pathologies in diagnostic studies of computed tomography, X-rays, and mammography. The project uses its own patented technology for creating mathematical models of patients based on artificial intelligence. The development belongs to Intellogic, a resident of the Skolkovo Foundation’s biomedical technology cluster.”

Tashir Medica Investment Holding specializes in the financing and development of health care assets.

AGP’s team included Partners Alexei Gorodissky and Dmitry Lyubomudrov and Lawyer Jose Tobar.

AGP did not reply to our inquiry on the matter.

DLA Piper has advised Societe Generale on a USD 125 million loan to Polymetal, a gold and silver producer with assets in Russia and Kazakhstan, to finance investments in the transition to a sustainable and low-emissions economy. This is the first green loan in the Russian mining sector.

According to DLA Piper, “Societe Generale will provide a six-year loan with a three-year grace period under Polymetal’s Green Financing Framework, which specifies eligible environmental, social, and governance projects and criteria for their long-term funding. The loan can be extended to seven years on the first anniversary of the signing. The loan proceeds will be allocated to projects among the following categories within 24 months from the first utilization: clean transportation, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable waste, and water management projects.”

DLA Piper’s Moscow-based team was led by Partner Karen Young and included Legal Director Alexei Kolesnikov and Associates Ksenia Mikhaylova and Daria Vasilieva.

DLA Piper did not reply to our inquiry on the matter.

Liniya Prava has advised the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the placing of three issues of government bonds series 01, 07, and 11 for a total amount of RUB 40 billion.

Organizing banks included Gazprombank, Credit Bank of Moscow, ROSBANK, and First Heartland Securities.

According to Liniya Prava, “this placement marked the debut of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the Russian public debt market. The bonds of the Republic of Kazakhstan became the first book-entry bonds of a foreign issuer in the history of the Russian financial market, admitted to public offering and circulation in Russia. The securities passed the listing procedure on the Moscow Stock Exchange and the Stock Exchange of the Astana International Financial Center. In 2021, the Republic of Kazakhstan may place up to 11 issues of government bonds with a total volume of 130 billion Russian rubles on the Russian market.”

Liniya Prava’s team included Partner Andrey Novakovskiy and Senior Associate Alexander Kuznetsov.

Liniya Prava did not reply to our inquiry on the matter.