Category: Russia

The Pepeliaev Group has announced the launch of a Family and Inheritance Law Practice Group, led by Partner Julia Borozdna, and designed to “provide advice on property and non-property related personal issues in relation to any family relationships, including when people are planning to marry.”

In the announcement of the new practice group, the firm explained that “we hope that our clients will enjoy harmony in their family lives, but, if necessary, we are ready to provide advice and support in litigation concerning the dissolution of a marriage, the award and payment of alimony, the division of property, as well as issues arising in relation to rights of access or custody for a parent and to paternity.” The Family and Inheritance Law Practice Group will also advise on and assist in enforcing inheritance rights, providing support during the subsequent disposal of inherited property, and providing legal support in any inheritance disputes. 

“Family is one of the most important aspects in the life of almost every person,” said Practice Group Head Borozdna. “That is why, following requests from our clients, we are delighted to open this new division. Our goal is to ensure that we exercise the maximum care in our approach to resolving the most delicate family problems. We provide support to our clients in search of a constructive solution to complex family and inheritance disputes, while at the same time providing our customary excellent level of client service.”

Liniya Prava is reporting that it supported the placement of non-convertible interest-bearing certificated bonds classes A1 and B of LLC Transportation Concession Company (TCC) — a consortium established by the LSR Group and Management Company Leader — which took place on Moscow’s Interbank Currency Exchange on September 27th, 2016.

According to Liniya Prava, “the bond placement is part of an investment project to create, reconstruct, and maintain a tramway network in the Krasnogvardeiskiy district of St. Petersburg. The project financing is structured to include a senior and a junior tranches for 9,900 and 2,013 billion rubles, respectively. These bonds are issued by the private PPP partner and are secured by pledge of monetary obligations under the concession agreement. The two bond issues classes A1 and B by TTC have been attributed an A++ (exceptionally high (the highest) level of reliability) rating by the rating agency Expert RA. This rating is explained by high level of liquidity in the execution of the project, low exchange risks of the concessionary, high quality strategic planning, and long-term nature of the obligations.”

Liniya Prava’s support included, among other things, consulting on the decision to issue the securities, drafting the prospectus, and counselling at the stage of registration and placement of securities. According to the firm, placing secured bonds for the purposes of financing PPP projects “is extremely rare and one regarding projects in the area of public transportation is simply unique.” The firm reports that the terms of the issues were “specifically drafted to provide maximum protection to senior tranche bondholders, including via pledge of concession agreement rights, the pledged account mechanism, as well as via subordination of the junior tranche.”

Liniya Prava previously advised TCC on the May 30, 2016 concession agreement it entered into with the Government of St. Petersburg for the creation and reconstruction of the tramway network (as reported by CEE Legal Matters on June 6, 2016).

Liniya Prava is reporting that it advised MTS on the September 20, 2016 acquisition by its subsidiary LLC Telecom Povolzhye of 100% of the shares of mobile operator JSC SMARTS-Yoshkar-Ola in the Russian Republic of Mari El for RUB 41 million.

According to Liniya Prava, “the acquisition of a new asset will allow MTS to enhance its presence in the Republic of Mari El and to receive additional frequencies for development of its high-speed networks.”

The deal closed after the parties agreed to settle their dispute in the London Court of International Arbitration. 

Liniya Prava reports that it conducted a full scale legal due diligence of JSC SMARTS-Yoshkar-Ola and assisted MTS in the preparation of transaction documents. 

Lidings has announced the appointment of Partner Andrey Zelenin to firm Managing Partner, and Partner Sergey Kislov to Head of the Moscow office’s dispute resolution practice.

Lidings was established in 2006 by Sergey Aksenov and Andrey Zelenin, with Zelenin heading its dispute resolution practice area since the firm’s creation. The firm reports that, under his leadership, the firm’s attorneys “have successfully handled over 300 court cases, many of which were precedent-setting.”

According to Lidings, “the changes to the firm’s structure occurred in the wake of the recently-announced creation by Lidings Managing Partner Sergey Aksenov of a new investment fund and the expansion of his business interests.”

With Andrey’s transfer to the position of Managing Partner, Sergey Kislov, who joined the firm’s partnership in 2015, moves to Head of the Lidings dispute resolution practice.

“I’m pleased to be passing the baton to Andrey,” said Sergey Aksenov. “I consider him to be a first-rate attorney boasting all of the qualities required for the firm’s tactical management and the continuation of its growth trajectory.”

Zelenin expressed his enthusiasm about the new role as well. “I am very pleased to be continuing my efforts towards the firm’s further development and growth in my new role, concentrating greater attention on managerial aspects,” says Andrey Zelenin of his new appointment. “Preserving my focus on international litigation and arbitration, as well as on intellectual-property contentious matters, I am confident in handing over the firm’s dispute-resolution practice to Sergey Kislov. I am certain that Sergey’s professionalism and strong leadership qualities will make it possible to strengthen and enhance the practice area’s ongoing robust development.”

According to Lidings, “Sergey Kislov boasts extensive experience in handling corporate disputes, disputes with the public authorities, lawsuits involving insurance claims and debt collection. Longstanding professional experience has enabled him to formulate effective approaches and methods for the comprehensive protection of client interests – both in the commercial courts and in the courts of general jurisdiction, as well as ADR. Sergey’s portfolio encompasses more than 200 expertly-handled lawsuits from Kaliningrad to Vladivostok, including dozens of successfully-implemented major, complex projects.”

“I am grateful for the confidence my colleagues have expressed in my ability to lead the practice area’s ongoing development,” said Kislov. “We shall continue to do well what our clients value us for, striving always to do it even better.” 

Baker Botts is announcing today that Partners Ivan Marisin and Vasily Kuznetsov have joined the firm’s Moscow office, moving over from Quinn Emanuel. 

According to a statement released by Baker Botts, Marisin — who obtained his law degree from Moscow State University in 1986 — “has represented Russian clients in matters across the globe, as well as international clients in disputes in Russia. He has also advised Russian and foreign clients on corporate, banking and foreign investment matters.” Before joining Quinn Emanuel, Marisin was the head of Dechert’s dispute resolution team in Russia, the CIS, and Eastern Europe.  Previously, he was head of the litigation and arbitration practice of Clifford Chance’s Moscow office, which he joined in 1992, acting as Senior and Managing Partner from 2000 through 2010.  

According to Baker Botts, Kuznetsov, who also graduated from Moscow State University, “has been representing domestic and international clients in major litigations and arbitrations since 2002.” He joined Quinn Emanuel in 2012 after working for one and a half years at Dechert Russia, and for seven years before that at Clifford Chance.

“Both Ivan and Vasily are outstanding lawyers and highly regarded litigators with a wealth of experience, representing both Russian and international clients,” said Andrew Baker, Managing Partner of Baker Botts, in a statement released by the firm. “They have a deep seated understanding of the Russian legal system,” adding, “they will both add significant value for our Russian and international clients and their arrival also speaks to the commitment that we have made to continue to grow our international network.”

“Vasily and Ivan are terrific lawyers with a great deal of trial and international arbitration experience,” said David Sterling, Chair of the firm’s Litigation department. “Their addition highlights the growing strength of our global litigation and dispute resolution capabilities.” He explained that, “upon joining the firm, Ivan becomes Co-Chair of the firm’s International Disputes Resolution (IDR) Practice while Vasily will play a key role in managing our Russian IDR Practice.”

“We are delighted to welcome Ivan and Vasily as our new Partners in Moscow. Their extensive experience in dispute resolution, both international and domestic, will complement our already strong Russian law offering in Moscow,” said Maxim Levinson, Partner-in-Charge of the Moscow office.  “Ivan and Vasily’s expertise will enable us to build upon the services we offer our clients in areas such as energy, technology, banking and finance, real estate and construction, and aviation.”

Lidings is announcing the launch of a new Bankruptcy and Restructuring practice, which, the firm reports, “consolidates the firm’s existing expertise in providing legal support during bankruptcy procedures conducted within the scope of dispute resolution.”

The new practice is headed by Lidings’ Partner Stepan Guzey, who, the firm reports, focuses on “managing major projects in the area of restructuring, insolvency, and bankruptcy.”

“Over the course of many years our team has developed unique methods and solutions for protecting the rights and interests of our clients, which make it possible to achieve both the maximum satisfaction of creditor claims during bankruptcy procedures, as well as the most effective conclusion of insolvency procedures for the debtor,” said Guzey in a statement released by the firm. “This is why spinning the insolvency and bankruptcy practice off as a separate area represents a natural and organic step in the firm’s ongoing development. We are confident that the productive work of specialists from different streams within the framework of the new practice area will only serve to bolster the firm’s already-impressive positions in matters involving corporate bankruptcy and restructuring. Today’s economic situation is continuing to present business with new challenges, and we are prepared, in the context of various legal and economic conditions, to accept these challenges and to provide our clients with top-notch services.”

Ilyashev & Partners is reporting that it successfully defended the interests of the State Enterprise Antonov in a court dispute with JSC Aviacor – Aviation Plant in the Arbitration Court of the Samara Region in a case involving payment of remuneration (royalties) for use of trademark during manufacture and sale of aircraft.

“Pursuant to the court judgment of July 4, 2016, the claims of the State Enterprise Antonov for more than USD 2.9 million were satisfied and shall be recovered in favor of our client,” commented Roman Marchenko, Senior Partner at Ilyashev & Partners.

Ilyashev & Partners Partner Vladimir Zakharov, head of the firm’s Moscow office, who provided legal support in the case, reported that the struggle to prove Antonov’s case to the judges was long and complicated due to Russian courts’ inexperience with such disputes. “The court session was closed as the subject matter of the proceedings was directly related to the commercial secrets of the parties to the case,” Vladimir Zakharov said.

Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners has successfully represented consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble in matters related to its USD 12.5 billion sale of its beauty brands to the American beauty products manufacturer Coty Inc.

EPAM represented P&G in its successful application for approval for the deal by the Russian Government Commission on Monitoring Foreign Investment and the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia. The transaction was officially approved by the Russian authorities on June 24 and August 1, 2016, respectively. 

The EPAM team included Competition Practice Head Natalia Korosteleva and Senior Associate Elena Kazak.

Vegas Lex has announced that it will act as a legal partner to the ARMY 2016 international military technical forum, organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense and scheduled for September 6-11 at the Russian Armed Forces’ Patriot Park in Kubinka, a Moscow suburb.

According to Vegas Lex, participants at the forum — which the firm describes as “the largest event in its kind in the history of the Russian armed forces” — will “consider current issues in the development of new technologies and promising areas of development of the military technical industries. The event will be attended by representatives of scientific institutions and defense sector enterprises, as well as consumers of military-purpose and dual-use products and services from Russia and other countries.”

The firm also reports that “the main purpose of the forum is to create conditions for an effective scouting for innovative research projects, developments and technologies that can be useful for national defense and security for their subsequent use in promising models of weapons and military equipment; to promote the improved operation, development, training, and employment of the armed forces, the Ministry of Defense’s subordinate institutions, and enterprises; and to meet their demand for material resources, general purpose products and services.”

Hogan Lovells reports that its Moscow corporate team has advised Russia’s largest state-owned bank, Sberbank, on launching a strategic joint-venture to produce unique cashier equipment with pre-installed tax software for small businesses. The transaction is expected to close this summer.

Sberbank invested in the joint venture, called Evotor, through its subsidiaries Digital Assets and Digital Technologies. Sberbank will indirectly hold a 40% stake in Evotor. The remaining shares are held in equal parts by its partners – a company controlled by Andrey Romanenko (the co-founder of QIWI, a publicly traded Russian payment service provider), and ATOL, a major Russian IT-developer for Russian small and medium businesses.

According to Romanenko, “Evotor will start distribution of smart terminals that combine cash register, barcode scanner, and credit card machine in Sberbank branch offices in June. Information on each transaction will be passed to the Federal Tax Service. Alcohol distributors will be able to set up a separate module for transfer of data to the Unified State Automated Information System.”

According to Romanenko’s assessments, there are three million facilities that use cash registers, including 1.8 million small business enterprises, which will be targeted by Evotor. By the end of 2018 the company intends to take over a third of the cash register market by selling around 500,000 machines. 

Hogan Lovells reports that it advised Sberbank on all transaction documents, including the shareholder (corporate) agreement, deed-guarantee, warranty, indemnity, undertaking, and covenant and sale and purchase agreements.” The firm’s work “also included assisting with Russian corporate matters relating to the capital increase.” The firm’s team was led by Moscow Managing Partner Oxana Balayan and Counsel Maria Baeva, and included Senior Associate Konstantin Kontievskiy and Associate Olga Khachikyan.

Commenting on the transaction, Balayan said: “This was an important project for Sberbank in the digital technologies industry. The Hogan Lovells team was successful in its execution and can proudly say we’ve helped to grow a global leader further.”