The Legal 500

Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited’s real estate practice is jointly led by Konstantine Kouzine and Maxim Kuznechenkov in Moscow, and Maxim Kalinin in St Petersburg. The team advised a Russian subsidiary of Weatherford on restructuring its lease on 6,000sq m of class-A office space at Capital Plaza Office Building.

CMS Russia’s ‘dedicated team’ has traditionally focused on transactional matters, including real estate finance, but is also developing experience in regulatory and dispute resolution matters. Vladislav Sourkov heads the practice, and is ably supported by Ivan Gritsenko and construction specialist Georgy Koval.

Clifford Chance represents overseas and Russian investors, deals with diverse portfolios and mixed-use properties, and assists banks on financing matters. Marc Bartholomy heads the team, which represented Russian private equity group UFG in its project with Hines to build a 30,000-40,000sq m retail mall on Pulkovo Highway in St Petersburg.

DLA Piper’s work encompasses high-profile real estate development projects, commercial leasing and sale or purchase mandates, as well as Scott Antel’s market-leading hospitality practice, which acts for hotel chains including Marriott, Intercontinental and Starwood. St Petersburg head Olga Litvinova is advising the city’s government on real estate relating to Yanino waste facility. Sergey Koltchin leads the Moscow team, and Oleg Skvortsov in St Petersburg handles litigation.

Goltsblat BLP’s full-service group has strong leasehold, environmental, planning, construction and litigation expertise. For real estate finance, its clients include EBRD and Sistema Hals. Vitaly Mozharowski’s team advised Nord Stream on the construction of the Russian sector of the submarine gas pipepine on the Baltic seabed. Elena Barinova left to pursue a career change in 2011, but Yuri Chernobrivtsev was promoted to partner.

Hogan Lovells (CIS) has a varied practice, and its lawyers often support the firm’s corporate and finance groups on transactional matters. Recent work includes advising Marriott on the management of its real estate portfolio; X5 Retail on its $1.65bn acquisition of Kopeyka retail chain; and Discovery Russian Realty on the $1bn Vivaldi Plaza development. Taras Oksyuk heads the practice.

The well-respected Xavier Hunter leads the practice at Linklaters CIS, which advises on a wide range of transactions. Highlights included acting on lease arrangements for a large property investment company; and a development project for a global real estate company involving a class-A office complex of over 50,000sq m.

Salans’ very structured real estate practice fields various partners specialising in areas such as M&A, finance structuring, retail, and greenfield and brownfield projects. Recent work includes advising UniCredit Bank Austria regarding one of the largest single asset real estate loan restructurings in Russia. Anna McDonald and Andrei Soukhomlinov are the team co-heads.

Allen & Overy Legal Services’ real estate practice is driven by the banking and finance practice, which is led by Stephen Matthews. Among its work for investors, recent highlights include acting for VTB Private Equity on a $150m real estate finance facility. The team also represents developers and banks.

Simon Elliott’s team at Baker Botts L.L.P. undertakes all high-end work for Hines, which is one of the main players in Russia. Other work includes advising a large multinational company on cross-border acquisitions involving access, title and security issues. In real estate finance, clients appreciate Maxim Levinson’s ‘reliable, prompt and always comprehensive support’.

Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP has a broad transactional and development practice. Dmitry Kunitsa heads the team, which advised Eastern Property Holdings on a joint venture to own and operate two commercial properties in Moscow.

Alexei Roudiak heads Herbert Smith CIS LLP’s practice, which works closely with M&A colleagues to set up investment structures or corporate vehicles for the ownership and occupation of property. Recent work includes advising a client on restructuring of its public debt secured by properties under development.

Norton Rose (Central Europe) LLP advised Strabag SE on the first stage of its €70m purchase of a 26% stake in Transstroy, which is a leading Russian road construction group and subsidiary of Basic Element. Valentina Gluhovskaya leads the practice.

White & Case LLC advised VTB Capital on its acquisition of a 47% stake in the White Square business centre and a 40% stake in the White Gardens real estate project in Moscow. Steffen Kaufmann leads the team.

Alrud Law Firm provides corporate and M&A support but also advises on greenfield projects and commercial leases. Practice head Irina Anyukhina is recommended, as is Alexander Zharskiy for M&A-related real estate transactions.

Falk Tischendorf at Beiten Burkhardt ‘has exceptional organisational abilities, and is able to establish and maintain links with both foreign and Russian partners’. Clients also praise Anna Minaeva for ‘her reliability, her ability to find a solution under difficult circumstances, and her focus on achieving results’.

Dechert Russia LLC has been busy resolving disputes, advising on a distressed real estate project, and handling lease negotiations. Practice head Laura Brank is ‘an excellent lawyer and deal manager’, and has trained a reliable team of associates which clients trust.

Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners is recommended for ‘its high professionalism, wide experience, and responsiveness’. Moscow practice head Ekaterina Medeyko is advising Altius Development regarding the construction of Olympic Games facilities and use of land plots in Sochi. Sergey Strembelev leads the team in St Petersburg.

FBK Legal is advising Yamaha on the lease of a building in central Moscow, as well as on land and other property acquisitions. Anna Grishchenkova ‘never gives up and always finds a solution’, and Alexander Ermolenko is ‘a gifted lawyer’; ‘his knowledge is diverse and he can give advice on a broad spectrum of issues’.

Gide Loyrette Nouel advises on asset acquisitions, financing, due diligence projects, mortgages, security transactions and disputes. Town planning and construction are also core focus areas. It represents Dalkia and new client ERDF, among others.

Korelskiy Ischuk Astafiev and Partners, Attorneys at Law’s Konstantin Astafiev is ‘a great lawyer, personable and ambitious, who understands business and has exceptional judgement’. Sergey Popov is also recommended.

Clients are ‘continually impressed’ with Lidings, which advises international companies on real estate acquisitions, construction projects and lease negotiations. The group advised Zeppelin, one of the world’s largest distributors of construction equipment, on construction of a service centre for its subsidiary, Caterpillar. Andrey Zelenin is ‘a true expert in his field, extremely personable and therefore an excellent negotiator’. Tatiana Bicheva heads the practice.

Noerr advised Mefro Wheels on buying two factories, and advised Paul Hartmann Group and Chinese automotive glass manufacturer Fuyao-Kaluga respectively on new production plants. Ekaterina Evdokimova and Elena Frolovskaya are the key contacts.

Orrick (CIS) LLC has long been involved in Russian real estate transactions. In 2011, it represented Immoeast in its forward financing and acquisition of several retail, office and warehouse projects in Moscow and the Moscow Oblast, including the largest shopping centre in Europe. Philipp Windemuth is recommended.

Pepeliaev Group advises significant Russian and international clients on investment projects, acquisitions and lease agreements, and is providing real estate advice to Shtokman Development. Alexey Konevsky heads the practice.

Vegas Lex’s Alexander Sitnikov is ‘an efficient strategist and manager’, and Igor Chumachenko has ‘significant project management skills, and vast expertise’; ‘both are extremely competent and attentive’.