Legal500

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited

SADOVAYA PLAZA, 11TH FLOOR, 7 DOLGORUKOVSKAYA STREET, 127006 MOSCOW, RUSSIA

Zurich, Washington DC, Warsaw, Vienna, Valencia, Toronto , and 69 more

What we say about the firm's legal practice in Russia

Banking and finance

Within Banking and finance, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited recently advised BTA Bank’s creditors’ steering committee on the restructuring of BTA’s obligations of over $12bn. The firm also acted as Russian counsel to ECGD on a $367m financing for JSC Gazprom, arranged by Citibank Europe, to finance the purchase of gas pumping units for the North Stream gas pipeline. Vladimir Dragunov and David Scott head the banking and finance group.

Capital markets

Within Capital markets, Baker & McKenzie is a third tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited fields a ‘very experienced team that strictly follows clients’ interests’ and is ‘very competitive in terms of price/quality’. On behalf of its client, VTB 24, the firm structured and advised on the first ever issue of covered bonds in Russia. The bonds were issued in accordance with the Russian legislation on mortgage-backed securities. Vladimir Dragunov, David Scott and Mikhail Turetsky are all recommended.

Corporate and M&A: Moscow

Within Corporate and M&A: Moscow, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited strengthened its corporate practice by relocating James Richards from London to Moscow. The firm’s recent highlight deals include advising Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (Rusnano) in the acquisition of shares in LLC Sitronics-Nano and assisting Sberbank on the transactional aspects of the acquisition of 93.27% of BPS-Bank for $280m. Sergei Voitishkin and Carol Patterson head up the corporate and M&A team.

Corporate and M&A: St Petersburg

Within Corporate and M&A: St Petersburg, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited adds value through its ‘prompt responses to queries, good business acumen and industry knowledge, appropriateness of advice, compliance with the best practices in business ethics, unity of team and competitive prices’. The firm is currently acting for CJSC Optogan in the purchase of 100% of the shares of Elcoteq. Head of the corporate and M&A practice Maxim Kalinin is, ‘without a doubt, its best lawyer’. He is ‘very knowledgeable, and can think quickly and advise when we are in the middle of negotiations’. Another star performer, Igor Gorchakov, is ‘very client orientated’.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited has one of the best dispute resolution teams in Russia. Vladimir Khvalei leads the practice group in Moscow, while in St Petersburg Ivan Smirnov heads the disputes group. Recently, the firm represented Lukoil in a dispute under the Rules of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce with regard to its joint venture activities in Kazakhstan. It also advised Baltika Breweries in several antimonopoly litigation proceedings in Russian state courts regarding the removal of vertical restraints from agreements. Eugene Arievich and Edward Bekeschenko are also highly regarded.

Employment

Within Employment, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited’s employment practice in Russia is ‘well known’. Igor Makarov and Maxim Kalinin head the practice in Moscow and St Petersburg, respectively. The firm is currently advising Merck, Sharp & Dohme on Russian employment and migration issues related to its global merger with Schering-Plough.

Energy and natural resources

Within Energy and natural resources, Baker & McKenzie is a second tier firm,

Carol Patterson’s energy group at Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited advised Exillon Energy Plc on its initial public offering and listing on the London Stock Exchange and is currently representing Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland BV on matters related to the design, transportation and installation of deepwater facilities on the Russian continental shelf. Alexey Frolov is also recommended.

Intellectual property

Within Intellectual property, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited fields ‘a great team that provides an excellent service at a reasonable cost that complies with not only legislation but common sense’. Eugene Arievich is ‘truly the best lawyer and team leader’. The firm recently won a patent infringement battle on behalf of Novartis AG against Pharm-Sintez in connection with Novartis’ anti-cancer medicine Glivec. Margarita Divina and Denis Khabarov are also recommended. Sergey Yakovlev is a trade mark consultant.

Real estate

Within Real estate, Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited continues to field ‘a very strong real estate group’. In Moscow, Konstantine Kouzine’s team recently advised Avon on its new office lease in Moscow and is assisting Liebrecht & Wood on the acquisition of land in the Leningrad region from a number of Russian individuals, for further joint development of an outlet shopping mall. Maxim Kuznechenkov is also highly regarded.

Tax

Within Tax , Baker & McKenzie is a first tier firm,

Alexander Chmelev’s ‘very competent’ tax team at Baker & McKenzie – CIS, Limited ‘gives value for money’. The group is currently advising Heerema Marine Contractors Nederland BV on various Russian tax and customs law matters related to the design, transportation and installation of deep-water facilities on the Russian continental shelf. In Moscow, Maria Kostenko is recommended, as is Sergei Zhestkov, who is ‘an expert in both private and corporate tax matters’. In St Petersburg, Ivan Smirnov is highly experienced.

What we say worldwide

Please choose another Baker & McKenzie office to view full details of what we say in that region, or choose from this list to view a specific editorial reference in context.

United Arab Emirates

Offices in Abu Dhabi

Legal market overview : Legal market overview

Australia

Offices in Sydney and Melbourne

Austria

Offices in Vienna

Azerbaijan

Offices in Baku

Legal market overview : Legal market overview

Belgium

Offices in Brussels, Antwerp, and Brussels

Bahrain

Offices in Manama

China

Offices in Beijing and Shanghai

Czech Republic

Offices in Prague

Germany

Offices in Berlin, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, and Munich

Egypt

Offices in Cairo

Spain

Offices in Madrid and Barcelona

France

Offices in Paris

Hong Kong

Offices in Hong Kong

Hungary

Offices in Budapest

Indonesia

Offices in Jakarta

India

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Italy

Offices in Rome, Milan, and Bologna

Japan

Offices in Tokyo

Kuwait

Legal market overview : Legal market overview

Kazakhstan

Offices in Almaty

Legal market overview : Legal market overview

London

Offices in London EC4V and London EC4V

Luxembourg

Offices in Luxembourg

Libya

Legal market overview : Legal market overview

Malaysia

Offices in Kuala Lumpur

Netherlands

Offices in Amsterdam

Philippines

Offices in Makati

Poland

Offices in Warsaw

Qatar

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Russia

Offices in Moscow and St Petersburg

Sweden

Offices in Stockholm

Singapore

Offices in Singapore

South Korea

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Saudi Arabia

Offices in Riyadh

Switzerland

Offices in Zurich and Geneva

Taiwan

Offices in Taipei

Thailand

Offices in Bangkok

Ukraine

Offices in Kiev

United States

Offices in Washington DC, Palo Alto, New York, Miami, Dallas, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, and Houston

Vietnam

Offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City

Search News and Articles

Legal Developments by:
Baker & McKenzie

New rules due on assessment of workplace working conditions

Continuing our practice of regularly updating our clients on changes in the Russian legislation, in this legal alert we would like to inform you that as of September 1, 2011, the Ministry of Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation will introduce a new procedure for assessing working conditions in workplaces. 1 [1] Results of workplace assessments with respect to the working conditions conducted before September 1, 2011 (in accordance with the procedure currently in effect 2 [2]) will remain valid up until the next regular assessment.

- Baker & McKenzie

Legal Developments in Russia

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to

The Russian Federal Tax Service on how to conclude advance pricing agreements for tax purposes

Legal Update No. 322

- Goltsblat BLP
New documents and filling rules for VAT settlements

Legal Update No. 324 Goltsblat BLP advises that Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 1137 “On the Formats and Rules for Completing (Maintaining) Documents Used in Value Added Tax Settlements” was adopted on 26 December 2011 (the Resolution).

- Goltsblat BLP
Russian sac recovers actual damage and lost profit from Russian FCS

Legal Update No. 323 Goltsblat BLP advises that, on 17 January 2012, the Presidium of the Russian SAC issued a Ruling under Case No. А40-89211/10-30-762 recovering real damage and lost profit from the Federal Customs Service in favour of an exporter owing to an unlawful order.

- Goltsblat BLP
Russian sac on article 333 of the Russian civil code

Legal Update No. 320 Goltsblat BLP advises of publication of Resolution No. 81 of the Plenum of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation “On Certain Aspects of Applying Article 33 of the Russian Civil Code” dated 22 December 2011 (the “Resolution”) regarding penalty reduction.

- Goltsblat BLP
Trade marks enforceable in relation to the goods for which they are registered

Legal Update No. 325 Goltsblat BLP advises of the publication of Resolution of the Presidium of the Russian Supreme Court No. 8817/11 of 29 November 2011 upholding decisions of three lower courts in relation to a case on early termination of legal protection for the VECHERNIE trade mark with respect to goods under ICGS class 05 "pharmaceuticals" and "dietary substances for medical purposes" because the trade mark has been used during production and sale of biologically active supplements that are not on the registered list of goods.

- Goltsblat BLP
Supreme Arbitration Court supports recovery of input VAT on general production costs

Legal Update No. 317 Goltsblat BLP advises of publication of Supreme Arbitration Court Resolution No. 3844/11 dated 25 October 2011 on the case of OOO Tulatsement . The Resolution confirms the possibility to recover input VAT on repairs to another person’s property, even if the taxpayer has no right to such property and other people or entities may also use such repair results.

- Goltsblat BLP
Amendments to legislation in the area of corporate law

In January 2012, the Federal Law ‘On organised trades’ came into force

- Pepeliaev Group
Third set of antimonopoly measures: prospects and risks for business

The third set of antimonopoly measures, which comes into force on 6 and 7 January, significantly amends antimonopoly legislation, affecting business across the board. The most important new developments include:

- Pepeliaev Group
Tax discrimination against foreign investors in Russia

Julia Alexandrova, Senior Associate, Pepeliaev Group

- Pepeliaev Group
Economic partnership - a new legal form of commercial entity

Legal Update No. 308

- Goltsblat BLP