Legal500

White & Case LLC

4 ROMANOV PEREULOK, 125009 MOSCOW, RUSSIA

Washington DC, Warsaw, Tokyo, Stockholm, Singapore, Shanghai , and 33 more

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

Banking and finance

Within Banking and finance, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

The highly regarded Irina Nesvetova heads the Moscow banking and finance group at White & Case LLC. Recently, the firm advised the project company, Nord Stream AG in the construction of the Nord Stream Baltic Pipeline and Unicredit Bank on the first totally rouble-denominated facility to a leading Russian retailer. In 2010, Simon Morgan moved to Chadbourne & Parke LLP. Maxim Kobzev was made up to partner.

Capital markets

Within Capital markets, White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

Following the departure of Simon Morgan to Chadbourne & Parke LLP, White & Case LLC bolstered its capital markets group by relocating Carter Brod and Sven Krogius to Moscow to co-head the team. Recently, the firm represented TMK Bonds SA and OAO TMK in connection with the Issuer’s offering of $412.5m 5.25% guaranteed convertible bonds and acted as English and Russian counsel to Gazprombank on a $1bn Eurobond offering.

Corporate and M&A: Moscow

Within Corporate and M&A: Moscow, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

White & Case LLC welcomed the highly experienced Andrei Dontsov from Clifford Chance in May 2010. He joined a strong M&A team that already included Eric Michailov and Hermann Schmitt. The firm recently advised Bank of Cyprus on the sale of 100% of the share capital of LeadBank LLC to Renaissance Capital and PromSvyazCapital on the $745m sale of 100% of shares in Synterra to MegaFon, one of Russia’s largest mobile telecom providers. The firm also assisted Sberbank on its attempted €5bn joint acquisition, together with Magna International, of a 55% interest in Adam Opel GmbH and its subsidiaries from the US automobile producer General Motors Company.

Dispute resolution

Within Dispute resolution, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

White & Case LLC ‘has a very good reputation in the market’. The firm welcomed David Goldberg from SJ Berwin LLP in 2010, bolstering in particular its international arbitration capability. The firm recently successfully represented Kazakh Bank Alliance Bank and its Russian subsidiaries, in a number of cases in Russian arbitrazh courts in connection with the banks’ restructuring/bankruptcy proceedings in Kazakhstan. Igor Ostapets and Alexey Barnashov are also highly recommended.

Energy and natural resources

Within Energy and natural resources, White & Case LLP is a first tier firm,

At White & Case LLC, Igor Ostapets leads the energy and utilities group, while Jennifer Josefson heads up the oil & gas team. The firm recently advised TNK-BP on the $1.8bn acquisition of BP’s assets in Venezuala and Vietnam. It has recently strengthened its position in the market with the hire of Maria Oleinik from Clifford Chance, an M&A and financing expert who specialises in oil and gas, mining and heavy industries, and the promotion of Adam Smith to counsel.

Legal market overview

Within Legal market overview,

The Russian legal market is volatile, and lateral hires of both individuals and, in some cases, teams are part of the legal landscape. This year international firms such as Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Gide Loyrette Nouel, White & Case LLC and Linklaters CIS were all subject to key partner moves. One firm’s loss is another’s gain, and, despite the difficult economic climate, many law firms, including those mentioned above are investing in growth. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP has for example welcomed the tax team from what was once Hogan & Hartson LLP. Of the Russian firms, Vegas Lex suffered a blow when a number of its partners left to form Korelskiy Ischuk Astafiev and Partners, Attorneys at Law.

Public private partnership

Within Public private partnership, White & Case LLP is a third tier firm,

White & Case LLC advised the EBRD, Nordic Investment Bank, and the European Investment Bank on a €60m financing of St Petersburg Vodokanal (the St Petersburg city water authority) for the Neva Discharge project. Practice group leader Marc Polonsky is highly experienced in this field.

Real estate

Within Real estate, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

Salans’ lawyers have ‘a perfect understanding of real estate combined with a profound knowledge of legislation’. ‘They are very responsive and highly professional’, and ‘the advice we receive is both cost-effective and efficient’. The firm recently advised UniCredit Bank Austria AG on one of the largest single asset real estate loan restructurings in Russia, confirming its commitment to the Vivaldi Plaza Project in Moscow. Anna McDonald and Andrei Soukhomlinov co-head the group that includes the new head of global retail practice, Florian Schneider

TMT

Within TMT, White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

White & Case LLC recently advised PromSvyazCapital on the $745m sale of 100% of shares in Synterra to MegaFon, one of Russia’s largest mobile telecom providers. The firm also advised Axel Springer, a leading European media group on its acquisition of Gruner + Jahr’s Russian business, Gruner + Jahr Magazines. Maya Melnikas and Hermann Schmitt are recommended.

Tax

Within Tax , White & Case LLP is a second tier firm,

Irina Dmitrieva’s tax team at White & Case LLC is closely integrated with the firm’s other practice areas to provide tax structuring advice on transactions and projects across industry sectors, covering both Russian and international tax issues. The firm recently advised MDM Bank and Ursa Bank as joint clients on the tax structuring and implementation of their merger.

What we say worldwide

Please choose another White & Case LLP 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

Belgium

Offices in Brussels

China

Offices in Beijing and Shanghai

Czech Republic

Offices in Prague

Germany

Offices in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, and Dusseldorf

Algeria

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Finland

Offices in Helsinki

France

Offices in Paris

Hong Kong

Offices in Hong Kong

Hungary

Offices in Budapest

Indonesia

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

India

Offices in Mumbai

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Japan

Offices in Tokyo

Kazakhstan

Offices in Almaty

Legal market overview : Legal market overview

London

Offices in London

Philippines

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Poland

Offices in Warsaw

Qatar

Offices in Doha

Romania

Offices in Bucharest

Russia

Offices in Moscow

South Africa

Offices in Johannesburg

Sweden

Offices in Stockholm

Singapore

Offices in Singapore

Slovakia

Offices in Bratislava

Saudi Arabia

Offices in Riyadh

Legal market overview : Legal market overview

Switzerland

Offices in Geneva

Tunisia

Foreign firms : Foreign firms

Turkey

Offices in Istanbul and Ankara

United States

Offices in Washington DC, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, and Palo Alto

Search News and Articles

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