Firm Profile > Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited > St Petersburg, Russia

Capital markets Tier 1

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited’s ‘unique’ practice in Moscow contributes to firm’s global reputation in capital markets. The Russian office fields a substantial team with the ability to act on cross-border matters, which is enhanced by its close cooperation with the London-based group, where Roy Pearce is the key contact for CIS-related work. Clients and peers praise the team’s traditional strength in structured capital markets and securitisation work; Moscow-based department head Vladimir Dragunov is highly active in the securitisation space. Other key names include, Dmitry Dembich, who is the key practitioner for transactions involving derivative instruments; UK-qualified Simon Morgan and senior associate Sergey Samokhvalov.

Commercial, corporate and M&a: St Petersburg and elsewhere Tier 1

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited’s team attracts praise for ‘its in-depth understanding and perfect knowledge of laws applicable at both Russian and international levels’. The department is also recommended for the efficiency of its cross-practice approach, and works in conjunction with other teams on tax, merger control and employment mandates. The practice also has notable strength in corporate transactions with a real estate and infrastructure angle; department head Maxim Kalinin and counsel Olga Anikina have niche expertise in these arenas.

Dispute resolution: arbitration and mediation Tier 1

The dispute resolution department at Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited is well versed in handling commercial arbitral proceedings as well as investment treaty arbitration; the group has also attracted praise from clients for its ability to handle litigation arising from arbitration. The team has a particular strength in cross-border matters and significantly benefits from the firm’s well-established foothold internationally. Practice head Vladimir Khvalei stands out for his notable international experience gained across multiple arbitral institutions, and works closely with associate Taisiya Vorotilova, who has particular expertise in bankruptcy-related matters.

Employment Tier 1

Igor Makarov chairs the employment practice at Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited, which is spread across the Moscow and St Petersburg offices and has an 'excellent reputation' for assisting local and international clients with post-transaction HR integration and compliance issues, immigration, trade union matters and employment structuring. The team also has a strong track record of conducting internal investigations and defending employers in disputes with employees, the state labour inspectorate and other regulatory authorities. In Moscow, Elena  Kukushkina advises on general employment law, contract termination issues, restructuring, executive compensation and employment benefits, while Evgeny Reyzman specialises in labour litigation. Associates Georgy Mzhavanadze and Elena Pitirimova are also of note for contentious employment matters. Maxim Kalinin leads the practice from St Petersburg alongside associate Alexander Korkin.

Intellectual property Tier 1

Complex patent litigation is the bedrock of the IP practice at Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited. Recent highlights for the team include successfully enforcing the patent rights to one of Gilead Pharmasset's medications for the treatment of HIV, Sovaldi, in a revocation action brought by a local producer. Practice head Denis Khabarov and Eugene Arievich are 'two of the best-known figures in the Russian IP market'. Margarita Divina and Pavel Gorokhov specialise in transactional and contractual IP, trade mark registration and portfolio management. Counsel Darya Ermolina is of note for trade mark, patent and design disputes.

Private client Tier 1

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited advises Russian ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families with international business interests, as well as family offices, private banks and trust companies, on cross-border matters ranging from tax structuring and planning, particularly in Russia, Switzerland, Luxembourg and the UK, to onshore and offshore tax-efficient corporate structures and trust disputes. Sergei Zhestkov, Kirill Vikulov and senior associate Artem Toropov are the key figures in the team.

Real estate and construction Tier 1

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited handles the full scope of contentious and non-contentious issues relating to all types of real estate, including office, commercial, industrial and residential real estate. On the construction side, the group provides end-to-end advice for clients active in the mining, oil and gas, and fast-moving consumer goods sectors. Konstantine Kouzine heads up the practice from Moscow and is praised as ‘a very efficient leader’, and Maxim Kuznechenkov is noted for his recent work in the hotels and leisure industry. Beyond Moscow, Maxim Kalinin heads up the real estate group based in St. Petersburg, where counsel Olga Anikina is also a key contact. Senior associates Alexander Chudnovsky and Daria Mokrousova are also noted in Moscow.

Restructuring and insolvency Tier 1

At Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited, senior associate Pavel Novikov heads up the insolvency and asset tracing team, which is part of the wider dispute resolution department. The Moscow-based group is fully integrated into the firm’s global network, which bolsters its ability to act for domestic and foreign clients on significant cross-border matters. Working alongside Novikov, Edward Bekeschenko is also a standout practitioner in the bankruptcy litigation space, and Max Gutbrod is a key adviser to clients seeking restructuring advice.

Tax Tier 1

White-collar crime Tier 1

At Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited, Edward Bekeschenko, Paul Melling and Vladimir Khvalei jointly lead the department, which also includes associate Oleg Tkachenko. The team is retained by multinational companies and their Russian subsidiaries as well as foreign individuals. The practice handles the full scope of criminal law mandates with particular expertise in criminal defence, criminal proceedings arising out of criminal acts committed against employees, and internal investigations into allegations of white-collar crime. For allegations involving a cross-border element, the department leverages the expertise of the firm's global offices.

Commercial, corporate and M&a: Moscow Tier 2

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited's practice is a one-stop shop for clients seeking assistance with all elements of corporate deals. The group has a cross-practice approach to transactions, and leverages its strong taxation group on joint ventures and M&A mandates. The team’s expertise is also noted along the firm’s strategic sector lines in the pharmaceuticals, IT, and oil and gas industries. Andrey Afanasiev, Sergey Krokhalev and Dmitry Marchan are key figures in the team.

Competition Tier 2

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited handles contentious and non-contentious work across a wide range of sectors including the healthcare, automotive, technology, fast-moving consumer goods and natural resources industries. Department leader Anton Subbot has a solid reputation in competition litigation, dawn raids and public procurement proceedings. Recently promoted partner Nadia Goreslavskaya takes the lead on transactional work particularly relating to multi-jurisdictional merger clearances and joint venture filings.

Dispute resolution: Litigation Tier 2

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited acts for its corporate clients in all types of commercial disputes and disputes with public authorities. Team members handle litigation in their key areas of specialism: department head Edward Bekeschenko is an expert in the IT and TMT space; Vladimir Khvalei is a go-to contact for arbitration-related proceedings; and Denis Khabarov is a notable figure in IP-related litigation. Counsel Anton Maltsev is noted for his expertise in corporate litigation.

TMT Tier 2

Banking and finance: Lender or arranger side Tier 3

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited handles the Russian and English law aspects of matters from its Moscow office, and can also rely on the firm’s strong presence globally; its capabilities regionally are strengthened by offices in Ukraine and Kazakhstan. Vladimir Dragunov heads up the department, which draws on the expertise of its tax and financial restructuring groups in complex transactions. Simon Morgan focuses on loans and credit facilities and has extensive experience in pre-export financings across the CIS region. Associate Andrey Lebedev is noted for his expertise in mainstream banking and finance matters, bank and corporate lending issues, and project and real estate financing work.

Energy and natural resources Tier 3

With a strong focus on transactional side, Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited's energy practice, which is led by Alexey Frolov, specialises in advising Russian and international companies on the acquisition of oil, gas and mining assets, corporate restructurings, joint ventures and production sharing agreements. The team also assists oil and gas companies with all other matters relating to their activities, including subsoil licensing regulation, compliance and dispute resolution.

Banking and finance: Borrower side Tier 4

Baker & McKenzie - CIS, Limited excels at assisting clients with secured and unsecured finance transactions; thanks to its close cooperation with the London-based team, the department also advises on transactional issues arising under Russian and English law. The group is a key name for cutting-edge work relating to the launch of innovative e-banking products and online banking services. Vladimir Dragunov leads the department.