Dentons

Alexey Afanasiev

Alexey is a Counsel at Dentons Russian Corporate/M&A practice. He focuses primarily on M&A transactions, corporate law and the hospitality industry. He has experience advising Russian and international clients, including major manufacturing and industrial companies, financial organizations and Russian company owners on M&A transactions, including corporate restructuring and debt refinancing. Alexey also has experience working at an investment company as an advisor supporting similar projects and experience heading the legal department of a major Russian hotel chain.

Tamer Amara

Tamer heads the capital markets and derivative practice in Russia. His practice focuses on all aspects of debt and equity capital markets, including standalone debt issuances; establishment of, and issuances under, EMTN and ECP programmes; Tier 1 and Tier 2 subordinated bond offerings; liability management exercises as well as initial and secondary equity offerings, block trades and issuances of exchangeable and convertible securities. He has over 20 years of experience acting for issuers and underwriters, financial institutions, corporates and sovereigns and quasi-sovereigns in the context of debt and equity capital markets transactions. Tamer is recognised as a leading capital markets practitioner by principal legal directories. In addition, Tamer coordinates the capital markets practice in other Dentons CIS offices, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Prior to joining Dentons, for over 10 years Tamer headed the Russian debt capital markets practice in the Moscow office of a magic circle firm.

Vladislav Arkhipov

Vladislav is a Counsel in Dentons' St. Petersburg office. He focuses on personal data protection, Internet regulation (including matters of regulatory obligations and website blocking), legal restrictions on content / information and age ratings, copyright in digital environment, and legal aspects of cybersport, with a specific focus on regulation of the videogame industry (computer games). Since 2007 Vladislav has advised Russian and international clients on a variety of issues pertaining to Russian law. In addition to those areas of focus, his experience also includes corporate law, contract law, media regulation and other intellectual property issues. Vladislav has considerable experience advising clients on compliance with personal data requirements in the digital environment, analyzing issues and resolving dispute situations related to content restriction and assignment of age ratings, launches of videogames in the Russian market, structuring relations in cybersport, including developing custom-tailored legal strategies for compliance with non-standard situations. Vladislav has also successfully represented clients in several complex international commercial arbitration cases in a number of disputes on a national level between users and Internet companies, and in disputes on general intellectual property matters in the Intellectual Property Court. Vladislav co-authored, together with Victor Naumov, the Draft Law on Robotics developed by Dentons and commissioned by Grishin Robotics in 2016 (https://www.dentons.com/ru/insights/alerts/2017/january/27/dentons-develops-first-robotics-draft-law-in-russia). Vladislav is head of the department of legal theory of the St. Petersburg State University, lecturing on Internet law at the Law Faculty, and is involved in several academic projects focused on intellectual property, Internet regulation and legal issues of virtual worlds and online games. In particular, Vladislav is experienced in working with the Intellectual Property Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce to develop projects aimed at teaching intellectual property law at St. Petersburg State University, and with the Expert Board on the Video Game Industry. Vladislav (together withco-author Victor Naumov) is the author of the first online course in Russia on the Internet regulation in Russia (Coursera Open Education platform) and the author of the most up-to-date textbook on Internet law for law schools. He actively teaches future graduates of St. Petersburg State University about the legal aspects of the digital economy, acts as research advisor for the student discussion club on these issues and acts as a trainer for moot IP trials. He has authored more than 40 academic and practical publications (both original papers and annotated translations) on legal theory, Internet regulation, legal aspects of the videogame industry, intellectual property and legal aspects of robotics.

Boris Bruk

Boris Bruk is a counsel in Dentons’ Russian Tax and Customs practice. He specializes in general corporate and international tax law and has considerable experience in advising on tax aspects of corporate restructurings, private wealth planning, CFC legislation and CbCR regulations. Boris advises clients on tax structuring in connection with financing joint ventures in Russia, cross border transactions, inbound and outbound investments, GAAR, LOB and BO implications and well as all kinds of personal income taxation of individuals. His work has involved the development of tax-efficient personal and corporate holding structures and the structuring of financing and IP holding activities, as well as counselling with regard to the mitigation of identified tax exposures. Boris' background also includes IPO-related tax consulting services. Boris was the official reporter for Is There a Permanent Establishment? for the Russian branch of the IFA in 2009, Tax Treaties and Tax Avoidance: Application of Anti-avoidance Provisions in 2010, Key Practical Issues to Eliminate Double Taxation of Business Income in 2011, The Debt-Equity Conundrum in 2012, and has been appointed the official reporter for Taxation of Foreign Passive Income for Groups of Companies in 2013.

Lidia Charikova

Lidia Charikova is a counsel in Dentons’ Russian Tax and Customs practice. Her particular areas of focus are tax advising in the sphere of local and international tax structuring, tax dispute resolution, including support of the taxpayers during the tax audits, private wealth, tax expertize in the field of Russian de-offshorization rules, PPP-projects and capital markets. She handles projects involving tax restructuring of international groups, tax issues of cross border transactions, advises on the tax aspects of various types of financing, supports Russian local tax matters and has extensive experience in the sphere of private wealth. Before coming to Dentons Lidia worked for five years at Liniya Prava Law Firm as partner / head of tax practice, and before that at Dentons as a lawyer.

Karina Chichkanova

Karina Chichkanova has worked in Dentons’ St. Petersburg office since it was founded in 1993. She is a leading real estate, construction and infrastructure expert and has gained a high standing among clients and the professional community. Karina Chichkanova also has extensive experience as an advisor to leading Russian and international corporate clients with regard to general corporate, civil and commercial law, foreign investment, M&A, structuring of real estate transactions, acquiring ownership of and leasing properties. Karina has led a team of lawyers in a number of international investment projects implemented in Russia, including strategic investment projects in St. Petersburg and the Northwest Region, as well as PPP projects for the construction/reconstruction of multifunctional shopping centers, office buildings, hotels, major industrial facilities and residential developments. During the implementation of these projects, Karina has taken an active role in negotiations with the administrative authorities of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region and with the representatives of municipal authorities.Since 2010, Karina has been co-chair of the Executive Committee of the St. Petersburg International Business Association (SPIBA). Karina has authored various articles and given numerous presentations on PPP, real estate, construction, privatization and investment issues.

Richard Cowie

Richard Cowie is a partner and a member of Dentons Corporate and Arbitration practices. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and private equity as well corporate disputes. He has led high profile transactions in a wide range of sectors, including technology, media and telecom, energy, FMCG, retail, real estate and construction and financial institutions and has a focus on Russia and CIS, the Nordics and Europe. Richard is consistently ranked by legal directories.

Galina Dontsova

Galina heads the customs law group in the Russian Tax and Customs practice. She has more than 20 years of experience advising on all aspects of customs regulation, including audit of foreign trade and customs transactions by participants in foreign trade; assisting with customs inspections; structuring import/export deals; due diligence and recommendations on drafting foreign trade contracts and contracts with suppliers of customs services; advising on goods classification, customs value, country of origin, the use of different customs procedures and customs incentives; negotiations with the customs authorities at various levels; appealing decisions of the customs authorities: supporting equipment import deals; providing foreign trade participants with practical assistance in preparing documents for customs clearance and other issues of customs regulation. Galina has extensive experience working with government authorities of the Russian Federation and with the Eurasian Economic Commission. She participates in expert boards and working groups drafting customs legislation and regulations. From 2013 through 2015 Galina was general director at the Center for Support of Foreign Trade and Development of the Regions, and from 1998 through 2013 she headed the customs and foreign trade practice at the Russian branch of audit firm EY. Before that, Galina worked at the State Customs Committee (currently the Federal Customs Service) of Russia as Head of the International Law subdivision in the Legal Department.

Ekaterina Dorokhova

Senior Associate

Mark Dransfield

Mark is a Counsel at Dentons Russian Corporate/M&A and Private Equity practices. He focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and private equity as well as corporate disputes. Prior to Dentons, Mark worked in the corporate departments for two international law firms in London and Hong Kong where he specialised in cross-border transactions. Mark has also worked for a New York private equity firm where he was a member of the investment committee.

Dzhangar Dzhalchinov

Dzhangar is a partner in Dentons’ Moscow office and head of Russia Tax and Customs practice. He primarily focuses on tax litigation. Between 2007-2018 Dzhangar handled over 1000 court cases including before the Supreme Arbitration Court. In addition, he provided full support in a considerable number of tax disputes settled at pre-trial stages. Dzhangar also advises on various aspects of taxation, including drafting internal policies to prevent tax risks (regarding suppliers, marketing, and others), analyzing contracts for tax risks, and verifying tax accounting in order to reveal potential tax assessments and overpayments.

Olga Elliott

Olga is a Senior Associate in Dentons Moscow office. She specializes in advising local and international clients on various aspects of Russian real estate and construction law, including sale and purchase, lease and mortgage of real estate, land, town-planning and construction matters and legal due diligence. Olga also has extensive experience in complex development and acquisition transactions across Russia. Prior to joining Dentons, Olga worked for over 10 years in the real estate practice of another leading international law firm.

Mathieu Fabre-Magnan

Mathieu focuses on corporate law, M&A and general commercial law. He has specialized in Eastern European and CIS transactions since 1990 and has been based in Moscow since 1993. He represents clients from market entry to expansion, restructuring and disposal. Mathieu is advising on some of the most complicated and challenging M&A, joint venture and corporate finance transactions in the Russian market, including oil & gas and agribusiness sectors. For more than 25 years, Mathieu has been advising global luxury goods companies owning some of the most iconic brands in the world on their market entry and development in Russia. In recent years, Mathieu has been increasingly involved in corporate and commercial disputes, focusing on international commercial arbitration and litigation. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, the world’s leading association of arbitration and mediation professionals.

Sergey Fedorov

Sergey is a Counsel in Dentons’ St. Petersburg office. He has extensive experience advising foreign and Russian clients on various matters of corporate and business law, including corporate and deal structuring (using foreign jurisdictions as well), full support of transactions with assets and shares, and advising on antitrust aspects of transactions. Sergey also focuses on issues of currency control and customs regulation and has considerable experience in the maritime sector. Sergey’s completed projects include complex projects in the power industry, chemicals production, heavy industry, shipbuilding, telecoms, retail and food industry. Sergey is active in research and has co-authored articles published in Russian and foreign legal journals. He graduated from St. Petersburg State University Law School and holds an LL.M. in International Law from Stetson University College of Law, USA. He is an occasional guest lecturer at St. Petersburg State University, Law School and School of Management.

Sergey Gurdzhian

Sergey specializes in corporate law with a primary focus on national and cross-border mergers and acquisitions and joint ventures. Sergey’s experience includes advising Russian companies and individuals as well as multinational corporations on various aspects of acquiring businesses and forming joint ventures, including deal structuring advice, drafting and negotiating share purchase agreements, asset purchase agreements, shareholders’ agreements, option agreements and performing due diligence of companies operating in various industry sectors.

Ethan Heinz

Ethan, who previously worked in the Moscow office from 2006 until 2019, is at-large counsel for the Dentons Europe region, but continues to devote a substantial portion of his practice to matters involving Russia and neighboring jurisdictions. He principally works in the corporate group on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, private equity transactions and other corporate matters. He has acted as project manager or otherwise played a key role in a number of the Moscow office’s highest-value deals, as well as many mid-market transactions, across a range of industries including oil and gas; pharmaceutical; automotive; FMCG; industrial goods; real estate and others. Ethan also devotes a significant portion of his practice to advising international and Russian companies on compliance issues, in particular with respect to the sanctions programs of the US, EU and other jurisdictions, and also with respect to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the U.K. Bribery Act (2010), and other anti-bribery regulations. His deep knowledge of sanctions laws and practices makes him unusually qualified to ensure in real time that the M&A and corporate transactions he handles remain compliant with applicable laws. He also advises from time to time on shareholder conflicts and commercial disputes, and has participated in various arbitrations, litigations and mediations. The practical insight Ethan has gained into what can go wrong, and how, helps inform his advice to clients to ensure that their own deals remain successful.

Jonathan Hines

Jon Hines represents US, European, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Russian private and state-owned companies in major transactions, including project development, joint ventures, and acquisitions and dispositions (M&A) in Russia and the CIS region. Jon focuses primarily on large-scale oil and gas projects, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other midstream and downstream deals, as well as mining and metals and other industrial ventures. He has been advising on such transactions — including related project financings — in Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and the other former Soviet republics, and also assists major Russian companies in their projects worldwide. Jon further regularly advises clients on the application of the current US and EU sanctions on projects and other commercial dealings relating to Russia. He also has experience in arbitration proceedings related to Russia/CIS transactions in Moscow, Stockholm, London, Paris, and Geneva. Jon is currently serving his third five-year appointed term on the Panel of Arbitrators of the International Commercial Arbitration Court (ICAC) at the Russian Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and is one of two non-Russians elected to and currently serving on ICAC’s governing Presidium. Jon has been based in Moscow for 21 years, and has been involved in Russia/CIS region project work for more than 30 years. Prior to joining Dentons, Jon was a partner heading the Russia/CIS energy transactions practice at another international law firm.

Arthur Iliev

Mikhail Ivanov

Mikhail Ivanov is a partner and Head of Dentons’ Russian Litigation and Arbitration practice. He specializes in the resolution of disputes between foreign investors and major Russian companies. Over the past 20 years, Mikhail has represented the Firm’s clients in litigations before the Russian commercial courts and general courts of law, participated in international commercial arbitrations in Russia and abroad under UNCITRAL, ICC, SCC and ICAC Rules, and represented foreign clients in recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in Russia. After graduating from the international law department of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1984, Mikhail went on to complete post-graduate studies in 1987, earning a Candidate of Science degree in International Law. He is fluent in English and German.

Vladimir Kilinkarov

Vladimir is a Counsel in Dentons’ St. Petersburg office and Head of Russian PPP practice. For more than 10 years Vladimir has advised public authorities and investors on various aspects of structuring, preparing and implementing concession and other PPP projects in Russia (roads, municipal transportation, housing and utilities, education, tourism), on issues of improving federal and regional PPP legislation, preparing and implementing domestic and international business projects, foreign investment, corporate law and M&A transactions. Before joining Dentons Vladimir headed the PPP practice at a Russian law firm as a partner. Vladimir regularly speaks at parliamentary hearings on developing PPP legislation and is involved in developing national and international legal acts in this field. He has authored articles and books in Russian and English on PPP issues; he speaks at Russian and international conferences and workshops. Vladimir is a member of a drafting team of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe for preparing a UNECE model law on public-private partnerships, and also a member of a number of expert councils in the major Russian associations and institutes for PPPs and infrastructure. He holds a PhD in Law and lectures at the Law School of the St. Petersburg State University.

Sergey Klimenko

Sergey is a partner in Dentons Moscow office and the head of Russian Life Sciences practice. He has extensive experience in supporting companies in the industry throughout the complete life cycle of the product, including pre-clinical and clinical studies, marketing authorisation, manufacturing, promotion and distribution, etc. Sergey also advises on legal aspects of accessing the Russian market, interaction with the professional society, regulatory and commercial aspects of M&A transaction in the industry, governmental control and PPP in the industry. Sergey supports his clients on the regulatory and commercial matters relating to interacting with the governing authorities in such sectors as agriculture and FMCG.

Glenn Kolleeny

Glenn Kolleeny is a senior partner resident in Dentons Moscow office. He has been resident in Russia since 1999, but also works actively in the other states of the former Soviet Union, particularly Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Georgia. Glenn concentrates on mergers and acquisitions, trade and commodities finance, private equity and venture capital. He has been recognized as a leading corporate and M&A specialist in Russia. Glenn heads the Agribusiness and Forestry Sector Group and is the Pro Bono Coordinator for Russia. He was described by Legal 500 as a lawyer who "makes transactions happen" according to his clients. In 2013, Glenn was among the first non-Russian lawyers to qualify as a Russian Advokat. Glenn has completed more than US$6 billion of M&A transactions in the past 10 years. His clients include financial institutions, private equity funds, international and Russian multinational corporations. Glenn is fluent in Russian and French and has a good knowledge of German, Spanish and Ukrainian.

Alexander Kovalev

Alexander Kovalev is a counsel in Dentons’ Moscow office. For 15 years he has advised major multinational and Russian companies on M&A transactions, venture capital transactions, setting up joint ventures, investment and restructuring in various sectors of the economy.Alexander focuses on life sciences M&A. He also has experience supporting projects for localization of manufacturing of products and PPP projects, and advising on commercial aspects of pharmaceutical and other companies.

Roman Kozlov

Roman Kozlov is a partner in Dentons’ Moscow office, advocate, since 2002 he advises clients on complex real estate investment, construction and development projects in Russia. Roman has developed particular expertise in all aspects of industrial construction and modernization projects, as well as construction of other real estate types, including offices, warehouses, retail centers, medical facilities, apartment buildings, mixed-use facilities and infrastructure. Roman has represented and advised numerous international and domestic industrial companies, developers, retailers as well as engineering and construction companies on a wide variety of real estate and construction issues, including the following: real estate acquisitions, including greenfield and brownfield, mergers, joint-ventures and privatisations; structuring construction projects, drafting and negotiating construction and engineering contracts; drafting and negotiating credit agreements, collaterals and other finance agreements with a special focus on real estate and project financing; structuring joint ventures and joint venture structures in the field of real estate investment, construction and development; drafting and negotiating equipment supply and installation contracts connected with engineering, construction, commissioning and maintenance of production facilities; dispute resolution both in litigation and out-of-court proceedings.

Olga Krivosheykina

Olga is an Associate in Dentons’ St. Petersburg office. She advises Russian and foreign companies, as well as private clients, on various matters of corporate and commercial law. Her experience includes projects relating to legal due diligence of companies and their assets, corporate and deal structuring (using foreign jurisdictions as well), mergers and acquisitions, establishment and liquidation of businesses. She also specializes in employment and has extensive experience in tax planning and tax-risk management, and provides assistance in the optimization of business models from tax perspective.

Konstantin Kroll

Konstantin Kroll is a partner and the head of Russian Corporate and M&A practice. He has over two decades of experience advising corporate clients and financial institutions on complex cross-border transactions in Russia and the broader Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Konstantin also focuses on international arbitration. He is triple qualified as a Russian advocate, solicitor of Senior Courts of England and Wales, and Irish solicitor (non-practicing). Konstantin is a fellow (FCIArb) of the Charted Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) in London and a Vice President of the Russian Chapter of CIArb European Branch, a member of the ICC Russia Commission on Arbitration and ICC Russia recommended arbitrator, and an accredited arbitrator at the Russian Arbitration Center at the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration (RIMA) and the Arbitration Center at the RSPP, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (International and Investment Disputes Panel). Konstantin Kroll is a member of the Academic Council of the Higher School of Economics Master's Program "International Private Law and International Commercial Arbitration” and a visiting lecturer at Moscow State University, and the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. In 2020 Konstantin has been selected as a juror for the CEE Deals of the Year Awards — one of the most prestigious and sought-after peer-selected awards for the legal industry in Central and Eastern Europe.

Anton Kunashov

Anton advises clients on the establishment of joint ventures and on M&A transactions (both domestic and cross-border) in the oil and gas, automotive, real estate, transportation and retail (including e-commerce), sectors. Anton also has deep experience advising clients on general corporate, commercial and antimonopoly matters. Anton completed the venture finance program at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School in 2020.

Valentin Larin

Valentin is a counsel in Dentons' Russian Tax and Customs practice. He focuses on Russian tax law and complicated tax disputes. Valentin participates in projects that cover tax aspects of such industries as construction and development, telecommunications, retail, automotive, pharma and others. Before joining Dentons, Valentin was involved in tax consulting, tax audits and tax due diligence projects.

Evgenia Laurson

Evgenia Laurson is a partner in Dentons’ London and Moscow offices and a member of the Global Banking & Finance and Energy Practices. She focuses on energy, infrastructure and finance transactions. Evgenia’s experience and reputation have attracted major domestic and international banks and corporations seeking assistance with complex, cross-border financing transactions. She has unique experience and market recognition, particularly with respect to project financings in Russia and the CIS region. Evgenia’s significant transactional experience makes her particularly adept at developing and negotiating intricately structured cross-border deals. Evgenia’s innovative transactional approach has contributed to the successful completion of a number of pioneering deals, such as the award-winning €750 million financing of a PVC plant in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod, that was hailed by Trade Finance Magazine as having established a new “Russian project finance template.”

Vasilii Markov

Vasilii is a partner in Dentons’ Russia Tax and Customs practice. Vasilii has implemented a wide range of projects for integrated tax advising for companies from various sectors on international and Russian tax law, including on corporate taxation, restructuring and improving a group’s tax efficiency, applying the laws on CFCs and tax residency. As a tax expert, he has participated in advising the Russian Federation and regional governments on the introduction of new tax regulations. Vasilii has 11 years of experience in one of the Big4 firms, where he held various senior positions in tax advisory.

Alexey Matveev

Alexei Matveev is a counsel in Dentons’ Russian Tax and Customs practice. Alexei focuses on international and Russian tax law. He has extensive experience advising on the organization and conduct of tax due diligence of a transaction target taking into account possible specific industrial/operating risks, developing proposals on how to structure transactions (including foreign jurisdictions), analyzing the tax implications of sale and purchase agreements and developing proposals to carry out corporate restructuring of the target, as well as analyzing whether the tax assumptions of transactions’ financial models are correct.

Maria Mikheyenkova

Maria focuses on Russian procedural law and handles dispute resolution in various areas, such as bankruptcy, contractual (works and supply) and corporate law, disputes with governmental bodies and inspections and investigations, consumer rights, real estate and banking. Maria has significant pre-trial and judicial settlement experience and an extensive practice of litigation which includes case processing in various Russian, foreign and international courts, as well as criminal defense and representation for different types of offenses. Maria has also represented numerous organizations and individuals before a variety of governmental bodies in different administrative proceedings within inspections and administrative offense proceedings.

Dennis Montgomery

Dennis Montgomery is an English-qualified Counsel to the Dentons Moscow Banking and Finance team with extensive magic circle experience in London, Moscow and the Middle East.

Marat Mouradov

For over 20 years, Marat has advised clients on Russian antimonopoly regulation, advertising, trade, state procurement, antimonopoly compliance matters and strategic investments law. In particular, he represents clients in antimonopoly investigations and disputes against the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (FAS) relating to abuse of dominance, anticompetitive agreements, unfair competition practices and other violations. He also advises clients on product distribution structures and commercial contracts. He develops internal antimonopoly compliance systems and various external policies and procedures relating primarily to relationships with business partners. Marat regularly conducts internal audits and investigations for his clients aimed at revealing, assessing and curing antimonopoly risks. His experience covers a broad range of industry sectors, including pharmaceuticals, medical products and equipment, automotive, fashion and entertainment, transportation, technological products, consumer products and retail.

Victor Naumov

Victor Naumov has been advising government authorities and leading Russian and global companies for more than 23 years on a wide range of legal issues, including intellectual property protection and the management of intangible assets; regulation of Internet and e-commerce; IT and data security; regulation of video games, mass media and telecommunications, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, Legal Tech, Big Data, Fintech, 3D printing, robotics and quantum technologies. He also has unique experience providing legal support and successfully settling IT, IP, telecommunications, media and Internet litigation. As part of implementing the Digital Economy of the Russian Federation program (ANO Digital Economy), Victor is a member of the main Statutory Regulation working group and also heads the Cyber-Physical Systems working group (an expert community at the Statutory Regulation competency center operating at Skolkovo Foundation). He is a member of the Russian Federation State Duma Expert Council on the Digital Economy and Blockchain Technologies under the Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, Innovative Development and Entrepreneurship. He is also a member of the Federal Antimonopoly Service Advisory Board on Competition in Information Technology. Since 1999, Victor has participated actively in developing processes for business to regulate itself, in the development of draft legislation on IP, innovation, the Internet and the “new economy.” He is the author of the Recommendations for E-Commerce in the Russian Federation (2000), the CIS’ first Recommendations for E-Commerce for the Committee on Economic Policy and Entrepreneurship of the State Duma of the Russian Federation Federal Assembly (2001), Organizational and Legal Recommendations on the Presentation of a Russian Federation Government and Administrative Authority Website (2003), co-author of the Concept for Using IT Technologies and E-Documents in the Activities of the Commercial (Arbitrazh) Court of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region (2006). Victor’s most recent initiatives include the creation of the first robotics draft law in Russia—commissioned by Grishin Robotics—and the development of the draft of the world’s first international robotics convention, the Model Convention on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence commissioned by Skolkovo Foundation. The Convention is a major study unique for Russia and devoted to the development of legislation on robotics and cyberphysical systems. Victor has also prepared a unique international study to identify the scope of information covered, respectively, by banking secrecy, communication secrecy, doctor-patient confidentiality, trade secrets and other types of secrecy, and how to transfer them to third parties. The team led by Victor participated in creating a knowledge management system implemented by Rosatom State Corporation. In June 2017 Dentons and Rosatom co-founded a unique consortium whose participants act as joint experts, provide information support and popularize the culture of knowledge management. Also, under Victor’s leadership, Dentons lawyers were the first in Russia to develop a concept for regulating the Internet of Things and continue to work in this area, handling this topic in the Association of the Internet of Things. In October 2018 Victor initiated the opening of—and became the curator of—a unique subdivision, the Dentons Russia Legal Innovations Laboratory. The Laboratory is oriented toward developing and implementing innovative technologies in the legal field. Victor Naumov is a co-author of the first online course in Russia on Internet regulation in Russia (Coursera Open Education platform). Victor was awarded a St. Petersburg Government prize for outstanding achievements in higher education (in 2018). He is a senior researcher of the information law and global information security sector of the Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ISL RAS) and an associate professor of the St. Petersburg State University, where he lectures in the Economics and Law Faculties. In 2004 he received a state medal for the 300th Anniversary of St. Petersburg for his academic work, and in 2007 he received a state medal for his contribution to the computerization of society in Russia. He is the holder of the Justice law award for achievements in developing the practice of law (in 2017). He has received two grants from the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research (RFFI) to conduct: (1) integrated research of the legal and ethical aspects of developing and using artificial intelligence and robotics systems and (2) research of conceptual approaches to shaping a system for the legal regulation of information security considering the major challenges in a global information society (in 2018). Victor is the creator and leader of the Preserved Culture project which has released more than 30 books and DVDs and three documentary films on various cultural heritage sites of the country and cultural and educational figures. Victor authored the first monographs in Russia and the CIS on the legal regulation of the Internet and telemedicine (in 2002). He won the Rambler search engine’s “Person of the Year 2002” competition in the Legislation category (in 2003). Since 2010 he has been top ranked by Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, Best Lawyers, IAM Patent 1000, Kommersant and Managing IP in IP and IT in Russia.

Konstantin Nazarov

Konstantin is a banking and finance counsel based in Moscow. For more than a decade, he has advised banks, other financial institutions and corporates on different types of cross-border and domestic finance transactions. His extensive experience includes advising clients across a wide range of financings, including bilateral and syndicated lending, secured lending, trade finance, project finance and financings involving ECAs. Konstantin has also worked on a number of debt restructuring projects and venture capital financings. Konstantin regularly advises financial institutions (credit and micro-finance organizations, leasing and insurance companies), payment system operators as well as payment aggregators on various Russian law regulatory issues relating to their day-to-day activities. He is also one of the key members of Dentons' Moscow Banking and Finance group advising on local currency control regulations.

Radmila Nikitina

Radmila focuses on competition and commercial law. She has extensive experience advising Russian and foreign clients on the application of legislation on cartels, abuse of dominance, distribution agreements, public procurement, unfair competition and merger control.Radmila represents clients before the FAS and in the commercial courts in cases related to the application of competition and commercial law.Radmila’s professional experience includes projects for companies from different sectors of the economy, including pharmaceuticals, FCMG, retail, telecommunications, energy, aviation, transport and financial markets.

Maria Obolenskaya

Maria is an Associate in Dentons’ St. Petersburg office. She has considerable experience advising clients on a wide range of town planning, land and civil law matters, including working at a Russian law firm and at a state agency. Maria currently prepares due diligence reports, advises clients on various aspects of real estate and construction transactions, including the preparation, conclusion, execution and termination of sale, rental, construction and other contracts, and helps clients implement investment projects.

Maria Oleinik

Maria Oleinik is a partner at Dentons’ Moscow office and a member of the Global Corporate and Energy practice. Her corporate experience spans a wide range of industries, including the oil and gas, mining and heavy industry sectors. Maria focuses on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, disposals and financings. Qualified in Russia, the UK and the US, Maria has represented financial institutions, media companies and state corporations. Maria leads clients through the various stages of a transaction from planning and structuring right through to completion. She helps clients navigate the challenges of what can be highly detailed matters, while remaining focused on securing the best possible results. Maria is a partner in the Firm’s Energy practice and has gained extensive experience and knowledge of the Russian market through involvement in major transactions for some of the largest companies in this sector. She is frequently called upon to advise leading Russian corporations engaged in the energy and natural resources sector on their investments in Russia and abroad. As well as working with domestic clients, Maria has also advised international companies making acquisitions in Russia, including an international oil and gas company and a leading European energy concern.

Mikhail Panferov

Senior Associate

Natalia Panteleeva

Senior Associate

Georgy Pchelintsev

Georgy Pchelintsev is a partner in Dentons' Russia IP, IT and Telecommunications practice. He focuses on preparing and supporting transactions for the creation or acquisition of software systems, databases and other intellectual property in IT, and advises on compliance with regulatory requirements applicable to IT companies and Internet projects. In this context, Georgy notably has experience advising on IT outsourcing projects; advising online shops on compliance with consumer protection laws, cash register and advertising laws; and advising Fintech projects on how to structure their operations in compliance with the national payment systems laws. Among IT outsourcing projects, Georgy’s work includes, in particular, advising Russian and foreign cloud service providers on drafting agreements governing hosting and data processing services, e.g., Service Conditions and Service-Level Agreements.The second major area in which Georgy has acquired significant experience is advising on venture-capital investment, mergers & acquisitions, and foreign investment in the establishment of joint ventures, e.g., opening joint manufacturing ventures involving foreign capital and foreign investment in Russian IT companies.Georgy graduated from St. Petersburg State University (Law Degree, 2003). In 2014, Georgy also obtained a Master of Laws degree at King’s College London. He speaks fluent English.

Tatiana Petrykina

Tatiana is a Senior Associate in Dentons’ Moscow office. She focuses on advising clients on real estate sale and purchase transactions in the Russian Federation, on issues of construction, land and urban planning relationships. Tatiana’s experience also includes advising clients on the operations of companies that are owners of real estate, in particular, drafting real estate lease agreements, real estate management agreements, easement agreements, etc.

Filipp Petyukov

Filipp is a counsel at Dentons Russian Capital Markets and Derivatives practice. He specialises in debt and equity capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, and derivatives and has in-depth experience in advising a broad range of issuers, underwriters, financial institutions and corporates on debt and capital markets transactions, financial restructurings and financial regulatory matters. Filipp regularly acts for clients on eurobond, eurocommercial paper issuances, establishments and updates of programmes for the issuance of loan participation notes and eurocommercial papers, financial regulatory issues, liability management exercises, block trades and accelerated bookbuild (ABB) exercises, SPOs, JV establishments, cross border and domestic securitisations. He is praised by the clients for his broad legal skillset, problem solving approach and commercial insight.

Valeria Ponomareva

Valeria is a Counsel in Dentons' Moscow office. She has practiced competition law since 2008. Her practice is focused on national (Russian) and supra-national (Eurasian Economic Union) competition law and foreign/strategic investment law issues, including merger control filings and strategic filings, antitrust audits and compliance, abuse of dominance, vertical and horizontal restrictions, pricing policies and distribution, advertising law and unfair competition. Valeria has assisted clients in antimonopoly cases and court disputes involving the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service. Valeria has assisted clients operating in a wide range of industry sectors including the food industry, pharmaceutical and chemical industry, machinery manufacturing, luxury goods, metals and steel, oil and gas, communications and mass media, IT, insurance and financial institutions.

Olga Popel

Olga is a Counsel in Dentons’ Moscow office and has been practicing since 2000. She specializes in Russian real estate law, and works on buildings and land plots acquisitions and lease transactions, as well as on matters relating to the construction of real estate. Olga has extensive experience with transactions involving retail, warehouse and office real estate. Olga has worked on complex due diligence of immovable properties (buildings, land plots and hydraulic facilities), both for acquisition and sale of the properties. Olga advises companies on expansion and, in particular, on projects related to the acquisition of properties for a new construction in Russia, and the implementation of projects for the construction and reconstruction of manufacturing, office and other commercial properties. Olga is an advocate advises in the field of retail on day-to-day business.

Olga Rogozhina

Olga Rogozhina is a counsel in Dentons' Moscow office. She focuses on commercial transactions, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, retail, pharmaceutical and hotel projects, and has experience in litigation. Olga also advises on antimonopoly law, share transfer and finance. Olga has experience advising foreign clients on acquisition of assets in Russia, advising on corporate structuring in Russia and on various legal aspects of financing and doing business in Russia.

Christopher Rose

Christopher Rose is a partner in the Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity practices and a member of the Dentons Venture Technology and Emerging Growth Companies group. He is also the Europe Head of the Dentons Global Private Services (GPS) group, which provides cross-sector and cross-practice services to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their family offices globally. He specializes in cross-border private equity and venture capital investments and exits, as well as mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures. He regularly advises emerging technology companies and investors on venture and growth capital transactions. An emerging markets specialist, he has extensive experience leading deals in Russia, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), the Middle East, Asia and Africa. His additional industry experience includes retail/FMCG, infrastructure, financial services, healthcare and real estate.

Marina Ryzhkova

Marina Ryzhkova is a partner in Dentons' Moscow office and the Head of the Russian Employment Practice. She specializes in labor law and in the last 18 years has established a successful labor law/employment practice in Russia. She has experience of advising clients on all the complexities of Russian employment law, including for newly-opened branches and representative offices of foreign companies and subsidiaries, problematic individual dismissals and mass lay-offs, State Labor Inspectorate and Prosecutor’s office issues, and representing employers in labor litigation. She is experienced in the successful resolution of all kinds of employment issues arising in connection with employer restructuring or ceasing activities and subsequently going into liquidation. Marina is a regular speaker at human resources and labor law conferences in Russia. She is also the author of numerous labor law publications in major Russian periodicals.

Anna Savkunova

Anna is an Associate in Dentons’ St. Petersburg office. She has experience advising clients on a wide range of town planning, land and civil law matters, including working at a Russian law firm and at judicial bodies. She currently prepares due diligence reports, advises clients on various aspects of real estate and construction transactions, including the preparation, conclusion, execution and termination of sale, rental, construction and other contracts, and helps clients implement investment projects.

Florian Schneider

Florian is a partner in Dentons' Moscow office. He specializes in M&A transactions (both cross-border and domestic) and the establishment of joint ventures in a number of sectors, including the automotive, chemicals, railway, retail, food, real estate development and construction sectors. Florian also has experience advising clients on general corporate, commercial and real estate law matters. He also specializes in advising clients on cybersecurity issues, and has obtained a certificate in management of cybersecurity risks at Harvard University in 2020. Florian has vast experience in advising international companies on their investment projects not only in Russia, but also worldwide, including in China, USA, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan. He serves as lead legal counsel for a number of international clients. He manages teams that assist clients on various practices and coordinates offices at several locations globally. Florian participates in German trade delegations and speaks frequently on Russian corporate, M&A, Russian and German contract law and related matters. In addition to his responsibilities as the Chairman of the Cybersecurity Working Group of the Russian-German Chamber of Commerce in the Russian Federation, Florian is a member of the Best Lawyers Advisory Board for the Russian Federation, a member of the Association of European Businesses in the Russian Federation and a member of the Bar Association in Germany.

Alexander Skoblo

Alex Skoblo is a partner in Dentons' Moscow office, the head of the firm's CIS Hotel & Hospitality practice and the head of Dentons’ Russian Automotive practice. Alex has represented and advised multinational corporations, international financial institutions and government agencies, both domestic and foreign, on a wide variety of corporate and commercial, real estate (including greenfield and brownfield, real estate financing and real property development), banking and securities issues, including mergers, acquisitions, public and private placements, divestitures, privatisations, and matters of corporate governance. He has also assisted numerous foreign companies and private equity funds in direct and portfolio investments, including investments through Russian joint ventures, off-shore structures and companies of various types. Alex is a seasoned negotiator and has successfully negotiated transactions with government authorities at the municipal, regional and federal levels. Alex was the founder of Dentons’ Moscow Hotel & Hospitality practice and has developed a reputation as one of the few leading experts in this field in Russia, the CIS, and Central Europe. He has also worked closely with the European offices of Dentons as well as those in Asia in representing hotel owners, lenders, developers, contractors and operators on all legal issues pertaining to hotels and hospitality properties, including land acquisition, design, development, financing, construction, management, leasing, and franchising. Alex has represented and advised major Russian and international pharmaceutical companies on all legal aspects of their operations in Russia, in particular on corporate and M&A issues. Among other clients, Alex has successfully represented STADA, A.B. Intelpharm, Makiz Pharma, Scopin Pharm, Mir Pharm, Nizhpharm, Bracco and Pharmstandard in structuring M&A transactions, setting up distribution and supply networks as well as advising on licensing, marketing and regulatory issues (including pricing politics). Alex has extensive experience in the automotive sector. He was and continues to be involved in numerous projects with the Ford Group (Ford, Land Rover, Volvo, Jaguar and Mazda), Hyundai, Toyota, Harley Davidson, Volvo Trucks and others. His clients also include Continental AG and Magna International.

Louis Skyner

Louis, an English-qualified solicitor, joined Dentons in May 2017, having worked in the project finance and energy practice of a leading international law firm in both its London and Moscow offices. His oil and gas practice has primarily been based on advising E&P companies on their participation in upstream and downstream projects in Russia & the CIS, project sponsors on the negotiation of finance and project documents, and project operators on a variety of contractual and regulatory issues. In terms of his power practice, Louis has advised project sponsors of a variety of renewable power generation projects in Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan (principally solar, hydro, and wind projects) on their structuring and financing, and the operators on the negotiation of the key project documents, e.g. EPC contracts and offtake arrangements. Finally, Louis has used the experience he has gained working in the energy sector to provide advice to governments across the region, both on the implementation of concession and public-private partnership arrangements for energy and infrastructure projects, and on unbundling and the development of competitive power markets. In addition to his legal practice, Louis has authored numerous articles on Eurasian energy market regulation, economics and politics. He is an Associate Fellow at the Forum for Central Asian Studies at the University of Cambridge, and has previously worked as an Associate Professor at the New Economic School in Moscow, and the European University in St Petersburg.

Dmitry Slyusarev

Dmitry is an Associate in Dentons’ Russian Employment and Labor practice. Dmitry has practical experience in all branches of Russian employment law, including the consideration and resolution of labor disputes, the representation of clients in labor litigation and audits conducted by the responsible government agencies (State Labor Inspectorate and Prosecutor’s office), lending legal support during problematic dismissals of top managers and mass lay-offs. He also has extensive experience advising clients on interacting with trade unions, assisting with health and safety matters, including investigation of work place accidents, drafting policies, reviewing personnel documents and corporate procedures (both within the scope of M&A transactions and individual verifications of a company’s compliance with applicable employment law), and assisting with employment issues arising in the course of an employer’s restructuring.

Vladimir Sokov

Vladimir specializes in corporate, M&A, commercial, antitrust and real estate. During his professional career of over 20 years Vladimir has handled major M&A projects and has successfully participated in numerous corporate litigations as instructed by well-known transnational and Russian companies. He has extensive experience in life sciences, but also advises clients in natural resources, retail, automotive, real estate development and other sectors. Vladimir was highly ranked in corporate/M&A, competition law and life sciences in Russia by Chambers Europe, The Legal 500 and IFLR 1000. He has authored numerous articles on legal issues, participated in legislative drafting projects and is a member of the Russian Bar Association.

Irina Stepanova

Irina Stepanova is a counsel at Dentons Russian Intellectual Property and Technology practice. Irina has significant experience in negotiating and consulting on a wide range of IP transactions, such as technology transfer and licensing, franchise and non-disclosure agreements, including issues relating to protection of confidential information. She advises the IT industry on software development and licensing, support and maintenance, reseller/distribution agreements and e-commerce matters. Irina also assists clients with IP matters in M&A transactions and joint venture projects. Her experience covers dispute resolution, including know-how and patent infringement matters. Irina Stepanova holds a PhD in Law degree from Saint Petersburg State University and an LL.M in Intellectual Property Law degree from Queen Mary, University of London. Irina attended the Lex Mundi Institute Cross-Border Technology Transactions Course in Monterey, California. Irina’s prior experience includes teaching at Saint Petersburg State University (law faculty).

Andrei Strijak

Andrei is a partner in Dentons’ Moscow Banking and Finance practice. He advises on a wide range of banking and finance matters, including bilateral and syndicated lending, trade and project finance, asset finance and debt capital markets. Andrei devotes particular attention to acquisition finance as well as debt restructuring and insolvency. His work has involved advising on multilateral institutional financing, structuring cross-border transactions (including joint venture projects) and foreign investment. A large part of Andrei’s work deals with leasing and purchase structures, aircraft financing and operating leases. He has represented many Russian and foreign entities, bank and prominent individuals for aircraft deliveries. He has represented local, national and international businesses as well as institutional and private lenders in connection with acquisition, investment, lending and restructuring transactions of all kinds.Andrei has also been involved in a number of high-profile restructurings. He has experience in private equity transactions across a variety of industry sectors, including manufacturing, mining, oil and gas and consumer products.

Timothy Stubbs

Tim is a partner in Dentons’ Moscow and London offices. He has worked on Russia- and CIS-related transactions for more than 29 years and has developed a reputation as a leading expert among his peers and clients. He specialises in cross-border transactions and financings of all types, including bilateral and syndicated lending, real estate finance and project finance. Tim has a thorough understanding of the peculiarities of working with Russian international financial institutions and restructurings. This includes his two years of experience working in the Office of General Counsel of EBRD in London, on a working sabbatical (2001-2002). In addition to his banking and finance capabilities, Tim has significant corporate experience, including M&A and joint ventures. He devotes particular attention to direct foreign investment projects including the structuring and implementation of greenfield projects, as well as debt restructurings and insolvencies. Tim is the author of the Russia chapter of the Collier International Business Insolvency Guide. Also he frequently travels to St. Petersburg, where he was based for 6½ years (1993-1999), during much of which period he acted as the office's Managing Partner.

Andrey Tarapov

Andrey is a counsel in Dentons’ Moscow office. He specializes in corporate and commercial law as well as M&A transactions in energy and natural resources and industrial sectors. Andrey has experience advising on energy and subsoil law, maritime and shipping law, corporate law, and licensing, as well as regulatory and commercial law.

Jane Tarassova

Jane Tarassova is a Counsel in Dentons’ Moscow office. She specializes in mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, joint venture work, bankruptcies, and commercial contracts. She has extensive experience advising on natural resources matters, including upstream and downstream oil & gas, oil pipeline and maritime transportation, oil and gas trading, power generation, M&A projects in the natural resources and energy sector, environmental protection, and other aspects of the natural resources and energy sector. Her experience includes oil and gas majors, corporations developing and processing natural resources, independent and integrated energy companies, transportation and service companies, investment groups and financial institutions.

Evgenia Teterevkova

Evgenia focuses on structuring and full transaction support of local and cross-border M&A deals, including legal due diligence and antimonopoly matters. Evgenia also advises on corporate restructurings and joint-ventures, as well as corporate law issues such as corporate compliance, corporate governance and liability of directors. In addition, Evgenia advises on various legal issues related to the establishment, protection and liquidation of business in Russia and handles commercial contracts, including cross-border commercial arrangements.For more than 15 years, Evgenia has represented the interests of Russian and foreign companies across various sectors, including banks, insurance organizations, manufacturing, real estate development and pharmaceutical companies and companies operating in the area of retail trade.

Sergey Trakhtenberg

Sergey Trakhtenberg is a partner in Dentons’ Moscow office and Head of Russian Real Estate and Construction practice. Sergey is a transactional partner who focuses on structuring and supporting complex real estate M&A transactions and establishing joint ventures to invest in the construction of new real estate or acquisition of existing properties. He also has significant experience advising banks and borrowers on real estate financings. Sergey conducted numerous full and limited-scope due diligence reviews, and coordinated due diligence exercises by offshore counsel in multi-jurisdictional transactions.Sergey has almost 20 years of real estate experience, during which he has successfully implemented hundreds of transactions involving virtually all types of commercial property (offices, shopping centers, warehouses, industrial objects), many of which have been landmark deals on the Russian market. He provides clients with comprehensive solutions that include strategic planning, project structuring, handling difficult negotiations and supporting clients at all stages of the transactions to successful signing and completion. Sergey advises major Western and Russian investment funds, developers, management companies and family offices on all matters related to investments in or operation of real estate.

Denis Voevodin

Denis Voevodin is a partner in Dentons' Moscow office and the Head of the European Intellectual Property and Technology practice. Denis has over 30 years of experience in a broad spectrum of areas of contentious and non-contentious IP matters and is recognized as one of the top IP practitioners in Russia and the CIS. He has considerable experience of acting in trademark and copyright litigation proceedings as well as advising on anti-counterfeit activity. His work actively concerns acquisition and disposal of companies with valuable intellectual property rights and complex technology as well as copyright, trademark and patent rights.

Mark Withey

Mark is an English qualified corporate partner based in Dentons’ Moscow office. He has a broad-ranging corporate practice, advising on mergers & acquisitions (private and public), private equity, joint ventures, equity capital markets, corporate reorganisations and general corporate law matters. Mark has advised on transactions across a wide range of jurisdictions and industry sectors. He has also spent time on secondment in London with Rothschild and what was Nomura Code Securities. Mark has been based in Russia since early 2014.

Roman Zaitsev

Roman Zaitsev is a partner in Dentons’ Moscow office and head of Moscow Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice. He focuses on Russian procedural, civil and bankruptcy law and enforcement proceedings. He has significant experience representing client interests in state commercial courts, where he has successfully represented major multinational corporations, individuals and various organizations, including commercial banks, energy companies, car manufacturers, state and municipal authorities and major defense enterprises. Roman has acted successfully in major commercial disputes, bankruptcy proceedings and disputes with state authorities as well as in cases involving the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in the Russian Federation. He has also represented clients in general enforcement proceedings, due diligence investigations, alternative dispute resolution and various other commercial, civil, procedural, general corporate and administrative matters.

Alexei Zakharko

Alexei is Dentons’ Russia Managing Partner. He focuses on M&A, joint ventures, corporate finance and leveraged acquisitions. He also has considerable experience in private equity transactions, port/terminal transactions and bank equity deals. Alexei has represented clients in M&A and private equity transactions in a wide range of industries, including energy, transportation, banking, insurance, retail, foods and beverages, construction and automotive.

Anna Zvereva

Anna Zvereva is a counsel in Dentons’ Russian Tax and Customs practice. Her particular areas of focus are tax advice for industrial enterprises, trade organizations and companies specializing in intellectual property, as well as international groups (VAT, profit tax including tax accounting issues, payroll taxes, regional and local taxes and the application of double tax treaties). She handles projects involving the tax aspects of restructuring business in the Russian Federation; tax advising on all types of deals, including deals for sale and purchase of a business; tax due diligence; drafting proposals to amend tax laws; and advising on accounting in accordance with Russian accounting standards.