Russia Practice
Orrick is one of the leading international law firms in the complex Russian mergers and acquisitions
and real estate markets, with unparalleled experience in dispute resolution in Russia's rapidly evolving legal and
economic environment.
The Russia Practice Group was established in 2005 when all partners of the Moscow office and
many other lawyers of the Russia Practice Group of Coudert Brothers LLP joined Orrick. Coudert was the first
international law firm to open an office in Russia, and today, the Russia Practice Group comprises both Russian
and foreign lawyers located in Moscow, Berlin, London, Tokyo, New York and Washington, D.C. This enables us to
draw on our extensive experience across a variety of industries and cultures, and to serve clients around the
clock.
All of the lawyers and support staff in the Moscow office are fluent in English and Russian, and we also have
lawyers fluent in Arabic, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Tatar. Many of our Russian lawyers have LL.M.
degrees from U.S. law schools in addition to their Russian law school diplomas.
The practice group provides a full range of legal services, including advice on:
In almost two decades of practice, our lawyers have excelled in finding solutions to our clients’
needs in Russia’s challenging legal and economic environment.
Mergers and Acquisitions and Private Equity
In Russia, Orrick lawyers have handled M&A and private equity transactions in a variety of
sectors, including oil and gas, telecommunications and publishing, banking, transport infrastructure, food and
consumer goods. Our M&A and private equity teams are supported by lawyers in key areas such as
environmental regulation, antitrust and competition, IP and real estate. We have exceptional skills in structuring
and negotiating deals from the acquisition or merger of large corporations to the acquisition or sale of a small
company.
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Real Estate and Construction
Orrick lawyers represented investors in the first property development projects in Russia involving
foreign investment. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, our lawyers participated in the development of one of the first
Western-style office buildings in Moscow. Today, Orrick's Russia Practice Group continues to maintain its
preeminent property practice in the region.
Orrick real estate lawyers provide a full array of services with respect to Russian real estate
development, enabling us to provide our clients with a single source for high-quality legal services throughout the life
of the project: from due diligence and project structuring to financing, project operation and divestiture.
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Commercial Litigation and Arbitration
Orrick is one of the few Western law firms with wide experience in Russian commercial litigation.
Lawyers in the Commercial Litigation and Arbitration Group in our Moscow office represent clients in litigation in the
Russian commercial courts and courts of common jurisdiction, as well as in arbitration in international forums such
as the International Arbitration Court of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Moscow.
Our experience covers disputes in connection
with corporate and commercial transactions in a wide variety of industries, including insurance, real estate,
securities and capital markets, oil and gas, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, and
information technology.
Orrick's Moscow lawyers have also participated in international litigation and arbitration involving
Russia-related matters in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, Switzerland, and elsewhere.
Shareholders' disputes
Our litigators have extensive experience in litigating shareholder disputes and related issues,
including defending against greenmail and hostile takeover attempts. For several years, Orrick lawyers have
represented a major foreign shareholder in a Russian telecommunications company in litigation in the Russian
commercial courts related to protection of shareholders' rights. FAS Practice
Our litigators also have extensive experience in Russian anti-monopoly proceedings. In 2009,
Orrick's Moscow lawyers successfully represented a foreign tobacco company in proceedings initiated by the
Russian Antimonopoly Service in connection with alleged violations of Russian advertising law. We also
successfully represented a Japanese computer manufacturer in antimonopoly proceedings related to violations of
Russian competition law. Tax Litigation
We are also particularly active in tax and customs disputes. Orrick lawyers have represented a
multinational oil and gas company in litigation in the Russian courts involving tax issues and in the international
arbitration of a dispute arising under a production sharing agreement with the Russian Federation.
Orrick's Moscow lawyers have provided assistance to a foreign oil company in a number of disputes
arising under a production sharing agreement with the Russian Federation, including customs disputes.
From 2007 to 2009, we successfully defended a foreign confectionary company and its Russian
subsidiary in a number of customs disputes involving alleged currency control violations.
Environmental Cases
We represented a foreign oil company in a number of environmental disputes initiated by the state
authorities and non–governmental organizations. In 2009, we successfully assisted our client in reaching the
amicable settlement of such dispute. Employment Cases
From 2008 to 2009, Orrick successfully handled several employment cases concerning
reinstatement at the office and challenging the disciplinary sanctions.
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Finance
Our Russia finance lawyers focus on a wide variety of transactions, including asset divestitures and
acquisitions, traditional secured and unsecured bank loans, project financing, asset-based loans involving a wide
variety of significant assets, vendor financings, financial restructurings, cross-border leveraged lease transactions,
and equipment leasing.
Orrick's project finance lawyers have significant experience in structuring and documenting major
energy, infrastructure and other finance-related projects in Russia. Several of our project finance lawyers have been
recognized as leaders in the industry by a number of publications, including Euromoney's most recent Guide
to the World’s Leading Project Finance Lawyers.
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Securities and Capital Markets
Orrick advises international companies investing in the Russian securities market and has
significant experience creating sophisticated corporate and other securities-related structures for the tax-efficient
purchase of Russian securities.
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Telecommunications, Media and Technology
Orrick has one of the leading telecommunications practices in Russia. Our lawyers have been
involved in this dynamic industry since its inception in the Russian Federation, representing the first foreign
investors in telecommunications and advising the Russian government on the development of telecommunications
legislation. Orrick's experience in this area covers virtually all types of transactions: mergers and acquisitions,
privatizations, financings, inbound investments, licensing and regulatory matters, as well as litigation, arbitration and
other dispute resolution, both in domestic courts and abroad.
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Intellectual Property
Orrick has experience in intellectual property issues in Russia and the CIS, including patent,
trademark and copyright protection issues. Orrick lawyers have advised on technology transfer issues and on the
transfer, licensing and protection of computer software, aerospace technology, specialized manufacturing expertise
and other high-tech areas, including U.S. and Russian defense-related technologies.
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Energy and Natural Resources
Orrick's energy and natural resources lawyers are ranked internationally as leaders in their field. A
number of our partners were recognized by Chambers Global: The World’s Leading Lawyers 2009 and
listed in Euromoney’s most recent Guide to the World’s Leading Energy and Natural Resource
Lawyers.
Lawyers in Orrick's Russia Practice Group have been at the forefront of many major developments
in the Russian energy sector, including the first project financings for energy projects in Russia (which were the first
energy transactions financed by multilateral and bilateral financial institutions in the region). These transactions
became industry standards and models for future production sharing, project financings and joint ventures in Russia.
Orrick lawyers have also advised multinational oil companies on all legal aspects of pipeline transportation in
Russia. The experience of Orrick lawyers in Russian energy projects includes representing the investors under
each of Russia’s three "grandfathered" production sharing agreements, which are among the largest foreign
investment projects in Russia to date.
Orrick attorneys have also represented many multinational and independent oil and gas companies
in joint ventures and M&A transactions in the Russian energy sector.
We also have significant experience in hard mineral mining projects, including the establishment
and project financing of a gold mining joint venture, and the representation of foreign mining companies in acquiring
mineral licenses and equity stakes in Russian mineral exploration and development companies.
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