Most Highly Regarded Firms: CIS 2010 - Commercial Litigation
Fifty-eight individuals are included from eight jurisdictions in this chapter.
Magisters leads the research in terms of the geographical reach and number of inclusions. Five litigators appear in the following pages, including Dmitry Dyakin in Moscow, who heads the disputes practice group and Dennis Turovets, head of the Minsk office. Olexiy Reznikov, who is co-head of the firm’s litigation practice, is listed from Kiev and has represented clients such as President Victor Yushchenko and Russian company MTS. Marta Khomyak heads the firm’s office in Astana and has represented the leading CIS based companies in a variety of sectors including the telecommunications, banking and energy industries. Georgy Osipov is based in Moscow and is well regarded in our research for his practice in the field.
Baker & McKenzie LLP’s Vladimir Khvalei, who heads the firm’s dispute resolution practice group in Moscow, has participated in litigations across the CIS and rivals have called him “outstanding.” Azamat Kuatbekov specialises in natural resources litigation in Almaty and is a “first-class litigator.” Gunduz Karimov in Baku and Svitlana Romanova in Kiev were both highly nominated as well.
Salans achieves three inclusions in this chapter: James Hogan, Mikhail Ivanov and Yuliya Mitrofanskaya. Hogan is the managing partner of Salans’ Baku office while Mitrofanskaya is based in Almaty and heads that office’s disputes and IP groups. Mikhail Ivanov is the managing partner of the St Petersburg office and heads the Russian disputes practice.
Our research identifies a further seven lawyers in Azerbaijan. From Adalat Law Firm, Mukhtar Mustafayev provides “excellent” counsel and at BM Law Firm, Frangiz Baghirova has over 26 years of experience successfully representing major oil and telecommunications companies. Javid Hajiyev is a senior lawyer at Fina LLP and is recommended for his “very astute” practice. At Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd, Mehriban Efendiyeva has extensive experience in corporate, finance and tax legislation and at MGB Law Offices Anar Janmammadov is one of the most highly nominated lawyers in this chapter and is regarded as an “expert” in the banking and finance industries. From Omni Law Firm, Ismayil Zargarli is highly recommended, as is Ibrahim Zeynalov, the managing partner of InterJurService Ltd.
Mikhail A Rozenberg of Chadbourne & Parke LLP’s Moscow office is “highly regarded” and has represented a number of prominent Russian and international banks in disputes. Sergei Vataev in Almaty and is praised for his work in representing oil companies in disputes.
In Kazakhstan a further four outstanding lawyers are featured. The “highly talented” Yulia Chumachenko joined Aequitas in 1997 is well known for her litigation work for domestic and international clients. From McGuireWoods LLP, Vladimir Furman has more than 23 years of litigation experience in a range of areas including securities, corporate law, labour law, telecommunications and real estate. At Bracewell & Giuliani LLP, Zhanar Kassymbekova is well regarded for her litigation experience in the courts of Kazakhstan and from Macleod Dixon LLP, Maxim Telemtayev heads the firm’s practice in the country and has over ten years of experience concerning the mining, oil and gas, uranium and telecommunications industries.
White & Case LLP’s co-head of disputes, Alexey Barnashov, is based in Moscow and is “very respected” for his experience in construction and product liability dispute resolution. Marat Ibragimov is included from the firm’s Almaty office and is considered “an authority with local expertise” in the area of natural resources disputes.
Clifford Chance LLP has two lawyers featured. Timur Aitkulov is based in Moscow and is regarded as a “very reputable” lawyer providing domestic and cross-border litigation services. Ivan Marisin is a senior partner in Moscow and previously successfully represented Mosnarbank in a US$100 million litigation.
Prominent Russian firm Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners has two listings and is known for advising clients such as BP, Eurocement Group and the government of the Russian Federation. In Moscow, Grigory Chernyshov is considered “a top-notch domestic litigator” and Ilya Nikiforov is “one of the best in St Petersburg.” At Duvernoix Legal, Igor Guschev joined the firm in 2003 and receives praise for his counsel and at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, the “brilliant” Yaroslav Klimov heads the firm’s dispute resolution practice in Russia. The “first rate” Andrei Korelskiy is head of dispute resolution at Vegas-Lex and the “superb” Dmitry Kurochkin at Herbert Smith LLP heads the firm’s litigation group in Moscow. From Hogan & Hartson LLP, Ilya Rybalkin has “excellent experience” in providing legal strategies in connection with international litigations and from Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, Sergei Volfson is head of the CIS dispute resolution practice and has “extensive knowledge” in complex litigation in Russia and internationally.
Two firms performed exceptionally well in Belarus. Businessconsult achieves two inclusions and is considered by peers to have “an outstanding disputes practice”. Dmitry Bokhan and Timour Sysouev are both highly nominated in our research. Vlasova Mikhel & Partners also has two listings in the following pages. Managing partner Konstantin Mikhel is “an important player in Belarussian litigation”, while Alexey Anischenko was praised by our sources for being “smart and resourceful.” From Law Group “Argument”, Denis Aleinikov is “fantastic” and at Borovtsov & Salei, Alexander Botian is an “innovative” lawyer and is a member of the working group for the development of the civil code of the Republic of Belarus. Alexander Khrapoutsky at Vashkevich Sapego & Khrapoutsky provides “very precise and technical” counsel.
In Armenia, International Legal Consulting has two lawyers listed. Artak Khachatrian and Edward Mouradian are well regarded for their practice in the country. Karen Zadoyan is the managing partner of Legal Alliance and specialises in commercial, corporate and labour law. At Grant Thornton Amyot, Vahagn Mikayelyan is “highly respected” for his banking practice.
Ukrainian firm Vasil Kisil & Partners sees two of its lawyers recognised for their litigation achievements in this publication. Oleksiy Filatov is head of the Vasil Kisil litigation group and is considered “an expert in IP litigation.” Oleg Makarov, who is the managing partner of the firm, is “a star” who brings 20 years of international and domestic litigation experience to the table. From Arzinger, managing partner of the firm Sergey Shklyar is regarded as a “tremendous” lawyer in the field and at Grischenko & Partners, Sergei Voitovich is “highly reputable”.
Rivals call Lorenz’s Stephan Wagner “a skilled and knowledgeable litigator” and Niyaz Aldashev is also included from Bishkek, Kyrgysztan. In Moldova, Turcan & Turcan has two inclusions. Managing partner Alexander Turcan is “great for financial litigation” and Carolina Parcalab is “smart and hardworking.” Roger Gladei is managing partner of Gladei & Partners and is regarded as a “very solid and reliable” lawyer. Victor Burac at his own firm is “very skillful”.