Dispute resolution in Russia/CIS

What we do?

Local litigation, international arbitration and cross-border disputes in the following areas:

	Banking and finance		Product liability
	Bankruptcy, financial restructuring and insolvency		Public and administrative law
	Construction and engineering		Regulation and investigations, including compliance, regulatory and enforcement
	Employment and labour		Corporate
	Insurance		Transport, including aviation, rail and shipping

Awards and accolades

Norton Rose Fulbright has significant experience and exposure in international arbitration. Its team consists of highly qualified, knowledgeable and talented specialists, who deliver excellent work within strict time limits.Dispute resolution: arbitration and mediation The Legal 500 EMEA 2021, Russia

You get what you expect from a global firm in terms of service and quality. We are happy with the quality and their policy towards us.International and cross-border disputes Chambers Global 2021, Russia

Tier 2 International arbitrationPravo.ru-300, 2021

Tier 3 Dispute resolution: litigationThe Legal 500 EMEA 2021, Russia

Tier 3 Dispute resolution: arbitration and mediationThe Legal 500 EMEA 2021, Russia

Band 4 International and cross-border disputesChambers Global 2021, Russia

Band 4 Dispute resolution: DomesticChambers Global 2021, Russia

The team

	Yaroslav Klimov Partner, Head of Russia / CIS dispute resolution and litigation 25+ years of practice Recommended by The Legal 500, Chambers & Partners, Who’s Who Legal, Best Lawyers, Expert Guides, Pravo.ru - 300 Included in The Legal 500 “Arbitration Powerlist: CIS and Caucasus”, Inaugural Lawdragon Global Litigation 500 list 100+ international and domestic disputes Member of the Moscow Bar, 1997 Doctor of law, 2000 Arbitrator at HKIAC, SIAC, LCIA TIAC, RSPP, RAA and others Member of the ICC Commission on International Arbitration Russian, English, German, French
	Alexey Borodak  Counsel 20 years of practice Included in Acritas Stars list 2017-2020 100+ insurance litigations 50+ construction disputes, land disputes, disputes over property, general commercial, corporate and regulatory disputes Internal investigations and compliance Russian, English
	Ekaterina Merkulova Senior associate 15+ years of practice 50+ court cases Banking and finance-related disputes, corporate and commercial litigation, insolvency and restructuring, administrative disputes Russian, English
	Sergey Avakyan Senior associate 8+ years of practice Personal ranking in Pravo.ru-300 in International arbitration 40+ court cases International commercial arbitration Disputes in technology and innovation sector, real estate disputes, construction and insurance disputes, general commercial and administrative disputes Additional qualification and expertize in FinTech and blockchain technologies sectors Russian, English, German, Armenian
	Natalia Klimova Associate 10 + years of practice 30+ court cases Proceedings in 5+ foreign jurisdictions Defamation and conspiracy Cross-border disputes, corporate and general commercial disputes, insolvency and restructuring, disputes over property Employment and labour Russian, English, French

Representative experience

Financial institutions

Leading Russian bank– Acting for a leading Russian bank in a dispute against a major Italian energy trader and a holding company incorporated in the Bahamas. The dispute relates to recovery from the above companies of the amounts due to the bank guarantees issuance agreement and the deed of guarantee and indemnity to secure obligations under the guarantees issuance agreement. The amount of dispute exceeds €40 million.

A foreign insurance company– Advising a foreign insurance company as defendant in connection with the claim on the loss of profits brought up by insurance brokers and worth more than US$15 million.

International finance corporation– Acting for the International finance corporation and successfully defending from being brought to subsidiary liability in the amount of US$55,7 million in frame of bankruptcy proceedings of large Israeli chain of malls in DIY segment. The case had been heard in the Arbitrazh court of the city of Moscow.

Sinking of the jack-up rig Kolskaya– Advising Catlin Underwriting Agencies Limited on coverage and related issues arising out of the sinking of the jack-up rig Kolskaya on in the sea of Okhotsk; the jack-up rig is a total loss (insured at US$100 million).

Energy

Solar projects– Representing a Cyprus based company which holds shares in a number of solar projects in Japan and other countries, in ICC arbitration and related court proceedings in the Netherlands and Cyprus; the dispute arising out of shareholders agreements exceeded €50 million.

American multinational energy corporation– Avising American multinational energy corporation on various Russian law issues in frame of the corporate conflict in its Russian joint venture in oil sector.

Major Japan based energy company– Acting for a major Japan based energy company in the consumers litigation proceedings regarding claiming damages for the alleged breach of consumers’ rights.

Infrastructure, mining and commodities

Russian iron ore company– Representing Russian iron ore company in an ICC construction arbitration seated in Singapore. The dispute against a major Chinese contractor arose out of multiple violations of the EPC Contract (governed by Russian law) by the Chinese side in the course of EPC construction project in the Eastern part of Russia. The claim amount is more than US$70 million.

Leading Russian EPC company – Acting for a leading Russian project management company in the ICC construction arbitration in Geneva against a Spanish general contractor; the cross-border dispute with value over US$75 million was connected with the modernisation of the oil refinery plant in Russian Far East; the arbitration award in this complex dispute was issued in favour of our client.

European leader in construction – Acting for a European leader in construction, as a claimant in the disputes versus Russian centre of new technologies and innovation for the recovery of unjust enrichment and damages; the case was heard by the Arbitrazh Court of Moscow.

Transport

Major air transport company – Advising major air transport company in connection with the court proceedings initiated by a bankruptcy administrator of a Russian Limited liability Company Vim Airlines before the Arbitrazh (state commercial) Court of the Republic of Tatarstan (Russia).

Dispute over sea port facilities – Acting for Russian largest ammonia producer as a respondent before the Russian regional court in a dispute with the Governor of Krasnodar region who was claiming the ownership of the Krasnodar region administration to the sea port facilities constructed by our client.

Russian leading aircraft manufacturer – Acting for Russian leading aircraft manufacturer in LCIA arbitration against Irish airline company with respect to the termination of the aircrafts lease agreement. The claim amount exceeds US$200 million.

Life sciences and healthcare

Leading medical equipment manufacturer – Representing a leading medical equipment manufacturer with respect to anti-trust investigation initiated by Investigative Committee of Russia in Samara region against company’s employees.

Leading Russian pharmaceutical company – Representing one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in Russia in a dispute against its Estonian supplier arising out of the breach of the terms of the medicine supply agreements.

British pharmaceutical company – Advising major British pharmaceutical company with respect to internal investigation.