The most unpleasant thing for any business operator is to be confronted at a critical moment with something you don’t understand. But is it reasonable to employ a large legal staff for such an eventuality?

Legal regulation of technology does not end with intellectual property rights in the product. What about disputes with clients or contractors over payment and quality of work?

Most frustrating, everything’s written in the contract says, but you’ve skimmed over it.

Do you know what to do in a shareholder dispute with your company's co-founders and venture capitalists? In such disputes - which all too often end with the founders losing the company - we have successfully defended our clients' interests.

Finally, if a startup fails to rocket and the company must go bankrupt or "quietly" close, we can assist you in avoiding risks to the founders and senior managers, who are liable for the company's debts with their personal assets.

Investors and buyers, lenders, contractors, government agencies, housing and utilities and energy suppliers, customers, urban conservationists... that’s a lot of forts for construction market players to hold!

We have defended the interests of construction companies many times in cases of challenging regulatory orders, urban development plans, preliminary building regulations and permits, and state expert reports, as well as in disputes over the quality and timeliness of works, recognition of rights to facilities, transfer of facilities, and documentation.

This means that our specialists know and understand the ins and outs of the construction industry, andindustry and can develop the appropriate defence strategy - or attack - and gather all the evidence in your favour.

We will help you assess your chances of winning, advocate your interests in negotiations and in trial, help you enforce a court judgement, and tell you how to draw up documents to make things easier the next time you are in a courtroom.

We can help you protect the rights to your business, real estate and other individual assets, recover your debts and restructure your own liabilities, both at the negotiating table and in court.

Business beneficiaries, CEOs, board members and other senior executives also risk their personal assets in a corporate bankruptcy, and courts way too often dismiss arguments about the lack of actual control over the business. A successful defence in secondary liability cases requires a particularly thorough collection of evidence and arguments – at RU.Courts, we have the expertise to handle that.

We know from experience that every corporate and commercial dispute is a complex matter, which is why we use diverse and non-trivial tools to protect our clients – from PR to private investigators.

We know the law and how the Russian judicial system works, and we use everything at our disposal and more to win. If you need the assistance of a criminal defence attorney or lawyers outside Russia, we find trusted advisors and ensure everything goes smoothly.

our team:

An experienced litigation lawyer with extensive expertise in real estate and construction, Alexey Ageev has been practicing for more than 13 years.

During this time he has successfully conducted dozens of mandates challenging regulatory orders, city planning ordinances, temporary building regulations, construction permits, and state expert review reports; as well as disputes over the quality and timeliness of works, recognition of rights to facilities, transfer of facilities and documentation.

Defended a construction client against a contractor’s claim for recovery of over 9.5 million RUB for allegedly-performed electrical installation work.

Defended one of the leaders in St. Petersburg's residential construction market in a dispute with a state unitary enterprise from Rostec's perimeter regarding termination of an investment contract as a major transaction made without the owner's approval. The client's plans to build a residential complex were at stake.

Represented the interests of one of the largest construction companies in the Northwestern Federal District in a dispute with an architectural studio over recovery of over 5 million RUB in unused prepayment and transfer of design documentation.

Acted for a construction company in recovery from a public institution of over 16 million RUB in arrears for additional work under a state contract and in the subsequent case for recovery of court expenses.

Arranging for the search of a bankrupt citizen's property abroad and legal representation in claims to restrict international travel and to enforce the discovered property in the interests of the bankruptcy creditor.

Providing legal assistance to former teachers of a design school in recovering wage arrears, coordinating publicity of the conflict and its out-of-court settlement.

Representing a major construction company in several disputes over recovery of multimillion-ruble losses caused by power grid accidents allegedly stemming from violations by the client during construction of a large residential complex in Moscow.

Represented a company that purchased real estate at a bankrupt municipal enterprise tender, in a dispute with the municipality over recognition of ownership and in the ensuing bankruptcy case.

Acted for a customer under an agreement for contracting and supplying modules for upgrading a data centre in Moscow in a dispute over recovery of a contractual penalty of over 9 million RUB for breach of work deadlines.

More case-studies:

Specialising for 13 years in litigation in connection with corporate governance and corporate transactions and protection of shareholder rights, Ilya Kavinskiy also advises on asset and equity transactions and conducts legal due diligence.

Additionally, he represents companies and entrepreneurs in disputes with public authorities.

Acted for a company in a corporate conflict in which one of the shareholders hindered the company's operations by attempting to challenge regular transactions, and then attempting to replace the CEO. All cases won.

Defended a company against attempts by a "new" shareholder to challenge the CEO's decisions to set up subsidiaries. All cases won.

Pre-trial settlement of several claims for recovery of damages from board members totalling over 30 million RUB for a leader of the Russian textile industry. The client's claims were satisfied in full.

Defended a spouse shareholder in a dispute over unlawful payment by said shareholder's former spouse of about 9 million RUB in additional remuneration to himself as a director of the company. Won the dispute; the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation denied review.

Defended a client's interests in two disputes with a major Russian bank. In one case, the court recognised the debtor's obligations as fulfilled based solely on circumstantial evidence. In the second, the amount owed was reduced by 30%: Ilya Kavinskiy proved that the bank had made an arithmetical error in its calculation.

Challenged a ruling by the Urals Customs Directorate and the Russian Federal Customs Service on pre-customs classification of electronic components delivered with a gross violation. The customs authorities applied to the imported goods the only import code that allowed customs duty to be assessed. Achieved victory in the courts of three instances. The additional customs duty of over 3 million RUB already paid by the client was also successfully challenged.

Defending the former CEO of a major trading firm in a bankruptcy appeal court. Recovery of documents and assets of the company, invalidation of the transaction and bringing the principal to subsidiary liability were denied.

Arranging for the search of a bankrupt citizen's property abroad and delivery of movable property to Russia; legal representation in claims to restrict the debtor from international travel and to levy execution on the property found in the interests of the bankruptcy creditor.

More case-studies:

Aigul Khalikova has more than 5 years of experience in commercial, corporate and administrative litigation, and acting for companies and individuals in disputes with public authorities in arbitration courts and courts of general jurisdiction.

She has repeatedly represented clients in disputes arising from contractor agreements, supply contracts, unjust enrichment recovery cases, and labour disputes, as well as in pre-trial claim settlement and enforcement proceedings.

Defended the rights of a private client in several disputes over recovery of debts under loan agreements from individuals. The client's claims were satisfied in full, and writs of execution were obtained.

Protection of the rights of a chain of boutiques of adult goods in a series of court disputes with the St. Petersburg Committee for Press and Media Relations. All of the committee's rulings to hold the client administratively liable (placing a sign without proper authorisation) were found to be unlawful.

Recovery of uncollected advance payment made by a private client under a service contract. Dispute settled by amicable agreement on terms favourable to the client.

Acting for the defendant, contractor under a state contract, obtained a two-thirds reduction of the penalty by proving breach of contract on the part of the customer.

Roman Zhirnov,

Roman Zhirnov advises on corporate law matters, investments and b2b contracts. Since 2006, Roman has been representing clients in arbitration courts, advising Russian and international financial, infrastructure and energy companies on Russian law issues, drafting legal opinions and all necessary documentation for mergers and acquisitions, and secured financing transactions. Roman also advises clients on compliance matters, and issues related to sanctions and restrictive measures.

Advising and preparing corporate and issuance documentation for a property development company in Tatarstan (a Russian region) to organize the first issue of discount commercial bonds in Russia (intended for qualified investors).

Corporate restructuring of a holding company that combines management and production assets in Russia and abroad: changing the ownership structure with a decrease in the foreign share in order to reduce the risks of OFAC sanctions and deoffshorization, transfer of JV assets to sub-holdings, analysis of the borrower's loan documentation.

Representing a Russian manufacturing company in the ICAC at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a dispute with a foreign partner related to cooperation contracts and the supply of hi-tech goods.

Drafting security documentation (pledge of participation interests and land plots, penalty put and call options) and preparing legal opinion for a mezzanine loan facility provided to AAG property development company by Otkritie Bank in St. Petersburg.

Senior Associate

Advising JSOC Bashneft on issues of reorganization and corporate restructuring of legal entities involving several public and non-public joint stock companies (“transition to a single share”), including a disproportionate division of assets with INTER RAO, and providing legal assistance in course of relevant corporate procedures.

Providing legal support on the establishment of a joint venture between a foreign investor and MDM Bank on the basis of a Russian company producing polyethylene terephthalate by converting a loan debt to the bank into equity capital

Conducting due diligence reviews on request of QAZKOM banking group providing syndicated loan facilities to numerous Russian organizations in the Tomsk region, in Moscow, in St. Petersburg, in the Kaliningrad region, etc.

Advising the subtenants of land plots assigned for land development, the rights to which were re-registered by the tenant when dividing the land plot into 1014 new ones, and representing the subtenants in the court of general jurisdiction.

Примеры прочих судебных споров:

Ariana specializes in corporate and commercial disputes, advises on M&A transactions and commercial contracts.

She regularly prepares and edits draft contracts and shareholder agreements, statements of claim and other documents, participates in transaction negotiations and represents clients in arbitration courts and courts of general jurisdiction.

Ariana Altukhova,

Successful pro bono defense of the rights of employees of one of the hospitals in St. Petersburg in a litigation on the recovery of a lump sum insurance payment for medical workers who got infected at work at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organization of the search for property of a bankrupt Russian citizen abroad and representation of the scheduled creditor in claims to restrict travel abroad and to levy a penalty on discovered property in the interests of a creditor.

младший юрист

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