Banking and Finance

Formulating the legal position and representing the interests of the main players in the Russian securities market – organizers of the public placement of issue-grade securities – about issues concerning the legality of existing regulatory rules and about taxation questions.

Advising one of Russia’s largest private investment groups on the tax risks associated with the placement of issue-grade securities.

Consulting to one of Russia’s largest power-utility holdings, TNS Energo Group PJSC, during the structuring of a multijurisdictional transaction with one of the biggest Russian state banks, VTB Bank (PJSC), involving the attraction of debt financing and the sale of a block of the utility’s shares. The project is valued at more than USD 170 mln.

Consulting to and protecting the interests of the Far East Development Corporation in an audit conducted by the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation investigating the corporation’s actions at the time of its conclusion of agreements for the provision of subsidies to certain residents of advanced special socioeconomic zones (ASEZ)

Protecting the rights and lawful interests of the Far East Development Corporation in the consideration by the magistrate courts of cases alleging administrative offences, as expressed in the violation of rules governing the provision of subsidies, in an amount of roughly RUB 1 bln.

Providing legal support in appealing the regulator’s revocation of the license held by the country’s largest private pension fund, thereby preventing losses to our client of more than RUB 4 bln.

Providing legal assistance to the Agency for the Development of Human Capital in the Far East, and protecting its interests, under an audit conducted by the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation (audit of the agency’s compliance with the Russian Federal Law “On the 2016 Federal Budget” and budgetary reporting on its performance of the 2016 federal budget).

Representing our client’s interests in a dispute over the recovery of the amount of a state guarantee from a Russian Federation constituent entity. The dispute was complicated by the minority shareholder’s initiation of a lawsuit challenging the validity of the loan agreement backed by the aforementioned guarantee. The amount in dispute totals RUB 1.3 bln.

Advising and representing the interests of Russia’s largest private bank in a conflict with the international investment funds Starr Russia Investments III B.V. and JCF FPK I AIV ITB S.à r.l. for more than RUB 7 bln.

Advising a bailed-out bank in the formulation of its legal position and representing its interests in court in a challenge to the legality of the bank’s unilateral repudiation of certain subordinated loan agreements valued at over RUB 3 bln.

Advising in the formulation of a bailed-out bank’s legal position, and representing its interests in court, in a challenge brought by the bank’s former shareholders against orders and decisions by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation on the introduction of temporary administration and approval of the bailout plan.

Consulting to Mercedes Bank Rus on its use of an unconventional arrangement in the banking-services market for lending to private individuals and individual entrepreneurs, in terms of identifying risks associated with the violation of applicable legislation against money laundering and the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).

Representing the interests of one of the leading international brokerages in the pre-litigation settlement of a contentious situation involving the overcharging of taxes under certain currency options during operations with one of Russia’s largest private banks. The overcharge amounted to more than RUB 7 bln.

Consulting the bridge bank, one of Russia’s 50 biggest, in a dispute with a too-big-to-fail lending institution, one of Russia’s 10 largest banks, challenging certain surety and debt-transfer transactions in a total amount of over RUB 2.8 bln.

Representing the interests of one of the country’s largest banks in a precedent-setting case looking into the execution by banks of non-cash settlements against the backdrop of existing sanctions and the presence of SDN-individuals within the structure of the deal.

Representing the interests of a bank in its challenge against certain agreements concluded by its former administration on the provision of mortgage bonds and avals in the amount of RUB 3.6 bln.

Full-service handling of a series of interrelated lawsuits arising from a bank’s disputes with mortgage agencies in the course of the discovery of a scheme for the wrongful withdrawal of funds in the amount of RUB 1 bln.

Consulting to one of Russia’s largest power-utility holdings, TNS Energo Group PJSC, during the structuring of a multijurisdictional transaction with one of the biggest Russian state banks, VTB Bank (PJSC), involving the attraction of debt financing and the sale of a block of the utility’s shares. The project is valued at more than USD 170 mln.