10 June 2021
EPAM Dominates Best Lawers® 2022 Rankings

In Russia, EPAM once again reaffirms market leader status with the release of Best Lawyers® 2022 rankings, which recommend 94 lawyers of the Firm  18 of which have been rated for the first time. Additionally, the Firm has also been recognised as the Law Firm of the Year in Russia for Labor and Employment Law.  

6 lawyers of the Firm have been granted Lawyer of the Year status:

  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner –Project Finance and Development
  • Dmitriy Glazounov, Partner and head of Banking & Finance, Capital Markets Practice –Financial Institutions
  • Elena Agaeva, Head of M&A and Corporate Law Practice (St. Petersburg) –Corporate Law
  • Olga Mischenko, Head of Real Estate, Construction and PPP Practice (St. Petersburg) –Real Estate and Construction
  • Pavel Sadovsky, Head of Intellectual Property / ТМТ Practice –Entertainment Law
  • Sergey Korolyov, Counsel – Appellate Practice.

In total, the Firm’s experts have been recommended for various areas of law 261 times. Managing Partner of the Firm Ilya Nikiforov is still the leader in terms of number of references; Best Lawyers has recommended him for 16 areas of law in Russia.

For the Firm’s relevant practices, International Arbitration, Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation, including the essential Bet-the-Company Litigation - 41 lawyers have been recommended 64 times:

  • Dimitry Afanasiev, Chairman - International Arbitration and Litigation
  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner - International Arbitration, Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation
  • Valery Eremenko, Partner co-heading Litigation Practice - Bet-the-Company Litigation and Litigation
  • Denis Arkhipov, Partner co-heading Litigation Practice - Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation
  • Evgeny Raschevsky, Partner co-heading International Arbitration and Litigation Practice - International Arbitration, Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation
  • Andrew Lomas, Co-Head of International Arbitration & Litigation Practice (ranked for the first time) - International Arbitration
  • Dmitry Stepanov, Partner - International Arbitration, Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation
  • Vera Rikhterman, Partner - Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation
  • Ivan Smirnov, Managing Partner of the St. Petersburg Office - Litigation
  • Robin Wittering, Partner - International Arbitration and Litigation
  • Victoria Burkovskaya, Partner - Bet-the-Company Litigation and Litigation
  • Konstantin Tretyakov, Partner - Litigation
  • Andrey Porfiriev, Partner - Litigation
  • Maria Kobanenko, Partner - Litigation
  • Evgeny Gurchenko, Counsel (St. Petersburg) - Arbitration and Mediation, Litigation and Appellate Practice
  • Ilya Tur, Counsel (St. Petersburg) - International Arbitration, Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation
  • Igor Serebryakov, Counsel - Litigation
  • Pavel Sadovsky, Counsel - Litigation
  • Denis Gavrilov, Counsel - Litigation
  • Ekaterina Slivko, Counsel - Litigation
  • Tatyana Neveeva, Counsel - Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation
  • Vladimir Talanov, Counsel - International Arbitration and Litigation
  • Oleg Bouiko, Counsel - Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation
  • Alexey Rodionov, Counsel - Litigation
  • Sergey Korolyov, Counsel - Litigation
  • Julia Bobrova, Counsel - Litigation
  • Anton Berezin, Counsel - International Arbitration
  • Lev Vsilievykh, Counsel - Litigation and Appellate Practice
  • Anna Ivanova, Head of Employment Law Practice - Litigation
  • Ays Lidzhanova, Senior Associate (St. Petersburg) - Arbitration and Mediation, International Arbitration and Litigation
  • Oleg Valkov, Senior Associate - Litigation
  • Artem Magunov, Senior Associate (St. Petersburg) - Arbitration and Mediation and Appellate Practice
  • Grigory Shafeev, Senior Associate - Litigation
  • Maxim Burda, Senior Associate - Litigation
  • Alexander Svashenko, Senior Associate (St. Petersburg) - International Arbitration, Arbitration and Mediation and Litigation
  • Arnaud Bourgeois, Senior Associate (ranked for the first time) - International Arbitration
  • Oxana Gogunskaya, Senior Associate (ranked for the first time) - International Arbitration
  • Stanislav Dobshevich, Senior Associate (ranked for the first time) - International Arbitration, Arbitration and Mediation
  • Alexander Kiselev, Senior Associate (ranked for the first time) - Arbitration and Mediation
  • Ilya Novoselov, Senior Associate (ranked for the first time) - Litigation
  • Andrey Esmansky, Associate (ranked for the first time) - Arbitration and Mediation

For Corporate Law, 22 lawyers have been noted:

  • Dimitry Afanasiev, Chairman
  • Elena Gavrilina, Partner
  • Dmitriy Glazounov, Partner
  • Valery Eremenko, Partner
  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner
  • Arkady Krasnikhin, Partner
  • Denis Arkhipov, Partner
  • Ivan Smirnov, Managing Partner of the St. Petersburg Office
  • Michael Copeland, Partner
  • Natalia Korosteleva, Partner
  • Evgeny Bolshakov, Partner
  • Dmitry Stepanov, Partner
  • Robin Wittering, Partner
  • Maria Kobanenko, Partner
  • Alexey Andrusenko, Counsel
  • Elena Agaeva, Counsel
  • Roman Malovitsky, Counsel
  • Tatiana Neveeva, Counsel
  • Igor Serebryakov, Counsel
  • Daria Ilyina, Counsel (ranked for the first time)
  • Pavel Sukholinskiy, Counsel (ranked for the first time)

For Competition/Antitrust Law, The Best Lawyers 2022 recommends 17 lawyers of the Firm in Russia:

  • Dimitry Afanasiev, Chairman
  • Natalia Korosteleva, Partner
  • Anna Numerova, Partner
  • Evgeny Bolshakov, Partner
  • Ivan Smirnov, Managing Partner of the St. Petersburg Office
  • Taras Rabko, Partner
  • Denis Arkhipov, Partner
  • Arkady Krasnikhin, Partner
  • Denis Gavrilov, Counsel
  • Maria Kobanenko, Partner
  • Elena Agaeva, Counsel
  • Alexey Rodionov, Counsel
  • Elena Kazak, Senior Associate
  • Olga Denchenkova, Senior Associate
  • Ksenia Firsova, Senior Associate
  • Anna Arutyunyan, Senior Associate
  • Grigory Shafeev, Senior Associate

For Insolvency and Reorganization, the guide commends 15 best lawyers from the Firm:

  • Valery Eremenko, Partner
  • Denis Arkhipov, Partner
  • Evgeny Raschevsky, Partner
  • Ivan Smirnov, Managing Partner of the St. Petersburg Office
  • Dmitry Stepanov, Partner
  • Arkady Krasnikhin, Partner
  • Andrey Mashkovtsev, Partner
  • Dmitriy Glazounov, Partner
  • Vera Rikhterman, Partner
  • Ekaterina Slivko, Counsel
  • Evgeny Gurchenko, Counsel
  • Oleg Bouiko, Counsel
  • Ilya Tur, Counsel
  • Sergey Korolyov, Counsel
  • Ays Lidzhanova, Senior Associate

9 experts have been recommended for Criminal Defense:

  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner
  • Victoria Burkovskaya, Partner
  • Andrey Porfiriev, Partner
  • Ildar Mustafin, Counsel
  • Andrey Bastrakov, Counsel (ranked for the first time)
  • Elena Pristanskova (Novikova), Senior Associate
  • Andrey Tuzov, Counsel,
  • Konstantin Elfimov, Senior Associate
  • Tatyana Lupandina, Senior Associate (ranked for the first time)

12 lawyers have been recommended for M&A:

  • Dimitry Afanasiev, Chairman
  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner
  • Arkady Krasnikhin, Partner
  • Ilona Zekely, Partner (ranked for the first time)
  • Dmitry Stepanov, Partner
  • Dmitriy Glazounov, Partner
  • Robin Wittering, Partner
  • Michael Copeland, Partner
  • Maria Kobanenko, Partner
  • Elena Agaeva, Counsel
  • Roman Malovitsky, Counsel
  • Konstantin Semyakin, Senior Associate (ranked for the first time)

For Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice, the guide has noted:

  • Dimitry Afanasiev, Chairman
  • Dmitry Stepanov, Partner
  • Elena Agaeva, Counsel
  • Roman Malovitsky, Counsel
  • Alexey Andrusenko, Counsel
  • Elena Kvartnikova, Associate

The following lawyers have been recommended for Banking and Finance Law, Capital Markets and Financial Institutions:

  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner - Banking and Finance Law
  • Dmitriy Glazounov, Partner - Banking and Finance Law, Capital Markets, Financial Institutions
  • Ilona Zekely, Partner (ranked for the first time)
  • Sergey Kalinin, Partner - Banking and Finance Law
  • Roman Malovitsky, Counsel - Banking and Finance Law
  • Alexander Mandzhiev, Counsel - Capital Markets
  • Oleg Ushakov, Counsel - Capital Markets
  • Maxim Baryshev, Senior Associate (ranked for the first time)

Partner Dmitriy Glazounov and Counsel Roman Malovitsky have been recommended for Structured Finance Law. Counsel Oleg Ushakov has been recommended for Venture Capital Law and Structured Finance Law, and Senior Associate Vladimir Goglachev has been noted for Lending (Leveraged Buyouts).

For Construction and Real Estate Laws, as well as Land Use and Zoning Law, the guide has endorsed 10 experts:

  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner - Construction and Real Estate Laws
  • Elena Gavrilina, Partner - Construction and Real Estate Laws, as well as Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Ivan Smirnov, Managing Partner of the St. Petersburg Office - Construction and Real Estate Laws
  • Ilona Zekely, Partner (ranked for the first time)
  • Anton Alekseev, Counsel - Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Evgeny Gurchenko, Counsel - Real Estate Law
  • Olga Mischenko, Counsel - Construction and Real Estate Laws
  • Roman Malovitsky, Counsel - Real Estate Law
  • Yuri Nadezhin, Senior Associate - Construction Law
  • Yuri Nefedov, Senior Associate (ranked for the first time)

The leading experts for Investment are:

  • Dimitry Afanasiev, Chairman
  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner
  • Ivan Smirnov, Managing Partner of the St. Petersburg Office
  • Ilona Zekely, Partner (ranked for the first time)
  • Natalia Korosteleva, Partner
  • Arkady Krasnikhin, Partner
  • Roman Malovitsky, Counsel
  • Elena Agaeva, Counsel
  • Tatyana Boyko, Senior Associate

Experts for Intellectual Property Law, Telecommunications Law, and Media Law are:

  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner - Intellectual Property Law and Telecommunications Law
  • Pavel Sadovsky, Counsel - Intellectual Property Law, Telecommunications Law, and Media Law
  • Denis Arkhipov, Partner - Intellectual Property Law and Telecommunications Law
  • Irina Kosovskaya, Counsel - Intellectual Property Law
  • Daria Sergeeva, Senior Associate - Intellectual Property Law
  • Maxim Burda, Associate - Intellectual Property Law and Telecommunications Law

For Information Technology Law, Entertainment Law and Technology Law, Best Lawyers recommends

  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner - Technology Law
  • Pavel Sadovsky, Counsel - Information Technology Law, Entertainment Law and Technology Law
  • Daria Sergeeva, Senior Associate - Technology Law

Counsel Helen Avakyan has been recommended for FinTech.

The best lawyers for Labor and Employment, and Immigration Laws are:

  • Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner - Labor and Employment Law
  • Elena Agaeva, Counsel - Labor and Employment Law
  • Anna Ivanova, Head of Employment Law - Labor and Employment Law, including Employee Benefits Law, and Immigration Law, as well as outsourcing
  • Evgeniya Fedoreeva, Senior Associate - Immigration Law

Chairman Dimitry Afanasiev and Partners Taras RabkoElena Gavrilina and Dmitry Stepanov have been recommended by Best Lawyers for Government Relations Practice.

For Tax Law, the guide recommends Partner Sergey Kalinin, Counsels Igor Schikow and Ekaterina Roletr, Senior Associates Torez Kulumbegov and Olga Morozova.

The guide recommends Senior Associate Anastasiya Boytsova for Environmental and Water Laws and Senior Associate Alexander Miloserdov (ranked for the first time) for Environmental Law, as well as Counsel Sergey Ustalov and Associate Anton Kleschenko for Energy and Natural Resources Law.

Partners Anna NumerovaTaras Rabko and Dmitry Stepanov have been recognised for Government Practice.

Partner Sergey Kalinin and Counsel Denis Golubev have been named experts in Trusts and Estates.

Managing Partner of the St. Petersburg Office Ivan Smirnov and Counsel Vladimir Talanov have been recommended for Trade Law.

Partner Andrey Porfiriev and Counsel Helen Avakyan  have been recommended Administrative Law.

Best Lawyers 2021 has noted Counsel Alexey Karchiomov (St. Petersburg) for Customs and Excise Law and first time ever for Maritime Law.

Partner Evgeny Raschevsky has been recommended for Public Law and Civil Rights Law.

Counsel Elena Agaeva has been named an expert in Regulatory Practice.

The guide recommends Counsel Roman Zhavner for Non-Profit/Charities Law.

For Project Finance and Development, Best Lawyers highlights Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner, and Counsels Roman Malovitsky and Olga Mischenko.

The Firm’s Insurance Law experts are Ilya Nikiforov, Managing Partner and Partner Vera Rikhterman.

In Ukraine, 4 experts have been noted: Oksana Ilchenko, Managing Partner of the Kyiv Office, (Corporate Law, Antitrust / Competition Law and M&A), Ilona Zekely, Partner (M&A, Banking and Finance Law, Investment, Land Use and Zoning Law, Construction Law and Real Estate Law), Aleksandra Yevstafyeva, Senior Associate (Labor and Employment Law, including Employee Benefits Law and Corporate Governance and Compliance Practice) and Natalia Spiridonova, Senior Associate (Antitrust / Competition Law).

In the UK, the guide recommends Allen Thomas, Managing Partner of the London Office for Corporate Law.

Best Lawyers is an international peer review publication in the legal profession.

Key contacts

Aleksander Svashenko

Aleksander Svashenko

St. Petersburg

Alexey Karchiomov

Alexey Karchiomov

St. Petersburg

Andrey Tuzov

Andrey Tuzov

St. Petersburg

Anna Numerova

Anna Numerova

Moscow

Arkady Krasnikhin

Arkady Krasnikhin

Moscow, Limassol

Daria Ilyina

Daria Ilyina

Moscow

Denis Arkhipov

Denis Arkhipov

Moscow, Limassol

Evgeny Gurchenko

Evgeny Gurchenko

St. Petersburg

Elena Agaeva

Elena Agaeva

St. Petersburg

Ivan Smirnov

Ivan Smirnov

St. Petersburg

Ilya Nikiforov

Ilya Nikiforov

Moscow, St. Petersburg

Oleg Bouiko

Oleg Bouiko

Moscow

Olga Morozova

Olga Morozova

Moscow

Sergey Kalinin

Sergey Kalinin

Moscow, UAE, Limassol

Sergey Korolyov

Sergey Korolyov

St. Petersburg

Taras Rabko

Taras Rabko

Moscow

Julia Bobrova

Julia Bobrova

Moscow

Denis Golubev

Denis Golubev

Moscow