On March 26, 2020, the meeting of the Presidium of the Governmental Commission for Economic Development and Integration introduced new changes to the Expert Group for Corporate Governance, Special Administrative Districts, Bankruptcy Proceedings and Valuation, following it was joined by Dmitry Stepanov, Partner at EPAM.
We continue to monitor carefully the developments around the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). In addition to having optimized internal processes and introduced thorough protective measures in line with international best practice, we have now switched to remote working, as this is the most effective way to help prevent the spread of the virus.
EPAM (EPAM) announces the strengthening of its International Arbitration and Litigation Practice, to be joined by Andrew Lomas, an experienced barrister and a member of the leading chambers One Essex Court.
After 3 years with an international law firm, Igor Schikow is coming back to EPAM. In addition to working with the Tax Practice Team headed by Sergey Kalinin, Igor will also be focusing on development of the Firm’s German Desk.
EPAM is pleased to announce the expansion of its White Collar Crime Practice. On January 27, 2020, Konstantin Tretyakov will join the Firm as a Partner together with Senior Associate Konstantin Elfimov and Associate Maria Kilesso.
In September 2019, popular carpooling service BlaBlaCar announced its intention to purchase Russia’s largest online bus ticket aggregator Busfor. The Firm’s Competition Practice team managed to obtain clearance for this landmark deal from the FAS Russia by proving that it would not limit competition on the market for online bus ticket sales.
EPAM announces its key promotions. Effective January 1, 2020, Sergey Kalinin, Vera Rikhterman and Andrey Mashkovtsev shall be promoted to Partners.
Effective January 1, 2020, the following Senior Lawyers of the Firm shall be promoted as Counsels: Oleg Bouiko and Denis Golubev (Litigation), Daria Ilyina (M&A and Corporate), Ildar Mustafin (WCC), Pavel Sukholinsky (Administrative Law), Sergey Ustalov (Energy) and Alexey Karchiomov (Maritime Shipping / Transport Law and International Trade & Customs in St Petersburg).
On September 22, 2019, following the Qingdao Arbitration Commission (QDAC) meeting, Evgeny Raschevsky, Partner and Head of International Arbitration Practice at EPAM, was appointed as vice president of the International Arbitral Tribunal of the Qingdao Arbitration Commission in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) demonstration area.
A group of bus operators filed a class action lawsuit seeking to ban BlaBlaCar operations in the Russian Federation and to prohibit the information posted on BlaBlaCar’s platfrom. The claimant and the joining operators argued that BlaBlaCar was in breach of passenger and consumer protection laws, and that the advertisements being posted on BlaBlaCar’s official website and on its mobile application were breaking Russian tax law.
Attorneys of the Litigation Practice at EPAM in St. Petersburg have successfully defended the interests of the founders of air carrier Transaero in a dispute over a major loan that formed part of the company’s bankruptcy proceedings.
Attorneys of EPAM have provided pro bono legal consulting to Big Brothers Big Sisters in Russia, a community organisation, that is helping to raise the younger generation. The Firm’s lawyers have developed a set of guidelines addressing legal issues and the types of government assistance available to orphaned children and children whose parents are unable to care for them. The guidelines help both volunteer mentors and children supported by the programme in St. Petersburg to navigate the state benefits system and address legal issues as they arise.
Until recently, Aqua Investments Group, a client of the Firm, in cooperation with Kavminkurortresursy JSC, had successfully protected their exclusive geographical indication (GI) rights to the products Yessentuki N4 and Yessentuki N17 (GI Yessentuki). In most cases, the holder of the GI rights had managed to prevent competitors from launching counterfeit products attempting to use the well-known healing diets and mineralized healing water brands.
In one of the biggest bankruptcy cases in modern Russian history, a team from the Litigation Practice at EPAM in St. Petersburg has successfully deflected the latest claim submitted by the bankruptcy trustee in the Transaero bankruptcy case.
Attorneys of EPAM’ M&A and Corporate Practice advised Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation on the prolongation of CEO powers in order to maintain their Russian subsidiary company