Pepeliaev Group

Practice Areas:
Corporate Law; Tax Advice; Tax Litigation; Land Law; Commercial Law; Industrial Real Estate Law; Construction Law; Litigation; Arbitration; Customs Regulations; Securities; Anti-Monopoly Legislation; Consumer Law; Intellectual Property; Investment Projects; Environmental Issues; Regulations; Labour and Employment; Administrative Law; Bankruptcy; Banks and Banking; Business Law; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Communications and Media; Company Law; Criminal Law; Environmental Law; Health Care; Immigration and Naturalisation; Mergers and Acquisitions; Natural Resources; Patents; Real Estate; Taxation; Trademarks; Zoning, Planning and Land Use; Finance; Contracts; Regulatory Law; Agricultural Law

Year Firm Established: 2002

Firm Profile:
With over 160 attorneys based in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, Pepeliaev Group is the leading Russian law firm, which renders legal services in Russia, the CIS and abroad. The firm has more than 1500 clients in different industries, most of which are multinational corporations implementing long-term investment projects in Russia. As one of the first Russian law firms to provide comprehensive legal support for foreign direct investment projects executed by multinational clients in Russia, Pepeliaev Group has extensive practical experience founded on a deep understanding of Russia's legal realities, social, economic and political processes and expectations of investors. The firm's lawyers are a team of highly qualified and skilled professionals, representing clients in negotiations with the Russian authorities at all levels. Pepeliaev Group’s team was highly commended for the work done on the FIFA project with regard to the hosting and staging of the 2018 football World Cup in Russia. Pepeliaev Group’s lawyers were also part of the delegation that negotiated Russia’s accession to the WTO. In 2012, Pepeliaev Group was one of the nominees for the Chambers Europe Best Law Firm in Russia Award. Likewise, in 2012 Chambers Global, Chambers Europe and The Legal 500: Europe, Middle East & Africa recommended Pepeliaev Group as a legal adviser for companies doing business in Russia, with the firm’s tax practice taking the top spot. Sergey Pepeliaev, the Managing Partner of Pepeliaev Group was named by Chambers Global 2012 a Star individual – “a phenomenon, with an unparalleled wealth of experience.” Pepeliaev Group was also nominated in 2012 for the Russian Tax Firm of the Year and the Russian Transfer Pricing Firm of The Year at the ITR EUROPE AWARDS.

Areas of Practice

The Tax Practice is one of the firm's core practice areas. Pepeliaev Group’s legendary and unparalleled skill in tax law has repeatedly led to numerous commendations and awards. With an over 96% victory on all cases, the firm has developed a reputation for being on the cutting edge of tax advocacy. The firm’s tax lawyers provide comprehensive advice on all complicated tax issues and represent clients in courts at all levels. Pepeliaev Group is Taxand Russia. Taxand is the world's largest independent tax organisation, providing high quality, integrated tax advice worldwide.

Corporate Law Practice has a focus on legal support for corporate restructuring projects, joint ventures and complex cross-border transactions. In multi-jurisdictional projects the lawyers either provide full service legal support for the Russian component of the project or coordinate the whole project, including the work of attorneys in other jurisdictions.

The lawyers in the Commercial/M&A Practice have extensive experience of representing both buyers and sellers in complex cross-border M&A transactions, which enables them to provide full assistance and legal support, taking into account both civil law issues and tax and currency regulation, customs and other practical aspects. The lawyers in practice provide advice on all aspects of Russian antimonopoly legislation.

The firm's experts in Real Estate and Construction Practicepossess a unique practical experience of focusing on particular issues relating to land and real estate transactions and construction projects. These professionals were actively engaged in drafting and improving the draft Land Code of the Russian Federation, the Law on Agricultural Land Transactions and amendments thereto. The practice received the Real Estate Market Records Award, earning recognition as the best real estate team in 2011.

The firm's Dispute Resolution and Mediation Practice has earned a national reputation for excellence in all areas of high profile and complex business disputes. They successfully represent clients in litigation, legal enforcement, including in the following areas: antitrust, general contractual disputes, commercial finance, shareholder disputes, torts, libel and media defence, eminent domain.

The firm's Anti-Monopoly Regulation Practice has extensive experience in advice on anti-monopoly legislation: anti-monopoly audit; representation of client interests before the Federal Anti-monopoly Service during the approval of transactions in accordance with legislation on foreign investments; advice on various aspects of advertising legislation; disputes with antimonopoly authorities.

The Customs and Foreign Trade Regulation Practiceprovides extensive legal support, dealing primarily with complex cross-border transactions and direct investment projects, involving the import of complex manufacturing equipment into Russia. Its services include: advice on customs and foreign trade regulation; legal support for investment projects with regards to import/export of technical equipment and spare parts; lease of equipment and vehicles; disputes with the customs authorities; customs issues on the relocation of employees to/from Russia.

The Employment and Migration Law Practice advises on all aspects of employment law and related legal issues. The practice is represented by leading lawyers that have extensive experience of working with leading international law firms and providing legal support in most challenging Russian and international projects.

The firm's Intellectual Property & Trademarks Practice offers its clients a full set of IP protection services, including the registration of IP rights with the appropriate authorities, negotiation of the licensing of rights or their transfer to third parties and the resolution of possible issues on behalf of clients prior to court action, the adoption of highly efficient anti-piracy initiatives, and successful defence of the IP rights of clients before the Russian Patent and Trade Mark Office, ADR bodies, antimonopoly authorities, other government agencies and in particular in courts.

The Administrative Defence for Business Grouphas unique experience in the Russian market in dealing with federal, regional and municipal authorities at all levels on behalf of different clients, primarily with respect to numerous issues related to long-term FDI projects.

Firm is associated with: TERRALEX; TAXAND; INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION (IBA).