Asari Legal консолидирует одну из сAsari Legal Raises the Bar with One of Russia’s Most Experienced Dispute Resolution Teams

Asari Legal continues to expand and reinforce its key practices, and is delighted to welcome back two distinguished partners—Dmitry Kaysin and Stanislav Karandasov—along with their teams of experienced dispute resolution lawyers. This constellation of more than 30 top-tier professionals will significantly enhance the firm’s ability to handle complex international arbitration cases, as well as Russian and cross-border litigation.

Dmitry Kaysin will co-head Asari Legal’s Dispute Resolution Practice. Dmitry is a recognised expert in international arbitration and litigation: for more than 20 years he has represented clients in proceedings under UNCITRAL rules and the rules of leading arbitration institutions across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Dmitry also has extensive experience advocating for clients and arbitrating disputes in Russian arbitral tribunals. He is consistently highly ranked in international and Russian legal directories for his expertise in international arbitration, litigation, and bankruptcy. In addition to his legal practice, Dmitry serves as Vice President of the Russian Arbitration Association and is an Associate Professor at the Higher School of Economics, where he teaches a master’s course on International Investment Arbitration.

Stanislav Karandasov specialises in litigation and domestic and international arbitration. He also advises clients on protecting Russian investments in foreign assets, cross-border insolvency cases, sanctions, and complex corporate disputes. Stanislav has been listed as an arbitrator with the Arbitration Centre at the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs since 2023 and has experience adjudicating international disputes. Kommersant ranks him among Russia’s top lawyers in international dispute resolution, and his work has been recognised by The Legal 500, Best Lawyers, Pravo-300 and Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

Ilya Rybalkin, Co-Head of the Dispute Resolution Practice and Chairman of Asari Legal, commented on this key development: “I am thrilled to be reuniting with such an exceptional team. We have great things ahead!”

Dmitry Kaysin, Partner, Co-Head of the Dispute Resolution Practice: “Our reunited team will continue to deliver outstanding professional support in high-stakes cross-border disputes, always putting our clients’ interests first and providing the optimal solutions.”

Stanislav Karandasov, Partner with the Dispute Resolution Practice: “I am delighted to once again be working side-by-side with Ilya Rybalkin and his outstanding team. I have no doubt that our clients will benefit from our singular level of legal expertise, strategic thinking, and the sophisticated solutions we bring to the table.”

Asari Legal Becomes the Primary Sponsor of the Jessup Competition’s Russian Rounds

The Russian rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition were held on 5–9 February at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO). Twelve teams from universities all across Russia took part in the competition.

The final saw a matchup between teams from Moscow State University and MGIMO, with the latter coming out on top. Both will advance to compete with teams from other countries in the international rounds from 29 March to 5 April.

Asari Legal was once again the primary sponsor of the competition, continuing a tradition begun three years ago. Our associates acted as judges in the Russian rounds, while Senior Associate Evgenia Neverova repeated as national administrator.

Ilya Rybalkin, partner and co-head of the dispute resolution practice at Asari Legal, had this to say: “This is not just the most prestigious and intense competition of its kind; it’s a genuine test of legal mastery, one that demands profound knowledge, strategic thinking, and the ability to work as a team. At Asari Legal, we are proud to continue our support for this competition, thereby helping to shape the next generation of world-class attorneys.”

“I’m so grateful to Asari Legal that, for the third year running, the firm has helped not only to make the Russian rounds of the Jessup a reality, but also to create an indelible impression on future lawyers, to show them what outstanding specialists they can aspire to become,” noted Evgenia Neverova.

The Jessup is the world’s largest moot court competition, with a record 806 teams participating in 2025 in more than 100 countries. Teams represent fictitious countries, acting as both applicant and respondent before the UN’s International Court of Justice in three stages: drafting written memorials, followed by the national and international rounds.

One of the leaders of the Russian Legal Market will continue to operate under the new brand Asari Legal after transformation

Ilya Rybalkin and Anastasia Konstantinova, along with nine other partners and a team of over 70 highly skilled professionals, will continue to provide their services on landmark international and Russian projects under the new brand Asari Legal.

This marks the culmination of the transformation of RGD Law Firm (RGD) following the decision in late 2024 to dissolve the previous partnership and the departure of several partners.

The 2018 foundation of an independent law firm by Ilya Rybalkin and his team, which quickly rose to prominence as a leader in the Russian legal market, marked the start of a pioneering trend of the emergence of independent domestic law firms with international expertise and resources—well ahead of the wave of “new law firms” that emerged under the pressures of 2022–2023.

Asari Legal aims to further solidify its leadership in the legal market, maintaining its unmatched reputation and expertise in dispute resolution, special situations, sanctions, corporate and regulatory matters, and banking and finance law. The firm also brings exceptional capabilities in business reputation protection and private client representation. With a stable international presence in friendly jurisdictions, Asari Legal will continue to meet and overcome complex global challenges.

Two former partners at RGD, Dmitry Kaysin and Stanislav Karandasov, are rejoining Asari Legal, accompanied by their own teams of experienced lawyers. This is an invaluable addition to the firm’s International Commercial and Investment Arbitration Practice, which will now feature five partners and 15 lawyers, making it one of the most prominent and experienced practices in Russia.

Ilya Rybalkin, the longstanding Head of the Litigation and Arbitration Practice, will focus on helming Asari Legal’s strategic development and overseeing special projects. Anastasia Konstantinova will continue to lead the Sanctions Practice. Key leadership roles will be played by Nato Tskhakaia as Head of the Regulatory Practice, Alexander Geda as Head of the Finance Practice, Alexander Lazarev and Gayane Najaryan as Co-heads of the Defamation Practice, and Ivan Meleshchenko, leading the Investigations Practice. Marina Zakharova has been appointed Managing Partner and Head of White Collar Crime Practice, while Alexander Borgoyakov has been promoted to Partner in the Finance Practice.

With its expanded geographic reach and operational scale, Asari Legal has significantly bolstered its management capabilities. Several seasoned professionals from top international and Russian law firms have joined the team, including Olga Melekesova as Chief Operation Officer / Executive Director, Zhanna Kostochkina as Chief Financial Officer, Natalia Kovaleva as HR Director, Maria Meshcheryakova as Marketing Director, and Elena Kuleshova as Compliance Director.

The firm’s Corporate Law Practice has also been strengthened with the addition of Evgeny Shkolun, former Head of Legal and CEO at DiDi Russia, who will also serve as Head of Internal Legal Audit at Asari Legal.

Ilya Rybalkin, Chairman of Asari Legal’s Management Committee, commented: “I am pleased with the success of our efforts to optimize the operations of our law firm, to transform and elevate it to a new level of financial and managerial efficiency—including risk management and internal audit. I now feel confident to continue the work we began in 2018 alongside my longstanding partners, colleagues, and the new management of Asari Legal. We are entering 2025 in excellent shape, with impressive financial performance and a substantial project pipeline. With a team of over 100 professionals and the deep expertise they represent, we are ready to take on cases of virtually any scale and complexity.”

Asari Legal Attorneys Earn Recognition in the Pravo-300 legal rating

On 12 March 2025, Pravo-300 released its latest ranking of individual lawyers in Russia. Twenty-four Asari Legal team members were recognised in this elite classification.

We would like to thank Pravo-300 for this recognition and express our appreciation for their tremendous work.


Our lawyers were recognised in 10 practices and 4 industries:

· Ilya Rybalkin: International Litigation, International Arbitration, Sanctions Law, Private Equity, Natural Resources, Energy

· Anastasia Konstantinova: Sanctions Law, International Litigation, Compliance, Private Equity

· Alexander Geda: Financial/Banking Law, Capital Markets

· Alexander Lazarev: International Litigation

· Ivan Meleshenko: International Litigation

· Gayane Nadzharova: International Litigation, Private Equity

· Nato Tskhakaya: Antitrust Law, Compliance

· Alexander Borgoyakov: Financial/Banking Law, Natural Resources, Energy

· Marina Zakharova: Arbitration Proceedings (Major Commercial Disputes – High Market)

· Dmitry Kaysin: Arbitration Proceedings (Major Commercial Disputes – High Market), International Arbitration, Natural Resources, Sanctions Law

· Stanislav Karandasov: Arbitration Proceedings (Major Commercial Disputes – High Market)

· Lilia Badretdinova: Sanctions Law

· Varvara Voynova: International Litigation

· Daniil Ivanov: Corporate Law / M&A (High Market), Foreign Trade: Foreign Exchange Regulation

· Marina Smirnova: Financial/Banking Law, Energy

· Ekaterina Kokareva: Sanctions Law

· Maria Shaubert: Sanctions Law

· Alexandra Khizunova: Sanctions Law

· Vladislav Viryasov: Sanctions Law

· Alen Martirosyan: Arbitration Proceedings (Commercial Disputes – High Market), Bankruptcy (Disputes – High Market)

· Alexandra Smorodina: International Litigation

· Anton Sheronov: Antitrust Law

· Ilya Kozhevnikov: Antitrust Law

· Chelenk Ismet Dzhan: Antitrust Law

Nato Tskhakaya participated in the conference "Legal Challenges and Opportunities in the Era of Post-Sanctions and Counter-Sanctions"

Russian entrepreneurs have adapted to the post-sanctions reality and continue their expansion into friendly foreign markets. For this reason, experts are predicting a boom in investment deals and international projects in 2025−2026. The sanctions regimes everyone has got used to are also changing: opportunities for unblocking assets have expanded, sanctions compliance is becoming more and more important, and counter-sanctions implementation rules have been updated. These and other topics at the intersection of law and economics were discussed by experts at the Pravo.ru conference on 14 March. Nato Tskhakaya, Partner and Head of Regulatory Practice at Asari Legal, took part in the conference. She moderated the first session, Chess Strategy: Protecting Rights in the Investment Field.

The topic of investor and issuer protection is of particular interest at the moment. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, Russian businesses are expected to increase their investment activity, and they are ready to go international. Secondly, foreign companies are once again starting to look at Russia as a prospective market.

Although the economy has adapted to the sanction regimes, the secondary sanctions regime, which strongly affects medium and small businesses, remains an obstacle to effective development. At the same time, barriers within the domestic enforcement system make it difficult for foreign counterparties to interact with Russian companies.

The topic of including dividends in customs valuation was also discussed. In recent years this practice has become one of the thorniest issues for many importers.

Summing up the session, Nato Tskhakaya noted: "We're observing rapid changes and reshuffles on the geopolitical chessboard; these transformations pose new challenges to the law. Our session was able to foster an interesting, wide-ranging discussion on protecting rights in the field of investments — we talked about everything from amendments to Russian laws and regulations and secondary sanctions trends to the domestic stock market and non-trivial solutions for investment projects with Russian involvement".

Follow the link to read more about the conference

Alexander Geda participated in the conference «Banking and Financial Law, Capital Markets: legal issues»

With the high key rate, inflation and general political instability, business search new lending and investment mechanisms. Sanctions and responses on the part of Russia make any transactions with caution and open an account even in a friendly country is not simple. At the same time, digital currencies are actively developing. These and other topics were discussed by experts on conference organised by Pravo.ru dedicated to banking and financial law.

The conference was attended by leading industry experts. Alexander Geda, partner, head of financial practice of Asari Legal moderated the first session, covered topics such as legislative requests from banks, the role of digital currencies stablecoins in financial systems, practical aspects of of IPO structuring and as well as compliance with counter-sanctions legislation and legal risks in transactions with assets abroad.

Summing up the session, Alexander Geda noted: «Russian market has been able to adapt to the current conditions. It is actively and independently developing, searching new niches and points of developing».

Follow the link to read more about the conference.

Asari Legal is a sponsor of XII M.G. Rosenberg International commercial arbitration competition

From March 25^th to March 28^th XII M.G. Rosenberg International commercial arbitration competition has started. This year the competition was anniversary: Mikhail Grigorievich would have turned 100 years old.

70 teams from 38 universities and 6 countries took part in the competition. The competition was judged by over 100 arbitrators from Russia, Belarus, China, India, Kazakhstan, Singapore and Egypt.

This is not the first year the firm's team has supported the competition. This year, Alexander Lazarev, Partner of the Dispute Resolution Practice, acted as an arbitrator in the qualifying stage.

The award ceremony took place in the Congress Centre of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. It was attended by Senior Associate Evgenia Neverova and paralegal Anastasia Basova, who was the participant of the competition earlier.

The M.G. Rosenberg Competition is an international student competition in the format of a model arbitration based on a game case and dedicated to the topics of international commercial arbitration and private international law.

Asari Legal Becomes a Platinum Partner of RIAC 2025

The 2025 Russian International Arbitration Congress, one of the largest professional events in the field of international arbitration, will be held in Moscow from 13 to 17 May.

As a Platinum Partner of Russian Arbitration Week 2025, Asari Legal will naturally be an active participant in major events of the congress.

On 15 May from 8:15 to 10:30 pm, we are pleased to invite you to ArbitrationShip, an informal sunset outing on the Moscow River on the Radisson yacht. You are welcome to register for this event by following the link.

On 16 May from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, Asari Legal we be presenting a satellite event on Enhancing Efficiency in International Arbitration: Bridging Technology, Expertise, and Soft Law at the ICLRC Library. The event will explore modern tools and approaches to making arbitration more effective and efficient. You can register to participate by clicking on the link.

Also on 13 May, Asari Legal partner Dmitry Kaysin will moderate the third session of the Russian Arbitration Day conference, dedicated to investment arbitration. The session programme is available at the link.

We look forward to seeing you at the congress events!

Jus Connect names Dmitry Kaysin as a top arbitration lawyer

On 12 March 2025, Jus Connect published its 2025 Data-Backed Arbitration Rankings – Power List: Top Male Arbitration Lawyers (Global). The list highlights the 50 top practitioners who made the most significant impact on arbitration in 2023–2024.

Dmitry Kaysin, Partner and Co-Head of the Dispute Resolution Practice at Asari Legal, was featured on this prestigious list, becoming the only lawyer from Russia to be recognised in this way.

Jus Connect’s ranking methodology stands apart from traditional formats. It is based solely on a data-driven analysis of the actual projects and cases recorded on the Jus Mundi platform — without submissions, nominations or recommendations. This makes the list an objective ranking based on merit and professional achievements.

We congratulate Dmitry on his well-deserved international recognition!

Follow the link to read more

22 May 2025 | Asari Legal is holding a webinar on Antitrust Audits: What Should You Be Ready For?

Antitrust audits are one of the most effective tools used to obtain evidence on various types of anti-competitive agreements. It is worth noting here that effective January 2025 the moratorium on unscheduled audits (‘dawn raids’) established by the Government of the Russian Federation no longer applies.

During the webinar, we will talk about the underlying principles and basic stages of an antitrust audit and highlight certain actions that a company can take as part of its strategy during the audit.

The webinar will be conducted by Ilya Kozhevnikov, an associate with Asari Legal’s Regulatory Practice.

During the webinar, the expert will look into:
· Legal grounds and specifics of antitrust audits
· Types of antitrust audits
· Audit-related mandate of the antitrust authority
· What ‘dawn raid’ means
· Results and implications of such audits

The event is closed to legal advisors.

You can register for the webinar by clicking here.

Asari Legal Was a Strategic Partner at RIAC 2025

The Russian International Arbitration Congress (RIAC) was held in Moscow on 12–17 May 2025, bringing together international arbitration experts from numerous jurisdictions, from the Middle East and Asia to Europe.

The week of the congress began with the Russian Arbitration Day, where experts discussed fundamental issues related to the development of alternative approaches to dispute resolution. Asari Legal partner Dmitry Kaysin moderated the third session, Investment Disputes and Investment Arbitration.

On 15 May, Asari Legal together with the Russian Arbitration Center organised, under the aegis of RIAC, an evening outing on the Moscow River on the Radisson yacht. More than 200 congress attendees joined us on the ArbitrationShip to enjoy sunset vistas of Moscow and the warm, convivial atmosphere of the arbitration community—a memorable highlight for our foreign guests.

On 16 May, Asari Legal’s Dispute Resolution Practice led a panel on Enhancing Efficiency in International Arbitration: Bridging Technology, Expertise, and Soft Law at the ICLRC Library. Experts discussed the modern approaches and technological solutions that can make arbitration proceedings more efficient, and shared successful cases. Participants in the discussion included:

Varvara Voynova, advocate, counsel, Asari Legal

Roman Zykov, PhD (Law), LL.M, Secretary- General, Russian Arbitration Association (RАА)

Edmund Kronenburg, advocate and solicitor (Singapore), solicitor (England and Wales), LL.B, Managing Partner, Braddell Brothers LLP

Andreas Schregenberger, attorney-at-law, LL.M., Gabriel Arbitration, and

Vikas Mahendra, advisor, TERES

Asari Legal partner Dmitry Kaysin moderated the panel.

RIAC 2025 was a whirlwind of a week for the Asari Legal team, filled with meetings, discussions, and networking. We would like to thank the Russian Arbitration Center for skilfully organising what was essentially the first Russian International Arbitration Week, and we were pleased to be strategic partners for such a landmark event!

Asari Legal is a cutting-edge law firm for arbitration, with significant experience in representing clients at all leading arbitration institutions (more than 15 forums) across the globe. Our Dispute Resolution Practice has more than 28 lawyers and is regularly recognised in leading Russian and international legal rankings. GAR 2021 named the practice among the world’s 100 strongest arbitration teams. Pravo-300 and Kommersant rate our specialists among the best for International Litigation, International Arbitration, and Arbitration Proceedings (major commercial disputes: high market). In 2025 Dmitry Kaysin, our Co-head of Dispute Resolution, was singled out in the Data-Backed Arbitration Rankings – Power List: Top Male Arbitration Lawyers (Global).

SPILF 2025 and SPB Legal Day

The Saint Petersburg International Legal Forum, one of the highlight events of the legal world, took place on 19–21 May. Several Asari Legal partners participated in the forum’s various sessions.

On 21 May, our Dispute Resolution partner Dmitry Kaysin spoke at a session dedicated to Development of the Commercial Justice System under the Pressure of External Sanctions: Challenges and Prospects. Judges of the Russian Supreme Court and Constitutional Court, representatives of the arbitration communities of Russia and Hong Kong, and academics, discussed the issues that Russian businesses encounter in seeking justice in economic disputes through commercial courts and arbitration, both in Russia and abroad. Participants in the discussion proposed solutions to make the justice system more efficient in handling business disputes and to protect the interests of Russian business under the pressure of sanctions.

A recording of the session is available at https://legalforum.info/programme/business-programme/7840/.

In addition, 20 May was the traditional SPB Legal Day organised by Pravo.ru under the auspices of the Forum. Stanislav Karandasov, another Dispute Resolution partner with Asari Legal, took part in a round table on International Law and Cooperation in the New Reality, speaking on New Trends: Return to the Old Arbitration Institutions or Squandered Trust? He also shared current statistics on preferred arbitration rules and the relative popularity of arbitration institutions.

Ilya Kozhevnikov at the Pravo.ru Conference Antitrust Law: To a New Level

In recent years, market participants have not only tried to adapt to market changes, but have also sought to anticipate potential developments. Despite antitrust regulations being the most responsive to market changes, there are a number of contentious issues to be addressed. These topics were the centre of discussion at the Pravo.ru conference Antitrust Law: To a New Level.

The event brought together leading experts in antitrust regulation. Ilya Kozhevnikov, a Regulatory Practice associate at Asari Legal, took part in the session devoted to antitrust clearance of transactions, including current developments, potential risks for businesses, and effective strategies for interacting with the Federal Antimonopoly Service. In his speech, Ilya focused on key aspects to consider in order to minimise risks during a pre-clearance audit.

Summing up the session, Ilya Kozhevnikov noted: “Given the special economic measures in place, the focus should be on the procedural aspects of regulatory approvals, including, in particular, the specifics of both how the facility operates and what the settlement procedure with the seller is going to be like.”

Follow the link to read more about the conference

The sixteenth Antitrust Forum (10 June 2025) was attended by over 450 participants from government agencies, leading law firms, major companies, antitrust experts and the academic community.

The Forum opened with the session Antitrust Agenda Review: Legislative Initiatives and Case Law moderated by Nato Tshakaya, Partner and Head of Regulatory Practice at Asari Legal. During the session, experts discussed amendments proposed by the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia to the Foreign Investment Law and the Competition Protection Law. The discussion also touched upon the Supreme Court’s positions on antitrust cases.

Guest speakers included Maryana Matyashevskaya (FAS Russia), Dmitry Abramov (MegaFon), Ekaterina Dyachenko (EAEU Court), Olesya Milchakova (FAS Russia) and Anton Sheronov (Asari Legal).

With the appointment of new partners Ivan Semenkin and Roman Belenkov, who bring with them an experienced team of six lawyers, Asari Legal is pleased to announce the opening of a new Capital Markets Practice, to be led by Mr Semenkin. Asari Legal’s new partners add further significant strength to one of the leading corporate and finance teams in the legal market, forming a unique centre of competence in terms of expertise and resources.

Ivan Semenkin has more than 20 years of experience in advising on complex Russian and international M&A projects, joint ventures, preparations for major IPOs, SPOs, and bond issues, as well as private equity investments. Many of his projects have been recognised by the most respected rankings, including such recent highlights as the creation of a new stock market instrument (replacement bonds); conducting Eurobond replacements for the Russian Ministry of Finance (the largest debt instrument deal in Russian history, worth over USD 30 billion) and Russian Railways; development of the Moscow Exchange’s current IPO standards; and advising issuers and arranging banks for the most significant transactions on Russian exchanges, including the IPOs of Henderson, Delimobil, AllInstruments.ru, Whoosh, UGK, Renaissance Insurance, and others. Ivan has also advised companies and their shareholders in major M&A and JV transactions, including the creation of leading entities in the oil and gas, coal, mining, TMT, and EdTech sectors.

Prior to joining Asari Legal, Ivan was a partner at a leading Russian law firm and worked for over 15 years at major international law firms Winston & Strawn, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, and Linklaters.

Roman Belenkov has extensive experience in advising major Russian companies on all types of securities transactions. He has advised on the IPOs and SPOs of such companies as SPB Exchange, Polyus, AvtoVAZ, Polymetal, Hals-Development, and others. Key international and Russian ratings have recommended Roman among best experts in capital markets and corporate law.

Prior to joining Asari Legal, Roman was a partner at leading Russian capital markets law firms specialising for more than 20 years.

The opening of the new practice and the joining of an experienced team of lawyers with in-depth knowledge of M&A, capital markets, and IP transactions will strengthen Asari Legal's competences in corporate projects, IPO and SPO transactions, and complex restructuring arrangements, adding competences in private equity and venture capital investments. Reinforced by outstanding professionals of the Russian legal services market, Asari Legal's corporate and finance team of more than 25 specialists will be able to offer its clients the most comprehensive and reliable solutions.

Ilya Rybalkin, Partner, Co-head of the Dispute Resolution Practice:

“We launched the transformation of the firm, established in 2018, in December last year. In January and February, leading arbitration lawyers joined the firm, including counsel from the London office of a major US law firm. We are consistently and deliberately building up the competences that our clients demand. The opening of the new practice and the arrival to the firm of Ivan, Roman, and their team is yet another clear confirmation of our goal to achieve market leadership.”

Ivan Semenkin, Partner, Head of Capital Markets:

“I am very pleased to become a part of the Asari Legal team and to lead the Capital Markets Practice. Developing the practice and expanding its current competences will significantly broaden the range of our capability to provide comprehensive professional assistance to clients in various sectors of the Russian economy. I am confident that the experience and expertise of our team members, catalysed by Asari Legal’s commitment to the very highest standards, will create beneficial synergies and the foundation for long-term leadership in the legal industry, based on universal values and professionalism.”

Asari Legal is pleased to announce that, on 24 June 2025, Igor Ostapets joined us as a Partner and Head of Corporate Practice. Mr Ostapets previously worked at White & Case for over 25 years, becoming the firm’s first Russian partner in 2001. In 2013 he took over the Moscow office as Managing Partner.

Igor Ostapets’ experience includes advising on landmark M&A transactions in the oil & gas and energy industries, with a combined value of over $50 billion. For over 10 years, top rating agencies (Chambers Global, Chambers Europe) have recognised Igor as a leader on the Russian legal market (Band 1, Eminent Practitioner) in M&A and Energy practices.

Igor Ostapets also specialises in advising on internal corporate and regulatory investigations (ABC & AML) and in representing clients in cross-border disputes.

We are confident Mr Ostapets will further enhance our ability to deliver large complex projects for our clients, setting the bar for professional standards at the highest level.

Ilya Rybalkin, Partner, Co-Head of Dispute Resolution Practice

“Igor Ostapets is a legend, and one of the outstanding figures in the recent history of the Russian legal market, a lawyer with 30 years of experience who has supported major projects of strategic importance for the Russian economy. The fact that he has chosen to join Asari Legal is evidence of the scale of our projects, ambitions and plans”.

Igor Ostapets, Partner, Head of Corporate Practice

“I am very pleased to become a part one of the most successful and dynamically growing legal teams in the Russian market. Our goal is to continue building a successful legal practice to smartly and effectively represent our clients’ interests while meeting rigorous professional standards. Another crucial task is to attract and develop the talents of the next generation of lawyers and other professionals”.

Anton Sheronov, a Senior Associate and Attorney with Asari Legal’s Regulatory Practice, took part in the Pravo.ru conference Customs Law and Foreign Economic Activity in 2025, which brought together leading experts in the fields of foreign economic activity and customs regulation.

During the session Special Economic Measures in Foreign Economic Activity: Regulatory Development and Application in Practice, Mr Sheronov spoke in detail about:

• Changes over the past three years in how transactions with non-residents are regulated.

• Developments in how illegal currency transactions and antisocial transactions are addressed.

• Regulatory approaches to the participation of residents in foreign companies.

• Export restrictions and penalties for non-compliance.

“The government has recently extended the requirement for major exporters falling under Presidential Decree No. 771 of 11 October 2023 to sell foreign currency proceeds. On the other hand, the range of beneficial mechanisms for exporters continues to expand. One such example is the mechanism introduced in late 2024 that enables settlements without additional foreign currency sale, while also helping Russian importers in settlements with non-residents,” said Anton Sheronov in his speech.

Click hereto read more about the conference results.

The final oral hearings of the 10th Annual Student Moot Court hosted by the Russian Arbitration Association (RAA) took place on 30 and 31 August, with Asari Legal among their partners.

On 29 August, Stepan Rusanov, a junior associate of our Dispute Resolution Practice, gave a presentation titled Map of AI Arbitration Decisions as part of the RAA conference. Stepan spoke in detail about the impact of artificial intelligence on arbitration, as well as various digital AI solutions.

Associate Nikolay Sokolovsky and partner Alexander Lazarev, who acted as arbitrators in the oral hearings of the qualifying and final phases, respectively, were both full of praise for the students’ performance.

The Higher School of Economics team won the competition. Asari Legal congratulates the students on their victory and wishes them continuing success in their professional development.

*The Arbitration Association’s Online Arbitration Competition is an annual student competition in the form of a mock trial (moot court) dedicated to current issues in civil law and international commercial arbitration*

Dmitry Kaysin, partner and co-head of Asari Legal’s Dispute Resolution Practice, has been selected to become a member of the Tashkent International Arbitration Centre (TIAC) and the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC).

In the relatively short time since its establishment in 2018, the TIAC has begun to attract significant attention from participants in international arbitration. The centre is developing as Uzbekistan’s economy grows and foreign investment increases, especially in high-tech industries. Players from various jurisdictions, including the Netherlands, Italy, Kazakhstan, Russia, China, Turkey and others, are now increasingly choosing TIAC as a forum for dispute resolution.

The DIAC was established in 1994 and has grown to become the region’s largest alternative dispute resolution centre. Since its inception, the centre has built up extensive expertise, administering nearly 5,000 cases of different value and complexity across various economic sectors.

Dmitry specialises in international arbitration, along with international and domestic litigation. He has more than twenty years of experience in proceedings under the rules of key regional and specialised arbitration institutions in Europe, Asia and America, and under the UNCITRAL rules, as well as in representing clients and arbitrating disputes in Russian and foreign arbitration venues. Dmitry is recommended by Russian and international legal ratings (Jus Mundi, The Best Lawyers, The Legal 500, etc.).

We heartily congratulate Dmitry on his appointment as an arbitrator at the two major international institutions and wish him further professional success!

Asari Legal’s Corporate Practice team represented the sellers in the sale of the Meridian Group to Unifrost, one of Russia’s major importers and processors of fish and seafood.

We were involved at every stage of the deal, from drafting term sheets and binding transaction documents to participating in negotiations and supporting the execution and closing.

The project was handled by Asari Legal’s Corporate Practice team, consisting of Counsel Daniil Ivanov, Senior Associate Danil Karimov, and Associates Nikolay Sinitsky and Nikita Sinitsky.

Meridian has over 45 years of successful record in manufacturing and marketing a wide range of fish and seafood products, including crab sticks and packaged fish preserves.

The Forum was attended by more than 200 participants, including specialists from leading international arbitration centres, law firms, expert companies, and shipbuilding enterprises, as well as insurance and logistics organisations.

Stanislav Karandasov, a Partner at Asari Legal, spoke at the Forum’s third session, DraftingInternational Shipping Contracts in a New Era: From Counterparties and Applicable Law to Arbitration Clauses — Navigating the Key Considerations in Drafting and Negotiating Maritime Transport Agreements. Stanislav presented current statistics on arbitration centres, noting among other things that the jurisdiction for disputes arising from maritime contracts is gradually migrating from England to institutions such as HKIAC, HKMAG, SCMA and SIAC. Yet English law continues to predominate as the law applicable to maritime contracts.

*The DRC Forum is a series of events hosted by the Russian Dispute Resolution Club (DRC), which brings together lawyers specialising in dispute resolution. These events focus on current issues in international arbitration, mediation, dispute resolution in state courts, and construction contract management.

The session at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC) attracted more than 60 participants, including representatives of the world’s leading arbitration institutions, international law firms, and expert organisations. The discussion was moderated by Dmitry Kaysin, a Partner and Co-head of Dispute Resolution Practice at Asari Legal.

The speakers discussed a range of topics, including the challenges that the arbitration community faces in the current geopolitical environment. Participants paid particular attention to the issues of change of seat and the appointment of arbitrators.

Roman Zykov, Secretary-General at the Russian Arbitration Association, spoke about the Anti Sanctions Arbitration Protocol (ASAP) developed by the RAA, while AIAC Director Dato’ Mary Lim Thiam Suan noted the need for institutions to take flexible and adaptive approaches. Kiran Sanghera, HKIAC Deputy Secretary-General, and Anton Asoskov, Professor at the Alexeev Research Centre of Private Law and Member of the HKIAC Council, shared their experiences and discussed the HKIAC’s approach to venue changes and maintaining the neutrality of arbitration. Jern-Fei Ng, Arbitrator and Barrister at Duxton Hill Chambers, outlined his view on when the seat of arbitration may be changed at the request of one of the parties.

The second part of the session was devoted to the question of selecting arbitrators. Jern-Fei Ng highlighted examples from his practice of selecting the chair of the panel. Dato’ Mary Lim Thiam Suan drew attention to the criterion of transparency and the need for mutual trust in the arbitrator appointment process. Kiran Sanghera and Anton Asoskov shared their observations on HKIAC trends in attracting arbitrators from “neutral” and ”friendly” jurisdictions and in tackling challenges. Paul-Raphael Shehadeh, Counsel at Asari Legal, shared recent examples from the firm’s practice.

Hong Kong Arbitration Week (HKAW) is an annual international event organised by the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), which serves as a key platform for legal professionals in the field of international arbitration to share their experiences and discuss developments in dispute resolution.

From 29 October to 2 November, the Global Rounds of the prestigious Foreign Direct Investment Arbitration Moot (FDI Moot) competition for students took place at the campus of the Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. This year, 153 teams from universities around the world took part in the competition.

The team from MGIMO’s Faculty of International Law — Roman Balakin, Aryuna Batozhargalova, Arina Buryak, Elizaveta Zakharova, and Konstantin Frogerz — prevailed against leading university teams from India, China, Argentina, Italy, and Poland. Elizaveta Zakharova was named Best Speaker of the final round. This is the best result ever achieved by a Russian team in the history of FDI Moot.

The MGIMO team’s participation in the Global Rounds was made possible in part thanks to the support of Asari Legal.

The team was coached by Asari Legal associates Alexandra Alimova, Tatiana Petrova and Irina Kizko, as well as junior associate Sofia Mirkhaidarova.

Ilya Rybalkin, Partner, Co-Head of Dispute Resolution Practice commented:

“I am proud to see my alma mater’s team succeed, and grateful to my colleagues for their leadership, commitment and mentorship. Investment arbitration is one of our firm’s strategic priorities, and we intend to continue supporting such initiatives and fostering the development of talented young lawyers”.

Our warmest congratulations to the team on this outstanding achievement. We look forward to many more professional victories in the future!

On 13 November 2025, Asari Legal together with Al Tamimi & Company, held a joint session as part of Dubai Arbitration Week, bringing together representatives of leading arbitration institutions, international law firms, expert organisations, as well as logistics companies and carriers. The discussion was moderated by Stanislav Karandasov, Partner in Asari Legal’s dispute resolution practice.

The event focused on the specifics of resolving transport disputes in the UAE, both in state courts and in arbitration.

Omar Omar, Partner at Al Tamimi & Co’s Transport & Insurance practice, spoke about the impact of global sanctions on logistics routes, the UAE’s growing role as a neutral international hub, and the increased compliance and transparency requirements following the country’s removal from the FATF grey list. He also explained the practical aspects of recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards in the UAE, highlighting procedural nuances practitioners should be aware of.

Neil Hart KC, Barrister at Essex Chambers, shared his extensive experience handling maritime disputes under English law. He emphasised the importance of precise drafting of arbitration clauses and discussed practical considerations when preparing to initiate a dispute.

Varvara Voinova, Counsel at Asari Legal, highlighted current trends in maritime dispute resolution in the UAE. She addressed the significance of the UAE Maritime Law 2023, practical issues around ship arrest, the use of bank guarantees and P&I certificates to lift an arrest, and Dubai’s position as one of the world’s leading maritime logistics centres.

The session concluded with a presentation by Bushra Abu Tayeh, Senior Counsel at Al Tamimi & Company’s Transport & Insurance practice, who outlined the specifics of aviation disputes. She discussed arbitration clauses in aircraft leasing agreements, interim measures in relation to aircraft, and practical aspects of interacting with aviation and port authorities.

Dubai Arbitration Week is a major annual international event organised by the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC). It serves as a key platform for arbitration professionals to exchange experience, discuss emerging trends and contribute to the development of dispute resolution practices.

Current trends in the application of foreign investment rules in strategic companies: Asari Legal Business Breakfast

On 14 November 2025, the Asari Legal regulatory practice team hosted a business breakfast with Olesya Vladimirovna Milchakova, Head of the Department for Control over Foreign Investments of the FAS Russia.

During the discussion, the experts focused on how control over strategic companies is established, including de facto control by a foreign investor and the impact of various forms of corporate and economic relationships.

“Law No. 57-FZ and the current enforcement practice allow for a rather broad interpretation of the concept of ‘control’. It is about the ability to influence the decisions of a strategic company in different ways, and not only through shareholding”, — noted Nato Tskhakaya, partner and head of the regulatory practice, who moderated the event.

In turn, Olesya Milchakova explained how the regulator approaches the assessment of control:

“Within the framework of Law No. 57-FZ, control is not limited to formal ownership. We look at the entire set of relationships that may provide the ability to influence a company”.

The experts also examined in detail the specifics of determining control by a group of persons and the features of assessing aggregate control.

Senior associate Anton Sheronov focused on the practical aspects of identifying a group of persons and interpreting changes in legislation and enforcement practice. Associate Ilya Kozhevnikov highlighted the importance of a comprehensive analysis of financial and corporate ties to identify de facto control and signs of a company’s dependence on a foreign investor, as well as the nuances of calculating aggregate control.

At the end of the meeting, the experts, together with the representative of the FAS Russia, discussed the particularities of assessing control over personal funds, comparing them with similar instruments, including ZPIFs and DIT structures.

On November 10, 2025, Alexander Borgoyakov, Partner in the Finance Practice at Asari Legal, delivered a seminar as an invited expert for first-year master's students of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) International Law Faculty.

As part of the course International Trade Law, Alexander shared practical insights on structuring energy export transactions. He spoke about the role of a lawyer, the nuances of negotiations, and the specifics of drafting hydrocarbon sale and purchase agreements. In particular, he demonstrated how the choice of an Incoterms delivery basis directly affects the operational provisions of a contract and price formation.

During the seminar, students actively engaged with the speaker, asked numerous questions, and expressed their appreciation for the valuable knowledge gained.