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Dispute Resolution Litigation is the bedrock of MZS
«Appearing in an incredible amount of top-level cases» Chambers«Well-respected dispute resolution practice»Chambers«Peers are impressed by the strength and depth available at this firm, while clients identify it as "a go-to firm for 'in-the-trenches' litigation»Chambers
«Very persuasive and brilliant in the courtroom»Chambers«Top-rated local practice, especially for international arbitration»PLC's Which Layer? Yearbook«Great for Russian litigation»Chambers
«Handles great volumes of local litigation»The Legal 500«An extremely active figure in the Russian courts»The Legal 500«They're the best - nothing more you can say, really»The Legal 500
«One of the best firms in the country for arbitration disputes»Forbes

Since 2004, our firm has been rated the leader in dispute resolution by various leading international law surveys and journals – evidenced by the fact that we have successfully represented corporations and organisations as diverse as Gazprom, EBRD, Svyazinvest and IKEA in disputes involving billions of dollars. These high rankings have been earned through our continuous success in complex multi-jurisdictional disputes.

The only way to become a truly great litigator - with all that entails, from quick wits and outstanding public speaking ability to scrupulous preparation, analytical skills and lateral thinking - is to spend time in court. On average, our firm has a lawyer in the Russian courts (from the trial courts to the highest appellate courts) every working day of the year.

Our innovative approach to dispute resolution combined with solid academic background allowed MZS to repeatedly achieve success in cases that discouraged other litigators. We remain committed to these principles while keeping up with the highest international standards of legal services.

Litigation 

MZS is well-known for its excellent track record in business cases. Profound knowledge of Russian law and awareness of the latest legislative and judicial trends give us distinct advantage over many of international law firms present in Russia. The areas covered by our litigation expertise are impressively diverse and range from financial markets to corporate disputes and bankruptcy.

We have achieved notable success in complex cases heard before the High Arbitrazh Court (Russia's highest commercial court), representing such clients as IKEA, Efes, Duferco, and The Open Society Institute.

High-profile cases we work on are often broadly reported. MZS was counsel to Gazprom in disputes over oil and gas fields worth over $1.5 billion at the time as well as in defence to a shareholder claiming from Gazprom more than $500 million. We advise Norilsk Nickel in a shareholder conflict involving Rusal and represented VSMPO-AVISMA, the world’s largest titanium producer, in corporate litigation.

Transnational Disputes 

MZS is extremely efficient when a client faces disputes that span across several jurisdictions. Recently we coordinated and led on action in Cyprus and the British Virgin Islands when representing shareholders of major Russian energy producers.

As it has been admitted by a number of global law firms, MZS is a perfect choice if you seek a local counsel in Russia for dispute resolution. We have achieved impressive results while getting instructions from international firms on cross-border disputes. For instance, acting for a consortium of hedge funds seeking recovery of debt from one of the Russian developers, we were the first litigators in Russia to ever receive an injunctive relief in support of court proceedings in Cyprus.

Arbitration 

MZS is traditionally strong when it comes to arbitrating in Russia. We have extensive experience of handling large and often high-profile cases through the International Commercial Arbitration Court (ICAC) and the Maritime Arbitration Commission (MAC). Besides this, we provide efficient support for proceedings under the auspices of ICC, LCIA and the Stockholm Arbitration Institute.

Numerous cases we worked on have allowed us to develop considerable experience in obtaining interim measures, preparing legal opinions on matters of Russian law, securing evidence, all in support of international arbitration proceedings, and, of course, enforcing arbitration awards and defending anti-suit injunctions in Russia.

While acting for a group of international investment funds in a number of cases relating to debt recovery from Eurokommerz, we have defended the validity under Russian law of unilateral arbitration clauses. Those cases significantly changed court practice nationwide.