The practice of real estate and construction law in Russia is multi-faceted and can often be a painstaking process, which requires unique expertise in many legal areas, a detailed knowledge of “old” Soviet and current Russian regulations, as well as the ability to adapt Western financial and security practices to a Russian business environment.

Our expertise includes industrial, commercial and private real estate deals, including greenfield construction, and construction agreements of various types that comply both with FIDIC and Russian legislation and regulations.

A great amount of projects we are dealing with is related to construction and operation of large shopping centers in all regions of Russia. Our Company is the official legal adviser of the Russian Council of Shopping Centers.

Russian land legislation has recently undergone significant changes. Unfortunately, the rules and procedures for the implementation of this new legislation remain unclear to many local and state authorities, resulting in obstacles for investors wishing to obtain land.

We provide a full range of legal services related to the acquisition or lease (or lease with an option to purchase) of land, the registration of rights to land and the protection of investor interests. Our work in this area has involved creating liaisons with and lobbying local and regional authorities, preparing and participating in land tenders, resolving complicated issues related to land rezoning and investment incentives. We pride ourselves in our ability to get government officials on-side in our clients’ investments. In fact, we have assisted clients to successfully resolve land issues in many large cities of the Russian Federation with the population of more than 1 mln.

We have drafted numerous lease agreements, including complex leases for incomplete buildings. We have a detailed knowledge of all phases of the lease process, from the letter of intent to the termination notice, and have been continuously working on lease issues for the owner of one of the largest shopping malls in Russia. Consequently, our experience dealing with legal issues related to retail leases is second to none.

We co-operate with all the biggest real estate agencies and consultants; we also have a vast experience in judicial and non-judicial resolution of lease disputes.

To discuss legal issues with our real estate practice group, please contact Irina Onikienko or  Elena Stepanova.