Your company has been sued
We examine the legal basis and calculation of the claim and the opponent's evidence. We prepare a defence, objections and, where justified, a counterclaim.
For foreign companies and businesses with foreign ownership
Commercial litigation in Russia for foreign companies
Has your company been sued, has a counterparty breached a contract, or do you need to challenge a court decision? Konsultant Law Firm represents claimants and defendants in Russian state commercial courts. We handle proceedings within an agreed scope or join at a single court level.
Communicate directly with our team in English. Chinese communication is supported by an interpreter. Documents and working arrangements can be discussed remotely.
Consultation on the prospects of your case, including document review — from RUB 5,000.
If proceedings have started, include the case number and the next relevant date. This helps us assess urgency and identify the next step.
From RUB 1 millionAmount of the commercial dispute
Claimant or defendantRepresentation of your position
Across RussiaAttendance arranged for the case
How can a foreign company protect its position in a Russian court?
Start with the documents, the current stage and upcoming deadlines. We assess which court has jurisdiction, which claims or defences can be supported, and what evidence is needed. After the consultation, we agree the court level, scope of work and payment terms.
This page primarily concerns commercial disputes in Russia's state commercial courts. If the contract provides for a foreign court or international commercial arbitration, we first assess the applicable dispute resolution procedure separately. Having a Russian counterparty does not mean that every dispute can be heard in Russia.
Court matters we can help with
We can become involved before a claim is filed, during ongoing proceedings or when a court decision needs to be reviewed. Before accepting the work, we assess the documents and the time available to prepare.
A dispute over supply, works or services
We review the contract, quality and extent of performance, deadlines, acceptance documents and correspondence. We assess claims for performance, termination, damages and contractual penalties.
You need to bring a court claim
We identify the appropriate remedy, claims and supporting evidence. We prepare the case for filing and represent your position at the agreed court level.
A court decision needs to be challenged
We review the decisions and case materials, check deadlines and assess possible grounds for review. We can represent you solely in appeal or cassation proceedings.
The other party seeks to overturn your result
We prepare objections to an appeal or an application to reopen proceedings. We distinguish alleged judicial errors from attempts to relitigate issues already decided.
The dispute concerns assets or intellectual property
We assess documents establishing ownership or rights, the alleged infringement and suitable court remedies. Expert evidence and interim measures are considered separately.
If your main goal is to obtain payment from a Russian customer or recover a supplier's advance, our separate debt recovery page explains debt claims and enforcement in more detail.
Debt recovery from Russian companies →What we assess before choosing a litigation strategy
For a foreign business, both the substance of the dispute and proper documentation of its participation in Russian proceedings matter.
Parties and authority
Who signed the contract, who brings the claim, and how the company's status and the authority of signatories and representatives are established.
Court jurisdiction and applicable law
The court or arbitration clause, the dispute's connection with Russia, applicable law and the jurisdiction of the particular court.
Procedural stage and deadlines
Notices received, hearing dates, filing deadlines and time limits for challenging decisions. We check procedural deadlines against the materials of the particular case.
Evidence and calculations
Contracts, primary records, correspondence, the calculation of the claim, the other party's objections and issues requiring expert evidence.
Objectives and risks
The result you seek, which claims can be supported, weaknesses in the position and whether a reasonable settlement is possible.
Costs and enforcement
The amount at stake relative to costs, and the need for translation, experts or travel. For monetary claims, we also consider prospects of enforcement.
Instruct us for agreed proceedings or a single court level
The engagement agreement defines our scope. Joining at a later stage starts with reviewing the existing case materials and procedural history.
Preparing the position
We review the agreed materials, develop claims or defences, identify missing evidence and plan the procedural steps.
First-instance proceedings
We prepare and file the agreed submissions, attend hearings, work with evidence and discuss significant decisions in the case with the client.
Appeal or cassation
We assess grounds for challenging or defending a court decision. We prepare the appeal or objections and represent the client at the selected court level.
Settlement and subsequent steps
Where reasonable terms are available, we discuss settlement with the opponent. After a decision, we identify next steps; enforcement and other stages are agreed separately.
Taking part in proceedings from another country
Start with a remote discussion
For your first message, a description of the dispute, the parties and upcoming deadlines is enough. We then agree the documents, consultation and further communication.
English directly; Chinese through an interpreter
You can discuss the matter with our team in English. For Chinese, we arrange an interpreter. The scope and cost of translation are agreed in advance.
Documents of a foreign company
We identify how to establish the company's status and the representative's authority. Translation, certification, apostille or legalisation requirements depend on the document, country and applicable rules.
Online hearing or a representative at court
We request online participation where appropriate. The format depends on the court's decision and technical availability. If needed, we agree travel by our lawyer or attendance by a local partner.
Our experience includes courts in Khakassia, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, Irkutsk and Vladivostok. For work in other regions, we agree remote participation or representation at court. Any need for the client's personal attendance or original documents is assessed for the particular case.
Examples of our litigation work
Cases from our Russian practice illustrate different tasks: defending a claim, proving an infringement and protecting an existing judgment.
Part of the claim was rejected
In an electricity dispute, the court awarded RUB 1,907,755.81 in principal instead of the RUB 10,341,697.76 claimed.
RUB 8,433,941.95 of the principal claim was rejected — 81.55%.
The claim succeeded in part. This reduced the client's liability; it was not money recovered for the client. The metric excludes the court fee. Case А33-14885/2017.
Read the case →Proved an infringement of patent rights
The court found unauthorised use of an invention, prohibited the infringement and awarded RUB 5 million in compensation.
The judgment was enforced: the client received the awarded money.
Case А33-20921/2016. Expert costs were awarded separately. The compensation amount relates to this particular case.
Read the case →Protected a judgment against an attempt to reopen the case
The court refused the debtor's application for review based on newly discovered circumstances. The original judgment totalled RUB 3,938,309.80.
The judgment remained in place. This was not a new monetary award.
Case А33-17378/2022. Receipt of the full amount is unconfirmed. Viktor Erofeev, a lawyer at Konsultant Law Firm, represented the client at this stage.
Read the case →These are outcomes of particular cases from our Russian practice. The prospects of your dispute are assessed separately against its documents and circumstances.
View all published cases →Who will work on your court matter
Nikolay Nemkov
Managing Partner of Konsultant Law Firm
Over 20 years of legal practice. Main areas include commercial disputes, debt recovery, bankruptcy and protection of business interests. Konsultant Law Firm has operated since 2007.
Before proceedings, we discuss what needs to be proved, which documents are missing and what outcome would justify the costs. The team and representation arrangements are selected for the matter.
Meet our firm
A short introduction to Konsultant Law Firm and our approach. The video starts when you press Play.
Open the video on Kinescope →Litigation fees and service options
We work on commercial disputes involving at least RUB 1 million. Before starting, we agree the task, volume of materials, court levels and payment terms.
Consultation based on documents
From RUB 5,000
We review all documents provided concerning the dispute and discuss the position, material risks, deadlines and possible next steps.
The fee depends on the volume of materials and complexity of the matter. It is agreed before document review begins.
Arrange a consultationFirst-instance proceedings
From RUB 200,000
We prepare the position and represent a claimant or defendant at first instance within the agreed scope.
The agreement specifies the documents, procedural work, attendance arrangements and remuneration terms.
Discuss first-instance representationFirst instance + appeal
From RUB 250,000+ a success fee from 3%
We handle first-instance proceedings and, if the decision is appealed, the appeal. The scope is agreed before the engagement agreement is signed.
The success fee is payable in addition to the base fee under the terms of the agreement.
Discuss representationAgreeing the success fee
For the First instance + appeal package, the success fee starts at 3%. The agreement defines the calculation base, the result triggering payment and when payment is due. For defence work, these terms reflect the agreed task.
A standalone appeal, cassation, review based on new or newly discovered circumstances, and enforcement proceedings are quoted individually.
Court fees, experts, translation, notarisation and travel are agreed separately where needed. All prices are in Russian rubles. Payment arrangements for a foreign company are discussed before the engagement agreement is signed.
What to prepare for the initial discussion
For your first message, describe the dispute, your role and upcoming deadlines. The agreed review may require:
- Your company's name and country of registration, your role and contact details for a reply.
- Details of the other party and the contract with its schedules, including any court or arbitration clause.
- The claim, defence, demand letter or appeal, if already prepared or received.
- Performance and payment records, correspondence and the claim calculation with its currency.
- Court decisions, the case number, notices and details of the next hearing.
- A short chronology, the desired result and known procedural deadlines.
Tell us if some documents are unavailable. We will identify the originals, translations and transfer arrangements needed after the first discussion.
Questions from foreign companies
Can we contact you without an office or branch in Russia?
Yes. A Russian office is not needed for the first enquiry. For court participation, we separately check the company's status, the representative's authority and the documents required for the particular case.
Do you defend companies as well as pursue debts?
Yes. We examine the basis and amount of claims against a company and prepare objections and evidence. Where justified, we consider counterclaims and other procedural remedies. The position is determined after reviewing the materials.
What if a claim has arrived or a hearing is already scheduled?
Tell us the case number, court, next hearing date and when you received the documents. We first check the stage and deadlines, then agree a consultation and possible involvement. Whether we can prepare for a particular hearing depends on the time available and the volume of materials.
Can we instruct you only for an appeal or cassation?
Yes. We first review the decisions and case materials and assess grounds for challenging or defending the judgment. The scope and fee for that court level are agreed separately. A new stage does not mean that any new arguments or evidence can be introduced without procedural restrictions.
Our contract specifies a foreign court or international arbitration. Can we sue in Russia?
This requires assessment of the contract and circumstances. We review the dispute resolution agreement, its applicability and the jurisdiction of a Russian court. Representation in a foreign court or international arbitration is not automatically included in the service described on this page.
What is a Russian state commercial court?
In this service, the Russian term arbitrazh court means a state court hearing economic disputes within its jurisdiction. It should be distinguished from private arbitration and international commercial arbitration.
Which language can we use, and which language does the court use?
You can communicate directly with our team in English. We arrange an interpreter for Chinese. Proceedings in a Russian state commercial court are conducted in Russian; foreign-language documents submitted to the court require a duly certified translation. We agree the scope and cost of translation.
Which company documents and power of attorney are needed?
The list depends on the country of registration, the party's status and the representative's task. We check company documents and the signatory's authority and agree the power of attorney's wording. Certification, apostille or legalisation requirements are assessed separately; foreign documents are not all subject to an identical formality.
Can every hearing be online, without travelling to Russia?
That cannot be guaranteed in advance. Online participation depends on the court's decision and technical availability. If necessary, we agree attendance by our lawyer or a local partner. Any need for the client's personal attendance or original documents is discussed separately.
Can you guarantee success or a particular timeframe?
No. After reviewing the materials, we discuss the position's strengths and weaknesses, possible scenarios and scope of work. The outcome depends on the evidence, the parties and the court. Timing also depends on service of documents, expert examinations and challenges to decisions. Fees and stages are agreed before work begins.
Discuss your court dispute in Russia
Tell us the parties, your role, the subject of the dispute and upcoming deadlines. If proceedings are underway, add the court and case number. We will clarify the materials needed for a consultation and agree the next step.
Contact us by email
You do not need a Russian phone number to enquire by email. Write to:
Contact us on WeChat
Scan the QR code in WeChat or open the image. Chinese communication is arranged through an interpreter.
Your first message helps us identify the task and urgency. Document review and litigation work begin after the scope and fee have been agreed.
We also respond to enquiries at weekends. Include your time zone when arranging a call.