Orion Partners

Russian market leaders in dispute resolution

Upon the establishment of Orion, we were able to retain the Dispute Resolution team of the Moscow office of Linklaters led by Partner Vladimir Melnikov, and to further increase the number of team members. We remain one of the largest and most famous teams in the Russian market and continue to work for our Russian and international clients, leaders in their industries. We represent them in matters related to cross-border litigation and arbitration in corporate disputes, debt recovery proceedings, bankruptcy proceedings, handling of distressed assets, and regulatory investigations.

Our expertise covers projects aimed at regaining of clients’ access to securities and other assets that have been blocked as a result of the sanctions imposed against Russian investors, nominee holders and management companies, as well as projects related to challenging the sanctions.

Our team has an extensive network of contacts in key jurisdictions around the world and works together with local experts to achieve the most effective results for our clients.

Our expertise covers:

Planning and development of strategies aimed at the most effective dispute resolution
Settlement of disputes in courts and arbitration
Support of cross-border litigation and arbitration proceedings in various jurisdictions and areas of legal practice
Restructuring and bankruptcy
Advising on sanctions regulation and challenging sanctions

Work experience

Our Team's Experience includes advising:

Gazprom in confidential arbitration in the amount of about EUR 6 billion;

Russian individuals and legal entities in connection with challenging sanctions in various jurisdictions (EU, UK, USA, Canada, Switzerland, Australia);

a Russian investment company in the process of releasing securities frozen by Euroclear due to sanctions;

Huadian, one of China’s largest state-owned energy, coal mining and grid construction corporations, in a series of litigations in Russia in a high-profile corporate dispute pertaining to damages;

Sberbank in connection with extrajudicial foreclosure on shares in Vikay Industrial Limited, the owner of the Antipinsky Refinery, debt recovery proceedings (with the debt of US$3 billion);

a major investment fund in relation to a corporate dispute with a partner in a pharmaceutical joint venture, including obtaining an order to appoint a liquidator in Cyprus and foreclosure on intra-group loans;

a major investment fund in relation to the recovery of debt under a put option, including obtaining a worldwide freezing order (WFO) for US$100 million, as well as initiating the recovery of damages from the ultimate beneficiary and its affiliates as a result of their actions to reduce the value of debtor’s assets;

Sberbank as part of a multi-jurisdictional restructuring of the debt of the largest private company in Croatia, Agrokor Group, including representing the client’s interests in more than 20 litigations and arbitration proceedings in European countries in order to recover debts in the amount exceeding EUR 1 billion;

a major Russian bank in relation to recovering non-contractual damages in the amount of US$150 million from the ultimate beneficiary of one of the debtors as a result of misrepresenting its financial position upon receiving financing, including obtaining orders to disclose information about assets of the ultimate beneficiary, world freezing orders, as well as orders for the appointment of an external administrator in relation to such assets in Cyprus, the British Virgin Islands and Singapore;

ABN AMRO in connection with debt recovery in Russia and Cyprus and freezing orders against Russian companies;

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and other syndicate banks in LCIA arbitration, numerous bankruptcy and enforcement proceedings, including freezing orders and other interim measures in Russia and Kazakhstan, as part of a claim in the amount of US$300 million against a Russian and Kazakh grain producer;

a major Russian bank in connection with the recovery of a US$200 million debt from a Russian businessman, including participation in liquidation proceedings, multiple freezing orders, asset tracing and parallel litigations in Russia, Cyprus, the British Virgin Islands and Luxembourg;

ING Bank, as part of the enforcement of a US$50 million claim against a manufacturing company, related arbitration and parallel proceedings in various jurisdictions against the Cypriot, Russian and Kazakh defendants, and in respect of the freezing of defendant’s assets in Russia and enforcement proceedings in a number of Russian regions;

a foreign company in connection with the inclusion of a claim in the amount of US$150 million in the register of creditors’ claims in Russian bankruptcy proceedings based on the LCIA award;

a major Russian metallurgical company in disputes under several contracts for the supply of metallurgical equipment concluded with foreign manufacturers. The disputes were governed by Swedish, English and Swiss law. The disputes were terminated following the execution of a settlement agreement on the terms favourable for our client;

a Russian businessman in numerous litigations in the Seychelles, Belize, Liechtenstein and Russia in connection with asset tracing and misappropriation for approximately US$200 million;

an owner of a chain of shopping centers in a dispute with the anchor tenant of the shopping center regarding the recovery of rent and termination of the contract due to restrictions caused by COVID-19.