Ilia has extensive practical experience in legal support of cross-border and local transactions, advising on attracting investors and establishing joint ventures, selling and acquiring assets in various sectors of the economy, supporting securitizations of mortgage and consumer loan portfolios, public and private placements of securities, etc.
Ilia is recommended by Best Lawyers, Pravo-300 and Kommersant as one of the leading Russian lawyers in the following areas: corporate law / M&A; real estate, construction; capital markets; sanctions law; energy and natural resources; agriculture and is also a member of the Expert Council for the Listing of Securities of SPB Exchange PJSC.
Prior to joining the Orion Partners team, Ilia Smirnov held the position of Partner and Head of the Legal Practice at Althaus, and previously worked for large Russian law firms and in the federal executive body for the securities market (FFMS of Russia).
Ilia's work experience includes advising:
a private equity fund on the sale of shares and establishment of a joint venture on the basis of a major manufacturer of electrical equipment;
a Russian manufacturer of high-tech security products on attracting investor and on establishment of a number of joint ventures in Israel, Turkey, India and other countries;
Inventive Retail Group on its acquisition of a controlling stake in Aristos group;
a European machinery manufacturing enterprise in relation to a transaction aimed at the acquisition of production assets in Russia;
a large service company providing open and underground mining services on the acquisition of regional service companies, as well as heavy mining and other special equipment;
a group of companies from the hotel industry on the establishment of a joint venture for the purpose of building a large hotel complex in one of the central regions of Russia; and
a number of banks and other financial institutions in relation to the securitization of portfolios of mortgage and consumer loans, as well as the placement of bonds.
Ilia graduated from the Law Faculty of the State Academic University for the Humanities, holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from the University of London (UCL, Queen Mary).
