Background of the Firm

      LEGIST Law Firm was founded in 1990.

      On 11 September 1991 the Ministry of Finance of RF issued to LEGIST certificate No. 67 for drafting and expert assessment of the constituent documents of joint ventures set up with foreign investments.

      In 1992 LEGIST was invited by the Supreme Soviet of RF to assess legislative acts pertaining to economic reforms under consideration by the Supreme Soviet of RF, as well as appointed an independent legal expert of the draft resolutions of the Russian Government and legislative acts relating to management of the country's economy.

      Also in 1992 the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of RF recommended LEGIST Law Firm to its representations abroad as a reliable and competent partner.

      In 1995 the Ministry of Justice of RF issued to LEGIST Law Firm License No. 1 to render legal services.

      In 1999 LEGIST Law Firm together with the American law firm Akin Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld L.L.P. won the World Bank tender to conclude a contract for participation in the development of Russian legislation on the securities market. Within the framework of the contract the firm drafted legislative and other normative acts for the Federal Commission for the Securities Market, as well as carried out legal expert assessment of such drafts and rendered legal advice to the Federal Commission.

      In January 2001 LEGIST Law Firm together with the High Arbitration Court of RF, the Supreme Court of RF, and the Russian Academy of Justice has organized an all-Russian scientific and practical conference «The Problems of Availability and Efficiency of Justice in Arbitration and Civil Processes».

      In July of 2001 LEGIST Law Firm signed a public contract with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of RF for scientific research related to the following topic: "Drafting of Federal Law On Reorganization and Dissolution of Legal Entities. Security of the Rights of Creditors, Owners, Shareholders (Members) of the Companies to Be Reorganized". In compliance with the contract, LEGIST Law Firm has prepared a draft Federal Law On Reorganization and Dissolution of Legal Entities, as well as the draft Federal Law On Introduction of Amendments and Addenda to the Civil Code of RF, Federal Laws On Joint-Stock Companies, On Limited Liability Companies and other laws regulating reorganization and dissolution of legal entities. The drafts have been submitted to the Government of RF.

      Having won together with the American law firm Akin Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld L.L.P., The Russian Institute of Directors Non-commerical Partnership, and the U.K. firm Lantern Corporation Limited the World Bank tender. LEGIST Law Firm executed the contract aimed at strengthening the potential of the Russian Federal Commission for the Securities Market and law enforcement authorities to reveal offences in the securities market and apply sanctions for such offences, as well as at informing the investors about possible infringement of their rights and interests.

      During 16 years of successful work on the legal market the firm provided services to such companies as Coopers & Lybrand, Polaroid, Procter & Gamble, the Moscow Interbank Currency Exchange, Gazprom Russian Joint-Stock Company, United Power Systems of Russia Russian Joint-Stock Company, Norilsk Nickel Russian Joint-Stock Company, major Russian and foreign banks including Alfa-Bank, Bank of Moscow, Incombank, Menatep, Donau Bank, Oneximbank, Raiffeisenbank Austria, TRUST Investment Bank, as well as other well-known firms and banks. Many of these have remained clients of the firm.

      LEGIST Law Firm provided legal advice to various public organizations including the Central Bank of Russia, the State Customs Committee of RF, the State Committee of Public Property of RF, the Supreme Court of RF, the Administrations of the Irkutsk and Voronezh Regions.

      LEGIST Law FIRM is included in the list of Russian law firms recommended by the British Embassy in Moscow (see www.britemb.msk.ru).