An authoritative legal guide Legal 500 EMEA 2015 recognises EPAM in all categories for all key jurisdictions of its presence, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and UK.

In Russia Legal 500 recommends the Firm for Banking & Finance, Capital Markets, Competition, Corporate & M&A (for Moscow & St. Petersburg), Dispute Resolution, including both Arbitration & Mediation and Litigation, Employment, Energy & Natural Resources, IP, Public Private Partnership, Real Estate & Construction, TMT, Tax and Transport.

For two years running from the release of a Competition category in the Legal 500 EPAM gains the highest recognition in Tier 1. The Firm is ‘highly recommended for its meticulous approach, outstanding negotiating skills and ability to find innovative solutions to complex issues’. Practice Head Natalia Korosteleva, who is recommended for her ‘strong project management skills’, specially praised for the defense of Transammiak before the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) in a complex dispute with competitor Minudobrenia. The Guide recognises counsel Anna Numerova.

Noteworthy, that EPAM is the only Russian law firm for Corporate & M&A work in Moscow, mainly due to the growing English law capabilities led by partner Robin Wittering and accompanied by counsel Michael Copeland. Legal 500 also highlights ‘a creative lawyer and effective negotiator’ Practice Head Arkady Krasnikhin, as well as Partner Mikhail Kazantsev. Among practice clients the Guide names Hachette. 

In St. Petersburg Corporate & M&A practice of the Firm gets the place in the highest Tier 1. The source mentions ‘highly regarded’ Managing Partner of St. Petersburg office Ivan Smirnov, ‘responsive and creative’ Practice Head Elena Agaeva, who is praised for its ‘innovative and client-oriented approach’ and legal advice to GGA Software Services on an asset sale to EPAM Systems. The team also recognised for day-to-day legal support to Lenta chain of hypermarkets.

As usual the Firm’s Dispute Resolution practice gets the highest recognition. So far, the Firm is top tiered for the Litigation work and is called ‘a go-to firm for large and complex cases’. The source recommends a ‘very comprehensive and precise’ Sergey Kovalev, who heads a team of more than 60 lawyers, as well as ‘solution-driven’ partner Valery Eremenko, who is also ranked as a Leading Individual, and the ‘service-oriented’ Denis Arkhipov. Recent work of the team includes handling certain fraud cases and a defamation case for TogliattiAzot, and representing Torgoviy Dom Setunskaya in land disputes. EPAM is also praised in Arbitration & Mediation for its ‘wealth of knowledge, strategic advice and commercial outlook’. Well-regarded practice head Evgeny Raschevsky, also so-called as a Leading Individual, is praised for successful representation of a client in ICC proceedings against Talco, and also for helping the same client to enforce the $350m award. They also say that Dmitry Dyakin’s ‘strategic skills and knowledge are extraordinary’.

Banking & Finance practice is also highly recommended ‘for its Russian law capabilities spanning transactional, regulatory and contentious banking and finance matters as well as debt recovery issues’. Legal 500 distinguishes Capital Markets work and highlights the Firm’s advice to VEB Capital and X5 Retail Group. Dmitriy Glazounov, Partner, Head of Banking & Finance, Capital Markets team, is recognised for work in both categories.

The Firm is also recognised for the Employment work, while the Practice Head Anna Ivanova is admired for a long lasting assistance to the Bolshoi Theatre on all of its employment matters. Legal 500 recommends for this category St Petersburg’s senior associate Elena Agaeva.

Counsel, Head of Intellectual Property/TMT Practice of the firm, Pavel Sadovsky is highly recommended for both Legal 500 categories - IP and TMT. The source calls him as a ‘brilliant litigator’ who has ‘solid experience and excellent practical knowledge in the field of IP protection’ and advises international and domestic clients on regulatory and transactional issues pertaining to Russian law. In particular his clients consist of such famous names as Formula 1, CTC Media and Sanofi.

Public Private Partnership work of the Firm is recognised due to the assistance to Basic Element on the non-contentious side and PPP-related disputes. The Guide distinguishes Partner Elena Gavrilina as a key contact for PPP matters.

EPAM is lauded for its ‘fast and business-oriented responses’ in Real Estate & Construction matters, as well as for its ‘deep real estate sector knowledge’ of contentious and non-contentious matters. New St Petersburg managing partner Ivan Smirnov and the ‘extremely knowledgeable’ Elena Gavrilina are recommended along with Yuri Savvin, who is ‘exceptional at managing government and client relationships’.

According to Legal 500 the Firm’s Tax practice is combined of ‘leading disputes’ together ‘with the advisory strengths’. Practice head Igor Schikow is recommended for his ‘in-depth knowledge and understanding of clients’ business needs’.  Counsel Mark Rovinsky is also mentioned for tax work. Among tax clients the guide distinguishes Cisco Systems and Raiffeisen.

The Guide lists EPAM’ work for the Transport industry.

The Guide ranks  EPAM’ Energy & Natural Resources team, and namely disputes expert Sergey Kovalev and regulatory specialist - Partner Taras Rabko, who heads the energy and environment practices.

In Ukraine EPAM has been recognised among the country’s top law firms across all practice areas researched for Ukraine.

The Firm was top ranked in three practice areas out of seven, as well as maintained its high rankings for Banking & Finance and Capital Markets, Corporate and M&A, Real Estate and Construction, and advanced in the rankings in Dispute Resolution, Energy and IP. Four lawyers of the Firm were recognised as “Leading Individuals” in their fields, with eight lawyers receiving individual recommendations.

The Legal 500 EMEA acknowledges the Firm’s Banking & Finance Practice, led by “open-minded, professional and creative” Partner Roman Stepanenko. Senior Associate Kateryna Oliynyk is recommended for “cross-border debt matters.” An enviable client list includes Barclays Bank and UBS.

Corporate & M&A Practice is widely respected for its “excellent, experienced practitioners” Partner Oksana Ilchenko, “foreign law expert” Partner Ilona Zekely and Counsel Oleg Boichuk. The Guide recalls their work for Apax Partners on local aspects of its acquisition of California-based IT company GlobalLogic.

The Legal 500 ranks the Firm’s “knowledgeable and responsive” Dispute Resolution team in the highest Tier 1. Clients appreciate the Firm’s “excellent service.” “Relentless” Partner Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi and Associate Oleksandr Volkov receive praise for “having great skill before the courts.” Managing Partner and Practice Head Serhii Sviriba and Partner Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi are highlighted for advising “on multimillion-pound international arbitrations,” while Counsel Dmytro Marchukov is individually recognised as “top class” professional.

This year The Legal 500 launches its Energy ranking for Ukraine with EPAM ranked in Tier 1. Practice co-heads Partner Roman Stepanenko, who “understands how to satisfy clients”, and Partner Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi are recommended.

EPAM is also top rated for its “strong” Intellectual Property Practice “that compares well with others.” Practice Head Taras Kyslyy is praised for his “speed of response.” “He advised Viacom on the protection of IP rights and UniCarriers on trade mark registration.” The expanding client base includes Viterra and Adamed.

“Extremely professional and highly experienced” Real Estate team is also highly estimated. Practice Head Oleg Boichuk is noted for advising Teva.

Finally, the Firm is recognised in Tax category. Among experts the Guide acknowledges “respected tax lawyer” Senior Associate Oleksandr Maydanyk and “disputes specialist” Senior Associate Arsen Miliutin. Clients include Apax Partners and Johnson Controls.

In Belarus EPAM traditionally gets the highest recognition. Legal 500 underlines that the Firm ‘provides an efficient service’, based on ‘pragmatic advice’ and ‘a client-oriented approach’. They say it provides a comprehensive service for domestic and foreign clients alike, and has particular strengths in Banking and Finance. ‘A very knowledgeable lawyer’ Managing partner Dennis Turovets recognised for legal advice to  Eurasian Development Bank on the provision of a credit line to Belarussian Autoworks. The ‘very proactive’ Anna Rusetskaya is also recommended.

In UK the Firm is highly recommended for legal support during international commercial and litigation projects, as well as for cross-jurisdictional advice based on joint work with European and US law firms. The Guide recognises dual-qualified Allen Thomas for corporate, M&A, and cross-border joint venture work.