Attorneys of EPAM have provided pro bono legal consulting to Big Brothers Big Sisters in Russia, a community organisation, that is helping to raise the younger generation. The Firm’s lawyers have developed a set of guidelines addressing legal issues and the types of government assistance available to orphaned children and children whose parents are unable to care for them. The guidelines help both volunteer mentors and children supported by the programme in St. Petersburg to navigate the state benefits system and address legal issues as they arise.
 
А team at EPAM reviewed a large corpus of both federal and regional social welfare legislation and researched how this law is applied. The document that they have drawn up contains practical guidelines in relation to available government support in the sphere of education, healthcare, job opportunities and housing, as well as financial support. It also answers common questions about the transfer of property rights, military service, establishing custody and guardianship, and civil and criminal liability.
 
The project was led by Head of the Real Estate, Construction, and PPP Practice in St. Petersburg Olga Mischenko, Associates Ays Lidzhanova, Yuri Nefedov and Yulia Sevostyanova.
 
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Russia supports children in state care, children without parents, adopted children, children from single-parent, large, and underprivileged households, and children with disabilities through an individual mentorship programme.