overview

Sergey Naumkin is a U.K. based Russian Business Lawyer specialising in the support of British companies who are looking to invest in trade in Russia, the Kaliningrad region and the Baltic Sea Countries.   

My practice mainly focuses on consulting with small and medium sized British companies who have restricted resources and are new to the market. Giant multinational corporations are able find their own corporate lawyers, which bill much higher rates.

It so happens that a significant number of my clients come from the “creative industries”.       I have had and continue to work with companies engaged in software development, home decor & art design, photography, corporate identity creation, branding, retail design, remote gaming and gambling, language services, newspaper publishing, pharmaceutical research and production.

I have a strong regional background in the understanding of the Russian business culture and customs combined with fifteen years of legal practice. I advise my clients on important everyday issues and long-term strategy of maximising their success in the region. I can also act as ‘on the spot’ business support – being able to negotiate and hold business meetings in Russian on behalf of the client.

It is not easy to find a right lawyer when you starting your business in Russia. Only four Russian lawyers in England are registered with the Law Society. Three of them are living in London and there is only myself in the North West.

In Russia itself the hunt for a suitable lawyer can be even more complicated. The best Russian lawyers are usually located only in two major cities; Moscow and Saint-Petersburg and the brilliant lawyers in specific legal areas, say for instance litigation, who know their way around court rooms, usually do not speak English. Hiring an interpreter can help you a little, although Russian legal terminology is not the easiest to translate. However the chances of finding legal interpreter in the remote Russian regions, and those who are also experienced, business school trained professionals are zero.

Nevertheless linguistic difficulties in Russia are not the major problem. The main stumbling block in relations between the English client and the Russian lawyer lies in cultural differences and the manner of conducting business. Russian lawyers will make an effort to do all that is necessary to protect your interests, but only use their own methods, that work in that country, and it is not so easy to understand from the western point of view. Also relationships with clients do not normally correspond with English business ethics. It can take some time for you and your lawyer to get to understand each other.

It is important not to underestimate the differences in the process of hiring Russian lawyers, because the success of your business directly depends on this matter. Even if you need to find a lawyer with narrow specialisation which I do not possess, I will do my best to help you find the relevant partners. I have excellent contacts with lawyers in Kaliningrad, Saint-Petersburg, Moscow, Tallinn (Estonia) and Vilnius (Lithuania). 

So what can I do for your? I keep it simple. I research on your behalf into possible markets and business partners in these target countries. Advise you on current Russian legislation. Inform you on export requirements for Russia. Prepare or amend a contract regulating your activities there. Help you to form export documentation, arrange translation, obtain necessary licences and certificates. Talk to your Russian partners and secure better deals for your company. Set up you business in Russia, assist with customs clearance, personnel hiring and optimisation of your taxation. Manage your business projects, small or large. I use PRINCE2 methodology and I am Project Manager Qualified Practitioner since 2009. If you are interested in more detailed legal services, please look at the my Practice Areas section.

To English lawyers working on cases that involve Russian law or clients I make a proposal to establish and maintain active relationships with myself.  I already work with many such clients.  Unfortunately I cannot testify in court on matters regarding the law of the Former Soviet Union Republics, but I can find and translate the relevant legislation as most of it is in Russian.