Loading...

To get the team

What he specialises in

Sergey specialises in all aspects of corporate tax including the tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations and reconstructions. He has a particular focus on the real estate sector, banking, oil & gas, automotive, trade and industrial sectors.

His main achievements

Sergey is recognised as one of the best tax experts in Russia by leading independent international legal directories: Chambers Europe, Chambers Global, Legal 500, etc. He has been named Lawyer of the Year for Tax Law twice (Best Lawyers 2018 and 2020).

Sergey’s practical experience includes successfully defending clients in several dozens of court disputes with the tax authorities, including before the Russian Supreme Commercial (‘Arbitration’) Court and the Russian Supreme Court. He has also provided support to major companies when they applied to the Russian Constitutional Court.

Sergey has for more than 15 years taught tax law at the Law Faculty of the Saint Petersburg State University.

Projects include: 

  • successfully defending a client’s interests in a dispute with the tax inspectorate concerning the right to deduct VAT on restoration work. The Judicial Panel for Economic Disputes of the Russian Supreme Court accepted our arguments and upheld the client’s appeal in full. This allowed the practice of the lower courts to be changed in similar cases;

  • defending Citibank in a case concerning the taxable income arising when VIP clients received incentives from banks. He managed to prove in the Presidium of the Russian Supreme Commercial Court that no taxable income arises, and, therefore, to create a precedent significant for the entire sector;

  • successfully representing the client within the framework of the out-of-court settlement of a dispute with a tax inspectorate which considered that the client’s suppliers acted ‘in bad faith’ and evaded their tax obligations. As a result, the additionally assessed amount was reduced by several hundred million roubles;

  • successfully representing several subsidiaries of Gazprom PJSC at the stage of pre-trial settlement of claims raised based on the results of tax audits. Sergey’s team managed to significantly reduce the amount of additionally assessed general taxes in an out of court procedure. This included among others the taxes with respect to which the case law was negative for taxpayers;

  • managing the project on legal support during the implementation of cash pooling system in a group of companies with foreign membership;

  • advising to a major oil company concerning the recognition for tax purposes of expenses related to the development of raw hydrocarbons at offshore fields.

What they say

“St Petersburg practice head Sergey Sosnovsky is one of the leading tax experts in north-west Russia, actively representing clients in tax disputes before the courts” (Chambers Europe).

Publications

21.03.2024
Pepeliaev Group’s Experts Have Achieved Exceptional Results in the 2023 Individual Rankings of Pravo.ru-300
Read more
11.03.2024
PGP Tax Consultancy is among the leaders in the Pravo.ru rating dedicated to the UAE market
Read more
22.12.2023
The business mission to China of a delegation from Pepeliaev Group’s Far East Office
Read more