Pepeliaev Group is a Strategic Partner of the Legal Forum
The law firm Pepeliaev Group is a strategic partner of a Legal Forum organised by the Conference Department of the Vedomosti newspaper. The forum will be held in Moscow on 8-9 April 2010.
The forum considers development of the legal advisory business in Russia. The forum gathers together on an annual basis, starting in 2004, the heads of legal departments and leading lawyers from Russian and foreign companies, representatives of the executive authorities and judges. Pepeliaev Group was a driving force for the establishment of this forum, which now operates on a permanent basis. Lawyers need this platform to exchange opinions on recent amendments to legislation affecting the regulation of business and to elaborate solutions for complex conflicts of law.
This year the forum will focus on the development of tax and corporate law, customs and banking legislation, the antimonopoly regulation of business and court disputes.
Sergey Pepeliaev, managing partner of Pepeliaev Group, plans to raise the following key issues at the forum: possible amendments to the interpretation of the rule of law by courts and the prospects of forming case law in Russia and associated risks. At the beginning of 2010 the Russian Constitutional Court signalled its support for the development of precedent-based practice, which is being formed by higher-level judicial authorities. The quashing of judicial acts that ran counter to the acts of the Russian Supreme Court adds to the uniform interpretation and enforcement of the rule of law and is, therefore, acceptable. Sergey Pepeliaev is confident that the resolution issued by the Russian Constitutional Court will stabilise precedent-based practice and will lift the sense of unease and stress attributable to the unstable position of an individual, who is unsure whether the court judgement on his case has actually come into legal effect or not.
Sergey Pepeliaev will also participate in the session on Tax Legislation. In his speech he will consider the most topical tax and legal risks and review ways of managing these risks, assess court practice and the issues faced by offshore business structures.
During the session on Antimonopoly Regulation, Elena Sokolovskaya, head of the antimonopoly regulation group at Pepeliaev Group, will talk about topical issues regarding antimonopoly legislation.
Galina Balandina, head of the customs and foreign trade regulation practice at Pepeliaev Group, will lead the session on Customs Legislation. The session will focus on customs value. The results of 2009 disclose that the customs authorities lost over 90% of disputes with businesses relating to adjustments to the customs value of goods. Galina Balandina notes: “Most companies, when they import goods, face claims raised by the Russian Federal Customs Service. They incur substantial administrative costs. However, there have been no perceptible changes in the operating technologies used by the customs authorities in their work.” During the discussion lawyers will try to find ways to mitigate such risks.
Pepeliaev Group lawyers are traditionally very proactive during the forum as they believe that the forum is necessary both to discuss and resolve the burning legal issues faced by businesses and also to unite the legal community.