Pepeliaev Group is one of the leading Russian law firms in the private equity market
Pepeliaev Group is regarded as one of the top Russian law firms providing advice in the private equity sector. The winners at the PREQVECA Awards-2012 for their achievements in private equity and venture capital were selected according to the votes of clients. The awards took place in Moscow at the IV Russian Private Equity Congress.
Professional market participants voted online at the site Preqveca.ru, with a follow-up telephone survey. In each of eight categories, those taking part in the survey had to indicate three nominees, for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. The winners were the companies who amassed most votes.
“Pepeliaev Group’s private equity group was created more than 2 years ago, and we are very pleased that our clients have rated so highly the coordinated work on projects by our entire team,” states Vladimir Sokov, partner and head of Pepeliaev Group’s corporate division. The group advises clients on various aspects of investment projects, including creating investment funds, providing support on mergers and acquisitions transactions, tax structuring and so on.
Nikolay Solodovnikov, head of the corporate practice, coordinates the private equity group’s work. In his view, “The ability to use the firm’s resources allows our private equity group to advise not only on structuring the asset acquisition process, but also making a portfolio company work more effectively by way of optimising or eliminating the existing legal (corporate, tax and other) risks”.
Projects of Pepeliaev Group’s private equity group:
- Advising and providing support on a Russian-law transaction involving the acquisition for EUR 1.32 billion by SCA (a manufacturer of paper, packaging and paper products) of the European division of Georgia-Pacific (a manufacturer of paper products).
- Advising the investment fund Bessemer Venture Partners (together with lawyers from Kirkland & Ellis) on an investment of capital in Enforta, national operator of the WiMAX network.
- Advising Fleming Family and Partners on its formation of FF&P Russian Real Estate Development Limited (an investment company specialising in the construction of real estate in Russia), and on creating funds with a view to investing in other Russian assets.
- Jointly with UK law firm Slaughter & May, advising an American hedge fund on undertaking transactions in Russia with derivatives.
Pepeliaev Group’s services in private equity:
- Creating and registering investment funds in Russia and foreign jurisdictions (including drafting agreements between investors (partners), funds’ investment declarations, etc.).
- Carrying out legal due diligence of assets.
- Structuring M&A transactions undertaken by private equity funds and unit investment trusts.
- Concluding members’/shareholders’ agreements in the context of creating joint venture vehicles between private equity funds and their Russian partners.
- Providing legal support in the process of private equity funds entering and leaving projects.
- Providing support for transactions that involve loan funding being attracted.
- Handling tax aspects of creating and managing private equity funds and unit investment trusts.
- Providing tax advice when transactions are structured to purchase assets and attract financing;
- Analysing and providing recommendations for portfolio companies to mitigate tax risks.
For additional information please contact Sergey Kochetov, PR Director of Pepeliaev Group, s.kochetov@pgplaw.ru, tel.: +7(495) 967-0007