Pepeliaev Group has strengthened its team by adding a specialist in protecting the rights of business

Sergey Taut has joined Pepeliaev Group as a specialist in protecting the rights of business. He will be involved in projects where there is a need to apply tools of social and state agencies to safeguard entrepreneurs’ rights from unlawful administrative and criminal prosecution.

Before joining Pepeliaev Group Sergey spent six years in the position of Counsel to Ombudsman for Entrepreneurs' Rights, Boris Titov. 

He possess substantial experience of successfully advising clients on preventing and counteracting hostile takeover attempts on their businesses including corporate and B2B conflicts in which state authorities are involved. Sergey is an expert in anti-corruption compliance.

He has extensive experience in drafting laws and in interacting with legislative authorities at all levels including on proposed legislation in the field of regulatory issues relevant to the criminal law protection of business, to regulatory and supervisory activities, and to administrative law.

Sergey’s professional track record includes an array of successful projects; particularly noteworthy was his direct involvement in establishing the institution of an ombudsman for entrepreneurs' rights and developing the methodological foundations that underpin the institution’s operations (the Red Button Project of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, Federal Law 78-FZ dated 7 May 2013). From 2013 to 2017 he was a member of the team preparing the Annual Report to the President on Observing Entrepreneurs' Rights. Sergey has co-initiated a number of laws in the field of the protection of entrepreneurs' rights, including the ‘economic amnesty’ initiative in 2013, the ‘amnesty of capital’ in 2015-2018, as well as changes to the Russian Civil Code, the Russian Criminal Code and the Russian Criminal Procedure Code in 2013 through 2017. 

From 2011 to 2017 Sergey coordinated the activities of the Business against Corruption centre, a strategic expert platform for the Entrepreneurs’ Rights Ombudsman, which helped to safeguard the rights of more than 1,500 entrepreneurs. 

Alongside representatives from the business community and state authorities, Sergey is helping to counteract corruption as a member of the working group for the Presidium of the Presidential Council for counteracting corruption. He has conducted an anti-corruption audit and implemented anti-corruption standards and compliance procedures for major Russian companies. 

Among Sergey's awards are a certificate of honour from the Ombudsman for Entrepreneurs' Rights For Contributing to the Development of Institutions for the Protection of Entrepreneurs’ Rights; a certificate of honour of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Russia For a Personal Contribution; a certificate of honour of the Chair of Organizing Committee of the Yalta International Economic Forum; and an acknowledgement from the Law Department of the Higher School of Economics For the Legislative Initiatives Aimed at Securing Entrepreneurs’ Rights.