Experience

• Assisting to relocate the client’s business from Russia to Armenia in a smooth manner by drafting all required agreements with relocated employees;
• General legal assistance and drafting of all the necessary documentation for the successful implementation of mass layoffs by one of the major mining companies in Armenia resulting in no legal actions brought against the client;  
• Complex legal consulting to an international company's Armenian Branch in relation to the work permits obtaining for non-resident employees, assistance with applications for exemptions from work permits, continuous support with daily operational employment law-related matters, successful representation in the course of inspections by Armenian Labor and Health Inspection Body;
• Continuous legal support to the major pharmaceutical company in Armenia in connection with developing internal legal acts regulating employment matters;
• Successful representation of the client against his former employer that resulted in precedent in a Cassation Court of the Republic of Armenia;
• Successful representation of the client in the course of the court dispute with the former employees claiming alleged illegal termination of the employment contract.

• Advised Total S.A. on implementation of employee share schemes in Azerbaijan together with Shearman & Sterling law firm;
• Advised a major confectionery manufacturer on corporate, tax and labour aspects of establishment of a representative office in the Republic of Azerbaijan;
• Provided ongoing legal support on immigration process, including but not limited to obtaining work permits, residence permits, business visas for employees of a number of oil companies and their subcontractors in Azerbaijan;
• Advised a large American pharmaceutical company on various aspects of labour legislation in the Republic of Azerbaijan;
• Advised an international Chinese manufacturer of telecommunication equipment and systems (branch office in Baku) on employment contract issues;
• Advised on all types of leave of absence and their legal obligations (the manner in which each type of leave can be taken; the eligibility and notification requirements for taking each type of leave, the protections during the leave; the methods of payments during the leaves and how any payments will be taxed) and advising on the expats payments matters;
• Drafted Employment Contracts, Amendments to the Employment Contracts and registered them at the electronic information system;
• Advised on the role women in the labour laws, workplace protection matter, retirement and pensions matters; restrictions on women employment, gender equality;
• Advised an international oil company, a global transport company, Azeri Adventure Motorcycle Tours, Pfizer on employment law issues;
• Conducted an HR audit for an international oil company, a global transport company.

HR documentation audit:

• HR documentation audit and issuance of recommendations on matters of registration of work relations for an IT company, developer of automated digital document management systems and smart contracts.

Supporting the employment contracts’ termination procedure:

• supporting the employment contracts’ termination procedure, including ones concluded with top managers, in connection with the discontinuation of activities of a representative office of a foreign organization, which is part of a large holding;
• supporting the employment contracts’ termination procedure in connection with staff reduction in a large foreign company selling and maintaining technological equipment;
• supporting the dismissal procedure for employees of the diplomatic mission.

Personnel documentation and other local legal acts drafting:

• drafting of the employment contracts, including those for remote employment, additional agreements to employment contracts;
• drafting of regulations on remuneration, regulations on bonus payments;
• drafting of the documents for labor protection (labor protection management system, safety induction training program, instructions for labor protection);
• drafting of job descriptions, and internal labor regulations;
• drafting of employees' personal data protection documents (regulations, consent, registry);
• drafting of military records documents;
• drafting of the regulations on commercial secrets and non-disclosure obligations;
• amending the policies on incentive and compensation payments applied in the subsidiaries of the American complex technological equipment manufacturer to ensure their compliance with Belarusian legislation.

Support in obtaining special permits for the employment of foreign employees:

• drafting of the applications and other documents for obtaining a special permit for the employment and employers’ representation in state bodies when obtaining such permits;
• drafting and registration of employment contracts with foreign employees.

Advising on various issues of work relations regulation, including:

• advising on possible options for dismissal due to a decrease in work volume of a major building materials manufacturer;
• advising on the documentation of work relations with the head of the representative office of a large foreign pharmaceutical company and drafting the employment contract;
• advising on the process of the transfer of the company’s mobile phones to employees and settlements related to this process;
• advising on the procedure for the change of director and chief accountant;
• advising on bonus payments, deductions of employee salaries in cases of shortages, fuel burn-outs, and use of company mobile phones for personal purposes;
• advising on the procedure for re-placement of graduates (young specialist);
• advising on the establishment of a reservation in the hiring process;
• analysis of documents and preparation of employer’s legal positions in labor disputes with employees or persons requiring the ascertainment of facts of labor relations existence in court.

• Due diligence on the labour aspects of the activities of the target company for China Power International Holding;
• Due diligence on the labour aspects of the activities of the target company for CITIC Construction;
• Advising Beijing State-Owned Assets on labour law issues, developing a package of documents necessary for hiring a branch director, advising on obtaining work permits and a work visa for the branch director;
• Preparation and conclusion of employment contracts with engineering and technical personnel; support in the certification of employees of the Branch of China Railway 23 Bureau Group for the obtainment of a construction license;
• Due diligence on the labour aspects of the target company's activities for China Rising Energy International;
• Advising on quotas for foreign labour, obtaining work permits and work visas for China Railway No.2 Group Co., Ltd as a part of their construction project;
• Preparation of an employment contract for the director of the branch of China Railway Asia-Europe Construction Investment Co., provision of legal support for obtaining a work visa;
• Preparation and conclusion of employment contracts with engineering and technical personnel, support in the certification of engineering and technical personnel of the branch of China Construction Sixth Engineering Division Co., Ltd for the obtainment of a construction license;
• Advising Beijing Urban Construction Design & Development Group on corporate issues, including the form of legal presence in Kazakhstan, registration of legal entities in Kazakhstan, preparation of employment contracts and legal support for obtaining a work visa for foreign employees;
• Advising Jereh Group on the preparation of employment contracts and obtaining a work visa for foreign employees;
• Preparation and conclusion of employment contracts with engineering and technical personnel, support in the certification of employees of the branch of China ENFI Engineering Corporation of Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) for the obtainment of a construction license;
• Advising Sinopec Heavy Lifting & Transportation Co Ltd on the issue of concluding an employment contract with directors of branches, obtaining a work permit in Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation;
• Advising Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., Ltd on labour issues related to the change of participants;
• Advising China National Electronics Import and Export Corporation on labour law issues, including hiring, transfers, layoffs, pay, disciplinary action, safety and health, personnel outsourcing, foreign labour recruitment, etc.;
• Advising China Electronics Co., Ltd on the preparation of employment contracts and legal support for obtaining a work visa for foreign employees.

• Supporting the process of companies and employees’ relocation to Cyprus, provide guidance, drafting & reviewing of all supporting documentation needed in the selected headquartering option. Filing an application to the BFU and accompanying all employees/investors to the Civil Registry and Migration department for the filing of their applications and obtaining residence permits;
• Full support is also provided for payroll/social insurance, payments/tax advice and overall coordination for employees relocated from abroad;
• We advise companies of all sizes as well as employees on all matters concerning Cyprus employment law. This includes topics such as: Employment contracts, Unfair dismissals, Wrongful termination of employment, Work discrimination, Harassment, Contractual terms and conditions, Social insurance and provident fund issues, Health and safety, The rights and obligations of employers and employees, Redundancy, Corporate restructuring, Maternity leave, Sick leave, Holiday leave, Pension issues, Benefits;
• Drafting of a range of contracts and other documents pertinent to employment, such as Letter or Offer of Employment, Agreements and Contracts of Employment, Employee Manuals, Company Handbook and Policies, Confidentiality Agreements, Termination of Contract or Agreement Letter, Termination Agreements, Provident Fund Forms or Documentation.

• Advising and representing the interests of employers in the administrative bodies of Georgia in the process of obtaining work permits (residence permits) for their foreign employees;
• Development of standard labour contracts, job descriptions and internal labour regulations;
• Advising and providing legal assistance to the employers in the process of termination of employment contracts, including termination of employment contracts with senior managers;
• Consulting on labour safety issues;
• Representation of clients, employers, as well as employees in labour disputes in the courts of Georgia;
• Study of personnel documentation as part of legal due diligence;
• Providing equity compliance review for employee stock options.

• Advising one of the major Kazakh Mining Company on hiring and dismissing senior managers;
• Advising one of the major Kazakh Metallurgical Company on implementation of the staff incentive system;
• Advising the major Kazakh Gas Producer on hiring foreign staff;
• Advising Kazakh Telecom Holding on staff optimisation in connection with reorganisation.
• Advising a leading Kazakh mining company on issues of employment and dismissal of key employees;
• Assistance to major Kazakh metallurgical company on implementation of employee incentive plans;
• Acting for a large European financial holding in connection with introduction of new labour agreement in its Kazakh subsidiary bank;
• Advising of major Kazakh gas producer on issues of employment of foreign expatriates.

Audit of HR Documentation:

• auditing HR documentation in Kazakh subsidiaries of an international manufacturer and supplier of telecom equipment for mobile networks, the Hungarian Oil and Gas Holding Companies, the major Chinese Energy Company, the representative office of the international pharmaceutical company, the largest Kazakhstani cement producer, and a Kazakhstani subsidiary of Chinese Oil-and-Chemical Corporation.

Development of Employment Documentation:

• drafting labour agreements for Kazakh subsidiaries of major international companies specialising in the manufacture of aircraft and aerospace technology, and power equipment, Kazakh gold mining company;
• implementation of the new form of a labour agreement in Kazakh Subsidiary Bank of a major European Financial Holding;
• drafting a bonus clause for Kazakh subsidiary company of a major International Engineering Holding;
• drafting job descriptions, labour regulations for representative offices of a major Innovative Production Company, American company - one of the world market leaders in manufacturing and marketing consumer goods, the international group that produces confectionery.

Legal Support of Employment Termination Procedure:

• legal support of the termination of labour agreements with senior managers of representative offices of several major pharmaceutical companies, an international manufacturer of confectionery, a leading Kazakhstani mining company, and Kazakhstani subsidiary of the International Producer and Supplier of Infant Food.

Instruction on Hiring, Changing Working Conditions and Termination of Employment Agreements:

• development of the Instruction for representative offices of several major pharmaceutical companies, and for an Italian-Netherlands manufacturer of confectionery.

Representation of a client in relations with Employees and Governmental Authorities:

• representation of employers in the course of state inspections and audits in an American leading company on manufacturing and selling consumer goods;
• support of termination of labour agreements with senior managers of representative offices of several major pharmaceutical companies, the Kazakh subsidiary of the International Producer and Supplier of Infant Food.

• Advising an American company that specializes in software engineering services on all questions of Labour law (hiring, termination of labour contract, disciplinary actions, labour relations with director, distance work, drafting internal rules and regulations, labour agreement, executive documents);
• Advised a leading bank on several labour disputes with ex-employees (Collective claim) on payment of regional coefficient, allowance and compensation for unused additional leave provided for employees working in high mountain area;
• Advised a major Kazakh supplier of home appliances on labour regulation in the Kyrgyz Republic, in particular employment agreements regulation and liability of employees. (Reviewing and amending employment agreement);
• Advised Central Asian university on employment of foreign citizens and issues related to state guarantees for employees working in high mountain area (Amending employment agreement, Memorandum, Opinion);
• Advised LC Waikiki Turkish clothing-retail company on general labour regulation in the Kyrgyz Republic (Memorandum);
• Advised a Kazakh gas company on labour issues related to change of owner after reorganisation of the company (more than 100 employees);
• Advised a world leading dialysis company and producer of medical equipment on termination of labour relations with director of the local subsidiary;
• Advised a leading bank on labour dispute with ex-employee on payment of seniority compensation, regional coefficient and additional annual leave for work in high mountain area;
• Advised a world leading dialysis company and producer of medical equipment on different labour matters. such as:
  • employment agreements with management, doctors and nurses;
  • hire of employees;
  • obtainment of work permit and permit for engaging foreign employees.
• Advised a Kazakhs seller of mining and construction equipment on termination of employment agreement and regulation of additional duties;
• Advised the management of a bank on employment regulation in the Kyrgyz Republic, in particular payment of compensation (preparing draft amendment);
• Advised a Chinese telecommunications company on change of management board in the subsidiary;
• Advised an international humanitarian organisation on drafting of staff regulation;
• Assisted in obtaining work permit, working and business visa, registration for foreign employees and companies hiring foreign employees.

• Represented employers in court hearings on labour dispute;
• Drafted hire agreements for short term positions;
• Drafted confidentiality agreements for employees;
• Advised and revised HR documentation;
• Assisted in obtaining work permits for foreign employees;
• Advised on employment and migration law issues for a subsidiary of an international group of companies providing pharmaceutical services.

• Drafted employment agreements for various positions;
• Drafted Executive Director’s resolution to hire, promote, dismiss and other employment terms change;
• Advised and drafted internal labour policy for companies;
• Advised on calculation of annual leave payment and overtime;
• Advised on expatriates’ workforce ratio adopted annually by the Government of Mongolia:
• Represented employer in labour disputes with employees and mediated cases;
• Represented employers in court hearing on labour disputes;
• Drafted hire agreements for short term positions;
• Drafted confidentiality agreements for employees;
• Advised and assisted on getting investor, employment visas for expatriates and their spouses or family members, work permits and residence permits;
• Assisted and advised the Employer's representative on massive redundancy processes and drafted all required documentation;
• Advised and assisted on negotiation of collective agreement terms with the leading members of the Trade union;
• Advised on general personal privacy regulation of Mongolia to various international clients;
• Advised on updating HR documents including fixed and indefinite employment agreement, internal HR policy and other policies.

Moscow:

• Advising a subsidiary of an international group of pipeline transport companies on employment and migration law issues;
• Advising a subsidiary of a major French food products manufacturer in connection with implementation of share option programme for the employees of its subsidiary, including development/adaptation of the required documents;
• Preparing model employment contracts for a Russian subsidiary of a world leading company in testing, inspection and certification services;
• Adapting and implementing HR policies of a European pharmaceutical company for its subsidiary;
• Preparing local regulatory acts (including the regulations on personal data protection and on commercial secret) and advising a Russian subsidiary of a major European medical devices manufacturer on staff reduction and employees disciplinary liability issues;
• Advising the company - project manager in the construction sector (USA) on termination of employment relations with employees of the branch in Russia, conducting trainings on anti-corruption legislation for employees of the branch; 
• Advising a subsidiary of a Swiss equipment manufacturer on options for staff transfer and staff reduction after the acquisition of the company.

St Petersburg:

• Providing legal assistance to a major transatlantic corporation in the agribusiness sector (food production) in preparing a reasoned refusal to join the federal industry agreement between unions and employers. The adoption of this agreement would have had a significant impact on business activities of the employers and pricing in this sector and would have created risks of substantial material costs;
• Protection of interests of the General Director of a company-developer of a large residential complex, to whom an official investigation was initiated regarding a conflict of interests, which could have resulted in dismissal of the General Director and recovery of damages of about RUB 200 mln (about EUR 3 mln). As a result, the Client was fully exonerated;
• Providing legal assistance to a client (a well-known business radio channel) to support the staff reduction procedure. The situation was complicated by the fact that the post of Editor-in-Chief, a special subject of legal relations regulating the activities of mass media, was subject to staff reduction. Victory in the dispute saved the Client's reputation, and the case became precedent-setting for court practice;
• At the request of the Russian Bar Association, legal assistance was rendered to a group of Russian seamen from a foreign tanker disembarked in a port in Ghana at the end of their contract without pay, documents and the port of registry in Russia. The measures taken allowed to solve the problem and return the seafarers home in the shortest possible time;
• Conducting a personnel audit for the Russian representative office of a Belarusian IT company to determine the correctness of personnel records management and identify deficiencies in order to minimize the risk of administrative liability;
• Provided legal assistance to a major construction company in execution of an order of the Federal Labor Office issued as a result of an on-site audit. The work performed by the lawyers allowed to prove the unreasonableness of the claimс ed claims;
• Successful resolution of an individual labor dispute with an employer over wage arrears recovery;
• Provided legal assistance in resolving an individual labor dispute between a client, a major IT company, and a former employee who was fired for truancy;
• Successful defense of the Client's interests in a dispute with an employee who, after committing a series of disciplinary offenses and intending to avoid disciplinary liability, had been on sick leave for more than two months;
• Successful legal assistance in resolving the conflict with the Prosecutor's Office of the Kalininsky District of St. Petersburg to bring the Company to administrative responsibility for violating the requirements of Part 4 of Article 12 of the Federal Law of 25.12.2008 N 273-FZ (ed. from 26.07.2019) "On Countering Corruption";
• Legal support for the process of investigating an accident at work;
• Successful protection of the interests of the labor collective in the process of merger of two companies.
• Successful defense of interests of a group of companies engaged in design and construction throughout Russia, CIS and Europe in a dispute with a counterparty.

Samara:

• Long-term cooperation with the multinational corporation Philip Morris International on issues of representation in labour disputes with employees in Russian Federation, as well as consulting and representing top managers on various issues related to termination of employment relations, payments and compensation;
• Represented a top manager of Beluga Group (the largest alcohol company in Russia, a leader in vodka and liquor production, and one of the main alcohol importers in Russia), who was illegally dismissed. As a result of the negotiations, the company offered the client a settlement agreement and paid the full amount of monetary compensation;
• Represented the chief accountant of JSCB "Gazbank", with whom the employment contract was illegally terminated, in a court dispute. As a result of the consideration of the case, the court confirmed the fact of illegality of the termination of the employment contract, reinstated the client and awarded the salary for the entire period of the disputed period.  Later, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation issued a judicial act on the complaint of another person with similar circumstances, in which it adopted a legal position similar to that formed for our client;
• Representing the interests of a top manager of a large manufacturing company in a litigation to establish the fact of being in an employment relationship in the absence of properly executed documents. After consideration of the case by the courts of two instances not in favor of the client, the court of cassation sent the case for a new trial and only at the stage of appeal the courts accepted the position of the client, the financial requirements were satisfied in full.

Rostov-on-Don:

• Successful representation of interests of industrial enterprise, part of the world's largest agricultural holding, in a dispute about restoration on work, collecting of average earnings during the period of forced absence, compensation for moral damages from a former employee – Director, dismissed due to unreasonable implementation of company's property, funds from the sale of which is not entered in the revenue;
• Representation of ship crew members in labor disputes with employers in connection with non-payment of wages for a long period of time (negotiations, support of court proceedings and enforcement proceedings). In one of the cases, the lawyers managed to get a foreclosure on the ship, due to which funds were received to pay the crew's debts.

• Advising and representing the interests of the Branch office of Franch company in Tajikistan in the court of first and second instance (cassation instance) of the Republic of Tajikistan on labor issues;
• Advising the American non-profit company on labor issues in Tajikistan and preparing corporate documents on labor issues and representing the interests of the Branch office in Tajikistan in the courts of the Republic of Tajikistan on labor issues;
• Advising the American company ARD INC. on the labor legislation of Tajikistan, preparation of a sample labor contract, samples of personnel documents and personnel guidance for employees on labor issues and state registration of the branch in Tajikistan;
• Advising the Representative Office of American tobacco company on corporate and labor (preparation of labor contracts and other personnel documents) issues in Tajikistan;
• Advising an American non-profit company on labour issues in Tajikistan and preparing corporate docucompany, ments on labour issues;
• Preparation of employment contracts for an American outstaffing preparation of a memorandum on labour issues and support for the state registration of its subsidiary (LLC) in Tajikistan;
• Advising a branch office of American university in Tajikistan on various labour issues;
• Support of liquidation and advising on tax and labour issues in the process of liquidation of the Representative office of a European pump systems manufacturer in Tajikistan;
• Advising a Chinese telecommunication company on labour issues in Tajikistan;
• Advising an international law firm on labour issues in Tajikistan;
• Advising a multinational IT corporation on IT, labour and migration issues in Tajikistan;
• Advising an international non-profit organisation on labour issues in Tajikistan;
• Advising an Indian power transmission company on labour, tax and contractual issues in Tajikistan;
• Advising an international law firm on labour, customs, license and other issues of Tajik legislation.

• Analysis, legal support and advising UK company on restructuring of the active business in the Caspian Region on labor law of Turkmenistan.

• Ongoing legal advice to a large international non-profit organization on day-to-day operational issues related to labor law;
• Development of an employment contract for the general director of the representative office of an international company manufacturing equipment for mining;
• Advising and providing legal assistance to the employers in the process of termination of employment contracts, including termination of employment contracts with senior managers;
• Advising a client - one of the the largest international payment system on the issues of concluding non-competition agreements with employees.

• Advising a Japanese construction corporation on the legality of paying transport expenses and travel expenses in cash to representatives of the Inspection commission of the certification authority of Uzbekistan;
• Implementing an anti-corruption policy for employees and founders in a subsidiary of the British international engineering and inspection company;
• Development and implementation of anti-corruption policies in the representative office of a European pharmaceutical company;
• Development of a system for reporting violations of the laws of Uzbekistan (whistle blowing system) in a representative office of a German company manufacturing radio-electronic devices;
• Examination of internal labour regulations and regulations of a subsidiary of an American pharmaceutical company for compliance with anti-corruption legislation of Uzbekistan;
• Drafting tailor-made employment contracts for CEO and CFO of a UK based international inspection company;
• Preparation of internal employment policies and agreements on financing education of employees and minimal mandatory employment term for the representative office of a Polish pharmaceutical company in Uzbekistan;
• Successful defence of a European television and radio broadcasting corporation in Uzbek civil court against a former employee’s lawsuit for reinstatement of employment and payment of moral damages;
• Preparation of internal employment policies for the Uzbek subsidiary of a Swedish mobile networks operator for accumulation, transferring outside of Uzbekistan and processing information stored on official electronic devices and servers (computers, notebooks, smartphones, tablet pcs, email);
• Assistance with structuring staffing lists for an Uzbek subsidiary of a Russian oil and gas service provider for the purposes of maintaining the status of a small enterprise;
• Carrying out a special employment due diligence for compliance of a representative office of an Indian pharmaceutical company with Uzbek employment laws.