City in Russia push

Hammonds has entered into a joint venture with Russian law firm Zhigachov & Christophoroff after winning major work to prepare Russia for entry to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The move came in the week the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of London - a barrister and solicitor respectively - were in Russia to push the involvement of English lawyers in the country's economic development.

The joint venture will operate under the name Hammonds Zhigachov Christophoroff from 1 May.

The Russian firm has 12 lawyers and tax advisers based in Moscow and St Petersburg, and specialises in corporate, banking, tax and intellectual property work.

The lead partners were once with US firm McGuire Woods.

Hammonds has been jointly appointed by the European Commission and Russian government to advise Russia on alterations to its trade laws and policies, and the drafting and implementation of legislation, in preparation for WTO accession.

The firm's head of international development, David Armitage, said the two developments were not linked.

The WTO work would require Hammonds to have two or three lawyers in Moscow at any one time, he added.

Lord Mayor Gavyn Arthur and Lady Mayoress Carole Blackshaw - a consultant at City firm Denton Wilde Sapte - have been on a ten-day tour of Russia, Ukraine and Georgia, meeting senior business and legal figures in each country.

Speaking in Moscow, Ms Blackshaw, an aviation specialist, said: 'Russia's connections with City

[law] firms are strong and many international firms are very active here.

But it is clear that Russia's ambitious process of transformation will need to include equal treatment for foreign businesses and professionals, including international lawyers.'

It is hoped that WTO accession will lead to the sweeping away of restrictions on foreign lawyers' practice in Russia.

Neil Rose