Russia asked to liberalise regime for foreign firms

Regulation: European Commission to lobby delegation.A six-strong delegation of top lawyers and academics from Moscow coming to London at the end of this month will be pressed to introduce liberal reform of legal regulation in Russia.The delegation includes Vasiliy Vitrianskiy, the vice-head of Russia's commercial court, Eugene Sukhanov, head of the legal faculty at Moscow State University, and professor Alexander Makovskiy, the deputy of President Putin's private law centre's executive committee.As a high-ranking officer within the Putin administration, it is believed that Professor Makovskiy is influential within the regime.A Bill for the regulation of lawyers is currently passing through the Russian Duma, though UK lawyers are unhappy that it is not clear whether it affects foreign firms.

There is parallel concern over Russia's offer to liberalise legal services as part of its negotiations to join the World Trade Organisation (WTO).As currently drafted, this would force foreign firms to adopt a sole practitioner-style of operation and place limitations on who can work there and for how long.The Law Society's international directorate has sent a briefing paper to the European Commission for it to use in direct lobbying efforts with the Russians over the WTO.

It said: 'The Law Society suggests that Russia...

create a foreign legal consultants status which permits international law firms to undertake their activities in a liberal yet adequately regulated environment to the benefit of their clients and the Russian economy.'Jeremy Fleming