News & Press

22 April 2010 GOLTSBLAT BLP announces the appointment of Rustam Kurmaev as a new partner in the litigation and dispute resolution practice.

Goltsblat BLP is pleased to announce the appointment of Rustam Kurmaev to the position of Dispute Resolution Partner. Previously, Rustam Kurmaev was Head of Group, Dispute Resolution, at Goltsblat BLP (and previously at  Pepeliaev, Goltsblat & Partners) for 2.5 years. Over the last year, Goltsblat BLP has really taken off and has grown substantially in work volume terms, including in the area of dispute resolution. Appointment of a second Dispute Resolution Partner is a logical extension of the development strategy in this sphere and a response to growing demand on the part of clients for these services. 

Rustam Kurmaev specialises in resolving corporate conflicts and litigations in the insurance sphere, as well as disputes associated with rights to real estate.  He has extensive experience of representing the interests of both Russian and foreign clients in general jurisdiction and arbitration courts, as well as the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation and the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.

Rustam has, on many occasions, taken part in defending the honour and dignity of political and business figures, as well as the business reputation of major Russian media companies. Admitted in 2003, Rustam is a member of the Moscow City Bar.

Rustam will be the second Dispute Resolution Partner.

Andrey Goltsblat, Managing Partner, Goltsblat BLP on the new Partner’s appointment: “In the first place, I would like to congratulate Rustam and wish him every success and maybe also some luck. The remarkable growth of our litigation and dispute resolution practice is our common success, the result of our approach to client relations, legal work and to the people working for the firm”.

Rustam Kurmaev, Partner, Goltsblat BLP comments on his appointment: “I am very grateful to the firm’s Partners for their confidence in me and promise to do my very best to contribute to the prosperity of our firm and its team. For me, becoming a Partner means reaching a new development level that demands the highest quality standards of me”.

Some of Rustam’s recent projects include:

• More than 100 litigations for Volkswagen Group Rus in different parts of Russia (Kazan, Ufa, Novosibirsk) for seizure of more than 500 cars owned by the client;
• He is the first port of call for Caterpillar Financial on their disputes. He has led a team more than 50 litigations initiated by the client in its claims for early termination of domestic and international lease agreements, seizure of leased property, recovery of unpaid rentals and fines, and through all stages of the dispute - from out-of-court settlement to successful enforcement;
• Representing Brunswick Rail Leasing in several litigations vs Mechel for lease agreement invalidation – litigation over a leasing transaction being valid and concluded,  as well as recovery of leasing payments from Mechel to a sum of $ 5 M;
• Acted successfully for TV channel 2х2 in a dispute with the Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation in connection with issue of a warning on the inadmissibility of distributing the cartoon film South Park;

Apart from Rustam Kurmaev, five heads of groups have been promoted to Associate Director effective from 1 May 2010: Tatiana Khovanskaya, Real Estate and Construction, Elena Belozerova, Customs, Igor Motsnyi, IP, Yuri Chernobrivtsev, Real Estate and Construction and Maksim Popov, Real Estate and Construction.

In addition, 7 heads of groups and senior associates have been promoted to Partners and 4 to Associate Directors at the London office of BLP.

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