Moscow: +7 495 234 4959 Saint Petersburg: +7 812 740 5823 London: +44 (0) 7384 418877
The Firm page

Pen & Paper, Attorneys at Law

With offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Pen & Paper is perhaps the only national law firm which successfully combines expertise in corporate conflicts, criminal law and white-collar crime with specialisation in dispute resolution, corporate law and M&A, insolvency, real estate, construction, investment, anti-monopoly legislation and international private law – areas in which it has had almost 17 years of experience.

The firm offers the highest level of professional knowledge and experience and provides legal assistance to Russian and international companies and private individuals who already operate in the Russian market or who are just starting operations in Russia.

Our lawyers are recognised legal experts who have drafted a considerable number of bills on the reform of criminal law and criminal proceedings. These include the federal law adopted into the Russian legal system in late 2015 which entitles detained persons to place telephone calls, or the Russian equivalent of one of the legal guarantees of the American Miranda rule.

What you need to know about Pen & Paper
  • We have been practising law since 2003.
  • We render legal assistance to domestic and international companies, and to individuals working in the Russian market.
  • Our lawyers are recognised legal experts who have drafted a considerable number of bills on the reform of criminal law and criminal proceedings. These include the federal law adopted into the Russian legal system in late 2015 which entitles detained persons to place telephone calls, or the Russian equivalent of one of the legal guarantees of the American Miranda rule.
  • We have developed a training course on combating corporate raiding, approved by the Russian Investigative Committee.
  • Our clients’ assets which are held by Pen & Paper are valued at several billion dollars.
93%

of our employees are graduates of the Law Faculty of St. Petersburg University (the first university of Russia founded in 1724). However, this does not mean that we have a direct relationship with the current or the previous Russian president, both of whom graduated from the same Law Faculty.

In 2012

the company’s senior partner, Konstantin Dobrynin, accepted the post of Deputy Chair of the Federal Council Committee for Constitutional Legislation and State Construction. Nevertheless, he can still defend the people’s interests in the Senate.

10 cases

We have conducted 10 cases out of 569 on a pro bono basis. We could, of course, have emphasised the figure 569, but we are genuinely proud of these ten cases.

Our history

Pen & Paper is ranked fifth among Russia’s largest law firms in criminal law in the ratings published by the Kommersant national newspaper.

Senator Konstantin Dobrynin leaves the Federation Council, returns to the Pen & Paper administration division and becomes the State Secretary and Deputy President of the Russian Federal Chamber of Lawyers.

Pen & Paper assumes the leading position in the Russian legal market for criminal law, white-collar crime, corporate law and insolvency.

Konstantin Dobrynin is appointed as senator for the Arkhangelsk Region Executive Authority and becomes the Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee for Constitutional Legislation and State Construction.

Senior partner Konstantin Dobrynin stands for election to the State Duma.

Pen & Paper lawyers protect the interests of Lenta shareholders, one of Russia’s largest trade networks, in a corporate dispute between VTB bank and the American TPG Capital. This results in the largest purchase and sale deal in the history of the Russian retail sector.

The Green Corridor project reaches its logical conclusion with the publication of the training guidebook ‘Corporate Raids: Civil and Criminal Law Aspects’. Pen & Paper in its current form is formed.

Law firm Green Corridor is recognised as one of the leading consulting companies in St. Petersburg.

Future founders and employees of Pen & Paper (called Green Corridor at that time) fend off 14 major corporate raids, representing 35% of the total number.

A new wave of aggressive corporate raids begins in St. Petersburg.

The future founders of law firm Pen & Paper successfully complete proceedings for Ilim Pulp against Basic Element, protecting the assets of the largest pulp and paper corporation in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Law firm Green Corridor is established as part of a special anti-corporate raiding project.

The corporate dispute between pulp and paper producer Ilim Pulp Enterprises and company Basic Element begins. A group of lawyers is hired to fight the case.

This group of lawyers is later formed into the Economic and Legal Operations Division in the Legal Department of Ilim Pulp Enterprises.

A young lawyer and future senior partner at Pen & Paper, Konstantin Dobrynin, also triumphs in his first case in the Federal Court of the Nevsky District concerning an attempt by a dishonest customer to return a new Mercedes citing an alleged factory defect.

A young lawyer and future managing partner of Pen & Paper, Valery Zinchenko, secures a brilliant victory in his first arbitration case in an attempt to evict pawnbroker Zolotoi Klyuchik.

The future founders and key members of Pen & Paper graduate from the Law Faculty of St. Petersburg University.