Legal services
>>>for airlines, airports and aviation staff

We can help a foreign company (except for non-profit organizations) to register (accredit) its representative office or branch.

We will

• prepare regulations on the representative office or the branch
• collect the necessary documents
• fill in the relevant application
• file the set of documents to the tax authorit

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In case of a dispute with the customs authorities, we can resolve:

• disputes on imposing tax sanctions (fines, penalties);
• disputes on collecting customs duties; special, anti-dumping, compensatory duties, interests, and penalties;
• disputes on evaluating the customs value of goods;
• disputes related to appealing against customs authorities' decisions;
• disputes on the classification of goods imported into the territory of the EAEU.

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Under the International conventions on civil aviation, all civil aircrafts must be registered. Also, the registration of the aircrafts should be registered when they are bought, sold, pledged, and involved in business in any other way.

The legal advisers of our lawyer's office render services of registration of aircrafts in the Russian registry and within the other jurisdictions like Aruba, Bermuda Island, Bahama Island, Northern Ireland. Our lawyers will prepare the documents needed for registration, perform an expert examination of the deals for their legality and clean title, prove that there are no conflicts between the rights which have been registered up to the current moment, file the required documents to the registration body. We manage the transactions and registration of the aircrafts itself on turnkey basis.

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The legal advisers of our lawyer's office will perform an expert examination and management of the deals connected with lease of aircrafts, help choosing the variant suiting the client's needs to the utmost from a legal perspective.

We manage the deals of operating and financial lease in accordance with Russian and English law. We mitigate the risks resulting from nonfulfillment of obligations by one of the parties. In case of disputes concerning the lease, we act for and on behalf of our clients in courts.

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We protect the rights and interests of aviation personnel: pilots, air traffic controllers, technicians, flight attendants.

Often, employees who carry out activities to ensure the safety of aircraft flights or aviation security, the organization, implementation, provision and maintenance of air transportation and flights, the organization of the use of airspace, the organization and maintenance of air traffic, need protection.

In this connection, the partners of our bureau provide advice directly to employees of airlines, airports or personnel departments of aviation companies.

The partners of our law office have a wide range of experience in labor disputes with aviation personnel in different regions of the Russian Federation. We seek the most positive legal solution in favor of our clients. We resolved litigation in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. One example is the successful contestation of the orders of the Federal Air Transport Agency to cancel pilot licenses and to refuse to issue them.

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Some activities in the sphere of aviation can be performed only on condition that there are the corresponding licenses and certificates.

The legal advisers of our lawyer's office provide the services of preparation of the documents required by the licensing authority to get licenses, certificates, proving the compliance of the company's activity with the current legislation.

Our lawyers assess preliminarily whether the licenses and certificates can be granted, support the clients at any stage of this procedure. Also, we are about to render assistance in cases of certificate, license suspension or cancelling.

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We understand that the airlines' priority is a high level of service for passengers and cargo clients; however, when a client makes critical comments, claims, and complaints, we can help protect the company's interests and retain the client.

Upon receipt of a claim from your client, we collect all the necessary information and prepare a reasoned response.

According to our statistics, promptly providing a legally motivated response reduces the risk of a passenger going to court by 78%.

Having received a claim addressed to the airline, we proceed as follows:
We assess whether the rules for filing a claim against the airline are respected.

We examine the claim filed against the airline. E.g., in case of claiming a financial compensation, we analyze whether the necessary supporting documents have been provided; whether the deadline for filing a claim has been met.

Following the results of studying the documents, we give our recommendations on resolving the dispute with the most optimal conditions for the airline and minimizing recurrence risks.

We prepare a legally motivated response sent to the passenger, which reduces litigation risks.

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The lawyers of our bureau will help:

• in disputes with the authorities, when it is required to return overpaid tax or customs payments, insurance premiums, or pay compensation for illegal decisions of officials, etc.
• to dispute illegal decisions, actions (inaction) of the authorities.

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In case of aviation incidents, the investigation must be performed for the purpose to take measures to find the causes, remove them and prevent in the future.

Those events require the legal advice at all the stages of the process. We take personal charge of interaction with the enforcement authorities, commission, appointed to investigate the incident, with the insurance companies and law courts, protect the interest and rights of our clients.

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There are risks in aviation industry. The criminal cases can be initiated in relation with the tax evasion, illegal business operations, specified in Article 171 of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation, with transportation and storage of goods and products, which are out of keeping with the safety instructions, described in Article 238 of the Criminal Code of Russian Federation, and also in relation with rendering of services and performance of activities, which infringe the law in force.

The legal advisers of our lawyer's office stand in defense of the accused (suspect) in the pre-trial stage and in the courts at different levels. We examine the case information, asses the prospects, and suggest to try variant solutions.
We act for and on behalf of our clients in all respects. Our lawyers have a good track record in providing clients with legal defense when there is the basis for essential elements for offence.

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The extensive and comprehensive package of sanctions imposed by the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom against Russia has had a profound impact on the Russian aviation industry. These sanctions include a complete ban on the export of goods and technologies for the aviation sector, including the sale of all aircraft, spare parts, and equipment to Russian airlines, as well as a prohibition on providing related insurance services. This situation has led to a sharp and significant change in circumstances that were beyond our control.

Sanctions legislation, whether from the US, EU, UK, or other countries, is a complex and dynamically evolving area that requires close attention. Even a minor error in interpretation or failure to comply with seemingly insignificant nuances can lead to significant financial losses, reputational damage, and even criminal liability. This applies not only to direct sanctions imposed on the company itself but also to so-called secondary sanctions, which can be applied to the company’s partners operating in jurisdictions subject to sanctions regimes. For example, the US CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) provides for sanctions against entities engaging in significant transactions with individuals or companies under US sanctions, regardless of where these transactions occur. This illustrates the complexity and multifaceted nature of sanctions compliance.

Therefore, conducting a comprehensive sanctions audit is not a luxury but a vital necessity for any company engaged in international activities or with foreign partners. Such an audit should include not only an analysis of the organization’s current activities for compliance with applicable sanctions laws but also an assessment of potential risks, with the creation of a detailed "risk map." This map allows for the visualization of potential threats and the development of effective strategies to mitigate these risks. It should include not only a list of potential violations but also an assessment of their likelihood and a description of potential consequences.

Sanctions compliance support is not a one-time event but requires ongoing monitoring of legislative changes, adaptation of internal procedures and documents to new realities, and advising management on sanctions compliance issues. It is important to note that the effectiveness of sanctions compliance directly depends on the quality and completeness of information, so collaboration with experienced specialists in this field is a critical factor.

The "Know Your Customer" (KYC) procedure gains even greater significance under increased sanctions pressure. It involves thorough checks of all counterparties for their connections to sanctions lists, as well as assessments of reliability and reputation. Modern KYC procedures include not only checks against standard sanctions lists but also analysis of information from open sources, use of specialized databases, and conducting Due Diligence.

Due Diligence is a process of thorough examination of counterparties, including analysis of financial statements, checks for involvement in illegal activities, reputation assessment, and many other aspects. Periodic monitoring of the inclusion/exclusion of counterparties from sanctions lists is an integral part of Due Diligence and ensures the relevance of information and timely response to changes.

Furthermore, it is necessary to regularly analyze and review all contracts with counterparties, making necessary amendments in accordance with current legislation and minimizing sanctions risks. This may include revising the geographical scope of activities, changing the currency of settlements, as well as altering payment methods. Ignoring these aspects can lead to serious consequences.

In conclusion, effective management of sanctions risks requires a comprehensive approach that includes regular sanctions audits, continuous support from specialists, implementation of effective KYC and Due Diligence procedures, as well as regular analysis and revision of contractual frameworks. Only an integrated approach will minimize risks and ensure sustainable business development under increasing sanctions pressure.

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