Squire, Sanders & Dempsey Announced 'Best Private Equity Law Firm in Russia'

MOSCOW, April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Squire, Sanders & Dempsey was announced Best Private Equity Law Firm in Russia at the inaugural Russian Private Equity Leaders Award 2010. The award was presented at the 7th Annual C5 CIS Private Equity and Venture Capital Forum by leading industry magazine, Private Equity Russia & CIS Journal, and private equity portal, AllEquityFunds.

The Russian Private Equity Leaders Award was established to recognize and promote the achievements of firms and individuals in the field of private equity investments in Russia. The winners of the award were voted for by readers of the Journal, which include representatives of private equity funds in Russia, investment banks and advisers. The voting criteria included professionalism and quality of work, market reputation and achievements in 2010.

The Moscow office of Squire, Sanders & Dempsey has a team of more than 25 lawyers who concentrate on transactions in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The team has considerable experience working with international and Russian-based clients across a wide range of industry sectors and clients include some of the biggest companies and funds active in Russia and the CIS.

Christopher Rose, who oversees the firm's private equity practice in Central and Eastern Europe and Russia and leads the Squire Sanders' Emerging Markets Private Equity Group, said: "Winning the award for Best Private Equity Law Firm in Russia underlines the strength of our practice and the depth of our reputation in this market. We have been an established player in the Russian legal market for over 20 years, and to be voted a top practice by some of the leading private equity professionals is a real accolade."

The Squire, Sanders & Dempsey team in Russia recently represented leading asset management firm United Capital Partners in its acquisition of a 36-per cent stake in Monarch Group, an international company that is a footwear favourite in Russia and Ukraine.

Other land mark deals from the past 18 months include:

Advising UFG Capital Partners as co-investor in a consortium led by Baring Vostok Capital Partners and Tiger Global Management, on the $96 million acquisition of shares representing a minority investment in Yandex, Russia's leading internet portal.

Advising STS Logistics Corporation in connection with its $100 million merger with Overseas Logistics Service Corporation, two portfolio companies of Great Circle Fund in which Alfa Capital Partners is a co-manager.

About Squire Sanders - Founded in 1890, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey has lawyers in 36 offices and 16 countries around the world and now includes the nearly 500 lawyers from leading UK legal practice Hammonds. With one of the strongest integrated global platforms and our longstanding "one-firm firm" philosophy, Squire Sanders provides seamless legal counsel worldwide.

Squire, Sanders & Dempsey refers to an international legal practice which operates worldwide through a number of separate legal entities. Please visit http://www.ssd.com for more information.

    
    Contact:

    Nicola Woodmass
    Head of Communications
    Squire, Sanders & Dempsey (UK) LLP
    +44-0-121-222-3690
    nicola.woodmass@ssd.com