Rybalkin, Gortsunyan and Partners (RGP) launches a special white-collar practice as part of its dispute resolution group.

As part of the new practice, RGP team will represent clients in Russian and international white-collar cases, including those relating to fraud, misappropriation and embezzlement, abuse of rights and abuse of office, unjust enrichment in commercial and government-related matters and bribery, and in international extradition cases.

Mariа Blagovolina, a partner with 20 years of experience, will head the criminal practice. Maria has acted as a defence attorney in a number of major white-collar criminal cases. In addition, she has extensive experience in managing and co-ordinating major international multi-jurisdictional projects, including those involving criminal matters.

At the start of her career, Maria worked in the Moscow offices of leading international law firms, including Allen & Overy. Furthermore, she was one of the founders and a managing partner at a Russian law firm with a most outstanding criminal practice.

Maria’s clients include major Russian and international firms and businessmen from the Forbes’ Russian top 100 list.

Marina graduated from the Moscow State University of International Relations (MGIMO) in 2001 and has exemplary fluency in English and French. Maria is ranked among the best Russian lawyers in Criminal Law by the Best Lawyers.

Two more experienced white-collar crime defence lawyers are alos joining RGP alongside Maria Blagovolina: Marina Zakharova, an attorney with over 15 years of experience, and Anastasia Mironova, a junior associate. With these new professionals, the total number of lawyers and attorneys at RGP will exceed 50.

Maria comments, “I am excited to join one of the leading litigation firms in the market and strengthen RGP team’s unrivalled experience in Russian and international investigations and proceedings with my expertise in financial crimes. I am sure we will create a pre-eminent white collar practice!”

RGP’s managing partner Suren Gortsunyan notes, “Maria will be the first female partner at RGP. We are delighted that such a high-class professional is joining us and believe that this appointment is important for the congenial progression of women business leaders in the industry.”

Dmitry Dyakin, co-head of RGP’s dispute resolution practice, comments, “With our new white collar practice, we are fully prepared and are happy to assist our clients in most complex disputes, including those relating to white-collar crimes and bribery cases. Our clients will also benefit from the interaction between the experienced criminal lawyers and our leading corporate practice lawyers, providing the market with quite a new level of expertise in both white-collar cases and in assessment of criminal risks in transactions and projects.”