Contract, commercial and right of sale

In the field of contract, commercial and right of sale we advise on
  • Agency agreements
  • Distribution agreements
  • Supply agreements / Purchase contracts
  • Service agreements
  • Installation agreements
  • Rental agreements
  • Real estate purchase agreements
  • Franchise agreements
  • Other contracts
We draft all kinds of contracts that are needed for business activity in Russia. If one of the contracting parties is a Russian company, the contract should also be provided in Russian. In such cases, contracts are usually provided bilingually (e.g. English – Russian).

Due to a rather formalistic interpretation and application of law in Russia, contracts governed by Russian law require particularly careful scrutiny. If the contract has an international context, then choice of law and choice of jurisdiction are of particular importance. For example, a decision by an English or German state court cannot be executed in Russia and vice versa. In many cases, an arbitration clause is advisable.

It should also be noted that mandatory rules of Russian law will apply, despite a choice of law provision. This has especial relevance for customs and foreign exchange law. Accordingly, contracts should be examined with regard to Russian law before their conclusion.

Furthermore, there are peculiarities for some types of contract. If a foreign company becomes active in Russia for the performance of a contract, Russian law may apply. This is especially important for installation contracts. For instance, a foreign company must register with the Russian tax authority if it is active on the territory of the Russian Federation for more than 30 days per year in order to carry out contractual obligations.