Baker Botts' involvement with Russia and the CIS is long-standing. Baker Botts lawyers first began working in what is now the Russian Federation in the 1970s and we opened an office in Moscow in the early 1990s, following the opening of Russia and its neighboring states to foreign participation in its newly developing economy. Today the Russian economy, while undoubtedly going from strength to strength, still faces a number of historical challenges from those early days, together with new opportunities from an economic revival with dramatic growth.

Russia's strong ties within the CIS countries and the other states of the former Soviet Union are still in place and have led to healthy trading relationships. Russian business is also reaching out beyond its traditional boundaries to the United States, the European Union and Asia. Our lawyers, who have been closely involved in Russia for nearly fifteen years and have detailed knowledge of the region, are helping guide international businesses into these developing markets. We are also helping Russian and CIS businesses succeed in domestic markets and realize their aspirations to adopt international standards of transparency and disclosure in order to access the international markets that will be critical to their long-term sustained success and international growth.

Baker Botts is well known as one of the world's leading energy law firms and our work in the region is acclaimed. In the most recent Petroleum Economist survey of energy industry executives, we ranked first in the category "Best Knowledge of Energy Law and Transactions in the CIS." Russia and Kazakhstan are leading hydrocarbon-producing states, both now and for the future, and our Moscow office is strategically positioned to serve the entire supply chain of energy businesses. Baker Botts energy lawyers in the Moscow office are supported by lawyers from around the globe. Our market-leading experience in oil and gas field development along with related infrastructure projects, especially pipeline and LNG projects, is widely recognized. We also regularly advise clients on the new and developing markets in power, including infrastructure development and utilities regulation and privatization.

Baker Botts' activities in Russia and the CIS reflect our global experience in a number of diverse industry and business sectors. Our Moscow office advises on well-tested and innovative corporate structures and transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructurings and other inbound and outbound investment strategies. We have in-depth familiarity with the environmental challenges facing Russia and the CIS states following their transition from an industrial base unfettered by modern-day environmental protection measures. Baker Botts also uses its strength in real estate (especially development and financing), finance and telecommunications/broadcasting to assist businesses in the region. We have brought our global reputation in international arbitration and dispute resolution to bear for the benefit of our clients involved in some of the most significant litigation affecting the energy industry.

Examples of Matters and Projects

• Pipeline financing and development
• Gas and power transmission and distribution systems
• Road and rail networks
• Power generation, transmission, distribution and supply structures
• Power project development and financing
• Oil and gas field exploration and development
• Energy services management and commercial arrangements
• Refining facilities and petrochemical projects
• LNG facilities, terminals and commercial arrangements
• Natural resources and mining of precious and nonprecious metals and hard minerals; waste and water management
• Privatizations and market restructuring
• Environmental due diligence, emissions trading and international environmental standards
• Office, retail and residential building developments; leasing and investment funds; development tenders; concessions; and public-private partnerships