Dispute resolution: arbitration & litigation
Mikhail Samoylov, LL.M. (MIDS)
CV
Accomplished lawyer with deep experience in dispute resolution and legal team leadership. Proven track record of leading high-stakes matters and building high-performing legal teams across in-house legal departments and leading law firms in Russia.
Previously headed the litigation department of a major Russian bank, managing a team of over 40 in-house lawyers.
Experienced in handling a broad spectrum of disputes across various subject matters and jurisdictions, including appearances before the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. Acted as counsel for RTK in a landmark case in Russia concerning a unilateral arbitration clause (RTK v. Sony Ericsson, Case No. 1831/12).
Previously headed the litigation department of a major Russian bank, managing a team of over 40 in-house lawyers.
Experienced in handling a broad spectrum of disputes across various subject matters and jurisdictions, including appearances before the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. Acted as counsel for RTK in a landmark case in Russia concerning a unilateral arbitration clause (RTK v. Sony Ericsson, Case No. 1831/12).
Represented leading international clients, including BASF, METRO Cash & Carry, and UBS Switzerland AG, before Russian courts at various levels.
Skilled in international commercial (ICC) and investment arbitration (ICSID), having acted as both counsel and presiding arbitrator. Listed as an arbitrator with the Tashkent International Arbitration Centre (TIAC).
Contributed to several publications in English and Russian on arbitration and litigation issues, including the ICCA Yearbook on Commercial Arbitration.
Co-head of the Russian Arbitration Association's group on monitoring court practice in arbitration.
Skilled in international commercial (ICC) and investment arbitration (ICSID), having acted as both counsel and presiding arbitrator. Listed as an arbitrator with the Tashkent International Arbitration Centre (TIAC).
Contributed to several publications in English and Russian on arbitration and litigation issues, including the ICCA Yearbook on Commercial Arbitration.
Co-head of the Russian Arbitration Association's group on monitoring court practice in arbitration.
Experience (over the past 10 years)
Experience (over the past 10 years)
Moscow Industrial Bank, JSC
Head of the Litigation Department and Legal Support for Regional Operations
February 2020 – May 2023.
Responsibilities:
– Heading the Department: defining goals, strategies, and policies, delegating and monitoring tasks, developing and implementing legal reports, and organizing remote work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
– Managing a team of 40 + in-house lawyers: assessing the strengths and weaknesses of employees, goal setting, designating resources required, and evaluating performance.
– Interaction with the Legal Department of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation; and with the internal departments: Accounting Department; HR Department, Risk Management Department, Security Department.
– Monitoring the execution of tasks from the Head of Legal.
– Representing the bank in the most valuable litigations in the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, courts of general jurisdiction and arbitrazh courts.
Achievements:
– Represented the bank before the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation in multiple lawsuits concerning employer liability for employee misconduct, with potential legal exposure estimated at approximately RUB 1.5 to 2 billion.
– Represented the bank before the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation in litigation regarding debt collection under a loan agreement with a municipality that had accepted the escheated property.
– Represented the bank in litigation against its former beneficiaries to recover RUB 198 billion in damages.
– Represented the bank in appellate litigation concerning the inclusion of RUB 7.5 billion in the bank’s claims in the creditors’ register.
– Represented the bank in cassation proceedings in a case challenging a transaction involving the transfer of real property—an ancient building in the city of Saint Petersburg—to the bank, valued at over RUB 1.4 billion.
Mansors (a law firm)
Counsel
June 2019 – February 2020.
Responsibilities:
– Advising clients on different issues of litigation and arbitration.
– Representing clients in commercial litigation in Russian courts.
– Managing a legal team.
Achievements:
– Acted as counsel for Swiss-based companies in appellate litigation involving piercing the corporate veil and the recovery of over RUB 87 billion in damages.
– Acted as counsel for one of the world's leading Swiss-based banks in a number of disputes involving two private jets before Russian courts.
Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners
(a leading law firm)
Associate
November 2016 – February 2019.
Responsibilities:
– Advising a client, and drafting relevant documents on initiation investment arbitration.
– Advising clients on different issues of litigation and arbitration.
– Coordinating, managing and achieving objectives with external counsels and in-house lawyers.
– Representing clients in commercial litigation in Russian courts and before the International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.
Achievements: Acted as a counsel for a Russian investor in an investment arbitration under the ICSID Additional Facilities Rules.
Education
- The State Tretyakov Gallery.
The course on Legal support for museum activities (2025). - The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
The distance learning on corporate procurement (2024). - The Hague Academy of International Law.
The winter course on International Law (2020). - The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies and the University of Geneva Law School.
Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Dispute Resolution (2016). - The Russian Academy of Advocacy and Notaries.
Specialist in Law (2007).
Languages
Russian (Native);
English (Full Professional Proficiency);
French (Elementary Proficiency).
Skills
Management skills: analytical skills; crisis management of litigation projects, decision-making; proficiency in setting goals; monitoring task execution; time management; collaboration skills; delegation; feedback skills; foresees risks; teamwork. Communication skills: developing and presenting clear, logical and legally sound opinions; listening skills; negotiation skills; public speaking abilities; written correspondence and verbal communication skills.
(с) Mikhail Samoylov. 2025.
