Vlasova Mikhel & Partners is "the most famous and well known firm in Belarus" according to one partner, and its work this year reflects this view and sees it once more secure a top tier place. "Vlasova, of course, are very strong," agrees another peer....
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Vlasova Mikhel & Partners is "the most famous and well known firm in Belarus" according to one partner, and its work this year reflects this view and sees it once more secure a top tier place. "Vlasova, of course, are very strong," agrees another peer.
The firm's important deals stretch across a spectrum of practice areas, with a couple of a uniquely pioneering nature. One example is the firm's advice to Sberbank, the largest bank in Russia and Eastern Europe, on a sovereign bond issuance of €175 million that was placed on an external market, one of a pair of similar deals this year. This also had an impact in Russia, as new legislation was developed to allow for this deal to go through.
The other deal that made waves saw the team act for Bayerische Landesbank, the agent for a syndicated loan to the Joint Stock Savings Bank Belarusbank. The loan was to the tune of $145 million, and is the largest ever syndicated facility in Belarus
The firm also was involved in a regionally significant M&A transaction, advising Danone as it merged its CIS assets with Russian dairy company Unimilk, a deal recognised by the IFLRwith an award for Best M&A Deal in 2010.
All of these deals were fronted by the "very well respected" partner Tatiana Emelianova and backed by associate Andrej Ermolenko, among others, and clients praise her and the firm for their keenness in getting things done.
"Their turnaround time was extremely quick, by the next day sometimes," says one banking client, adding: "We were all quite pleasantly surprised by the high standard of English, which can be rare in Belarus, and their pragmatic advice."
Vlasova also continues to forge for itself a number of productive international relationships, serving as counsel for big name companies such as Credit Suisse, Société Générale and BNP Paribas on matters of Belarusian law and working regularly with the Moscow offices of Salans, SNR Denton and Herbert Smith. The pan-Baltic alliance of firms Tark Grunte Sutkiene also works in 'strategic cooperation' with Vlasova, giving the firm a regional network to draw on.
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