RWAnswers: moving to practice international arbitration abroad

“Can an international arbitration lawyer practicing in Russia secure a job in an international arbitration practice of an international law firm abroad (in jurisdictions such as UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong)?”

Elena Burova, RWA Steering Committee Member and Senior Associate at Lansky, Ganzger + Partner (LGP Group), Dubai:

By all means – the mere nature of international arbitration implies free mobility and flexibility in choosing a jurisdiction for practicing. Sticking to a particular jurisdiction may not be decisive for developing key skills in international arbitration, with specialized national Russian law firms independently and very successfully engaging in major international arbitrations, both commercial and investment. I am convinced that, today, experienced Russian arbitration practitioners are not only as good as their foreign colleagues, but often are head and shoulders above them in terms of hard skills, diversity of experience, diligence and efficiency. Therefore, if one thinks about practicing abroad, working in a national Russian firm with a strong portfolio of multi-jurisdictional projects, especially these days, is already an excellent starting point.

When it comes to recommendations, active networking and interactions with colleagues from the jurisdictions of your particular interest can be instrumental. Keep an eye on arbitration events in the jurisdiction of your choice, try to attend and network on the spot, participate in global arbitration weeks as they bring together the community from all over the world. Studying abroad and obtaining an LL.M. degree, especially in a country of your interest, can also benefit you. Although this is not a universal guarantee, it might be a valuable addition to your solid and varied experience, which is the base.

As for the United Arab Emirates, perhaps, it is not the most liberal jurisdiction as to the regulation of the legal profession, but, at the same time,one of the most open to foreign legal practitioners today. The local legal market is very diverse. There are arbitration practices in large international law firms, which usually involve a certain number of colleagues relocated from their former offices in Russia. You can try to establish contacts with them. There are strong practices of local or regional GCC players, as well as boutiques, which may be interested in working for disputes involving Russian parties. You can think about the competitive advantage you can bring to their table. Finally, there are also Russian firms with offices or desks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. If you work for such firms, the path to the UAE is perhaps the most obvious one for you. 

One may observe that, in the UAE, there is a certain degree of “piety” for common law and lawyers from common law jurisdictions, which generally defines local competition. This is largely due to the offshore jurisdictions, such as DIFC and ADGM, operating on the basis of English law, including in the judiciary. At the same time, admission to practice in DIFC Courts is accessible not only for English lawyers. I think this context should not discourage Russian lawyers who can offer their own specific strengths; still, one can increase their competitive advantage by qualifying as a solicitor or a degree from a common law jurisdiction. 

In general, practice in the UAE can become one’s gateway to other jurisdictions, including Singapore and Hong Kong mentioned in the question, as well as other GCC jurisdictions that are actively developing, if there is such an aspiration. However, it is always worth fine-tuning to local settings.