What is an attorney (advokat), and how do they differ from a lawyer?

An attorney is a lawyer who has passed the bar examination and holds a special status with special rights and duties: attorney–client privilege, the warrant of attorney, formal attorney enquiries — and the exclusive right to act as defence counsel in criminal cases. Everyone at this bar association is an attorney; their status can be verified in the Moscow register of attorneys, and for the Mariupol office in the register of attorneys of the Donetsk People’s Republic.

How is the agreement concluded and the fee paid?

The legal-assistance agreement is concluded directly between you and the attorney. The fee is paid into the bar association’s cash office or bank account (art. 25(1), (6) of Federal Law No. 63-FZ). Terms are discussed at the consultation — we do not quote figures sight unseen.

What is attorney–client privilege?

Any information you give your attorney in connection with legal assistance is protected by law (art. 8 of Federal Law No. 63-FZ): an attorney cannot be questioned about it, and demands to disclose it are unlawful. It is a legal regime, not a promise.

Do you work only in Moscow?

The bar association works in Moscow and, since 2026, has an official representative office in the DPR — in Mariupol. Attorneys also handle cases in other regions: our practice includes proceedings in commercial (arbitrazh) courts — Russia’s state courts for business disputes — outside Moscow.

Can you help with tax, valuation or ongoing business support that does not need attorney status?

Such work — tax disputes, insolvency support, corporate law, valuation and audit — is handled by the lawyers of Kovalev & Partners LLC, a law firm with which the bar association has a cooperation agreement: kovalev.moscow. The bar association remains an independent organisation responsible for the attorney side of the work.

Do you advise in English?

Yes — written advice and court documents are prepared in Russian (the language of proceedings), and we correspond and explain the case to you in English. This page is a courtesy translation: where the two versions differ, the Russian version prevails.

PRACTICE / 12

Personal attorney

Your own attorney is like a family doctor: he knows your situation in advance instead of starting from scratch when something has already happened. Advice, document checks, negotiations and urgent help — under one agreement.

Call: +7 499 460-64-27

Everything you tell your personal attorney is protected by attorney–client privilege. That makes it possible to discuss what you would never entrust to an acquaintance with a law degree — or to a search engine.

What we do

Advise you and your family on any legal question.
Check documents before signature: deals, loans, contractor agreements.
Negotiate on your behalf.
Attend urgent situations: detention, search, serious road accidents.
Represent you in courts and state bodies.
Keep your legal history — documents and decisions in one person’s hands.

Typical situations

You are signing an important contract and want certainty on every clause.
An acute situation in the family — and you need one person to call first.
You are tired of explaining your affairs to a new lawyer from zero every time.

HOW THE WORK IS BUILT

How the work is built

Getting acquainted

We map your typical tasks and risks and agree the format.

one meeting

The agreement

You sign the agreement with the attorney; scope and contact routine are fixed in it.

1–2 days

The support

Advice, documents, negotiations, urgent call-outs — as needed.

ongoing

WHO HANDLES IT

Attorneys in this practice

All attorneys

Olga Lapina

Attorney

Kovalev, Malyutov, Tsypkalo & Partners

Attorney since 2010, practising in Moscow since 2020. Employment, family, inheritance and housing disputes; pro bono expert to the Moscow Commissioner for the Protection of Entrepreneurs’ Rights.

Employment lawFamily lawInheritanceHousing disputesProtection of entrepreneurs

More about their experience

Education: Graduated in 2008 from the Volgograd Law University.
Practice: Called to the bar in 2010. From 2010 to 2020 a member of the Astrakhan Regional Bar; since 2020 practising in Moscow, a member of the Moscow City Bar Chamber.
Public work: Pro bono expert to the Commissioner for the Protection of Entrepreneurs’ Rights in Moscow.

Kristina Tsypkalo

Attorney, partner

Kovalev, Malyutov, Tsypkalo & Partners

In the profession since 2011, called to the bar in 2019. Civil, commercial and corporate disputes, criminal defence, real estate, business support, insolvency.

Civil disputesCommercial and corporate disputesCriminal defenceReal estateBusiness supportInsolvency

More about their experience

Education: Graduated in 2011 from the Odessa National Law Academy (law degree). In 2017 completed a master’s programme at the Crimean Law Institute, a branch of the Academy of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation.
Practice: Working in the profession since 2011, including more than ten years in courts of general jurisdiction and commercial (arbitrazh) courts of first instance and appeal, among other roles as a judge’s assistant. Called to the bar in 2019.
Focus: Representing individuals in civil matters; extensive experience of commercial and corporate disputes, real-estate transactions, ongoing legal support of businesses and insolvency cases.

Yury Koval

Attorney

Kovalev, Malyutov, Tsypkalo & Partners

Attorney since 2014; before that, more than twenty years in military prosecution offices. Retired colonel of justice.

Military lawMilitary registrationCriminal lawAdministrative law

More about their experience

Education: Graduated in 1992 from the law faculty of the Military Institute with a degree in law.
Practice: From 1992 to 2013 served in prosecutorial and investigative positions in military prosecution offices; colonel of justice. An attorney since 2014.

QUESTIONS

Frequently asked questions

How is a personal attorney better than one-off consultations?

Context and speed: the attorney already knows your situation, documents and history, so in a crisis he acts at once instead of studying the file from scratch. For urgent events that advantage is decisive.

Does the support cover my family?

Yes — family members are included in the agreement by arrangement, each with the same confidentiality.

Is it expensive?

Terms depend on the scope of support and are discussed with the attorney at the first meeting. We do not quote figures sight unseen; at the meeting we say plainly which format you actually need.

NEXT STEP

Let’s discuss your situation

The consultation is free when an agreement is signed: that is where we say whether the case has prospects and how the work would be built.

Call: +7 499 460-64-27