Preservation and assessment
Evidence-grade preservation of the publications; fact or opinion; what are the prospects.
PRACTICE / 07
Honour, dignity and business reputation
A defamatory article, a fake review, a “leak” in a Telegram channel — reputational attacks have become routine. The law provides tools: retraction, removal of false statements, compensation. We move fast: the earlier a publication is preserved as evidence, the stronger the position.
- Handled by
- Attorneys of the bar
- For whom
- Businesses and individuals
- First step
- Preserve the publication
First we determine what we are dealing with: an assertion of fact, which can be verified and retracted, or a value judgment, which is pointless to fight in court. That honest answer comes at the first consultation — before any costs.
What we do
- Preserve defamatory publications as admissible evidence.
- Prepare demands for retraction and removal of false statements.
- Litigate honour, dignity and business-reputation cases.
- Recover compensation for moral harm and reputational loss.
- Work with platforms and search services on removal of information.
- Defend respondents too — when a “reputation” claim is used as pressure.
Typical situations
- An article about the company contains false “facts”.
- A competitor is methodically posting paid reviews.
- Personal attacks on the director have gone public.
- You face a reputation claim designed to silence you.
HOW THE WORK IS BUILT
How the work is built
Pre-trial stage
Demands for retraction and removal; negotiations with platforms.
Court
The claim, linguistic expert evidence, representation.
Enforcement
Control over publication of the retraction and removal of the statements.
WHO HANDLES IT
Attorneys in this practice
Attorney since 2009, chairman of the bar association since 2019. Criminal and commercial litigation, personal and corporate insolvency.
More about their experience
- Education
- Graduated from the Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics and Informatics (MESI) with a degree in Law. Completed professional retraining at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics under the unified insolvency-practitioner programme (crisis management). Postgraduate student at the Moscow Innovation University.
- Practice
- A practising attorney since 2009, specialising in criminal and commercial law and in personal and corporate insolvency cases.
- At the bar association
- Chairman of the Kovalev, Malyutov, Tsypkalo & Partners Moscow Bar Association since 2019.
In the profession since 2011, called to the bar in 2019. Civil, commercial and corporate disputes, criminal defence, real estate, business support, insolvency.
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.
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.
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.
QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Can a publication be removed before trial?
Sometimes yes: platforms and media respond to reasoned demands, especially where falsity is obvious. The pre-trial stage is the mandatory first step — and quite often the last.
What does a court treat as defamatory?
Assertions of law-breaking, dishonesty or bad faith in business — where they are untrue. Opinions and value judgments are not subject to retraction, so classifying the text is the key to the case.
The publication is anonymous. Is there any point?
Yes: such statements can be declared false in special proceedings, and removal can be demanded from the site owner. We go through the options at the consultation.
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.