Inna Ivanikova
Senior Associate, Attorney
Inna has ample experience in support related to corporate conflicts of varying complexity, including management of 70 concurrent disputes in the Russian Federation pertaining to the same conflict. She is also engaged in support related to major commercial disputes.
Inna’s customer portfolio includes major retailers, such as Lacoste, SuperStep, Benetton, Re, NGKM Group, Hopper-IT, PSK Pharma.
Prior to joining VERBA LEGAL, Inna was employed by a major Russian law firm, where she held the position of the Head of Corporate Disputes in the dispute settlement practice for the last two (2) years.
Inna’s customer portfolio includes major retailers, such as Lacoste, SuperStep, Benetton, Re, NGKM Group, Hopper-IT, PSK Pharma.
Prior to joining VERBA LEGAL, Inna was employed by a major Russian law firm, where she held the position of the Head of Corporate Disputes in the dispute settlement practice for the last two (2) years.
Education
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Law Faculty, Bachelor’s Degree with Honours (2015).
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Law Faculty, Master’s Degree with Honours (2017).
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Law Faculty, Master’s Degree with Honours (2017).
Awards and Ratings
Inna is recommended by such Russian ratings as Pravo 300 in the Corporate Disputes nomination and Rossiyskaya Gazeta in the Corporate Law nomination.
projects
Project Experience Highlights
Проект
Corporate disputes
Клиент
Описание
Representation of a minority shareholder in a corporate conflict of a major oil pipeline and onshore facility construction company, including 70 disputes for the total amount exceeding RUB 3.5 billion, and its settlement by signing a comprehensive settlement agreement.
Representation of a shareholder in a hotel business to recover the actual value of the equity interest. Based on the forensic investigation that covered 27 real estate facilities, more than RUB 500 million were recovered.
Representation of the shareholders of a large IT company in a corporate conflict since 2017. The main purpose of the project was to consolidate the shares in the group of shareholders and to remove a hostile shareholder (the former general director) from the list of the company’s shareholders. In 2017–2018, upon recovering damages from the former director and challenging the transaction, the former director’s personal bankruptcy procedure was initiated with the company’s shares included in the bankruptcy assets. Ultimately, a settlement agreement was executed in 2023, based on which the amicable shareholders consolidated the shares in their ownership.
Representation of shareholders of an IT company in a corporate dispute. The project was primarily aimed at recovering the trademark previously transferred to a controlled company. Four concurrent proceedings resulted in achieving this goal.
Representation of founders in order to recover losses worth more than RUB 500 million from the former general director of a major developer in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District. The recovery led to initiation of the private bankruptcy procedure with the property restructuring now in progress.
Representation of a minority shareholder of a company group engaged in design, landscaping, and greenery planting services. The corporate dispute parties underwent a mediation procedure that settled the mutual disagreements. The total payments to the Principal amounted to RUB 80 million.
Defence of the Principal under the lawsuit on recognising the business acquisition contract as simulated. The proceedings resulted in the Principal retaining 100% of the company’s ownership.
Representation of a participant in a limited liability company under the lawsuit on expulsion of a mala fide participant on corporate grounds. The developed defence strategy enabled not only to retain the equity interest in the company and avoid recovery of damages by a fishing company, but also to expel the second participant for obstructing the business.
Representation of a joint-stock company under a lawsuit on judicial dissolution of the Company due to failure to achieve the profit target – refusal to accept the dissolution claim.
Representation of a beneficiary under a claim to recover damages in the form of lost profit in the bankruptcy case for failure to lease out the only asset available to the company, specifically a medical centre building. Based on the repeated review of the stated claims (and following the satisfaction of the Principal’s writ of appeal), absence of any losses as such was proven with the review ultimately resulting in refusal to accept the claims.
Representation of a shareholder in a hotel business to recover the actual value of the equity interest. Based on the forensic investigation that covered 27 real estate facilities, more than RUB 500 million were recovered.
Representation of the shareholders of a large IT company in a corporate conflict since 2017. The main purpose of the project was to consolidate the shares in the group of shareholders and to remove a hostile shareholder (the former general director) from the list of the company’s shareholders. In 2017–2018, upon recovering damages from the former director and challenging the transaction, the former director’s personal bankruptcy procedure was initiated with the company’s shares included in the bankruptcy assets. Ultimately, a settlement agreement was executed in 2023, based on which the amicable shareholders consolidated the shares in their ownership.
Representation of shareholders of an IT company in a corporate dispute. The project was primarily aimed at recovering the trademark previously transferred to a controlled company. Four concurrent proceedings resulted in achieving this goal.
Representation of founders in order to recover losses worth more than RUB 500 million from the former general director of a major developer in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous District. The recovery led to initiation of the private bankruptcy procedure with the property restructuring now in progress.
Representation of a minority shareholder of a company group engaged in design, landscaping, and greenery planting services. The corporate dispute parties underwent a mediation procedure that settled the mutual disagreements. The total payments to the Principal amounted to RUB 80 million.
Defence of the Principal under the lawsuit on recognising the business acquisition contract as simulated. The proceedings resulted in the Principal retaining 100% of the company’s ownership.
Representation of a participant in a limited liability company under the lawsuit on expulsion of a mala fide participant on corporate grounds. The developed defence strategy enabled not only to retain the equity interest in the company and avoid recovery of damages by a fishing company, but also to expel the second participant for obstructing the business.
Representation of a joint-stock company under a lawsuit on judicial dissolution of the Company due to failure to achieve the profit target – refusal to accept the dissolution claim.
Representation of a beneficiary under a claim to recover damages in the form of lost profit in the bankruptcy case for failure to lease out the only asset available to the company, specifically a medical centre building. Based on the repeated review of the stated claims (and following the satisfaction of the Principal’s writ of appeal), absence of any losses as such was proven with the review ultimately resulting in refusal to accept the claims.
Проект
Commercial disputes
Клиент
Описание
Defence of a major federal developer in the dispute against Khanty-Mansiysk City Administration and a state-owned company (investor) under the lawsuit on declaration of ownership for an uncompleted construction project worth RUB 1.8 billion, based on which all courts, including the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, rejected the suit lodged by the opponents.
Defence of the Principal in the dispute with Promsvyazbank PJSC under the lawsuit on challenging the largest banking charge in judicial practice as of 2024 charged by the bank from the Principal pursuant to Federal Law No. FZ‑115. Shaping the case law with regard to judicial reduction of banking charges applied up to the present day.
Representation of Lacoste in a rental dispute against a major department store in Moscow. Based on the six-month negotiation process initiated upon lodging a lawsuit against the Principal on debt collection, the dispute was settled thereby the claimant fully abandoned the initial lawsuit and a compensation was paid to the Principal under a settlement agreement resulting from a countersuit.
Representation of SuperStep in a rental dispute against a department store. The Principal’s aim was to withdraw from a loss-making rental agreement. The support rendered under two disputes resulted in termination of the agreement with the economic claims of the parties successfully settled.
Defence of the Principal under the lawsuit on recognising an agreement as invalid due to being executed under the influence of fraud. The support to the negotiation process with the participation of Avito and Internet Initiatives Development Fund resulted in a comprehensive settlement agreement that led to withdrawal of the lawsuit against the Principal.
Defence of the Principal (an industrial equipment supplier) in the dispute with Transneft PJSC subsidiary to recognise a transaction worth RUB 359 million as invalid.
Defence of the Principal (a Hong Kong company) in the dispute with a tin production enterprise to recover the debt under the investment agreement amounting to USD 1.4 million.
Representation of United Colors of Benetton in the precedent-setting case on judicial termination of a long-term rental agreement due to significant change in circumstances at the time of exposure to COVID-19, based on which the rental agreement was terminated pursuant to Article 451 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.
Leasing disputes, including representation of Taxi 2412, a major Russian company that offers modern city taxi services. This dispute was complicated due to its complex nature. It includes multiple corporate cases and multiple civil cases directly linked to the above. It was initiated back in 2021 and is currently in progress due to two cases on determining the legal nature of the established legal relations being referred to the Supreme Court for a new round of review.
Defence of the Principal in the dispute with Promsvyazbank PJSC under the lawsuit on challenging the largest banking charge in judicial practice as of 2024 charged by the bank from the Principal pursuant to Federal Law No. FZ‑115. Shaping the case law with regard to judicial reduction of banking charges applied up to the present day.
Representation of Lacoste in a rental dispute against a major department store in Moscow. Based on the six-month negotiation process initiated upon lodging a lawsuit against the Principal on debt collection, the dispute was settled thereby the claimant fully abandoned the initial lawsuit and a compensation was paid to the Principal under a settlement agreement resulting from a countersuit.
Representation of SuperStep in a rental dispute against a department store. The Principal’s aim was to withdraw from a loss-making rental agreement. The support rendered under two disputes resulted in termination of the agreement with the economic claims of the parties successfully settled.
Defence of the Principal under the lawsuit on recognising an agreement as invalid due to being executed under the influence of fraud. The support to the negotiation process with the participation of Avito and Internet Initiatives Development Fund resulted in a comprehensive settlement agreement that led to withdrawal of the lawsuit against the Principal.
Defence of the Principal (an industrial equipment supplier) in the dispute with Transneft PJSC subsidiary to recognise a transaction worth RUB 359 million as invalid.
Defence of the Principal (a Hong Kong company) in the dispute with a tin production enterprise to recover the debt under the investment agreement amounting to USD 1.4 million.
Representation of United Colors of Benetton in the precedent-setting case on judicial termination of a long-term rental agreement due to significant change in circumstances at the time of exposure to COVID-19, based on which the rental agreement was terminated pursuant to Article 451 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.
Leasing disputes, including representation of Taxi 2412, a major Russian company that offers modern city taxi services. This dispute was complicated due to its complex nature. It includes multiple corporate cases and multiple civil cases directly linked to the above. It was initiated back in 2021 and is currently in progress due to two cases on determining the legal nature of the established legal relations being referred to the Supreme Court for a new round of review.