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Civil and commercial disputes

Civil and commercial disputes

An unpaid delivery, an advance payment never returned, a counterparty refusing to perform a contract, unjust enrichment — most commercial disputes can be closed at the demand-letter stage, but when a counterparty ignores the demand, court is what's left. We handle debt recovery and disputes under sale, lease, supply and services contracts.

Context
Who is this for?

  • Companies and entrepreneurs whose counterparty has not paid for a delivery, service or lease.

  • Parties to a contract facing a counterparty's refusal to perform agreed terms.

  • Persons seeking the return of money or property received by the other party without any consideration.

  • Clients who need representation in consumer-protection disputes.

Relevance
What problems are solved?

  • Recovering debt under sale, lease, supply, services, agency and similar contracts.

  • A counterparty evading performance or performing improperly.

  • Unjust enrichment — recovering money or property received without lawful grounds.

  • Formal objections raised by a counterparty solely to drag out the dispute.

's services include
Assessing the prospects of recovering a debt

under a contract

Preparing pre-trial demands and statements of claim
Recovering debt under contracts

of sale, lease, supply, services, agency, etc

Representing clients in disputes

on consumer protection

Questions and answers
Participants in international and Russian professional rankings: Best Lawyers, Chambers, The Legal 500, Who Is Who Legal, World Tax, Leaders League, Forbes Legal Ranking, Kommersant, PRAVO‑300.
Is a demand letter required before filing a claim?
It depends on which procedural rules govern the dispute. In most commercial (arbitrazh) disputes, the pre-trial demand procedure is mandatory. The response deadline is usually 30 days unless the law or the contract sets a different one. In civil disputes, a pre-trial demand is generally not mandatory, except where the law or the contract requires it.
How do you recover a penalty if the contract doesn't state its amount?
If the penalty amount wasn't agreed, you can recover interest for the use of another's funds under Art. 395 of the Civil Code, or prove the amount of losses directly.
What is unjust enrichment, and when can it be recovered?
A situation where one party received money or property without lawful grounds — for example, payment for a service never rendered. You can recover the amount itself plus interest for the period the funds were withheld.
What should you do if a counterparty ignores your demand letter?
Once the response deadline has passed, go to court with a claim, attaching proof that the demand was sent. Ignoring the demand doesn't block recovery — it only confirms that the pre-trial procedure was followed.
Cases in this practice area
September 21, 2026
Recovery of debt under a lease agreement
Court recovery of rent arrears accumulated by a bad-faith corporate counterparty.
More
May 28, 2026
Recovering unjust enrichment for tourism services never rendered
Recovering funds from an individual entrepreneur providing tourism services.
More
May 21, 2026
Recovering debt under the consumer protection law
An individual entrepreneur acting as contractor substantially breached a construction contract and refused to return money to the client. The dispute was resolved through a settlement agreement on the client's terms: the contract price, default interest, court fees and legal costs were all recovered.
More
May 18, 2026
Dispute over debt arising from a bank's failure to release a letter of credit
Defending the defendant (a property buyer) in a claim where the client is the defendant.
More
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Let us discuss your situation
Tell us about the circumstances of the dispute — we will suggest a strategy and assess the prospects before the work begins.
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