Irina is dual qualified English solicitor and Russian lawyer with extensive experience of practising in both jurisdictions with particular expertise in commercial litigation.
Irina’s practice focuses on litigation and arbitration often with cross-border element acting both for commercial clients across a variety of sectors and industries and for private clients. She has particular experience of breach of contract, civil fraud and trusts disputes that often involve jurisdiction challenges, obtaining interim measures as well as enforcement proceedings in the United Kingdom and around the globe.
Prior to joining Gresham Legal, Irina was a Senior Associate at another specialist disputes practice, Cooke, Young and Keidan LLP, and prior to that she was the sole in-house counsel at a UK-based marine fuel subsidiary of a foreign energy giant. While practising in Russia, Irina held senior in-house positions as Head Legal of a major regional bank and as General Counsel at a sizeable industrial enterprise and conducted trials and hearing as counsel for her employers.
Irina is a native Russian speaker.
Irina was repeatedly named in the Legal 500 for her international arbitration expertise.
Irina’s representative experience includes:
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Representing the Claimant in a Part 8 Claim for an anti-suit injunction in respect of litigation brought in the State of Utah. Bucher-Haefner v Lewinsohn & Anor [2022] EWHC 2080 (Ch).
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Acting for an ultra-high net-worth individual in a probate dispute relating to an estate estimated to be valued around US$ 1 billion as well as in a dispute relating to the shareholding of a company valued in excess of US$ 40 million with related proceedings in Belgium, Singapore and the BVI.
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Representing the Claimant in confidential LCIA Arbitration in connection with fraud related claim involving issues of agency and contract formation.
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Acting for a Seychelles subsidiary of a Russian multi-profile investment and industrial corporation in proceedings to recognise and enforce in the UK a multi-million pound ICC arbitration award. Eastern European Engineering Ltd v Vijay Construction (Pty) Ltd [2018] EWHC 2713 (Comm)
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Obtaining a domestic freezing injunction in support of enforcement of a foreign arbitral award. Eastern European Engineering Ltd v Vijay Construction (Pty) Ltd [2018] EWHC 1539 (Comm).
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Acting for a property investment firm in relation to high value claim that the client’s bank materially altered substantial loan agreement without the client’s consent or knowledge, where proceedings involved complex issues of restitution and subrogation. Grove Park Properties Ltd v The Royal Bank of Scotland [2018] EWHC 3521 (Comm).
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Advising foreign clients on aspects of English law including issues of contract interpretation and remedies for contractual breach, early termination of contracts as well as on economic tort issues.
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Experience of dealing with statutory demands and bankruptcy petitions.