AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY

For many years Verkhovodko & Partners provides complex legal assistance to its clients – automobile producers, importers and dealers.

Our team has a considerable experience in assisting automobile business both on the domestic market and internationally, including advising on corporate, tax, customs, finance, insurance, real estate and investment matters related to this industrial sector.

We are aware of the peculiarities of the supervisory inspections applicable to automobile industry, allowing us to most efficiently advise our clients and protect their interest and business.

We offer our clients a comprehensive set of legal services, as well as day-to-day advice on any legal issues arising in connection with automobile sector.

Services:

• advising on various issues related to ordinary course of business of automobile producers, importers and dealers;
• development of dealership systems, legal assistance with respect to establishment and financing of retail chains and dealers, securing the return of the loans, drafting of the cross border agreements and other documents;
• advising on tax, customs issues, evaluating fiscal risks, tax planning and restructuring;
• securing and protecting intellectual property rights;
• supporting investment projects, design and construction, reconstruction, acquisition and maintenance of real estate in automobile sector;
• representing importers and dealers in antitrust authorities;
• representing the clients during the course of inspections conducted by the of the supervisory authorities;
• comprehensive legal support of investment projects in automobile industry, including regarding land, real estate, construction and lease;
• legal advice with respect to day-to-day activities and representing the clients in courts.

Projects:

• Mercedes-Benz Leasing GmbH (a leasing company of Daimler AG) — legal advice on commercial activities and representation in courts, legal support with respect to the purchase and sale of real estate, registration and assistance of the company as a tax resident outside the country of its incorporation;
• International Financial and Industrial Group Belrusavto — legal support with respect to commercial activities and representation in courts;
• Afin Leasing AG — a leasing company of Iveco Group and its Russian daughter companies — comprehensive consulting services and representation in arbitration, economic courts and commercial arbitrations;
• International Automobile Holding «Atlant-М» (Belarus, Russia, Ukraine), official dealer of Volkswagen, Skoda, Mazda, Opel, Ford, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Land Rover, KIA, Renault and others — legal assistance with respect to commercial activities, investment projects, including for the construction of auto centers, administrative and other facilities, M&A projects and transactions;
• YO-mobile — engaged as a project advisor in the ground-breaking project on creating a first Russian automobile with hybrid engine «YO-mobile» (in Russian «Ё-МОБИЛЬ») and construction of the pilot plant in St. Petersburg. Implementation of the initial stage, including the construction of the pilot plant was estimated at approximately EUR 150 MLN;
• Yarovit Holding Company — drafting and legal supervision of the execution of the investment agreement related to the implementation of the investment projects in St. Petersburg on the production of new systems, units and components for the vehicles, organization of the vehicles and trucks assembly factory, legal support in relations between the investors and state authorities, legal assistance during the course of cooperation with the dealers;
• International Automobile Dealers Association (Belarusian Automobile Association) — legal support with respect to the establishment of the association, advising on corporate and other related matters;
• A large truck producer — advising with respect to challenging the decision of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia on non-compliance with the competition laws in the Russian market;