Liniya Prava announces the launch of an antimonopoly practice and appointment of Alexey Kostovarov as its head

Alexey Kostovarov has 10-year legal experience in the area of resolution of disputes with the Federal Antimonopoly Service, clients’ representation in court, antimonopoly regulation, support of disputes with state authorities, banking regulation, bankruptcy of legal entities and individuals, corporate law, securities, real estate.

Alexey is a supervisor of the working group on development of clarifications by the Presidium of the FAS of Russia on the issues of antimonopoly legislation application; he is also an expert of the Antimonopoly Committee of All-Russian Public Organization “Business Russia” headed by the antimonopoly ombudsman. Author of numerous publications on legal issues.

Alexey graduated with honors from the Tula State University, receiving two degrees simultaneously, in economics and law and civil law.

Alexey joined Liniya Prava’s team in 2009 as an associate and in 2014 he became head of the Antimonopoly group as a senior associate.

Alexey’s key expertise is his successful experience in advising and resolving antimonopoly disputes and conflicts. Prominent lawsuits of Liniya Prava’s team headed by Alexey include PJSC Sberbank’s case of annuity payments and LLC Eldorado’s case over concerted practice of non-food retailers.

The antimonopoly practice will be offering the following services:

  • Representation in court challenging decisions, orders and rulings of the FAS of Russia and its territorial offices;
  • Representation in the commission of the FAS of Russia and its territorial offices;
  • Representation in disputes over recovery of damages caused as a result of violation of the antimonopoly legislation;
  • Development of antimonopoly compliance system;
  • Obtainment of FAS approval for transactions;
  • Advising on different issues of antimonopoly legislation application.

Brief information on Alexey Kostovarov’s project experience:

  • Representation of Sberbank in the dispute with the FAS of Russia over legality of application by the bank of annuity method of loan settlement in the context of violation of the prohibition to abuse the dominant position provided in the article 10 of the Federal law “On protection of competition”;
  • Representation of Kavminkurortresursy (part of the North Caucuses Development Corporation) in disputes with the FAS of Russia in the cases of i) alleged fixing of a monopoly high price and violation of a statutory pricing procedure, ii) alleged violation of the antimonopoly legislation in organization of a tender for the right to sell mineral water;
  • Representation of ELDORADO in the disputes with the FAS of Russia in the cases of: i) alleged agreement among retail chains on the household appliances market to set discounts and bonuses in the contracts of delivery, ii) alleged violation of the antimonopoly legislation on the market of iPhone smartphones;
  • Representation of the Saratov Property Management Committee in the case of alleged violation of the antimonopoly legislation in the organization of a tender for the right to enter into a concession agreement;  
  • Representation of the Ministry of construction and public road facilities of the Astrakhan region in the case of alleged violation of the antimonopoly legislation in the organization of a tender for the right to enter into a concession agreement; 
  • Representation of a minority shareholder of TNK-BP Holding in a dispute to recover damages in the amount of 288 billion roubles from companies of the British Petroleum group (BP Russian Investment Limited и BP p.l.c.) in favour of TNK-BP Holding in connection with the collapse of agreements between Rosneft and BP on joint exploration of the Russian Arctic shelf;
  • Representation of ROSNANO in a dispute with the Deposit Insurance Agency,  bankruptcy officer of Smolensky Bank, in a case over reclamation of investment units in the close-end investment fund Smolenskaya Nedvizhimost from adverse possession;
  • Representation of ROSNANO in a dispute with the Deposit Insurance Agency,  bankruptcy officer of Smolensky Bank, in the separate dispute within the bankruptcy case over invalidation of a transaction and return of the assets in the amount of more than 700 million roubles into the bankruptcy estate;
  • Representation of Sberbank in a dispute over invalidation of the order of the Federal Financial Markets Service (before its abolition) in connection with the conflict of interests in the exercise of professional activity on the securities market;
  • Representation of Sberbank in disputes with the Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare over legality of application by the bank of the program of collective insurance of borrowers’ liability;
  • Representation of Deutsche Bank in the dispute over the rights to the shares of PIK Group of Companies OJSC;
  • Representation of Sevcable group of companies, Nutritek group of companies, Razgulyai group of companies, Concern “Tractor Plants” group of companies in disputes over debt restructuring.