Nextons’ clients are leaders on the telecommunications market, major transnational manufacturers of high-tech equipment, leading developers of Internet services, social media, aggregators and video games. Our professionals advise on a wide range of issues involved in the regulation of innovation, including defending the rights of international video game publishers, supporting entrepreneurs’ blockchain and cryptocurrency projects, and assisting fast-growing startups on the 3D printing market.

Nextons follows the shifting regulatory landscape and is actively involved in developing processes of business self-regulation, legislation on innovations, the Internet and the “new economy” in Russia and other CIS countries. Our lawyers drafted the first-in-the-CIS “Recommendations on Organizing the Activities of Entities in E-commerce in the Russian Federation” and the first robotics law in Russia. The team has also done unique research into the regulation of different types of secrecy, and cyberphysical systems. The team has the largest number of experts among law firms in Russia in thematic working groups for implementation of the Digital Economy of the Russian Federation state program based at the Skolkovo Foundation.

The practice team is one of the largest in Russia and closely interacts with professionals from other practices, such as corporate and tax law, litigation, real estate and construction. Nextons’ lawyers are always on top of the most significant industry trends. They cooperate with various industry associations and non-profits, such as the Rosatom State Corporation Knowledge Management Consortium, the Internet Initiatives Development Fund, the Internet of Things Association, the Russian Association of Cryptoindustry and Blockchain (RACIB), the Russian Association of Electronic Communications (RAEC) and the Association of VR and AR. Our professionals participate in major industry events and hold seminars on topics of interest for business representatives.

Key Service Areas

  • Information Technologies:
    • IT contracts and IT outsourcing
    • Work-for-hire software, software and open-source rights management
    • Technology import substitution
    • Technology export control
    • PPP/concessions in IT
    • E-Commerce, Internet and E-Payments
  • Cybersecurity:
    • Privacy, GDPR and Information Security
    • Critical IT infrastructure
    • Confidentiality
    • Developing and automating cybersecurity business processes
  • Digital Economy:
    • Blockchain and cryptocurrencies
    • Internet of Things and Big Data
    • Games, eSports
    • AR / VR
    • Additive technologies/3D printing
    • Robotics, AI
    • Cyberphysical systems
    • FashionTech
    • Telemedicine
  • Litigation:
    • Content blocking
    • Defamation and Reputation management
    • Unfair Competition in technologies
    • IT and IP litigation
    • Licensing and contractual disputes
    • IT Patent Litigation
  • Telecommunications and Media:
    • Communications and Media Regulation, Licensing, Certification and Registration
    • Contracts between telecommunications and media companies and service providers
    • Digital content distribution
    • Digital Media, Television and Radio Broadcasting
    • Social Media
  • Support and Automation of Legal Functions:
        Read about our specialized LegalTech division here.

    • Law Operating system (LawOS)
    • AI processing of legal documents
    • Legal function risk management
    • Legal Knowledge Management
    • Legal Design projects

Selected experience

State regulation of intellectual property and information technologies

  • Competency center for statutory regulation of the digital economy, which operates at the Skolkovo Foundation: Doing the first study in Russia of the development of robotics and cyberphysical systems legislation, including defining the terms cyberphysical systems, how they are put into use and commerce, and determining liability. Doing a comprehensive comparative-law study of the regulation of different types of secrets in various areas (e.g., telecommunications, banking, taxes), studying the legislation and law enforcement practice of 12 jurisdictions (Russia, EU, Spain, Estonia, Germany, UK, US, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Israel and the UAE) to shape approaches to developing domestic legislation in these areas, in particular, regulating data transfer, Big Data and the digital economy.
  • Rosnanotech State Corporation: Preparing an expert opinion with regard to the development of innovation in Russia, drafting laws regarding IP and encouraging information technologies and investment.
  • Grishin Robotics GP Limited: Creating the first robotics draft law in Russia. The draft robotics law is available here.
  • Developing the draft of the first international robotics act in the world: The Model Convention on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence is available here
  • Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs, which is part of Rusnano Group: Conducting complex comparative study regarding regulation of crowdfunding and other forms of alternative finance in five jurisdictions: France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as sector-specific statutes of the European Union. Drafting the conception of regulation of alternative finance and crowdfunding in Russia, including development of tax incentives package to support alternative finance in Russia.

Knowledge and IP management

  • Russian bank: Conducting due diligence of 350 of the Bank’s key information systems. The project consisted in the team independently identifying all of the documents relating to the information systems and determining their components using specialized source systems such as Jira, SAP, Tessa, Archive of software documentation and expert surveys. The information was structured to then be included in a computerized registry, risks were identified, including those associated with possible further development of the systems, and recommendations were given on mitigating those risks.
  • Power engineering company: Legal support of the global reform of the entire intellectual property management system and improvement of business processes. The scope of work included several key dimensions: technology management, protection of technical documentation, revision of the patent strategy, development of the structure of the Register of technologies and IP. We developed a set of internal policies and procedures on IP management and drafted amendments to the client’s policies in adjacent business processes.
  • MTS: Building an integrated IP risk management system, including developing automated solutions for risk assessment; analyzing key business processes and the existing IP risk management system, building a risk map (identification, assessment, ranking). Developing the design of the client’s group control procedures to cover risks, drafting written recommendations on changing the company’s bylaws and business processes to include the control procedures in them. Drafting the text of amendments to the company’s bylaws. The project won awards in the Legal Insight competition “Best Legal Departments in Russia 2019.”
  • Prosveshcheniye, publishing company: Auditing IP and IP management business processes, developing an IP management process target model and developing a set of draft internal regulations for IP management.
  • Rosatom State Corporation: Analyzing and structuring business processes; developing a set of internal regulations on intellectual property management in the state corporation and the nuclear sector as a whole.

E-commerce and FinTech

  • Fund for Infrastructure and Educational Programs, which is part of Rusnano Group: Conducting complex comparative study regarding regulation of crowdfunding and other forms of alternative finance in five jurisdictions: France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as sector-specific statutes of the European Union. Drafting the conception of regulation of alternative finance and crowdfunding in Russia, including development of tax incentives package to support alternative finance in Russia.
  • Payment system: Advising the client on the international expansion into a number of countries worldwide. Our advice includes payment, personal data, currency control and commercial regulations in respective countries.
  • One of the biggest financial institutions: Providing legal support for a project to organize online lending in the Russian Federation (including advising on compliance with mandatory user identification requirements) and preparing the legal documentation to be used on the related online resource.
  • Mobile operator: Advising on the legal aspects of mobile commerce, developing proposals to reduce risk and improve the contractual base and developing proposals on amendments to Russian Federation law to enable mobile commerce.
  • Global e-commerce company: Advising on a wide range of regulatory and contractual issues which the client faced when localizing its business in Russia, including customs law issues, consumer protection, legal requirements on advertising and lotteries and information law requirements regulating website activity.

Internet

  • Social network: Advising in view of interaction with Roskomnadzor (the Russian Data Protection Authority) that relates to compliance with the requirement to localize processing of personal data of the Russian citizens in Russia and representing clients in several administrative cases related to administrative liability. This complex case included detailed legal work on arguments related mostly to jurisdiction, along with certain specific arguments related to debatable parts of the Russian personal data law and presenting these arguments in the course of several hard-court hearings including those attended by a number of media. Advising on strategic issues of compliance with the Russian personal data law and interaction with the Data Protection Authority. Advising on the potential strategies for administrative case and court disputes in this field.
  • The search engine leader: Localization of application standard conditions of use in accordance with Russian statutory requirements; launch of paid Internet applications; conclusion of peering and caching agreements; applicability of state secrecy law in the functioning of online applications; use of voice-recognition applications in Russia; litigation concerning an audiovisual work rights infringement case.
  • Social network: Advising on various Russian civil-law issues in the regulation of user agreements, online content policies and restrictions and on key issues of complying with personal data laws; advising on issues related to litigation in Russia in defamation cases.
  • A large Internet service: Privacy issues, Internet regulation, and copyright litigation regarding intangible assets for a leading Russian educational Institution.
  • Social network: Advising on Russian personal data law, including the personal data localization requirement; advising on Russian laws on protecting children and civil legislation on the legal capacity of minors.

Information technologies

  • Holding company: Assisting in acquisition of rights to a complex software representing a messenger with built-in translation that allows users speaking different languages to still communicate. Due to the particularities of the software development practices in Russia the rights in different parts of the software were distributed among a large number of individual developers and one legal entity. We carried out due diligence and offered to divide all developers into groups depending on their technical input in software development (coding, design, etc.) and their formal relations with the Russian legal entity driving the development. The key challenge was to properly identify the software and other IP objects based on Jira/Bitbucket and other data. We have devised different sets of documents under Russian law to be signed with each group of developers and provided detailed signing instructions. IP assignment agreements with the key developers were subject to English law.
  • Opera Software AS: Structuring and supporting the client’s major content deals with Russian telecom operators, content and hosting providers, drafting licensing agreements for the client’s mobile apps; advising on personal data processing, regulation of advertising and protection of confidential information.
  • Datanyze Inc: Advising on a project related to creating a system for tracking and managing works for hire and protecting trade secrets in the client’s scientific research center recently opened in Russia. Preparing the full set of bylaws and policies of Datanyze’s Russian subsidiary to effectively manage and protect the subsidiary’s IP (primarily software).
  • G-Core Holding S.à.r.l: Due diligence of IP rights to software that was the target’s key asset.
  • Russian manufacturer of an industrial equipment monitoring system: Supporting a project to roll out a hardware-software system on a foreign market, structuring and executing the transaction with the foreign company to acquire the software rights, and participating in planning subsequent software development activities (taking into account version control, the need for separate ownership and other factors).
  • Multinational software company: Reviewing historical legal risks for rights to a fixed asset based on examination and review of the almost 20-year history of how the program and its components were created, and applicable law and case law. Preparing recommendations on mitigating the risks identified.

Media, telecommunications and navigation systems

  • Russian telecommunications company: Advising on the restructuring of a business and assets.
  • Russian division of one of the largest European publishers: Advising on copyright dispute.
  • The world’s largest entertainment and media enterprise: Advising on TV licensing, contracts with telecom and TV operators and use of intellectual property.
  • A Russian media company: Representing the client in an Internet copyright dispute and a business reputation dispute.
  • A Russian TV producer and radio broadcasting company: Establishing a broadcasting business in Europe and the CIS and developing a system of multi-jurisdiction IPR agreements.
  • A leading international TV broadcasting and production company: Advising on media production and IP licensing and entering into a license agreement with an American rights holder for creation of a television channel in Europe.
  • The television broadcasting sector in Europe: Representing the client in an IP use transaction.
  • Leading Russian provider of navigation systems: IP due diligence of electronic maps in view of a potential transaction with the international leader in the search systems market.
  • Navigation systems: Due diligence of electronic maps for compliance with mapping and IP regulatory requirements and handling the presale preparation of the assets.

Personal Data

  • Video game developer, publisher and organizer of cybersport tournaments: Providing strategic advice on matters of personal data localization, drafting internal documents and various forms of personal data consent. Providing legal support for tournaments and user contests related to the payment of prizes (e.g., cybersport tournaments and creative contests, including the drafting of documents). Developing ways to reduce risks associated with copyright to music used by DJs at an event. Advising on interaction with the competent sport authorities on holding unofficial sporting events. Providing strategic advice on matters of the legal implications of eSports recognition in Russia. Advising on the risks associated with organizing cybersport tournaments and gambling laws in Russia. Advising on the potential opportunities and risks related to bookmaking activities in connection with the recognition of cybersport in Russia. Advising on video recording, including the use of quadcopters during cybersport tournaments. Advising and drafting documents for interaction between a cybersport organization and hosts/commentators.
  • Russian social network: Developing a set of personal data processing documentation to prepare for a Roskomnadzor inspection; supporting the Roskomnadzor inspection; providing ongoing advice on regulators' requests.
  • Russian IT company: Advising on compliance with GDPR requirements with regard to European users. Resolving issues at the intersection of GDPR and Russian personal data laws.
  • Major household appliance retailer: Auditing routine business processes related to personal data processing and drafting recommendations on compliance with personal data legislation; drafting a set of bylaws needed for potential Roskomnadzor inspection.
  • Global digital online shop computer game distributor: Providing strategic advice on matters of personal data localization. Advising on matters of the submission of personal data at the request of government authorities. Drafting recommendations on the legal treatment of digital payment cards. Advising on restrictions set by the Federal Law on Protecting Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development (the ban on promoting non-traditional sexual relationships among minors).
  • Heating equipment manufacturer: Advising on cross-border personal data transfer in the case of a smart building solution.

Corporate M&A in IT

  • Electronics manufacturer: Assisting with a transaction for acquisition of a factory for manufacturing high-tech equipment in St. Petersburg, including due diligence, preparation of the share purchase agreement, negotiations with the sellers, negotiations with landlords, legal analysis with respect to opportunities for siting a factory in a warehouse complex, analyzing the lease agreement and technology transfer.
  • An international investment fund: Acquisition of a media business, including due diligence and tax advice on intangible assets (intellectual property).
  • Bank security systems producer: Due diligence, participating in transaction structuring, and preparing a sale-purchase agreement for the sale of property to an SPV.
  • Cellular networks software developer: Amendments to holding structures, sale of shares within a holding, and negotiations and performance of formalities for a change of administrator.
  • Microelectronics producer: Acquisition from a Western company of technology (know-how) and equipment for manufacturing memory microchips and creation of a new manufacturing facility in Russia.
  • Payment system: Full legal support in three transitions on purchase of ownership to IP objects, including several software systems. Our support included a comprehensive legal due diligence of IP comprising the software, advice on optimal structure of the transactions, preparation of drafts of IP transfer contracts and the software development contract, participation in negotiations.
  • Bank of Russia: Structuring a deal to acquire software and preparing the relevant documentation.
  • IT company specializing in online advertising: Participating in the company’s project to acquire a stake in another IT company, conducting due diligence on the software and the target company’s other intangibles.

Litigation in IP, IT and telecommunications

  • Social network: Representing the client in court in connection with Roskomnadzor claim to block the client's site due to violation of Russian-law requirements on personal data processing.
  • Social network: Representing the client in a dispute in interrelated claims of majors over intellectual property protection.
  • International technology company: Successfully representing the client in a civil case following a lawsuit from a technical director dismissed by the client and banning the use of the client’s key software (the rights to which were claimed by the opposing party) and for recovery of US$20 million in damages.
  • Global consumer goods producer: Successfully representing the client in seven related litigations on the claims of its local competitor for violation of exclusive trademark rights, which, according to the opposing party, were used by the client on its product packaging.
  • Federal radio company: Successfully representing the company in a claim against Roscomnadzor in connection with the cancellation of a broadcasting license.
  • VKontakte: Advising on data protection and e-commerce; representing the client in court in numerous disputes involving IP and protection of business reputation.

Artificial Intelligence

  • Competency center for statutory regulation of the digital economy, which operates at the Skolkovo Foundation: Conducting the first study in Russia of the development of robotics and cyberphysical systems legislation, including defining the term cyberphysical systems, how they are put into use and commerce, and determining liability.
  • Drafting the first international robotics law: the Model Convention on Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. The Convention is available here.
  • Oil and gas company:Advising on potential changes in European laws due to the development of AI technologies, and modeling the impact of the changes on the client’s business.
  • Conomy: Advising on using AI for securities trading analysis and recommendations (an old project with robo-advising).
  • Developing the first Internet of Things regulation whitepaper in Russia: Nextons’ lawyers were the first in Russia to develop a whitepaper for regulating the Internet of Things and continue to develop regulations in this area.
  • Competency center for statutory regulation of the digital economy, which operates at the Skolkovo Foundation: Conducting a comprehensive comparative-law study of the regulation of different types of privacy (e.g., communication privacy, doctor-patient confidentiality, banking secrecy, tax privacy); studying the legislation and law enforcement practice of 12 jurisdictions (Russia, EU, Spain, Estonia, Germany, UK, US, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Israel and the UAE) to shape approaches to developing domestic legislation in these areas, in particular regulating data transfer, Big Data, and the digital economy.

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What Our Clients Say

“We come to them with complex, non-standard work. They have deep expertise.”Chambers Europe, 2021
“Victor Naumov is a highly regarded IP name in the Russian market. He regularly acts for international and Russian technology companies, as well as FMCG corporates on a broad variety of IP issues. He also boasts a solid track record of handling high-profile technology and IP rights disputes. He is not scared to take on challenges, he can solve issues.” Chambers Global, 2021
“Victor Naumov’s team is highly qualified in the fields of digital economy and TMT. It is led by a lawyer who truly loves his work and who inspires his team to reach great heights. Every team member is a distinguished professional ready to work non-stop to deliver the best results.”The Legal 500, 2020
“Sources call the lawyers’ work ‘quick and proactive’ and praise them for ‘attention to detail and desire to understand how the client’s business is structured’.”Chambers Europe, 2019
“The team always exceeds expectations in handling complex and ongoing projects with their non-standard legal solutions. They advise on applicable law and legal regulation in new technologies and recently advised Grishin Robotics on developing the concept of the first robotics draft law in Russia.”Legal 500, 2018
“St Petersburg-based Victor Naumov is particularly well regarded for his experience in contentious IP matters relating to technology. He also assists with such issues as data security, internet regulation and issues arising from e-commerce. He always looks for the interesting approach and way to solve the problem. It's interesting to work with him.”Chambers Europe, 2017
“The team provides quick and exhaustive answers to all questions and always consider all new development and changes in law and law enforcement practice.” The Legal 500, 2017