Partner | Legal

Partner | Legal

Elizaveta Rakova

Corporate law | M&A |
joint ventures | private equity |
commercial arbitration |
financing | sanctions

Elizaveta is a partner at White Square, Moscow office. She specializes in complex mergers and acquisitions, general corporate law, sanctions, private equity and other transactional matters.

Elizaveta has broad experience working in leading international law firms, where she advised major Russian and international companies on joint ventures, investments, sale and purchase of businesses, restructurings, and financing.

Elizaveta previously worked at leading international law firms such as Squire Patton Boggs and CMS, as well as at Uralkali, one of the world’s leading producers of potash fertilisers.

Selected experience and clients

Selectel, the largest independent IT infrastructure provider, in connection with the acquisition of United Network, which operates under the Servers.ru, Exepto.ru and Fozzy.ru brands

One of the largest oil and gas companies in Russia, in connection with: (1) establishment of a joint venture with a Chinese state-owned gas company, (2) establishment of a joint venture for exploration and production on the Russian shelf with a major US oil and gas company, (3) redomiciliation to Russia of a joint venture with an Asian partner, (4) establishment of a joint venture with a partner to store and market oil, (5) transfer of the company’s refining and retail assets in Armenia to the existing joint venture with a partner, and (6) buying out a minority partner’s stake in a downstream joint venture in Armenia

Russian state-owned investment fund individually and together with co-investors in connection with investments in Russian businesses of leading international companies in various sectors of the domestic economy (including Barilla SpA, Inalca SpA, Metro Cash & Carry)

Russian Family Office in connection with investments in a major Russian insurance company (pre-IPO), as well as in a number of domestic and foreign companies in online education, IT and gaming sectors

Coalco, a leading Russian real estate developer, in connection with the sale of three business centers in Moscow in favor of VTB Real Estate

ZTEC, a major Russian manufacturer of antiseptic wipes and other cosmetic products, in connection with the establishment of a joint venture with a consortium of sovereign funds comprising Russian state-owned investment fund and other investors

Metlife, a leading international holding company in the insurance and pension business, in connection with the sale of its Russian insurance business to Sovcombank PJSC

Orpea, a European company specializing in rehabilitation centers and nursing homes, in connection with the establishment of a joint venture with Russian state-owned investment fund and French state-owned investment fund

Vestas A/S, a major Danish manufacturer of wind turbines, in connection with the establishment of a joint venture and construction of a wind park in the Ulyanovsk region together with Rusnano and the Government of the Ulyanovsk region

Market Recognition

Pravo-300, 2023: Leading lawyer in Corporate/M&A (high market), Sanctions Law and Private Wealth

Russian Gazette Legal Ranking, 2023-2024: Leading lawyer (Band 1) in Corporate Law, M&A, International Projects, Private Wealth and Investments, Digital Assets Management

Best Lawyers, 2021: Leading lawyer in Corporate Law

Education

  • The University of Warwick, LLM
  • Moscow State Institute of International Relations

Languages

  • Russian Native
  • English Fluent
  • French Fluent