Contact

Attorney Elena Petrova receives enquiries by email and meets clients at her office at Sivtsev Vrazhek 29/16, Moscow. Most clients from the United States start in writing, and a full matter can often be handled without a visit to Russia. Correspondence is conducted in English or Russian, whichever is more convenient for you.

This page explains what to send in a first message, how the office handles incoming enquiries, and what happens between the first letter and the start of work.

Where the Office Is Located

The office is in the Arbat district of central Moscow, on Sivtsev Vrazhek lane, building 29/16. Personal meetings take place there by prior arrangement only.

Clients visiting Moscow should agree a date and time by email in advance. Bring your passport and the originals of any documents discussed in correspondence.

A visit is useful when originals must be handed over, when a notarial act has to be signed in Moscow, or before a hearing where you will give evidence in person. For everything else, scans and written reports are enough.

Writing the First Message

A clear first email saves at least one round of questions. Please include:

• your full name, country and city of residence;
• the other party, whether a person, a company or a state body;
• a short timeline with dates of key events;
• what you want to achieve;
• any deadline you know of, such as a hearing date or an appeal term.

Attach scans of contracts, court papers, notices and registry extracts. Russian originals are preferred, but copies with English notes are also fine at this stage.

What Happens After You Write

The attorney reads the materials and checks for conflicts of interest. If another party in the same matter is already a client, the enquiry cannot be accepted, and you will be told so.

You then receive a reply with an initial view of the situation and a list of missing documents. If the matter is urgent because of a court deadline, say so in the subject line.

Timeline From Enquiry to Engagement

The pace depends mostly on how quickly documents reach Moscow. An apostilled power of attorney sent by courier is often the longest step.

Languages and Translation

Letters, memos and reports can be written in English. Russian courts accept documents only in Russian, so filings are drafted in Russian with an English summary for you.

Documents issued in the United States must carry an apostille and a certified Russian translation before they are used in a Russian court or registry.

Working Across Time Zones

Moscow does not switch to daylight saving time. The gap with California is eleven hours in winter and ten in summer.

Because of this, email is the most practical channel. A message sent in the afternoon in San Francisco is usually read at the start of the next Moscow working day.

Confidentiality of Your Enquiry

Information you share in a first message is treated as confidential from the moment you send it. Advokat secrecy protects what a client tells an attorney in connection with legal help.

Send only what is needed for an initial view. Passport scans and bank details can wait until an agreement is signed.

The main channel of communication with the attorney is email: attorneypetrova1@gmail.com.