Contact the Law Office
To reach advocate Elena Petrova, write to lawyer@lawyer-moscow.com with a short description of your situation. The office is at 29/16 Sivtsev Vrazhek Lane, office 304, Moscow 119002, in the Arbat area. Meetings in person are by appointment, and clients abroad are consulted by video in their own time zone.
A reply to a new request normally comes within one business day. It contains an initial assessment, a list of the documents needed and a fee quote.
Office Address and How to Get There
The office sits in the Central Administrative District, in the quiet lanes between Arbat Street and Prechistenka. Three metro stations are within walking distance: Arbatskaya, Kropotkinskaya and Smolenskaya.
If you are coming straight from a hearing or a notary's office, allow extra time. In the city centre the metro is usually faster than a taxi, especially on weekday evenings.
Office Hours and Appointments
The office works Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 19:00, by prior appointment only. Evening and weekend meetings can be arranged when a client is in Moscow for a short visit or a hearing falls on a tight schedule.
Walk-in visits are not practical. A meeting is useful only after the advocate has seen your documents, so please send them before the appointment.
Consultations by Video for Clients Abroad
Most foreign clients never need to come to the office. Video consultations are scheduled to suit your time zone, including early mornings or late evenings Moscow time. The link is sent by email with the agreed date.
Before the call, you receive a short list of points to prepare. After it, a written summary in English records what was discussed and the next steps.
Writing Your First Message
Three or four sentences are enough to start. A clear first message answers these questions:
- what happened and when;
- who the other party is (a person, a company, a state body);
- whether a court case or deadline already exists;
- what outcome you would like to reach.
Attach scans of the key documents if you have them. Photos taken on a phone are acceptable at this stage.
Urgent Matters
Some situations need attention within hours: a detention or search, a frozen bank account, a court deadline expiring in days. Put the word URGENT in the subject line and state the deadline in the first sentence. Such messages are read ahead of the queue.
| Situation | What to include in the email |
|---|---|
| Detention or search | Name of the person, place, the authority involved |
| Frozen account | Bank, date of the block, any notice received |
| Court deadline | Case number, court, the date on the ruling |
| Missed inheritance deadline | Date of death, date you learned of it |
Confidentiality From the First Message
Everything you disclose to an advocate is protected as advocate secrecy under Federal Law No. 63-FZ "On Advocacy and the Bar". The protection applies from your first email, whether or not you later sign a retainer. The advocate cannot be questioned as a witness about what you shared in connection with legal assistance.
For that reason, it is safe to describe the facts openly, including facts that seem unfavourable to you. An honest picture leads to a more accurate assessment.
What Happens After You Write
Once your message is received, the advocate reviews it and replies with questions or a preliminary view. If the matter is taken on, you receive a draft retainer agreement with the fee fixed per stage. Work starts after it is signed and, where needed, after a power of attorney is issued.
The main channel of communication with the lawyer is email: lawyer@lawyer-moscow.com.