Michael Schwartz

About Michael Schwartz

Michael specialises in dispute resolution, antitrust and labour law.

Formerly head of the Russian desk in Freshfields’ Frankfurt office, Michael has lived in Moscow and in 2000 relocated to the Munich office where he remains to be involved in matters relating to Russia and the CIS countries.

He has over 25 years’ experience in Russia, advising clients on joint ventures, project finance, corporate and commercial law across a range of sectors, including infrastructure, real estate, oil and gas and consumer products.

Thanks to this experience Michael has an in-depth understanding of Russian legislation and culture and is able to speak Russian fluently. This makes him the first port of call for German clients doing, or looking to do, business in the former Soviet Union and CIS.

He speaks German, English and Russian

Recent work

• Advising Russian Railways on the establishment of a JV with Deutsche Bahn to organise freight shipment between western Europe and the CIS countries by train and other means of transport, and on the purchase of control over Transmashholding, the largest Russian producer of railway equipment, by means of the acquisition of a blocking stake in its Dutch parent company The Breakers Investments.
• Advising the City of St Petersburg on the Western High Speed Diameter project, a landmark concession in road infrastructure.
• Advising Itella Corporation, Finland’s post and logistics company, on the €220m acquisition of National Logistic Company, the leader of the modern logistic business in Russia.
• Advising Siemens on its strategic joint venture and a global nuclear partnership with Rosatom.
• Advising EVN AG / WTE Wassertechnik GmbH on a range of utilities projects in Moscow. The projects include construction and refurbishment of water, wastewater and waste facilities and are all on different stages of implementation. The total cost of the projects exceeds €1bn.