Welcome to ILN-terviews, a series of profiles of ILN member firm attorneys, designed to give a unique insight into the lawyers who make up our Network. For our latest interview, we chose ILN member, Andrey Zelenin of Lidings Law Firm in Moscow, Russia.

In one sentence, how would you describe your practice?
Advising business in Russia on all aspects of the Russian law.

Who would be your typical client?
Russian and international companies primarily from such industries as pharmaceuticals and healthcare, IT&Electronics and FMCG.

What would you like clients and potential clients to know about you?
That I’m down-to-earth, responsible, optimistic and go above and beyond to get the results.

What has been your most challenging case? Why?
As of now, the most exciting case I had was an international insolvency matter, where we went up to the Supreme Court to recognize (first time ever in Russia!) a Northern Ireland Court Decision.

What has been your proudest moment as a lawyer?
Passing the Bar exam. The legal profession in Russia currently undergoes a major reform and I had to do that quite recently – in 2014. Apart from taking it as a personal challenge it was important for me that my colleagues at the firm have been encouraged by my example following in my footsteps successfully passing the Bar exam

What do you do when you’re not practicing law?
I’m doing homework with my five children.

What would surprise people most about you?
My family background generally. That I was born and spent my childhood in the Middle East, where my father worked as a journalist, and that I have quite remarkable ancestors – famous Russian actress Maria Ermolova and an advocate, member of State Duma (parliament) of the Russian Empire Nikolay Schubinskiy (my 3rd great-grandparents, both lived at the end of the XIX century). And that I am 34 years old and have five kids: two daughters, 12 and 2 years old, and three sons, 10, 8 and 6.

What has been your most memorable ILN experience?
I adore travelling by car. In 2015 we took a car ride to Sicily for the ILN Annual Meeting. Not from Moscow, though, but from Rome. And of course I also couldn’t miss the Trabant tour in Hungary last year. That was really remarkable.

What career would you have chosen if you weren’t a lawyer?
I planned to take historical studies in University, but never thought of a particular alternative career. A teacher maybe?

If a movie were made out of your life, who would you want to play you?
Let it be a cartoon instead.

How would you like to be remembered?
As someone taking care of other’s interests first.

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Photo of Lindsay Griffiths Lindsay Griffiths

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the…

Lindsay Griffiths is the International Lawyers Network’s Executive Director. She is a dynamic, influential international executive and marketing thought leader with a passion for relationship development and authoring impactful content. Griffiths is a driven, strategic leader who implements creative initiatives to achieve the goals of a global professional services network. She manages all major aspects of the Network, including recruitment, member retention, and providing exceptional client service to an international membership base.

In her role as Executive Director, Griffiths manages a mix of international programs, engages a diverse global community, and develops an international membership base. She leads the development and successful implementation of major organizational initiatives, manages interpersonal relationships, and possesses executive presence with audiences of internal and external stakeholders. Griffiths excels at project management, organization, and planning, writes and speaks with influence and authority, and works independently while demonstrating flexibility in thinking, especially in challenging situations. She also adapts to diverse and dynamic environments with constant assessment and recalibration.

JD Supra Readers Choice Top Author 2019

In 2021, the ILN was honored as Global Law Firm Network of the Year by The Lawyer European Awards, and in 2016, 2017, and 2022, they were shortlisted as Global Law Firm Network of the Year. Since 2011, the Network has been listed as a Chambers & Partners Leading Law Firm Network, recently increasing this ranking to be included in the top two percent of law firm networks globally, as well as adding two regional rankings. She was awarded “Thought Leader of the Year” by the Legal Marketing Association’s New York chapter in 2014 for her substantive contributions to the industry and was included in Clio’s list of “34 People in Legal You Should Follow on Twitter.” She was also chosen for the American Bar Association Journal’s inaugural Web 100‘s Best Law Blogs, where judge Ivy Grey said “This blog is outstanding, thoughtful, and useful.” Ms. Griffiths was chosen as a Top Author by JD Supra in their 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards, for the level of engagement and visibility she attained with readers on the topic of marketing & business development. She has been the author of Zen & the Art of Legal Networking since February 2009.