Mikhail Sokolov

Mikhail Sokolov is a Senior Consultant Solicitor specialising in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring, joint ventures and cross-border transactions. He advises on a broad spectrum of corporate and commercial matters, including acquisitions, divestitures, strategic alliances, cooperation arrangements, private equity transactions, debt and equity financing, and commercial agreements.

Mikhail acts for domestic and international investors, corporations, family-owned businesses and private individuals, often in transactions involving multiple jurisdictions and complex international considerations. His experience spans a wide range of sectors, including technology, banking and finance, manufacturing and distribution, construction and development, and energy and natural resources.

In addition to transactional work, Mikhail has significant experience advising clients in corporate and commercial disputes. He has represented clients in negotiations, international arbitration proceedings and litigation-related matters, combining strategic thinking with a commercial understanding of his clients’ objectives and businesses.

As a dual-qualified lawyer in England and Wales and the Russian Federation, and a native Russian speaker, Mikhail has particular experience advising clients on matters involving CIS and former USSR jurisdictions. He is a regular speaker at legal forums across Central Asia and frequently travels within the region to support clients and develop professional networks. He also has extensive experience in China-related matters and has advised clients on a variety of legal and commercial issues connected with the Chinese market.

Before joining IMD Solicitors LLP in April 2017, Mikhail held senior legal positions both in-house and within leading international law firms, gaining extensive experience across corporate, commercial and dispute resolution matters. His broad commercial background enables him to provide practical, business-focused advice and to understand the wider commercial realities facing his clients.

Clients value Mikhail’s proactive approach, strategic mindset and ability to combine technical legal expertise with a thorough understanding of the commercial context of each matter. He is known for building strong client relationships and delivering pragmatic solutions to complex legal challenges.

Representative Experience

Mikhail has advised on a wide range of complex domestic and international transactions and disputes. His recent experience includes advising an investor in an international HealthTech company on the sale of his shareholding and exit strategy in a transaction valued at approximately USD 9 million, as well as advising on joint venture arrangements involving UK, US and overseas businesses across the technology and hospitality sectors.

His finance and banking experience includes advising lenders, financial institutions and corporate clients on facility agreements, guarantees and on-demand bonds, together with providing advice on significant corporate lending arrangements. He has also advised an overseas lender in connection with financing documentation for a major construction project in Kazakhstan.

In addition to his transactional practice, Mikhail has extensive dispute resolution experience. He has acted as an expert in ICC arbitration proceedings, providing expert evidence on matters of Russian and English law relating to liquidation, insolvency and corporate winding-up. He has also acted as an advisory law expert in overseas court proceedings, advising on complex issues involving security trusts, shareholder rights, reflective loss and a range of corporate and contractual matters.

Mikhail regularly advises businesses and investors on corporate structuring, partnership arrangements and commercial collaborations. His experience includes advising a UK client on partnership arrangements relating to a professional rhythmic gymnastics school and supporting clients on the establishment and operation of cross-border commercial ventures.