DS Law
DS Law is a Russian law firm with 30 lawyers specializing in venture capital transactions (10% of Russian VC market), tax consulting, M&A, and dispute resolution. It serves technology companies, investment funds, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals across Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersMoscow, Russia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DS Law does
DS Law (Адвокатское бюро DS Law) is a Russian law firm founded in 2010 and headquartered in Moscow City, with a second office in Saint Petersburg. The firm operates as a partner-owned advokatskoye byuro (law office) employing 30 lawyers, and serves clients across Russia with a stated mission to help Russian businesses enter foreign markets. Over 14 years of operation, DS Law has serviced 300+ clients and participated in transactions totaling $10 billion+ in cumulative value.
The firm's practice areas span corporate/M&A, tax consulting and structuring, dispute resolution, bankruptcy and restructuring, venture capital services (supporting approximately 10% of all VC deals in Russia), intellectual property registration, family and inheritance law, public procurement support, and dedicated services for agricultural and food industry enterprises. Core client segments include fast-growing technology companies, investment funds and portfolio companies, family offices and high-net-worth individuals, and government procurement suppliers. The firm has held continuous recognition in top Russian and international legal rankings (IFLR1000, Chambers Europe, Pravo-300, Kommersant, Prequeca) for over a decade, with Prequeca naming it best Russian law firm in venture capital transactions for three consecutive years (2018-2020).
DS Law operates a professional services revenue model combining transaction-based project work, subscription-based ongoing legal services (annual billing cadence), and tax consulting engagements. Go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-based, relying on direct enterprise engagement, partner networks, referrals, and thought leadership through PR in major Russian business media (Kommersant, RBC, Secret Firm) and thought leadership at legal and business forums (Kazan International Legal Forum, Baltic Forum of Masters, North Asian International Forum). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with fees determined by project complexity, scope, and client requirements. The firm is privately held with no external investment or subsidiaries.
DS Law firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DS Law
- Legal name
- Адвокатское бюро DS Law
- Website
- https://ds-law.ru
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- DS Law is a Russian law firm with 30 lawyers specializing in venture capital transactions (10% of Russian VC market), tax consulting, M&A, and dispute resolution. It serves technology companies, investment funds, family offices, and high-net-worth individuals across Moscow and Saint Petersburg.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DS Law industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Services
- NAICS
- Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111), Other Legal Services (54119)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law (BPAHAAAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB), Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK), Litigation Support & Expert Witness (Valuation-Related) (BPAHANAG)
Keywords
Where DS Law is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Moscow
- HQ country
- Russia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
DS Law business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Subscription Legal Services: Ongoing retainer and subscription-based legal services providing continuous legal support to corporate clients. Includes legal maintenance and advisory services for businesses.
- Transaction-Based Legal Services: Legal support for specific investment transactions, M&A deals, venture capital transactions, and project-based work. Revenue generated per transaction or engagement.
- Tax Consulting and Advisory: Tax structuring, consulting, and dispute resolution services for businesses and individuals. Includes personal taxation and wealth management advisory.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Subscription legal services for ongoing client needs |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
DS Law product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DS Law is a Russian law firm providing comprehensive legal services including legal support for investment transactions, M&A deals, and venture capital transactions (supporting approximately 10% of all VC deals in Russia); tax consulting and structuring of business and investments; dispute resolution, litigation, and bankruptcy proceedings; family and inheritance law; intellectual property registration; and public procurement legal defense. The firm serves technology/IT companies, investment funds, portfolio companies, government procurement suppliers, agricultural and food industry enterprises, and wealthy individuals/family offices, delivered by a team of 30 lawyers out of Moscow and Saint Petersburg offices.
Product overview
DS Law is a unified legal services firm (not a software product) offering comprehensive legal support for technology businesses and digital economy entities in Russia. The firm operates as a single integrated practice rather than a platform with separate modules. Core service areas include corporate/M&A transactions, tax consulting and structuring, dispute resolution, bankruptcy proceedings, venture capital services (supporting 10% of all VC deals in Russia), family and inheritance law, intellectual property registration, and digital economy/IT services. The firm also serves wealthy individuals, agricultural enterprises, and provides public procurement legal support. Services are organized by client segment: fast-growing IT companies, investment funds, portfolio companies, family offices, wealthy individuals, and agricultural companies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Corporate and M&A Legal Services Legal support for investment transactions, M&A deals, corporate restructuring, and business scaling for Russian companies entering foreign markets; targeted at technology companies, investment funds, and corporate clients.
- Tax Consulting and Structuring Tax structuring of business and investments including holding structures, foreign economic activity, agency schemes, intellectual property structures, and personal taxation including CFC (KIK) reporting; targeted at businesses, investment funds, and high-net-worth individuals.
- Dispute Resolution and Litigation
Quantifiable outcome
- Tax reassessments reduced by over 1 billion rubles in client matter
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use DS Law
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
DS Law technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
DS Law partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- FinTaxTopminorJoint webinar partnership for tax-related educational content. DS Law partners Inessa Silyuk and Oksana Golubtsova conduct webinars with FinTaxTop on topics including foreign accounts, tax information exchange, and residence permits.
- Aktion-Pravo (Platform)minorPartnership for educational events and webinars. DS Law lawyers conduct master classes and webinars through the Aktion-Pravo platform and Arbitsrazhnaya Praktika journal on topics including bankruptcy, state contracts, and asset protection.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
DS Law competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pepeliaev Group: Leading Russian law firm with a flagship tax practice ranked among the top in Russia by Kommersant and Pravo-300. Directly comparable to DS Law's tax consulting and tax dispute resolution practice, serving similar corporate and HNW clients.
- FBK Legal: Mid-tier Russian law firm with strong tax, corporate, and dispute resolution practices. Comparable to DS Law on the tax consulting and corporate legal services dimensions, serving similar Russian corporate clients.
- ALRUD Law Firm: Moscow-based Russian law firm with comparable mid-market positioning, strong technology, M&A, and dispute resolution practices, and similar client base of large Russian corporates and HNW individuals. ALRUD is among the most direct comparables in the Russian mid-tier legal market.
Broad incumbents
- PWC Legal Russia: Big Four legal practice in Russia providing corporate, tax, and legal advisory to large Russian enterprises. Comparable on tax structuring, corporate legal support, and large-client service, but as part of a broader professional services platform.
- Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners: One of the largest full-service Russian law firms, ranked in Chambers Europe, IFLR1000, and other directories. Overlaps with DS Law across M&A, dispute resolution, tax, and corporate advisory but operates at significantly larger scale with a broader geographic footprint.
- EY Law (Russia): Big Four legal practice in Russia with comparable tax, corporate, and transaction advisory practices for large Russian enterprises and multinational clients operating in Russia.
- Dentons (Russia): Global law firm with substantial Russian offices serving corporate, M&A, and technology clients. Overlaps with DS Law on Russian venture and technology transactions, though at much larger scale and with full international network reach.
- Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (Russia): Major international law firm with established Russian operations (formerly Goltsblat BLP). Comparable on cross-border M&A, corporate, and VC transactions serving Russian and international clients, but with substantially larger resources and global platform.
- Baker McKenzie (Russia): Global law firm with Russian offices serving corporate and technology clients on cross-border matters. Comparable on the international/cross-border component of DS Law's work, but with dramatically larger resources.
Regional players
- Rödl & Partner (Russia): International mid-market law firm with German roots and Russian presence. Comparable on mid-market M&A and tax advisory for international clients doing business in Russia, but primarily serves cross-border mandates from a different geographic anchor.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
DS Law social profiles
Digital presenceDS Law financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DS Law leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
DS Law funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DS Law M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DS Law
What does DS Law do?
DS Law is a Russian law firm providing comprehensive legal services including legal support for investment transactions, M&A deals, and venture capital transactions (supporting approximately 10% of all VC deals in Russia); tax consulting and structuring of business and investments; dispute resolution, litigation, and bankruptcy proceedings; family and inheritance law; intellectual property registration; and public procurement legal defense. The firm serves technology/IT companies, investment funds, portfolio companies, government procurement suppliers, agricultural and food industry enterprises, and wealthy individuals/family offices, delivered by a team of 30 lawyers out of Moscow and Saint Petersburg offices.
Is DS Law a public or private company?
DS Law is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was DS Law founded?
DS Law was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DS Law based?
DS Law is headquartered in Moscow, Russia, in the Europe region.
How does DS Law make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Subscription Legal Services are the primary driver. The others are transaction-Based Legal Services and tax Consulting and Advisory.
Who are DS Law's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pepeliaev Group, FBK Legal and ALRUD Law Firm. Broad incumbents are PWC Legal Russia, Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners, EY Law (Russia), Dentons (Russia), Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (Russia) and Baker McKenzie (Russia). Rödl & Partner (Russia) is listed as a regional player.
Does DS Law have an API?
No public API is recorded for DS Law.
What industry is DS Law in?
DS Law's product category is Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAI, Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) & Securities Law, with a secondary code of BPAHAAAB, Litigation & Dispute Resolution. Its NAICS code is 5411 and its SIC code is 8111.