Business is always connected with many problems and difficult questions that may be really important. Let’s talk more in details about business in Russia, law firm in Russia and foreign firms in Russia (organization and activities).

First, let’s see who can become an entrepreneur in Russia?

The following persons can be entrepreneurs in Russia:

- Citizens of the Russian Federation who are not limited in their capacity;

- Foreign citizens and stateless persons in the limits of powers established by the Russian law;

- Associations of citizens: collective entrepreneurs (partners).

The status of an individual entrepreneur is acquired by such persons through state registration. Entrepreneurial activity without registration is prohibited.

Business carried on without using hired labor is registered as self-employment. Business carried on with the assistance of hired labor is registered as a company.

What are the rights and obligations of an entrepreneur?

An entrepreneur has the right to:

- Initiate and do business through the establishment, acquisition or transformation of an enterprise, and the contract with the owner of the business property;

- Use on a contractual basis finance, property and property rights of citizens and juridic persons;

- Independently form the production program and set the prices for the production in accordance with the laws and contracts;

- Carry out foreign economic activity;

- Manage the business, hire and fire employees;

- Dispose of the profit of the company in accordance with the laws, contracts and the charter of the enterprise;

- Use services of the system of state social security, health and social insurance;

- Form unions, associations and other business associations; etc.

An individual businessman is required to:

- Comply with all applicable laws and conditions of contracts signed by him;

- Enter into employment contracts with the employed citizens or  authorized agencies;

- Fully pay all the company's employees in accordance with the contracts, regardless of the financial condition of the company;

- Carry out compulsory insurance of the employees, provide them with work conditions in accordance with the law, the collective agreement and the agreements of the parties;

- Carry out the decisions of the government on social protection of disabled persons and other persons with disabilities;

- Timely provide tax return on business income and pay taxes;

- Declare the bankruptcy of the company in case of failing to fulfill obligations.

Speaking about business in Russia, let’s study what legal services are provided to foreign citizens and firms in Russia by law firms in Russia.

Foreign citizens temporarily staying in the Russian Federation or having permanent residence there, have almost identical rights to the rights of citizens of the Russian Federation. This concerns, in particular, the right to qualified legal assistance provided by legal professionals (law firms).

Moreover, such assistance may be granted to foreign nationals in the case when they act as individuals, and in the case when they are representatives of a foreign corporation or their own company (a foreign legal entity) in Russia. Legal assistance in Russia for foreign citizens and legal entities (legal services) can be provided by different categories of lawyers today.

It should be noticed that if a foreigner wants to get some help of a lawyer who is a member of the bar, then he should apply to legal aid bureau, which is located in each district.