Mr. Rybalkin’s practice encompasses international and domestic taxation, mergers and acquisitions, and litigation and arbitration. Mr. Rybalkin advises Russian companies on structuring their international operations and international companies on their Russian investments and activities. He has particular experience in corporate and tax issues in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings and private equity fund structuring. He also represents clients in complex corporate disputes. His clients include companies in the oil and gas, mining, energy, automotive, real estate and food industries.

Rick L. Burdick, managing partner for international offices and head of Akin Gump’s international corporate transactions practice, said, “Well-known and widely respected in the marketplace, Ilya is a skilled practitioner whose diverse and vibrant practice will enhance our capabilities in Moscow. We are very pleased to welcome him to the firm.”

Mr. Rybalkin added, “Akin Gump has long enjoyed a very strong reputation in Russia, having unparalleled expertise in the energy, real estate and telecom industries and acting for the largest Russian companies in what are perceived as landmark transactions. I am excited to become part of Akin Gump.”

Mr. Rybalkin received his law degree from the Moscow State Institute for International Relations, Department of International Law. He joins Akin Gump from Hogan Lovells.

Charles C. Adams Jr. will head the new office and will be joined by partners Jonathan Ivinson and Michael J. Stepek, along with a team of four other lawyers. The office has extensive experience in the prosecution and defense of major claims brought in international arbitrations, international civil litigation matters before various national and international courts and institutions, corporate and commercial law, and tax optimization for multinational corporates and high-net-worth individuals. The group joins Akin Gump from Hogan & Hartson.

R. Bruce McLean, Akin Gump’s chairman, said, “Market conditions and client demand have created significant opportunities for our international arbitration and tax practices in Europe. Charles, Jonathan and Michael will complement and strengthen our existing capabilities in these areas. We are very pleased to welcome them and their team to the firm.”

Rick L. Burdick, managing partner for international operations and head of Akin Gump’s international corporate transactions practice, added, “Geneva complements our existing international capabilities and strengthens our brand in international arbitration while providing us with the ability to better serve clients with our added international tax capabilities. The combined expertise of Charles, Michael and Jonathan and their long-established practices in Geneva are tremendous assets that will enhance our ability to advise our clients and provide us with the opportunity to explore future possibilities in the areas of international trade and investment funds.”

“We are excited to be part of Akin Gump’s international expansion efforts,” said Mr. Adams. “We look forward to bringing our capabilities and standards to bear in international arbitration, international tax planning, and Swiss corporate and commercial law to benefit the firm’s world-class client base.”

With more than 35 years of experience in international law, Mr. Adams focuses primarily on complex, high-value international disputes involving major infrastructure construction projects, joint ventures, insurance coverage, manufacturing, telecommunications and transportation. He represents U.S. and foreign multinational corporations and governmental entities in major international arbitrations.

Mr. Stepek’s practice encompasses international arbitration, international public and private law, and trade, with a particular focus on disputes involving foreign direct investment; concession agreements; major infrastructure construction projects; and joint ventures in the petroleum, power generation, telecommunications and transportation industries. His clients include multinational corporations and governmental entities.

Mr. Ivinson’s practice focuses on international and domestic tax issues, with an emphasis on tax-efficient cross-border financing structures. Mr. Ivinson advises multinational corporations on the tax-efficient structuring of their international operations and transfer pricing issues, as well as on value-added tax (VAT) and customs duties. He also assists in the planning and implementation of tax-driven structures and has a growing practice in representing clients in disputes with the Inland Revenue. His clients include a broad range of companies and individuals in the telecommunications, financial, private equity, entertainment and technology sectors.

Akin Gump’s Geneva office will be located at 3, rue François Bellot, 1206 Geneva, Switzerland[/private]

Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, a leading international law firm, numbers more than 800 lawyers in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP has announced that Tristan M. Brown will join the Firm’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits practice as a partner in the Firm’s Palo Alto office.

“We are pleased to welcome Tristan to the talented team of attorneys working in our Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits practice,” said Pete Ruegger, Chairman of Simpson Thacher’s Executive Committee. “Tristan will advise clients on a broad range of employee compensation and benefit matters.  His skill and experience will be an important addition to the Firm and will enhance our practice in Silicon Valley.”

“Having Tristan in Palo Alto will anchor our West Coast compensation and benefits work, as well as strengthen our efforts in Asia,” explained Alvin Brown, the head of the Firm’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits group.

“I am excited to join my new Simpson Thacher colleagues and the Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits group, which plays such an important role in the Firm’s dynamic transactional practice,” Tristan Brown commented.

Previously, Tristan Brown was a partner in the New York office of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he advised private equity clients and publicly held corporations with respect to executive compensation and employee benefit issues arising in corporate transactions.  Mr. Brown received his B.A. with high distinction in history and political science from Trinity College, University of Toronto in 1993; his J.D. in 1996 from the University of Toronto Faculty of Law, where he was an associate editor of the Faculty of Law Review; and his LL.M. in labor and employment law in 1997 from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was awarded the Thomas Bradbury Chetwood, S.J. Prize for ranking first in his LL.M. program.

Simpson Thacher’s Executive Compensation and Employee Benefits group counsels clients in the structuring, negotiation and implementation of executive and employee compensation, equity and benefit arrangements over the broad range of legal matters on which the Firm’s corporate practice is engaged.  This includes advice on succession and integration issues in strategic mergers of public companies, negotiating management equity compensation programs critical to private equity acquisitions, developing benefit plan investments in venture capital and private equity funds, and implementing broad-based incentive arrangements in connection with initial public offerings.

Mr. Secol’s practice focuses on merger and acquisition transactions. He has advised public and private companies in connection with a wide variety of business matters, including mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, private equity and hedge fund investments, joint ventures and strategic alliances, hostile contests for corporate control and corporate restructurings, including bankruptcy-related restructurings. His practice also includes the representation of financial institutions in their roles as lenders on M&A transactions.

Mr. Secol has extensive cross-border M&A experience, including in the energy and telecommunications sectors. He also has significant experience in tender offers, private stock and asset purchases, and private placements of equity securities. He joins the firm from Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP in New York and Tokyo. Previously, he practised at Baker & McKenzie in New York and Hong Kong.

Mr. Secol received his B.A. with honors in 1990 from New York University and his J.D. in 1997 from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where he was a National Security Education Program fellow and a Monmouth County Bar Foundation scholar. He also received a certificate of study from Capital Normal University in Beijing.

Stuart Leblang, a partner in Akin Gump’s tax practice, stated, “Geoffrey’s considerable depth of experience related to mergers, acquisitions, dispositions and equity investments will be of tremendous value to our clients. Geoffrey will further enhance our capability to meet the needs of our clients in the planning and negotiation of domestic and international business transactions.” Patrick Fenn, chair of Akin Gump’s tax practice, added, “We are thrilled to have Geoffrey and believe he will add significant value to our practice and our culture.”

Mr. Secol said, “Akin Gump provides a tremendous platform for me to grow my practice with an extraordinary team of attorneys. I am very happy to join Akin Gump, a firm with the expertise, resources and vision to capitalize on opportunities in a dynamic marketplace.”

Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, a leading international law firm, numbers more than 900 lawyers with offices in Austin, Beijing, Dallas, Dubai, Houston, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Taipei and Washington. The firm has a diversified practice and represents regional, national and international clients in a wide range of areas, including antitrust; appellate; banking and finance; capital markets; communications and information technology; corporate and securities; corporate governance; employee benefits; energy; entertainment and media; environmental; financial restructuring; global security; government contracts; health; insurance; intellectual property; international trade; investment funds; labor and employment; land use; litigation; mergers and acquisitions; private client services; private equity; privatization; project development and finance; public law and policy; real estate development and finance; Russia/CIS; tax; and technology.