MAXMINLEGAL

Over 15 years of legal practice in banking, finances and FINTECH. I have helped to set up and develop various fintech projects such as: challenger banks, payments and money remittance, e-wallets and e-money businesses, payment gateways and prepaid cards programs, peer-to-peer and crowdfunding marketplaces, crypto-currency projects and projects based on blockchain technology. 

 

I am a Russian speaking lawyer living in Europe and I work, generally, with projects in Europe and CIS countries. 

These are only few things I can assist you with: choose a right business model, set up a structure for your project, select appropriate jurisdiction, incorporate a company, open a bank account, get a license, draw internal terms & policies, set up KYC/AML processes, protect your intellectual property, select the best service providers and negotiate contracts with them, protect against bad competitors and lawsuits.

Besides, I help to arrange M&A of financial companies (banks, PIs, EMIs, MiFID/UCITS IFs etc), both for sellers, and for buyers. Therefore, in case if you want to sell your or buy an existing payment institution or electronic money institution, feel free to contact me. 

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My Professional Experience

 

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2003 - 2005 Law Firm ***. This is one of the first and probably the best intellectual property protection firm in Latvia. I was a head (sole responsible) for copyright protection. Besides copyright the majority of work was registration of a new and prolongation of existing trademarks including many worldwide known like Deutsche Telekom, Hyundai etc.

 

2005 - 2006 Publishing house ***. The publishing company that at some point was the biggest newspaper in Russian language in Latvia. I was a full-time Corporate Lawyer in the administration division consulting shareholders and top management as well. Main job duties were corporate questions like all types of day-to-day contracts, getting various permissions at the Gambling authority, legal issues with advertisement placement and overall copyright protection. Even after some time has passed helped with a few issues to shareholders.

 

2007 - 2008 *** Capital. Managed and owned by, probably, the most intelligent and unique boss I ever met. This is where my legal knowledge has started to merge with financial knowledge. I was a full-time Corporate Lawyer and Manager for Institutional Investors. My job duties were researching the legal aspects of venture capital & private equity, corporate questions, preparing of companies and businesses for sale, M&A transactions, relationship with Riga stock exchange (now – NASDAQ Baltic), also has passed certification as “alternative market consultant”, attraction of big institutional investors and maintaining relationship with them including Citigroup Alternative Investments, Warburg Pincus, PI ventures etc.

 

2008 - 2009 *** Bank. At some point was in top 3 of the biggest banks by assets. I was a Lawyer at the Financial Markets department. My job duties were full legal support for brokerage department (customers transactions) and treasury department (bank’s own transactions). This was a time when MiFID regulation was introduced. Done few courses at MiFID and actively participated in introduction of its requirements in bank’s policies and procedures. Drafting of financial contracts, correspondent relationship with Alfa-Bank, VTB, Sberbank etc., opening depositary accounts at the Euroclear, DKK (now – Central Depositary of Russia), etc.

 

2010 - 2012 *** Bank. At some point was in top 3 of the biggest banks by assets. I was a Lawyer at the Financial Markets department. My job duties were similar to the previous job like full legal support for brokerage department (customers transactions) and treasury department (bank’s own transactions), correspondent relationship etc. Besides, I have prepared all legal documentation and actively participated in introduction of a new product “e-commerce” (acquiring for merchants).

 

2012 - 2016 *** Bank. Same bank. Lawyer and Coordinator for Regional Development. Opening representative offices of the bank and other companies all over the Russia and over the world including Shanghai, Tel-Aviv, London, Baku, Yerevan etc. Referring to all my years spent in that bank must say best people and best experience ever. Still friends.

 

2012 - 2017 *** Consulting. Legal, tax and financial consulting company. Head of Legal. Serving high-net-individuals, primarily, from CIS countries. Helping them structuring the business, incorporate companies and open bank accounts all over the world. Non-standard and unique legal solution. Residence permit in Latvia (more than 100 done), residence permits in other jurisdictions. Drafting of documents for the first Authorized Electronic Money Institution in Latvia (license gained). Had the best legal team worked with me. Still good friends.

 

2017 ***Pay. Merchant processing company, prepaid cards etc. A full-time Corporate Lawyer. Legal support in selling the Small Payment Institution (SPI) in Latvia. Getting a license for SPI in Czech Republic, helping structuring the business, drafting of all main contracts, residence permit to foreign workers.

 

2017 - 2018 *** Payment. Payment services, money transfers, e-wallet, prepaid cards. A Lawyer and partner at some points. Not only helping in structuring the business and legal support, but actually helping in getting business done. Acquisition of a Small Payment Institution in Lithuania, support in application for an Authorized Electronic Money Institution.

 

2018 - 2019  Private practice. Consulting and legal services in FinTech field, including peer-to-peer, crowdfunding and crypto industry. 

 

As of 2009 *** Arbitration. Founder. Chairman of the Arbitration Court. www.gtiesa.lv 

 

As of 2019 *** LLC. Consulting company. Founder. Consulting and legal services for FinTech companies and startups. 

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