Alla Smirnova

Personal Bio

Job Title: Partner, MarcWhittaker

Areas of Expertise:

Alla holds a Master in Laws (LLM) degree from the University of Houston Law Center in USA, and prior to that studied International Law in the Moscow Institute of International Relations in Russia, and International Arbitration at NUS Law Academy (National University of Singapore). Alla's legal degree is complimented by financial and business knowledge which she received upon graduation from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2010 with an MBA degree.

Alla has been practicing law for over 20 years and has frequently been exposed to ADR and mediation to protect the interests of her clients and employers. Currently Alla holds a position as a partner with MarcWhittaker, a company which specializes in fiduciary and investment-related services, offers asset management solutions and renders a full range of corporate services. Alla is responsible for all legal matters including M&A, restructuring, contracts, trusts, inheritance and others and works directly with clients on asset management.

Alla's prior experience as legal and investment director with a private equity fund in Russia (over US$2 bn in assets under management) is backed-up by a strong background in corporate, commercial and investment law. She held senior legal positions in Russia in oil & gas (Shell, Head of Corporate & Commercial Legal at Sakhalin-2 project), consulting (Ernst and Young, General Counsel for Russia & CIS), and banking (Credit Europe Bank, Head of Legal). She worked as a corporate secretary to boards of directors, as well as a liaison with governmental institutions. Her work for Sakhalin-II project in Russia provides for the framework required in energy business. She advised on Production Sharing Agreement and commercial LNG agreements with customers.

Alla led the legal side of major deals such as the purchase of Andersen practice in Russia while working as EY General Counsel and the sale of the majority stake in Sakhalin Energy to Gazprom while working for Shell.

Alla speaks fluent English and Russian and good French.