Department of Civil Law and Civil Procedure

History of the department

The Department of Civil Law and Civil Procedure was established in 1993 by the decision of the Academic Council of Lobachevsky University. The first head of the Department was Candidate of Law and Associate Professor Petr Milkov. Under his leadership, the Department has successfully passed the process of formation, a team of highly professional specialists was formed. Petr Milkov was an excellent lecturer, an experienced teacher, a wise mentor and a good organizer. For a long time, he was a member of the Pardon Commission of Russian Federation in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

A great contribution to the development of the Department was made by the veteran of the Great Patriotic War, Candidate of Law, Associate Professor V. Dubrovin and Candidate of Law, Associate Professor I. Vasiliev. They left a bright mark in the memory of the Faculty. Many representatives of the department were highly professional lawyers with extensive practical experience, and they established principles of teaching civil disciplines. For instance,  R. Isaeva, former Chairman State arbitration Court during USSR priod, S. Gulyaev – former referee of departmental arbitration of LLC “Nizhegorodstroy”, V. Serov, and N. Zheleznova – former judges on civil cases of the Nizhny Novgorod regional court, Boris Balandin – former Chairman of the Arbitration court of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Marina Belyaeva – Notary of the Nizhny Novgorod Notary Chamber, other specialists in the field of science and practice of private law.

Nowadays there are some outstanding scientists, who supported and continued the traditions of the founders of the Department. For example, Candidate of Law and Associate Professor, Winner of the “Lawyer of the year” Award Nadezhda Sosipatrova, Doctor of Law and Professor Ludmila Chegovadze, Doctor of Law and Professor Yuri Mareev – members of the Scientific Advisory Council at the Federal Arbitration Court of the Volga-Vyatka Federal District, , Candidate of Law and Associate Professor, Elena Kondratieva.

In the period of 2012-2019 the leader of the Department was Candidate of Law and Associate Professor, Dean of The Faculty of Law of the Lobachevsky University Victor Tsyganov. For that period, he strengthened the staff, promoted the organization of cooperation of the Department with Departments of private law from leading universities in Germany and France, the Czech Republic and Greece, India and the United States.

At various times, assistance in the formation of the Department as a regional center of private law was provided by Candidate of Law and Associate Professor Victor Kotin – Chairman of the law office “Kotin and partners”, Candidate of Law and Associate Professor Denis Tyutin – Judge of the economic Board of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, Candidate of Law and Associate Professor Dmitriy Chernyshov – Chairman of the Arbitration court of the Komi Republic, Candidate of Law and Associate Professor Igor Sennikov – Executive Director of JSC “management company Of the biochemical holding “ORGHIM”, Candidate of Law and Associate Professor Ludmila Grevtseva, Doctor of Law, Professor Igor Lyapin.

Leader

The head of the department is Doctor of Law and Associate Professor Olga Sizemova.

In March 2016, Olga Borisovna became Doctor of Law in the specialty 12.00.03 (Civil law, business law, family law, private international law). During the period of 2011-2017, she was a public representative in the qualification Board of judges of the Nizhny Novgorod region, in 2008-2011 – the representative of the Examination Commission of the Qualification Board of judges of the Nizhny Novgorod region. Olga is a member of Editorial Board of the Federal scientific journal “Banking law ” and “Altai legal Bulletin”. Olga is an expert at the Nizhny Novgorod regional branch of the Association of Lawyers of Russia. Olga was awarded the Honorary diploma of Governor of Nizhny Novgorod region, the Council of judges of the Nizhny Novgorod region and etc. The General scientific and pedagogical experience of Olga Sizemova is more than 20 years, she has more than 80 publications.

The sphere of scientific interests: Russian and international bank law.

About the department

The teaching staff of the Department consists of highly qualified specialists in the field of private law and civil procedure, combining high achievements in legal science and in legal practice. In particular, two Doctors of Law and nine Candidates of Law at different times defended their dissertations in the specialty 12.00.03 (Civil law, business law, family law, private international law). All representatives of the department are the authors of scientific articles and monographs on topical issues of civil law, civil procedure, banking law, joint-stock law, co-authors of textbooks on civil law, arbitration procedure, and civil courses in foreign languages. Many of them are judges, lawyers, heads of legal departments of ministries of the Nizhny Novgorod region and workers of large Russian enterprises.

Teachers of the Department combine teaching and research activities with social work and most of them are awarded for their merits. For instance, Tatyana Aleksanova is the representative of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod region in qualification Commission under the Chamber of Advocates of the Nizhny Novgorod region and she is marked by gratitude of the President of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod region, honorary diploma of the President of the chamber of advocates of the Nizhny Novgorod region, honorary diploma of the Ministry of education of Nizhny Novgorod region.

Candidate of Law and Associate Professor Roman Kryuchkov is a representative of the Nizhny Novgorod region in the Assembly of regional public councils in Construction and Housing of the Russian Federation.

Candidate of law and Associate Professor Nikolai Ostroumov was awarded the 1st and 2nd degree medals “For services to the protection of citizens rights and freedoms”.

Candidate of law and Associate Professor Nadezhda Malakhova conducts seminars and master classes on intellectual property issues in the framework of Russian and international public events (Summer school of young entrepreneurs, KomTech 2014, Innofest 2014, KomTech 2015, “Third Express school of young innovators “From idea to business” 2016, etc.).

Candidate of law and Associate Professor Nadezhda Sosipatrova is a public member of the Examination Commission of the Qualification Collegium of judges of the Nizhny Novgorod region (2006-2008), has repeatedly been awarded with diplomas and gratitides of the Governor of Nizhny Novgorod region and the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod region, Ministry of education of Nizhny Novgorod region, Ministry of labour and social protection of the Nizhniy Novgorod region, Nizhny Novgorod branch of the Association of Lawyers of Russia. Nadezhda has been the head of the Methodical Commission of the Faculty of Law for more than 10 years.

Senior teacher Oksana Yurgel runs the faculty’s legal clinic and has been awarded with gratitude from Lobachevky University and Federal Bailiffs Service.

Teachers of the Department constantly raise their skills in leading domestic and foreign universities. Candidate of law and Associate Professor Nadezhda Malakhova has been trained in educational institutions in Israel, Sweden, Finland, passed professional and linguistic training at the University of Pierre Mendes France (Grenoble, France), in the ABA (American Bar Association) program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (Pennsylvania, USA), at the University of Stendhal (Grenoble, France). Candidate of law and Associate Professor Sergei Kasatkin is a PhD candidate in Philosophy at VRIJE Universiteit (Amsterdam, Netherlands), and a Recipient of the Mechnikov scholarship program of the French Embassy in Russia in 2019.

 Students under the scientific guidance of teachers of the Department prepare scientific articles and speeches for international, all-Russian and regional conferences and competitions in civil law and civil procedure, international private and business law and are being regular winners of these events. Scientific extra-classes on civil law are organized at the Department under the guidance of experienced teachers Candidate of law and Associate Professor Nikolai Ostroumov and Candidate of law, Associate Professor Nadezhda Sosipatrova – for barchelor degree students; under the guidance of Candidate of law, Associate Professor Nadezhda Nazarova – for specialist degree students; under the guidance of Doctor of law, Professor Ludmila Chegovadze – for master degree students.

Science

The Department conducts research work: teachers participate in international, all-Russian, regional scientific conferences and participate in international projects. Each member of the department works under certain scientific direction and has its own scientific interests.

In the field of civil and business law: civil legal relations, civil rights protection, contract law, non-cash payments, digital law, corporate law, legal regulation of investment activities, property and other property rights, intellectual property law, inheritance law.

In the field of private international law: international trade law, legal support of foreign economic activity, conflict of laws rules.

In the sphere of civil and arbitration proceedings: civil procedure principles, judicial evidence in civil cases, and peculiarities of consideration of certain categories of cases.

Structure