What tasks does a lawyer face in urban planning? What are the specifics of his work? And what problems does he have to solve? Andrey Duvalin, a leading specialist in the contractual work department of the legal department of the UIPP of the Russian Federation, spoke about this.
What are your responsibilities as a lawyer? Where did you do your internship?
My responsibilities include participation in the organization and support of contractual work, including the preparation of draft contracts, interaction with contractors on issues of documenting contractual relations, preparation of additional agreements and documents on the performance of work. As for my work experience, I did my internship at the Moscow City Court in the office of criminal cases, worked at the Federal Autonomous Institution “Glavgosexpertiza of Russia”, where I was engaged in procurement activities. In addition, I was a lawyer at JSC Reestr, where I took part in organizing shareholder meetings. And now I work at the Unified Institute of Spatial Planning of the Russian Federation.
How did you start your journey in construction law? What attracts you to this field?
I began my path in construction jurisprudence with an acquaintance with urban planning law at university. I found this direction quite interesting. But in my last year at the university I went to practice in a slightly different field, so I had to say goodbye to the urban planning field for a while. Later they offered to undergo an interview at the Unified Institute of Spatial Planning. After I was hired, I slowly began to get used to urban planning. I won’t say that I was well oriented in this direction at that time. But, as they say, a good lawyer is not one who knows all the laws by heart, but one who knows where to find them and apply them correctly. In the end, I knew a theory that was useful in studying this issue. And I fell in love with construction with all my soul.
What role does a lawyer play in the development of the construction industry?
I believe that it is very important not only to prevent legal risks, but also to promptly regulate emerging issues. The skills and experience of a lawyer are aimed at minimizing risks and ensuring the safe execution of the same construction work, completing projects and reducing their implementation time, as well as optimizing costs. Therefore, if we talk about the role of a lawyer in the development of the urban planning industry, it is quite serious.
What’s the most interesting case you’ve worked on?
Once we were developing a project to amend the master plan of a new municipality. The work was quite labor-intensive, there were many additional agreements, and, in addition, legislation was also changing, so we had to adapt to existing realities. As a result, the project was successfully completed. It was difficult, but interesting.
What are the main challenges facing a lawyer in the urban planning field today?
Let’s start with the fact that in the field of urban planning, every decision entails many risks. Therefore, legal support services are becoming not just important, but critically necessary for the successful implementation of projects. Lawyers in the urban planning field are faced with constant changes in legislation. As a result, we have to adapt to these changes and, accordingly, sometimes also encounter contradictory practices.
How do new technologies affect your work?
We successfully adapt to new technologies and actively use them. They make our work much easier. For example, the same electronic data warehouses help improve the efficiency of teamwork. Electronic digital signatures eliminate the need for the parties to be physically present when signing certain important documents.
What skills do you consider most important for a lawyer in the urban planning industry?
I believe that first of all, proper education is necessary: it, of course, must be legal. There must also be a desire to get to the bottom of the process, meticulousness, scrupulousness, resistance to stress, punctuality, organization and perseverance. These are the skills that all lawyers really need.
Three pros and three cons of the profession.
The advantages of the profession are a wide range of choice of specialties, career growth and demand in the labor market. Disadvantages: a lot of competition, an abundance of painstaking paperwork and emotional stress.
