Cleary said it is working on ending its engagements as counsel to Russian governmental and state-owned entities while concurrently maintaining its legal obligations to clients and with sanctions imposed by the U.S., the U.K. and the European Union.
The firm plans to temporarily close operations at its Moscow office "while continuing to support our Moscow colleagues," the statement said. A spokeswoman for the firm could not be reached for comment Tuesday on the status of the 13 attorneys Cleary identifies as working in Moscow.
"We have all watched the events unfolding in Ukraine with shock and dismay," Cleary said.
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP said Tuesday it is also terminating several relationships with clients with ties to Russia, will not take any new clients in the country, and is evaluating the future of its Moscow office.
"We are conducting a review of the status of our Moscow office in light of recent developments and bearing in mind that the safety and security of our Moscow colleagues is paramount," according to its statement.
Cleary also plans to provide pro bono legal support to Ukrainian refugees, particularly with their immigration and asylum status, while donating to relief efforts and matching employee contributions, according to its statement.
Cleary and Debevoise are the latest international firms to announce plans to cut ties with Russian clients and to at least consider shuttering their Moscow offices, if not doing so outright.
Norton Rose Fulbright said Monday it is "winding down" its operations in Russia and would be closing the Moscow office as quickly as possible in response to Russia's "brutal invasion" of Ukraine.
Magic Circle firm Linklaters LLP said Friday that it would wind down its operations in Russia and close its office there. Other firms have voiced support for Ukraine and said they would cut ties with Russian clients on whom sanctions were being imposed by the U.S. and U.K., but have been mum about whether their offices will close entirely.
Winston & Strawn LLP, for instance, said in a statement Friday it would withdraw from the representation of Russian state-owned entities and any clients "who we reasonably believe have known ties to Russia's war efforts." But the firm wouldn't comment on whether it had plans to close its Moscow office.
Other firms that have said they would sever their relationships with Russian clients in accordance with sanctions are Baker McKenzie, Venable LLP and Sidley Austin LLP. Allen & Overy LLP also said it was reviewing client relationships and planned to terminate some.
In 2014, 17 of the Law360 Global 20 had offices in Moscow. Following Russia's annexation of Crimea that year, a handful of firms scaled back operations in the country, and by 2019, three of those firms had closed their Moscow offices.
--Additional reporting by Aebra Coe and Rachel Rippetoe. Editing by Emily Kokoll.
Update: This article has been updated to include the plans of Debevoise & Plimpton.
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