Writing in the Financial Times, Berwin Leighton Paisner partner Roman Khodykin says: '… the reform bill introduced into parliament [to create the merger] provides for only six months to sort everything out, effectively leaving Russia in a state of turmoil.'  Several judges have resigned from the arbitration side, which appears to be the junior side to the merger even though it was seen as being more innovative. 

Pros and cons

Running the dual system had its advantages and disadvantages, according to Mr Khodykin. For instance, the same cases were sometimes run in both courts and resulted in different decisions. But it was the arbitration side which introduced the doctrine of precedent into Russian law, as well as allowing e-filing and video-conferencing.