Results 2021: Philip Mishchenko from GMT Legal on the main thing for the year

We continue to summarize the results of 2021 together with top managers and experts of the gaming industry (and related ones). Next up is an interview with Philip Mishchenko, head of gaming at the GMT Legal law firm.

How did 2021 go for the company?

All this year we have been actively developing the game direction. Let me remind you, we opened it at the end of 2020. We managed to get to know and help a large number of indie studios, including ambitious newcomers and old-timers of the game dev. We have also formed long-term partnerships with our customers. All this allowed us to delve deeply into the pressing problems of companies.

However, we are faced with a shortage of personnel. For a good job in game development, it is not enough for a lawyer to understand only copyright. You also need to be very flexible in communication, know English at the level of reading legislative acts, understand Data Protection (GDPR has not yet been canceled) and understand the principles of international law. The love of games is mandatory at the same time.

Nevertheless, the year ended successfully. Both financially, and in the personnel and client fields. The GMT Legal gaming direction has shown stable and steady growth in 2021, so we plan to expand it in 2022.

What event or trend of 2021 do you consider central within your niche?

The main events in 2021 are the ongoing courts between Apple and Epic Games, as well as patent disputes between Supercell and GREE. Such events inevitably affect the industry as a whole. In the first case, the giants Apple and Google were forced to change their terms of agreements, and in the second, the companies had to think about patenting unique mechanics and their implementations.

Of course, it is difficult to call the trials exactly events, since the courts themselves can go on for a long time, and appeals have not yet been filed for all decisions. Nevertheless, the industry discusses these cases with great excitement.

Separately, I would like to note the tightening of currency legislation in the Republic of Belarus with a simultaneous relaxation of the opening of foreign companies. This has led to a trend for the withdrawal of business to other jurisdictions. We also took advantage of this and expanded the geography of services. For example, we helped with the opening and maintenance of companies in Ireland, Singapore, Estonia and the USA.

I would like to note separately that there is a trend for opening companies in the UAE. This is due to the zero tax rate, 5% VAT and a certain stability that the authorities of the Emirates have created. Over the past year, we have moved six gaming companies, but there are no fewer willing ones.

What will be the stake in the development of the company in 2022?

We intend to further develop our gaming direction. In addition, we want to delve even deeper into the topic of legal relocation of companies from CIS countries to other jurisdictions with the formation of the entire structure.