LAW firm Norton Rose Fulbright is pulling out of Russia.

It will wind down operations and close its Moscow office, and will not accept further instructions from businesses, people or entities liked to the Russian regime, sanctioned or not.

“Norton Rose Fulbright stands unequivocally with the people of Ukraine who are suffering as a result of the increasingly brutal invasion by Russia,” the firm said in a statement.

The closure will mean 50 jobs lost.

“We are winding down our operations in Russia and will be closing our Moscow office as quickly as we can, in compliance with our professional obligations,” the firm said.

“The wellbeing of our staff in the region is a priority. We thank our 50 colleagues in Moscow for their loyal service and will support them through this transition.”

The firm would review exiting existing work if its professional obligations allowed. If it could not exit the work, it would donate profits to charity.

“We are working with our charitable partners in every region to raise funds to help the people of Ukraine as well as providing pro bono support to those Ukrainians and others who are being forced to relocate,” the firm said.

Senior consultant Harry Theochari said he hoped other UK firms would follow the firm’s example.

Chambers and Partners, a rankings firm, listed Norton Rose Fulbright in its top tier worldwide for shipping finance (alongside Stephenson Harwood and Watson Farley & Williams) and its third tier for shipping litigation. 

Last week, WFW, which does not have a Moscow office, said it was reviewing its clients to ensure sanctions compliance, and was donating to the UN’s refugee agency in response to the war. 

Hill Dickinson, another shipping law firm, said it did not have a Moscow office but declined to comment further.