Organisational accompaniment of a private person

The concierge line is organisational accompaniment of a private person’s instructions: receiving the task, clarifying lawfulness, selecting a performer, agreeing a time-limit and giving notice of progress. It is a contract for services for consideration (or an intermediary contract) with the operator or with an engaged performer — not an agreement on the provision of legal assistance.

The concierge does not give a legal position on a case, does not replace defence counsel and does not use advocate’s secrecy as a cover for household instructions. If the task requires an advocate — the enquiry is directed to the advocate-selection contour.

The list is not closed. Instructions are accepted if they are not prohibited by law, do not circumvent the regime of public authorities and do not create the appearance of the operator’s participation in unlawful activity. Typical groups are as follows.

Instructions aimed at concealing property from enforcement, circumventing court interim measures, interfering with the administration of justice, pressuring witnesses, unlawful dealing in weapons or narcotic drugs, arranging a provocation, or obtaining information by methods forbidden to a private detective will not be performed.

“Resolving a matter” with an official outside the established procedure will not be performed. A refusal is reasoned by reference to a statutory prohibition, without detailing methods of circumvention.

A private person may have one responsible concierge in the cabinet and several advocates on different matters. Concierge instructions do not form part of the agreement on legal assistance unless the parties expressly include organisational acts in the agreement with the advocate — which is generally inexpedient.

Payment for organisational services and the advocate’s fee are accounted for separately. Mixing them creates a risk in the characterisation of expenses and destroys clarity of the mandate.

The concierge may engage a third party. Liability for the quality of security, detective, real-estate and transport services lies with the performer who has the necessary legal capacity and licence. The operator is liable for selection of the performer and for organisation of the instruction within the contract with the private person — unless otherwise agreed.

Foreign instructions (a transaction outside the Russian Federation, protection abroad) are performed only where there is a lawful possibility in the relevant jurisdiction; the operator does not promise application of Russian advocate status abroad.