Sotnikov is also a lawyer for Vitaliy Buntov, who won the case against Russia in the ECHR. In his lawyer practice, Dmitriy Sotnikov widely uses the approach of publicising trials. Because of this, he regularly faces cases of disciplinary action. In 2017, judges issued at least six private resolutions against Sotnikov, accusing him of “neglecting and disrespecting the work of the court” and “violating the rights of participants in the trial”. In February 2017, the Moscow Region Chamber of Advocates initiated disciplinary proceedings against Sotnikov for taking a video with a mobile phone during the trial in Buntov's case.