Ukraine > Dispute resolution > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

At Aequo, clients appreciate 'the quality of the lawyers and their ability to quickly grasp complex and novel issues'. Head of international litigation and arbitration and recently promoted partner Pavlo Byelousov, key partner Denis Lysenko and counsel Myroslava Savchuk handled a large gas transit arbitration.

ARBITRADE 'is equally good at Ukrainian and international dispute resolution'. In Pavlo Trytenichenko's team, the 'efficient and highly experienced' Andriy Shulga, the 'responsive and highly knowledgeable' Yuliya Chernykh and 'commercially-oriented' counsel Anastasiya Grenyuk are stand-out practitioners. Bunge and Coface are among its clients.

Asters is 'even stronger following its merger' with Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners. For one client, the firm has 'the strongest team in the Ukrainian market, with excellent capability in international litigation and arbitration'. The 'extremely knowledgeable' Oleksiy Didkovskiy, Serhii Sviriba and the 'clever, insightful' Svitlana Chepurna are prominent litigators.

EnGarde Attorneys at Law is 'very responsive and commercial'. Irina Nazarova is 'very accomplished, highly responsive and very well known in the market'. Andriy Vyshnevsky and newly promoted partner Dmytro Donenko are also recommended. Vyshnevsky acted for Smart Holding in a case involving the liquidation of a bank.

Eterna Law climbs the ranking on the strength of its international arbitration practice. Andrey Astapov, Oleh Beketov ('strong on Ukrainian law') and Eugene Blinov are 'second to none in terms of responsiveness and quality of advice'. Blinov represented Ukrenergy Trade in a $300m VIAC arbitration.

Ilyashev & Partners is 'certainly one of the top litigation firms and it knows the court process very well'. The 'absolutely exceptional' Roman Marchenko acted for BTA Bank in a series of cases seeking $10bn in compensation for losses. SE Antonov and ArcelorMittal are also among the firm's clients. Mikhail Ilyashev is 'very pragmatic'.

Kinstellar has 'a first-class, market-leading dispute resolution practice'. Kostiantyn Likarchuk and Mykyta Nota handled an LCIA arbitration for a wealthy individual following the sale of a large agribusiness. Former judge Lyudmyla Volkova leads on domestic litigation.

LCF Law Group is 'a very strong firm with a very good litigation practice' and is regarded as one of the most proficient firms for complex litigation, where Anna Ogrenchuk is a key name. Artem Stoyanov represented Mriya Agro Holding in matters arising from its complex cross-border bankruptcy and restructuring.

Lexwell & Partners 'provides quality work in every aspect and works in a committed way to provide a good picture of the risks and barriers for each project'. The 'calm and resolute' Andrei Kolupaev and 'very reliable' counsel Igor Nagai are recommended. The firm defended the Ministry of Justice in a $5bn Energy Charter Treaty matter, which concerned the operation of state energy company Ukrnafta.

Sayenko Kharenko has a strong practice with 'very patient and considerate lawyers who have vast knowledge of bankruptcy proceedings'. Sergey Pogrebnoy, Sergiy Smirnov and Olexander Droug are the key partners. The firm acted for Ostchem Holding in the enforcement of an arbitral award. Tatyana Slipachuk left to take up a government position.

Vasil Kisil & Partners 'impresses with its thoroughness and its ability to seamlessly navigate between complex areas of law'. Oleg Alyoshin leads on arbitration and Andriy Stelmashchuk is head of litigation. The firm acted for Piraeus Bank in a debt collection case in the Supreme Court. Among the firm's clients are Imperial Tobacco and Cargill Financial Services.

Arzinger has experienced partners in Lviv-based Markian Malskyy, who acted for the Ministry of Justice in an ICSID investment arbitration, and Kiev-based Kateryna Gupalo. Senior associate Oksana Karel leads the international litigation and arbitration group.

Avellum climbs the ranking having further developed its practice since the 2017 merger with Aga Partners. The practice is known for 'excellent organisation, high-quality advice and a scrupulous approach to clients' needs'. Head of litigation Aminat Suleymanova and 'impressive' partner Ivan Kasynyuk are recommended. Clients include Syngenta and Ukrlandfarming.

At Baker McKenzie, Kyiv Office, practice head Ihor Siusel handles litigation, international arbitration, compliance and bankruptcy matters. He acted for an international trading house in dispute in the Netherlands concerning high-value leases. Associate Kseniia Pogruzhalska is also noted.

Commercial arbitration, investment arbitration, cross-border litigation and energy disputes are key areas of focus for CMS, where Olexander Martinenko, Anna Pogrebna and Maria Orlyk are among the key partners. Vitaliy Radchenko handled the enforcement of an arbitral award for JKX Oil & Gas.

At Dentons, Oleg Batyuk has a respected practice for commercial litigation, international arbitration and enforcement matters. He acted for Swedish energy company Misen Enterprises in an investment treaty arbitration. Counsel Oleg Kuchanskyy is a rising star in a 'very effective team with unique reach'.

DLA Piper Ukraine LLC's dispute resolution practice has progressed rapidly in the two years since it was formed. Practice head Olga Vorozhbyt acted for Boeing in a $500m dispute in California concerning former joint venture partners in Ukraine and Russia. Pfizer and Swissport are also among the firm's clients.

Evris climbs the ranking having expanded its team. Andriy Dovbenko, who represented Prominvestbank in enforcement proceedings, and litigation head Ihor Kravtsov are key names. The practice was bolstered by the arrival of senior associate Maksym Zamikhovskiy from Integrites and barrister Yan Akhramovych.

Integrites has a deep bench of talent that includes head of CIS arbitration Olena Perepelynska, 'intelligent and hardworking' head of cross-border litigation Dmytro Marchukov, domestic litigation lead partner Volodymyr Pavlenko and counsel Serhii Uvarov. Clients praise the firm's 'strategic thinking and readiness to go the extra mile'. VTB Bank and Central Bank of Iceland are among its clients.

Lavrynovych & Partners Law Firm is regarded as ‘one of the strongest players in dispute resolution in Ukraine’, according to one client. Stanislav Skrypnyck leads the practice and associate Arthur Kiyan is also recommended. The firm acted for Dresfond Invest Limited in a $47m bankruptcy case that sought to include the client on the register of creditors.

Marchenko Partners, formerly part of Marchenko Danevych, handles high-value and cross-border regulatory and financial cases including investor-state disputes. Oleh Marchenko is the key partner and he counts Philip Morris and Gilead Sciences among his clients. He recently handled a complex investor-state dispute for Home Group and local subsidiary Morgan Furniture.

Moris Group combines 'reasonable price with high quality' and clients praise key partner Maryan Martynyuk. Andriy Savchuk leads the practice and he recently acted for Imexbank in a case involving the foreclosure of a £215m mortgage on a sports stadium. For Ukrlandfarming, he defended the execution of an arbitral decision to collect a multimillion-pound debt.

Oleksandr Peremezhko & Partners 'provides a top-notch level of service and the team is very knowledgeable, responsive and solution oriented'. Name partner Oleksandr Peremezhko has 'outstanding strategic skills'. With Evgeniy Usik, he acted for Galyna Vyshnevska in a civil case concerning the reclamation of land plots.

Pragnum, which climbs the ranking this year, 'can be trusted to resolve the most complicated and acute conflicts that require non-standard solutions and ideas'. Key partners Vitaly Bobrynev and Dmytro Zhukov handled a $126m asset recovery dispute for Deposit Insurance Fund.

Redcliffe Partners has 'a very sharp and highly reactive team, which clearly has an edge over some of its competitors'. Practice head Sergiy Gryshko is 'incredibly smart, knowledgeable and persuasive'. He represented EBRD in a case seeking the return of a $90m loan.

Alekseev, Boyarchukov & Partners, which merged with Trusted Partners, is ‘a very strong opponent', according to peers. 'Widely experienced' head of disputes Maxim Boyarchukov, head of bankruptcy Vladyslav Rieznikov and key partner Oleksandr Tkachuk are recommended.

Antika Law Firm 'is certainly worth a recommendation', says a client. The firm's strong bench of litigators includes practice head Andrey Kuznetsov, who handled large debt collection matters last year, managing partner Alexey Kot and rising star Maxim Korchagin.

At Danevych.Law, which split from Marchenko Danevych last year, Borys Danevych focuses on regulatory disputes for a stellar list of clients in the life sciences sector. He acted for a global pharmaceutical company in an investor-state dispute concerning the Ukraine bilateral investment treaty.

Esquires Law Firm handles a broad range of debt collection, real estate, defamation and criminal cases. It is 'a strong competitor in the Ukrainian market - the service is excellent and the advice is creative'. Oleksandr Shkelebey acted for investment group ICU in a claim against a former judge of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine.

EVERLEGAL is praised for its 'high-quality, client-oriented services and impeccable attention to detail'. The 'smart and attentive' Andriy Porayko represented depositors of insolvent Eurogazbank in a $45m claim. Oleksandr Ruzhytskyi is 'friendly, open-minded and flexible'.

Attorneys’ Association Gestors joins the ranking. It acts for large domestic clients, particularly in the energy sector, and handles complex litigation and cross-border arbitration. Vitalii Makhinchuk acted for Donetskoblgaz in an UAH80m dispute concerning the value of gas supplied to the Donetsk region. Andriy Tsvyetkov is also recommended.

GORO legal handles corporate rights disputes, debt recovery, debt collection disputes and real estate litigation. 'Progressive and professional' Dmytro Ovsiy has 'deep knowledge of construction and litigation'. He acted for NVK Dneprospezhmash in a high-value debt recovery matter.

Recently established firm Hillmont Partners LLC is recommended for its 'high level of competence and professionalism, its profound knowledge and its creative, reliable service'. Vadym Halaichuk represented US consultancy AlixPartners in a case against a Ukrainian oligarch.

KPD Consulting Law Firm is a leading adviser to many leasing companies, for which it has handled 750 cases since 2015. Igor Kalitventsev leads the practice and he acted for Porsche Leasing in more than 100 cases last year. Ozone Investment and Piraeus Bank are also among his clients.

Legal Alliance Company has 'a high degree of skill and high ethical standards', inspires 'trust' and stands out for its 'integrity and professional conduct'. Illya Kostin, who exhibits 'outstanding commitment and leading client service', and counsel Natalia Lavrenova count Berlin-Chemie and Lekhim among their clients.

At Pavlenko Legal Group,'the team is brilliant and has deep knowledge and solid expertise'. The practice's 'stand-out lawyers' are Oleksandra Pavlenko and Vitaliy Burdak, while associate Hrygoriy Pavlenko is one to watch. The firm acted for JSC Gastransit in a dispute concerning the illegal writing-off of funds by a state agency.

At Poberezhnyuk & Partners, Larysa Poberezhnyuk is highly regarded as a litigator and she counts Europlastik, Taycoon and Eco Green among her clients. Dmytro Troyekurov represented Vintea in a dispute concerning the extension of a high-value lease.

At PwC Legal, Dmytro Donets leads a practice that handles tax disputes and commercial litigation. The firm has 'reputable legal professionals and wide experience'. Donets recently acted for a trading and investment company in the International Commercial Arbitration Court.

Spenser & Kauffmann is known for its 'attentive attitude, high-quality advice and high level of knowledge'. The firm 'can be trusted to solve complex problems'. Sergiy Pushko leads the practice. Banking partner Nickolas Likhachov acted for VTB Bank and Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkwelingslanden in high-value debt collection matters.

VB PARTNERS handles complex corporate, commercial and regulatory disputes and Oleksandr Lukianenko is the lead partner. With Denys Bugay, he led Khreshchatyk Commercial Bank's challenge against the National Bank of Ukraine's decision to recognise the bank as insolvent.

Wolf Theiss acts for international and Ukrainian companies in domestic and cross-border disputes. Taras Dumych and associate Sergii Zheka are the main contacts. They represented ThyssenKrupp in a dispute against a major local customer who defaulted on payment for equipment.

Absolute is 'professional and efficient', and Oleksandr Hladii and Oleksandr Bondarchuk, who acted for VTB Bank in debt collection matters, are recommended.

ADER HABER, formed by lawyers from Spenser & Kauffmann, handles disputes in the retail, FMCG and finance sectors. Yuriy Petrenko and counsel Andrii Hvozdetskyi lead the practice, which counts Ukravto and Merx among its clients.

Commercial litigation, notably in the real estate and construction sectors, is a core area of expertise for Andriy Kravets & Partners. Andriy Kravets and Vladyslav Lyaskovskiy, who handled several administrative disputes for a water company, are the key contacts.

Ante Law Firm handles disputes in the aviation and pharmaceutical sectors. Andriy Guck 'dedicates his time, knowledge and experience to the client'. He represented Sanofi-Aventis in a case against Bayner Group, which claimed €2m under a services agreement.

Ario Law Firm focuses on bankruptcy, debt recovery and corporate rights disputes. Julian Khorunzhyi provides 'clear and coherent', and his team has 'tremendous experience'. He acted for Terra Food in credit portfolio restructuring disputes with Finance and Credit Bank.

Dynasty Law Firm handles domestic litigation, appeals against state authority decisions, corporate disputes, debt recovery and bankruptcy matters. Denys Myrgorodskiy, Yevhen Smiiukha and Denys Kytsenko are among its key partners. Kytsenko represented Staroaleksandrovka-agro in a case concerning a bankrupt trustee.

ECOVIS Bondar & Bondar Law Bureau focuses primarily on disputes in the aviation sector and counts Aerohandling and Interavia among its clients. For Ukraine International Airlines, Oleg Bondar handled three cases against Lviv airport and the Ministry of Infrastructure.

EQUITY Law Firm has strong practitioners in partners Oleg Malinevsky and Viktor Barsuk. The firm is best known for commercial litigation and bankruptcy matters. It acted for an executive director of Agromars Complex LLC in a high-profile criminal case.

GENTLS Law Firm has a strong practice for criminal, commercial, banking and real estate disputes. Managing partner Oleh Gromovyi, who defended Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroisman in a complex defamation claim, and partner Oleksandr Rublya are the main contacts.

GOLAW has 'the ability to resolve complex issues' and the 'extremely-driven' Valentyn Gvozdiy is highly regarded. He acted for Czech bank Expobank in a dispute concerning a debtor who tried to invalidate a mortgage for a glass factory.

Igor Reutov leads a practice at Gramatskiy&Partners that handles multiple cases against banks, notably debt collection disputes. Ernest Gramatskiy represented City Capital Group in a $30m dispute concerning the ownership of a 30-hectare land plot in Dnipro.

ILF Law Firm joins the ranking and handles debt recovery, bankruptcy, commercial and healthcare disputes, as well as cases before the European Court of Human Rights. Olexiy Kharytonov led a case against the Deposit Guarantee Fund for Ukrainian Financial World Bank depositors who lost money when the bank was liquidated.

Jurline, which is based in Odessa, handles commercial, construction, maritime and investment disputes. Vitaliy Cherkes and Volodymyr Zubar are the key partners. For a shipowner, Zubar handled a London Maritime Arbitrators Association dispute seeking the recovery of a $14m debt.

KPMG joins the ranking and has a growing workload of commercial, investment and debt disputes. Sergey Popov and Yuriy Katser are the key partners. Katser acted for a liquidated bank in a Supreme Court case seeking to confirm the legality of its liquidation. LG Electronics is also among the firm's clients.

Law Firm Legal Guarantees has a deep bench of 15 lawyers and seven barristers, many of whom can draw on previous experience working for state bodies such as the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Oleksii Kominarets represented Socar in a UAH200m dispute concerning a tender to supply fuel to a state body.

LeGran.TT Law Company in Odessa joins the ranking and has a strong track record in international trade and shipping disputes, as well as Grain and Feed Trade Association and Federation of Oils, Seeds & Fats Associations arbitrations. Tatyana Titarenko has 'vast experience and can think strategically'. She acted for global carrier ZIM in a maritime dispute concerning the collection of fees from vessels using canals.

Selepey, Volkovetsky & Partners has 'great legal professionals who are top-level in litigation'. 'Great negotiator' Orest Dozhdzhaniuk, Andriy Selepey (who 'impresses with his strategic thinking') and counsel Bohdan Savchenko defended Agro-Soyuz in court cases against Ukrainian banks.

At SKG Attorneys at law, 'the team is strong in handling domestic banking and commercial disputes and is highly proactive'. Practice head Iulia Kurylo is 'a brilliant lawyer with strong expertise'. She represented UkrSibbank in enforcing payment of a large corporate loan.

Oleksandr Skliarenko leads the practice at Skliarenko, Sydorenko and Partners, which is 'known and respected for its extensive experience, trusted judgement and insight'. Skliarenko, Andriy Sydorenko and Andriy Trygub assisted Grawe Ukraine with a UAH10m claim against the National Deposit Guarantee Fund.