Ukraine > Dispute resolution > Law firm and leading lawyer rankings

At ‘exciting, young, go-to litigation firm’ Aequo, ‘clever and responsive’ Pavlo Byelousov heads the international arbitration practice and Oleksandr Mamunya is the litigation head. The firm is acting for a European bank in a $355m ICC matter.

At Arbitrade, arbitration specialist Yuliya Chernykh, who acted for City-State in an investment arbitration, and litigators Pavel Trytenichenko and Andriy Shulga are ‘top-level lawyers providing efficient advice and good industry knowledge’. Anastasiya Grenyuk is also recommended.

Asters’ team is ‘highly attentive, responsive and accessible’. Oleksiy Didkovskiy acted for the Ministry of Finance in a High Court case concerning $3.4bn in eurobonds. Tamara Lukanina and Anna Tkachova are other key names.

Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners has ‘a great team with good business acumen’ that handles international arbitration, cross-border litigation, trade disputes and criminal matters. Serhii Sviriba, Markiyan Kliuchkovskyi, Gleb Bialyi and Sergey Grebenyuk are highly rated.

EnGarde Attorneys at Law ‘provides the full scope of services to international standards’. Irina Nazarova is ‘well versed in arbitration’ and Andriy Vyshnevsky is ‘an excellent litigator’. Scania Ukraine and Smart-Holding are among the firm’s key clients. Dmytro Donenko is also recommended.

At Ilyashev & Partners, Roman Marchenko, who is ‘one of Ukraine’s top litigators’, acted for BTA Bank in a $10bn compensation claim against its former chairman. Mikhail Ilyashev is ‘extremely responsive and hardworking’.

Lexwell & Partners is ‘easy to work with, accessible and provides good value’. The ‘creative and proactive’ Andrey Kolupaev acted for Mykhail Spektor in an LCIA arbitration in a multibillion-dollar case regarding ferroalloy assets in Ukraine.

‘Heavyweight litigation firm’ Sayenko Kharenko provides ‘the best service – fast and client-oriented’. Arbitration specialist Tatyana Slipachuk represented the State of Ukraine in a $4.7bn investment arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty. Sergey Pogrebnoy leads on litigation.

Clients of Vasil Kisil & Partners are ‘impressed with the thoroughness of its work’. Oleg Alyoshin, who acted for a Ukrainian businessman in a $380m dispute with Russian oil company Tatneft, and Andriy Stelmashchuk are highly regarded.

‘Dynamic firm’ Arzinger ‘always provides appropriate advice’. Lviv-based Markian Malskyy, who represented the Ministry of Justice in a $40m investment arbitration, and the ‘professional and reliable’ Kateryna Gupalo head the practice. Oksana Karel leads on international arbitration.

Litigation boutique Aver Lex is ‘first class in criminal cases’. Key names include Olga Prosyanyuk, who is ‘a real leader who inspires the team’; ‘top white-collar crime lawyer’ Vitaliy Serdyuk; and Igor Fedorenko.

At Baker McKenzie, Kyiv Office, practice head Ihor Siusel and Kseniia Pogruzhalska acted for the Independent Association of the Banks of Ukraine in a challenge to a resolution by the Cabinet of Ministers.

CMS handles complex banking and finance disputes and international arbitration. Olexander Martinenko, Anna Pogrebna and Maria Orlyk are the key contacts. The team represented JKX Oil & Gas in a high-value dispute concerning gas market restrictions.

Olga Vorozhbyt joined DLA Piper Ukraine LLC from CMS to lead the firm’s growing litigation practice. She acted for international development company Crown Agents in a matter relating to a data breach. Pfizer is also a client.

Practice head Oleg Batyuk and rising star Oleg Kuchanskyy are among the key names at Dentons, which is known for its ‘high-quality and client-oriented advice’. Clients include an international developer of crop protection solutions.

At Equity Law Firm, previously known as FCLEX Law Firm, Viktor Barsuk and Oleg Malinevskiy stand out for handling litigation and bankruptcy proceedings. They acted for AIS Corporation in recovering debts of $182.5m.

Eterna Law’s team of ‘service-oriented, highly professional, Western quality lawyers’ includes Andrey Astapov, Oleh Beketov and Eugene Blinov. Beketov, together with Hogan Lovells International LLP, handled a $2bn High Court litigation between Ukrainian oligarchs.

Gentls Law Firm ‘has a full understanding of the business environment and is organised and efficient’. The ‘client-oriented and friendly’ Oleh Gromovyi is active in high-profile defamation and commercial litigation matters; he is defending Prime Minister Volodymyr Hroisman against a complex defamation claim.

At Goro Legal, practice heads Dmytro Ovsiy and Oleksandr Goroshynskyi have ‘profound attention to detail’. Goroshynsky acted for special police force Berkut in cases arising from the Euromaidan demonstrations.

At Integrites, Vyacheslav Korchev heads the team and Olena Perepelynska, who has ‘a keen intellect’ and is ‘meticulous’, leads on arbitration. They represented Retail Group companies in a $308m litigation against Bank Forum and Kyiv Rus. ‘Strategic, knowledgeable and business-focused’ litigator Dmytro Marchukov and Serhii Uvarov recently joined from Avellum.

Kinstellar’s team is ‘a strong market player’. Kostiantyn Likarchuk, who leads the firm-wide dispute resolution practice, and managing associate Mykyta Nota obtained an award for the shareholders of Nemiroff Vodka in a $350m LCIA arbitration.

Highlights for the team at LCF Law Group included representing AVK Confectionery in litigation against banks with a total value of $160m. Atrem Stoyanov and Anna Ogrenchuk have, according to one client, ‘a reputation as the best litigators’ and Olena Volyanksa is also recommended.

Marchenko Danevych excels in regulatory, financial and commercial disputes. Its work in arbitration and investor-state disputes included handling a high-value case for Morgan Furniture against the Ukrainian government. Oleh Marchenko heads the practice.

Moris Group ‘responds efficiently and provides appropriate advice’. The ‘vastly experienced’ Maryan Martynyuk and head of litigation Andriy Savchuk acted for National Investments Bank in a $78m debt recovery matter.

Oleksandr Peremezhko & Partners ‘has profound knowledge of Ukraine’s regulatory framework and real depth of expertise’. Oleksandr Peremezhko and Yevgeniy Usik advised Carlton Trading on the enforcement of a $520,000 arbitral award. Bus operator Passervice is also a client.

Dmytro Donets leads the practice at PwC Legal, which has ‘strength in depth and provides good value’. Alexander Protsyuk and Andrey Pronchenko acted for Kharkiv Tractor Plant in a $20m debt recovery matter.

Redcliffe Partners’ team provides ‘very high standards of service’. Head of dispute resolution Sergiy Gryshko acts for numerous oil and gas companies in investment arbitrations. The firm also has an active litigation practice.

Alekseev, Boyarchukov & Partners’ team has ‘incredible abilities as negotiators and defence lawyers’. The ‘skilled and client-oriented’ Vladislav Rieznikov, who acted for First Ukrainian International Bank in numerous disputes, and Ivan Mishchenko are noted.

Vladyslav Lyaskovskiy and Andriy Kravets lead the dispute resolution practice at Andriy Kravets & Partners, which handles domestic litigation and international arbitration. Highlights included acting for a drinks company in a dispute with a competitor.

Antika Law Firm provides ‘high-quality solutions’. ‘Deeply knowledgeable and innovative’ litigator Andrey Kuznetsov and head of arbitration Alexey Kot handled debt recovery matters for Energobank.

At Avellum, finance expert Glib Bondar and Yuriy Nechayev, who was recently promoted to the partnership, are active in investment arbitrations. Bondar also handled a high-value debt recovery matter for a large European bank. Dmytro Marchukov left to join Integrites. Aminat Suleymanova, Irina Moroz and the ‘hardworking and creative’ Ivan Kasynyuk were new arrivals in July 2018 as a result of the firm’s merger with AGA Partners.

Esquires Law Firm provides ‘prompt results and good value’. Founder Oleksandr Shkelebey and head of white-collar crime Opanas Karlin joined from Everlegal. They represented logistics company Arktika in a UAH100m financial dispute.

At Evris, practice head Igor Kravtsov and managing partner Andriy Dovbenko are key names. The team handled debt collection cases totalling $85m for First Ukrainian National Bank. Prominvestbank is also a client.

Jeantet handles cross-border litigation and arbitration. Bertrand Barrier acted for Euronews in the recovery of a €10m debt from the Ukrainian state broadcaster. Igor Krasovskiy is also recommended.

At KPD Consulting Law Firm, ‘the service is good and the team has specialist expertise’. Practice head Igor Kalitventsev successfully represented Porsche Leasing in disputes with debtors, and acted for Piraeus Bank in commercial court proceedings.

Lavrynovych & Partners Law Firm is ‘an important firm in dispute resolution’. Stanislav Skrypnyk, who ‘acts effectively without overcomplicating matters’, acted for Avtovantazh in a foreclosure case.

Legal Alliance Company provides ‘high-quality service and timely feedback’. Illya Kostin and Natalia Lavrenova have ‘a high level of knowledge’. Clients include Adamed, Berlin-Chemie and GlaxoSmithKline.

At Pavlenko Legal Group, key contacts Oleksandra Pavlenko and senior associate Elena Pertsova acted for gas supply company Gastransit in a UAH79.8m Court of Appeal case.

At Poberezhnyuk & Partners, managing partner Larysa Poberezhnyuk is a respected litigator. Her key clients include retail company BMTS, construction company Metronom, and plastics distributor Europlastik.

Pragnum is known for its ‘high standards and willingness to work in partnership with clients’. Vitalii Bobrynov, who represented software developer Miranda in a criminal dispute, and Dmytro Zhukov are key names.

The ‘determined and experienced’ Nickolas Likhachov leads the team at Spenser & Kauffmann; he is recommended for complex financial maters. The firm acted for a leading national retail company in 15 high-value disputes. Yuriy Petrenko left to join new firm Ader Haber.

VB Partners ‘is not afraid of complex cases and deeply understands clients’ needs’. Vladimir Vashchenko and ‘authoritative leader’ Denys Bugay are key names. Highlights included representing a commercial bank in a dispute concerning the cancellation of its licence.

At Wolf Theiss, ‘the advice is always detailed and knowledgeable’. Taras Dumych advised ThyssenKrupp in a dispute concerning defaulted payment. Barguzine Energy Trading is a key client.

Ario Law Firm has ‘a very good reputation for criminal law’ cases and is also active in commercial litigation. Senior partner Julian Khorunzhyi recently represented VTB Bank in a debt recovery matter.

CEE Attorneys ‘solves problems quickly’ and Vadym Ivanov and Oleksii Volokhov are ‘good, results-oriented advocates’. Ivanov defended DuPont subsidiary Stasi Seed in an over €1.1m commercial dispute with a leading domestic agribusiness.

Law Firm Dynasty provides ‘high-quality services and timely responses’. Denys Myrgorodskiy, Yevheniy Smiyuha and Antonina Selivanova, who are ‘strong professionals’, acted for a large agro-industrial company in disputes concerning the invalidation of leases.

Ecovis Bondar & Bondar Law Bureau has a core focus on the aviation sector, where it has a leading practice. Oleg Bondar acted for Ukraine International Airlines in disputes with a total value of $15m concerning the illegal recovery of state aviation charges.

At GOLAW, ‘the service is excellent and the advice is creative’. Valentyn Gvozdiy’s team handled a $24m dispute for Czech bank Expobank.

At Gramatskiy&Partners, Ernest Gramatskiy and Andriy Trembich have ‘deep and comprehensive legal knowledge’. Gramatskiy acted for Graal in a $35m dispute with the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine.

Law Firm Legal Guarantees is a specialist dispute resolution firm comprised of partners with experience in state bodies such as the State Fiscal Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Experienced litigator and practice head Oleksii Kominarets acted for UniCredit Leasing in a UAH130m case concerning the seizure of property.

Odessa-based Jurline ‘has a strong team of specialists’ including team head Vitaliy Cherkes, who is ‘a committed lawyer with excellent ability’, and Volodymyr Zubar. Cherkes acted for TIS-Mindobryva in a termination of agreement dispute concerning berths at a port.

SKG Attorneys at law’s Yuliya Kurylo provides ‘high-level, client-oriented service’. She acted for Airport of Donetsk Municipal Enterprise in recovering debts from airlines using its services.

At Skliarenko, Sydorenko and Partners, experienced litigator Oleksandr Skliarenko leads the practice. He acted for Smile in a dispute concerning imported goods. Andriy Sydorenko and Andriy Trygub are also recommended.