Legal Services in Ukraine

Summary of the ResearchKyiv, 2010

Legal Services in Ukraine. Choosing legal counsel

Investment and Trade Foundationhttp://inve-trade.eu

http://inve-trade.eu/

About the research

This summary presents key points of an analysis of the Ukrainian market of legal services and contains information that may be useful for foreign companies while selecting local legal counsel or advisor


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Disclaimer

The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ITF or the funding institutions

ITF welcomes feedback and comments on this document. These can be forwarded to the ITF Expert Committee at [email protected]

Copyright © ITF, 2010. Readers are encouraged to quote and reproduce this material for educational, non- profit purposes, provided the source is acknowledged


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mailto:[email protected]


Overview General tips about Law Firms in Ukraine


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Legal Professionals in Ukraine

Lawyers (graduates of law universities or faculties);

Attorneys (lawyers admitted to the bar);

Notaries (public and private);

Certified agents or practitioners who often have law degree (patent agents, insolvency practitioners etc.)


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Legal Services Market

The Ukrainian market for lawyers may be divided in two segments: the corporate and the personal client

The personal client sphere is characterized by either solo

practitioners or small law firms (usually general practice firms, or slightly specialized)

The corporate segment is characterized by large law firms.

Both segments are characterized with high competition


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Legal Services Market

More than 2000 law firms that are able to render services to corporate clients

App. 1500 of them have their offices in Kyiv

App. 150 of them have facilities and regularly render legal services to foreign companies (some of them are listed in App.1)


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Small and Large Ukrainian Law Firms

Although the legal profession is marked by the growth of corporate mega-law firms in the world, Ukrainian law firms are relatively small:

50 and more lawyers – largest Ukrainian law firms

20-40 – large Ukrainian law firms

6-18 lawyers – medium sized law firms

5 or less lawyers – small law firms


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Forms of Law Firms

There is no regulation of the form of incorporation of a law firm

A limited liability company is the most popular form (app. 2800 or 69 %), advocacy unions are also popular (app. 650 or 16%) as well as private enterprises (14 %), in contrast to joint stock companies and other forms of incorporation (less than 1 %)


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Law Firms’ Structure

Though Ukrainian law firms are not partnerships in their traditional sense, it became common practice to name owners of firms or heads of their practices as partners. The average ratio of partners to associates in Ukrainian large and medium law firms is 1:6


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Working languages

Ukrainian law firms providing services to foreign clients with such languages

Ukrainian – 100%

Russian – 100%

English – 96 %*

German – 12 %

French – 9 %

Italian – 4 %

Spanish – 4 %

Polish – 4 %

Chinese, Hungarian, Czech and other languages – 2 %


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Ethics and Responsibility

Legal practice in Ukraine has no specific regulation. The Ukrainian Law on Bar does not cover other types of legal practice, it does not regulate activities of law firms and their relations with and responsibility before clients unless they are established as advocacy unions

Instruments of the professional liability insurance have not been developed

Reputation – is the most valuable asset of law firms in Ukraine

Lawyers in Ukraine are tentatively taking the first steps to global ethical regimes through the International Bar Association International Code of Ethics


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Fee Arrangements

Ukrainian law firms are willing to use traditional billable hour arrangements but also they are displaying significantly increased enthusiasm for and use of alternative fee arrangements in both litigation and transactional matters.


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Fee ArrangementsAlternative fees arrangements How it is used in Ukraine?

Fixed or Flat Fees Often used to estimate high volume, routine, commodity work where costs are easy to predict.

Capped Fees This type is used in the same cases as flat fees. Sometimes arrangements include safety valves that allow both client and firm to revise the agreement should unforesee n circumstances occur.

Retainers Used mostly after the first engagement when a degree of trust has been established and when both parties have a better sense of time and costs involved.

Contingency Fees Rarely used by large law firms. Small and medium firms use this type when a client with a valid claim is unable to pay for legal representation in any other way.

Blended Hourly Rates Used as an alternative to traditional hourly rates when routine matters do not require a wide range of expertise.

Discounted Fees Used in high volume projects.

Retrospective Based on Value Used rarely and only with respect to large projects of old clients


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Overview Ukrainian law firms. Areas of expertise


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Ukrainian law firms. Areas of expertise


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The information in the list on areas of expertise is provided directly from the firms’ websites.

Agriculture and Commodities Astapov LawyersBanking Law Arzinger

AstersGrischenko & PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychJurimexJurvneshserviceLavrynovych & PartnersMagistersSalkom Sayenko KharenkoVasil Kisil & Partners

Capital Markets Arzinger Astapov LawyersMagistersSayenko KharenkoSpenser & Kauffmann




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Commercial Law and Contracts Astapov LawyersCai & LenardGramatskiy and PartnersJurimexJurvneshserviceKonnov & SozanovskySalkom Spenser & Kauffmann

Competition Law Arzinger Astapov LawyersAstersCai & LenardGramatskiy and PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychILFJurimexJurvneshserviceKonnov & SozanovskyLavrynovych & PartnersMagisters Sayenko KharenkoSalkom Spenser & KauffmannVasil Kisil & Partners




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Corporate Law Arzinger Astapov LawyersAstersCai & LenardGramatskiy and PartnersGrischenko & PartnersILFJurimexKonnov & SozanovskyLavrynovych & PartnersMagistersSalkom Sayenko KharenkoSpenser & KauffmannVasil Kisil & Partners

Criminal Law Gramatskiy and PartnersEnergy Law Astapov Lawyers

Grischenko & PartnersILFMagisters Vasil Kisil & Partners




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Environmental Protection Astapov LawyersFinance Arzinger

Astapov LawyersAstersGvozdiy & OberkovychILFJurimexJurvneshserviceLavrynovych & PartnersMagistersSalkom Sayenko KharenkoSpenser & Kauffmann Vasil Kisil & PartnersVolkov Koziakov & Partners

Government Relations ILFJurimexMagistersSalkom




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Intellectual Property Arzinger AstersDoubinsky and OsharovaGramatskiy and Partners Grischenko & PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychILFJurimexJurvneshserviceKonnov & SozanovskyMagistersPakharenko & PartnersSalkom

Insurance Gramatskiy and PartnersSpenser & Kauffmann

International Arbitration Astapov LawyersCai & LenardGrischenko & PartnersJurvneshserviceMagistersSalkom Spenser & KauffmannVasil Kisil & Partners




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International Trade AstersCai & LenardGramatskiy and PartnersGrischenko & PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychILFJurvneshserviceMagistersVasil Kisil & PartnersVolkov Koziakov & Partners

Investment Arzinger Astapov LawyersCai & LenardGrischenko & PartnersGramatskiy and PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychSalkom Volkov Koziakov & Partners




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Labor Law Arzinger AstersCai & LenardGrischenko & PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychILFJurimexJurvneshserviceSalkom Vasil Kisil & Partners

Litigation Arzinger Astapov LawyersAstersGrischenko & PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychILFJurimexJurvneshserviceKonnov & SozanovskyLavrynovych & PartnersMagistersSalkom Spenser & KauffmannVasil Kisil & Partners

Maritime Astapov Lawyers




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M&A Arzinger Astapov LawyersAstersILFGvozdiy & OberkovychMagistersSayenko KharenkoVasil Kisil & PartnersSpenser & Kauffmann

Media Law AstersCai & LenardGvozdiy & OberkovychJurimexKonnov & SozanovskyMagisters

Medicine ILFNon-Profit Organizations Jurvneshservice




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Oil and Gas MagistersPPP Arzinger

Astapov LawyersILFMagistersVasil Kisil & Partners

Privatization Gramatskiy and PartnersGrischenko & Partners

Real Estate, Construction and Land Law Arzinger Astapov LawyersAstersGramatskiy and PartnersGrischenko & PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychILFJurimexJurvneshserviceKonnov & SozanovskyLavrynovych & PartnersMagistersSalkom Sayenko KharenkoSpenser & KauffmannVasil Kisil & Partners




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Restructuring and Bankruptcy Arzinger Gramatskiy and PartnersMagistersSalkom Volkov Koziakov & Partners

Securities Astapov LawyersGrischenko & PartnersILFJurimex Salkom Sayenko KharenkoVasil Kisil & PartnersVolkov Koziakov & Partners

Sports Law Magisters

White Collar Crime Astapov LawyersMagisters




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Tax Law Arzinger Astapov LawyersAstersGramatskiy and PartnersGrischenko & PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychILFJurimexJurvneshserviceKM PartnersKonnov & SozanovskyMagistersSalkom Spenser & Kauffmann

Telecommunications Astapov LawyersAstersILFGrischenko & PartnersGvozdiy & OberkovychMagisters

Transportation Astapov LawyersCai & Lenard


Global and Local Law Firms Some words about the difference


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Global law firms expansion

Local law firms – 99,99 %, offices of global law firms – 0,01%

Segment of legal services to multinational corporations: local law firms – 63 %, offices of global law firms – 27 %


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Local vs. International Law Firms

Foreign company chooses local law firm when:

The legal matter is mostly local (litigation, regulatory matter, incorporation in Ukraine etc.)

The project or legal matter is multijurisdictional, and the company has the ability to manage Ukraine related legal affairs itself

Foreign company chooses global law firm when:

It is the client of this form in other jurisdictions

It is a transaction that needs to be supported, but not the local litigation or regulatory issue


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Local vs. International Law Firms

Global law firm selects local law firm on a subcontractor basis when:

Its client empowered the global law firm to be a manager of the project in Ukraine

The global law firm finds it is better to use facilities of a local law firm, though the global firm may have its own office in Ukraine

Local law firm selects global law firm when:

The client asks to support multinational project and the local law firm does not have cooperation relations with local law firms in jurisdictions involved


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Ukrainian Law Firms Contact Base


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Firms are listed alphabetically and the order in which they appear has no other significance. The ITF assumes no responsibility or liability for the professional ability or reputation of, or the quality of services provided by, the following

persons or firms. Inclusion on this list is in no way an endorsement by the ITF.


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ContactsALEKSANDROV & PARTNERS ATTORNEYS CO.

http://www.lawyers.com.ua5Olzhycha St., off 62, Kyiv 04060

ARZINGER http://www.arzinger.ua• Business Centre ''Eurasia'', 75 Zhylyanska st., 5th Floor, 01032 Kyiv, Ukraine• 6, Generala Chuprynky street, office 1, 79013 Lviv, Ukraine• 33, Zhukovskogo street, office 601, Business Centre "Pokrovsky", 65045, Odesa, Ukraine

ASTAPOV LAWYERS www.astapovlawyers.com• Muzeyniy prov., 3rd floor, Kyiv, 01001, Ukraine• 54 Uspenska Street, Odessa, 65000, Ukraine• 2/1 Semenovskaya Quay, Building 1, Quarters VII, Office 1, Moscow 105094, Russia

ASTERS www.asterslaw.com• Leonardo Business Center, 14th floor• 19-21 Bohdana Khmelnytskogo Str. Kyiv, 01030, Ukraine

CAI &LENARD http://c-n-l.euGrand Step Business Center, 24D Polevaya St., Kyiv, 03056, Ukraine

DOUBINSKY AND OSHAROVA

www.iplaw.com.ua37 Zhilyanska Str.,third Floor, Kyiv, 01033, Ukraine

FRISHBERG & PARTNERS LAW COMPANY

http://www.frishberg.com10 Gorkogo St., off. 8, Kyiv, 01004

GRAMATSKIY AND PARTNERS

http://gramatskiy.com.uaOffice 7, 16 Mikhaylivska Str., Kyiv, 01001, Ukraine

GRISCHENKO & PARTNERS www.gp.ua37-41 Artema Street, 3rd Floor, Kyiv, Ukraine, 04053 4a Fontanskaya Road Odessa, Ukraine 65039

http://www.lawyers.com.ua/

http://www.arzinger.ua/

http://www.astapovlawyers.com/

http://www.asterslaw.com/

http://c-n-l.eu/

http://www.iplaw.com.ua/

http://www.frishberg.com/

http://gramatskiy.com.ua/

http://www.gp.ua/

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ContactsGVOZDIY & OBERKOVYCH http://golaw.ua

19B Instytutska str., suite 29, 01021, Kyiv, Ukraine

ILF http://www.inyurpolis.com• 14-A, Skrypnyka str., Kharkiv, 61057, Ukraine• 22, Schovkovychna Str., Kyiv, 01024, Ukraine

JURIMEX http://www.jurimex.com.ua• 9/2, Velyka Vasilkivska Street, office, 67, Kyiv, Ukraine, 01004• 22, Novoselskogo st., Odessa, 65029, Ukraine• 26/28, Petrovskogo st., Kharkiv, 61024, Ukraine• 4, Deputatska st., office 3, Shostka, Sumy Region, 41100, Ukraine• 36, Shevchenko Avenue (first floor) , Lviv, 79000, Ukraine

JURVNESHSERVICE www.jvs.com.ua• 106 Saksaganskogo Str., suite 22, Kiev, 01032, Ukraine• 61 Nikolskaya Str., suite 11, Nikolaev, 54001, Ukraine• 45 Gogol Str., suite 2, Sevastopol, 99007, Ukraine• 15 Stepan Bandera Ave, Ternopol, 4600, Ukraine

KM PARTNERS http://www.km-partners.com5Pankivska St., 5-th floor, Kyiv, 01033

KONNOV &SOZANOVSKY http://www.konnov.com• 23 Shota Rustaveli Street, Suite 3, Kiev, 01019, Ukraine• 338 City Road, London EC1V 2PY, United Kingdom• 4 Rossolimo Street, 5th Floor, Moscow, 119021, Russia• 16, Zenas Kanther Street Karandokis Bldg, 7 Floor Office 25-26, P.O.Box 22571, Nicosia, 58017, Cyprus• 13-a Komarova Street, Suite 204, Chernovtsy, 58017, Ukraine

http://golaw.ua/

http://www.inyurpolis.com/

http://www.jurimex.com.ua/

http://www.jvs.com.ua/

http://www.km-partners.com/

http://www.konnov.com/

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ContactsLAVRYNOVYCH & PARTNERS

www.lp.ua• 14/24 Klovsky uzviz, office 101, 01021 Ukraine, Kyiv• 4 Bazarna St., office 7, 65014 Ukraine, Odesa• 4433 West Touyi Av., suite 406, Lincolnwood, Illinois, 60712 USA

MAGISTERS www.magisters.com• 38 Volodymyrska St. Kyiv, 01034, Ukraine• Presidential Plaza, 62 Kosmonavtov Street, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan• 88 Wood Street, London EC2V 7RS,United Kingdom• Alexandrov Passage, 117a Independence Avenue, Minsk, 220114, Belarus • Naberezhnaya Tower, Block B, 10 Presnenskaya Embankment, Moscow, 123317, Russia

PAKHARENKO & PARTNERS www.pakharenko.comOlimpiyskiy Business-Centre, 72, V.Vasylkivska st., Kyiv

SALKOM http://www.salkom.ua12, Khreschatyk St., Kyiv 01001 , Ukraine

SAYENKO KHARENKO www.sk.ua10 Muzeyny Provulok, Kyiv 01001, Ukraine

SPENSER & KAUFFMANN http://www.sklaw.com.ua3, Panfilovtsev str., Kyiv, 01015, Ukraine

UKRINIURKOLEGUIA http://www.ukrinur.kiev.ua2-2aZolotovoritska St., Kyiv 01034

VASIL KISIL & PARTNERS www.vkp.kiev.ua17/52-A B. Khmelnitskogo St., Kyiv 01030 Ukraine

VOLKOV KOZIAKOV & PARTNERS

http://www.vk-partners.com 29g Yaroslaviv Val Street, Kyiv 01034 Ukraine

http://www.lp.ua/

http://www.magisters.com/

http://www.pakharenko.com/

http://www.salkom.ua/

http://www.sk.ua/

http://www.sklaw.com.ua/

http://www.ukrinur.kiev.ua/

http://www.vkp.kiev.ua/

http://www.volkovpartners.com/

Credentials


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About the ITF

The Investment and Trade Foundation (ITF) is a non- governmental research organization.

ITF develops and implements research projects that respond to the needs of society for an independent viewpoint on key issues of international trade and flow of capital.

ITF conducts research at the request of government agencies, businesses, and foreign donors that employs legal and economic knowledge to resolve strategic issues of business management, as well as the evaluation of government regulations from the viewpoint of their effect on business and investment decisions.

For more information about ITF’s researches, visit our website at http://inve-trade.eu


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Legal Services in Ukraine

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