Move from making Trade Possible to making Trade Happen…

Legal practice in the foreign trade area is becoming more and more sophisticated. As an associate of Chadbourne & Parke, Viktor Dovhan, points out: “Two global trends are still influencing this legal practice — Ukraine’s accession to the WTO and development of a new agreement with the EU. The WTO brings the most recent amendments to trade protection legislation and On Foreign Economic Activity Act of Ukraine in regard of import licensing. A new ‘enhanced’ agreement with the EU will substitute Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and is deemed to establish a free trade area between Ukraine and the European Union.”

Vasil Kisil & Partners is highly recommended for its extensive experience in handling foreign trade operations that include advising and representing clients in international trade operations and competition investigations, drafting contracts, developing financing schemes for certain type of transaction etc. In 2007 the firm’s attorneys successfully represented clients in safeguard and antidumping investigations, advised numerous foreign banks on securitization mechanisms, advised on franchise agreements and developed distribution agreements for leading foreign companies such as group of Phillips Companies, LG Electronic Group, BNP Paribas S.A., Banque Cantonale Vaudoise, Astron-Ukraine, Guccio Gucci S.P.A., Geox S.P.A., Marks & Spencer, Saab Automobile AB, Mitsubishi Motors Europe B.V. Oleg Alyoshin, the firm’s partner, leads the foreign trade practice and has been consistently acknowledged as the best specialist in the field. Dr. Tatyana Slipachuk is highly recommended and widely recognized professional in foreign trade. Nataliya Mykolska and Mikhail Shchitka have also been noted for their expertise in international trade.

Having advised in more than 80 antidumping and countervailing cases in the European Union, the United States and in more than 20 jurisdictions worldwide, Magister & Partners are among the top law firms in this field. Managing partner Oleg Riabokon has been named the leading expert for years. In addition to experience in advising industrial enterprises on trade regulations, the firm is known for advising the Government of Ukraine on bilateral steel agreements with the USA, EU, China and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The Kiev international trade and customs practice is represented by Olha Harasymiv and Agnieszka Jozwiak.

Legal analysis and support of export and import operations, consulting in the field of foreign economic activities, customs regulations and all forms of freight are traditionally the main branches of trade practice conducted by Grischenko & Partners, headed by Dmitri Grischenko. Foreign and international trade is central to the practice of AGA Partners, which constantly advises Ukrainian and international traders on various issues arising from trade transactions, negotiation and execution of contracts, financing operations, payment mechanisms, international transport and prompt resolution of disputes at any stage of international commercial deals. The firm’s trade team is guided by Ivanna Dorichenko. Aminat Suleymanova and Ivanna Dorichenko are highly recommended for their expertise in grain and other soft commodities trade. Their clients involve banks, producers, major international trading houses and trade associations.

Konnov & Sozanovsky’s lawyers advise on the following trade related issues: trade transactions in Ukraine (credit operations, permits and licenses for doing business); product liability; due diligence of sales, services, lease, loan, investments, agency, distribution, etc. agreements; drafting of agreements and negotiation of terms and conditions thereof; foreign economic transactions, customs clearance, customs duties optimization; formulation of schemes on taxation optimization, distribution schemes; drafting of loan agreements to be entered into with foreign lenders, registration of loans with the National Bank of Ukraine; registration of enterprises with foreign investments, joint ventures; antidumping investigations; dispute resolution. In 2007, the firm’s leading practitioners negotiated on behalf of its clients and drafted foreign contracts on the purchase and sale of hardware and in the retail field. Sergei Konnov, Ronald Marks and Borys Lobovyk provide legal advice in the said area.

Gramatskiy & Partners attorneys at law have accumulated substantial experience of the field of foreign trade which allows the firm to carry out complex assistance of commercial transactions with a foreign element. The firm’s practice includes consulting on issues of performing commercial activity on the territory of Ukraine by non-residents, conditions and peculiarities of such activity, conduction of legal expertise of external economic contracts, consulting on ways to optimize customs payments and other fees, legal support in export-import operations. First-rate Danish holding companies with a substantial world turnover are clients of Gramatskiy & Partners. They have successfully maintained business relations with the firm over the last few years. Ernest Gramatskiy and Igor Reutov are the key experts of Gramatskiy & Partners in the field of foreign trade.

Sayenko Kharenko counsels and represents clients with respect to all domestic and international trade regulation matters, market access issues and dispute resolution. The firm is known for assisting companies in evaluating and establishing comprehensive export-import compliance programs, including legal structuring of trade operations, drafting foreign trade contracts, advising on Ukrainian customs regulation and representing before the custom authorities, as well as customs duty planning in international transactions. In 2007, the firm’s attorneys advised a number of foreign and Ukrainian trade agents and distributors on international negotiations involving trade issues, compliance implementation of international trade obligations and policies. In addition, the firm represented major international manufacturers and service providers seeking assistance to secure fair access to the Ukrainian market. Vladimir Sayenko and Sergey Ignatovsky are especially recommended as experts for international trade related matters.

The lawyers of Shevchenko Didkovskiy & Partners have considerable experience in advising clients with respect to all major aspects of customs regulations. The scope of work in representing major corporate clients like Coca-Cola, Beiersdorf, Phillip Morris, Nissan Motor, Elopak, Ecolab included legal structuring of export-import operations, drafting foreign trade contracts, advising on Ukrainian customs regulations, customs duty planning in international transactions, representation before the State Customs Service of Ukraine at all levels, accreditation with the local Customs Office, and fair calculation of customs duties for benefit of the clients. Oleksandr Padalka and Boris Snizhko are especially recommended with regard to foreign trade practice.

Dmitrieva & Partners provides a full variety of services on legal service of organizations participating in foreign trade activity, including drafting and analysis of foreign economic contracts, evaluation of concurrent legal risks, negotiations, consulting concerning customs registration of goods and customs control, protection of interests of client in relations with the customs service, legal support of currency transactions, consulting concerning the rights and duties of residents and non-residents as to the possession and use of currency, purchase of movable and real estate, amenability for transgression of legislation on currency regulation and currency control, representation during antidumping investigations and procedures, representation at investigations of foreign economic disputes, legal research, etc. The firms leading expert in foreign activity is Olga Dmitrieva.

Beiten Burkhardt advised Ukrainian authorities on a project regardingan antidumping investigation in Russia. The Kiev office recently provided legal counsel to an international client with respect to laws regulating the purchase and export of transport vehicles. Oleg Zagnitko is the leading lawyer in this practice.

The international trade practice of Inyurpolis is divided into export/import assistance and customs consulting. In 2007 it drafted foreign contracts for client Elektrotyazhmash. Olena Kibenko, a senior partner, was named by colleagues.

AstapovLawyers has trade in commodities among its main practice areas. Besides comprehensive legal assistance of export and import transactions, including obtaining licenses in the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine, its services include structuring cross-border trade transactions; drafting contracts and transaction problem-avoidance; consulting on documentary sales and methods of payment. Anatoliy Kosovan is the key professional in foreign trade. Moreover, AstapovLawyers have special expertise in English law and legal regulations of trade associations, such as GAFTA, FOSFA, and the International and Sugar Association.

The Salkom law firm is recognized among competitors and clients due to its highly qualified consulting of enterprises from Europe, the USA and Russia. Experienced Nataliya Kuznetsova always receives excellent references.

International trade has been one of the main practices of Integrites since it was established. Katerina Barabash manages the corresponding practice with the scope of services including monitoring of foreign markets; development of reliable partnerships; domestic and international trade regulations analysis; drafting of international trade contracts; financial, business and legal risks evaluation; dispute resolution. The Kiev office of Chadbourne & Parke, namely Yaroslawa Johnson and Viktor Dovhan, and the Ryzhyy Law Office headed by Vladimir Ryzhyy, were also recommended during our research.