AGA Partners has maintained its leading position in commodities arbitration, and has built up experience of arbitrations beyond the bounds of agribusiness and trade, encompassing a broader range of clients, industries, and arbitration institutions as well as arbitration-related issues. Over the past year the firm has expanded its client portfolio, representing Naftogaz Group, UNICEF, TAS Agro, Bunge SA, Hangzhou Ruijiang Chemical Co. LTD, Orexim Trading Ltd, among others. The firm successfully represented a leading Ukrainian sugar producer in two significant parallel RSA Arbitration proceedings against Croatian and Slovenian buyers for non-payment under a goods delivery contract; represents a group of Ukrainian grain trading companies from Zaporizhzhia Region in a high-profile litigation seeking to recover damages incurred due to Russia’s invasion and the occupation of parts of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Regions, including the impact on Berdyansk seaport, where a portion of now lost goods was in storage. The firm advised Naftogaz, the largest national oil and gas company of Ukraine, on the feasibility of pursuing a lawsuit in English courts to recover prepayments made under a contentious contract. AGA Partners represented China National Building Materials and Equipment Import & Export Corporation and secured a landmark victory in the Supreme Court of Ukraine, successfully defending an EUR 88 million banking guarantee by enforcing an arbitration agreement, setting a key precedent on the primacy of arbitration over judicial proceedings in Ukraine. Another part of the practice is enforcement procedures after receipt of an arbitral award both in Ukraine and abroad. In particular, representing COFCO RESOURCES S.A. in four parallel court proceedings, initiated by the client’s counterparty with the intent of obstructing the enforcement of a crucial international arbitration award. Partners Ivan Kasynyuk and Iryna Moroz guide the practice, with strategic input from Aminat Suleymanova, managing partner. The next generation of the sizeable team includes counsel Pavlo Lebediev, senior associates Ievgen Boiarskyi, Dmytro Izotov, Yurii Bedenko and Dariia Zyma.
Asters, a leading full-service Ukrainian law firm, is widely recognized for its role in high-profile, large-scale international arbitration matters, encompassing both investment and commercial disputes. Notable investment recent cases include acting on behalf the State of Ukraine in ABH Holdings S.A. vs. Ukraine, Misen Energy AB (publ) vs. Ukraine and Igor Boyko vs. Ukraine. The team also acts as the local Ukrainian counsel to Privatbank in connection with its claim brought against the Russian Federation pursuant to the Ukraine-Russia BIT and in accordance with UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. PrivatBank contends that the Russian Federation breached its obligations under the Ukraine-Russia BIT by taking measures that prevented them from operating its banking business in Crimea. The firm’s practice is traditionally retained for handling sports arbitration, recently defended the interests of FC Metalist LLC (Kharkiv) at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne (CAS) in a case regarding the issue of sports succession and a related claim brought by a former player of football club FC Metalist PJSC, which has been in liquidation since 2017 due to bankruptcy. Notably, the firm demonstrates a growing number of GAFTA and FOSFA proceedings in its arbitration practice pipeline. Oleksiy Didkovskiy, managing partner, is practice head. Oksana Legka and Oleksandr Volkov were promoted to partners since January 2024. Counsel Oleksandr Frolov, Anna Tkachova and Daryna Ushchapivska are standout team members.
Recognized dispute resolution heavyweight Ilyashev & Partners has extensive experience of international commercial and investment arbitrations, with the primary focus on military, commodities, oil and gas, aviation, shipping, shareholders and banking disputes. The team handles the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards within Ukraine. For example, it recently acted for JKX Oil & Gas Plc before the Kyiv Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Ukraine, in arbitration-related litigation for enforcing UK-Ukraine BIT investment arbitration award, ordering the State of Ukraine to reimburse JKX Oil & Gas Plc approximately USD 12.2 million in damages incurred following the increase of rental fee rates for oil and gas production. The firm is expanding in the field of sports arbitration, and provides full legal support to the Ukrainian Fencing Federation in the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Swiss courts in disputes relating to cancelling decisions of the Extraordinary Congress of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials to participate in international fencing competitions as well as challenged an FIE Disciplinary Tribunal’s decision to withdraw from its own jurisdiction to consider the Ukrainian Fencing Federation’s complaint to expel the Russian Fencing Federation from the International Fencing Federation for the unlawful incorporation of regional fencing organizations from Ukrainian occupied and annexed territories into its structure in the Court of Arbitration for Sport. During the research period, the firm continued to act in a series of arbitration proceedings involving the defense sector. The team was led by Roman Marchenko, senior partner, who has regularly served as an arbitrator and prepared expert reports for arbitration proceedings. Mikhail Ilyashev, managing partner, represents clients in Ukrainian arbitration-related litigation matters and provides expert legal opinions for international arbitration proceedings. Roman Protsyshyn, counsel, gained market praise for efficient performance. Marina Riashchenko, counsel, is a highly visible arbitration practitioner.
INTEGRITES international arbitration practice is one of the most appreciable on the Ukrainian market. The team was retained for large-scale significant cases, including both investment-treaty cases and commercial arbitrations. The firm recently acted as Ukrainian law counsel to PJSC NPC Ukrenergo in a EUR 527 million investment arbitration against Russia concerning the expropriation of its assets in Crimea following the 2014 annexation; in summer 2024, the Permanent Court of Arbitration upheld jurisdiction over the claim. The firm also represents US clients in a precedent-setting case regarding recognition of the LCIA award ordering payment of over USD 140 million by the Ukrainian fruit juice tycoon, and acted as the Ukrainian law counsel in respective enforcement proceedings, and also protected the interests of a steel and mining company as respondent in LCIA arbitration in a dispute regarding the payment for coal products of Russian origin delivered to the client by a Cypriot company prior to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and respective assignment agreement to the new creditor. During the research period the team also demonstrated involvement in GAFTA and FOSFA arbitration proceedings, as well as representations in the defense sector. Dmytro Marchukov, promoted to senior partner, represents clients in both arbitration and cross-border litigation matters and has remained one of the busiest Ukrainian law experts. In particular, he served as a Ukrainian law expert in two merged ICSID arbitrations, part of a USD 150 million US-based dispute involving the attempted forfeiture of commercial real estate, in a case linked to the broader multijurisdictional litigation initiated by PrivatBank against its former owners. Globally-recognized expert Olena Perepelynska, partner and head of the arbitration practice, acts as arbitration counsel, expert and arbitrator. Partner Serhii Uvarov focuses on commercial and investment arbitration, cross-border commercial litigation, fraud investigation as well as recognition and enforcement of foreign judicial and arbitral awards in Ukraine.
Sayenko Kharenko’s well-regarded international arbitration practice boasts a strong track record across a wide range of matters under leading institutional rules, including SCC, LCIA, Swiss Rules, and ICSID. The firm is also increasingly active in GAFTA, FOSFA, and ICAC arbitrations, reflecting the continued expansion of its diverse case portfolio. The team acted as Ukrainian law counsel for the State of Ukraine in the largest investment arbitration case by the claim of minority shareholders of Ukrnafta, one of Ukraine’s largest oil and gas producers, under the Arbitration Rules of the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce with the amount of claim around USD 6.1 billion. The team continues to act as Ukrainian counsel of the State of Ukraine, alongside an international counsel Latham & Watkins, in an ICSID investment arbitration initiated by a shareholder of Aerosvit under the ICSID Arbitration Rules with the claim amount being around USD 700 million. In the area of commercial arbitration, the team successfully represented a Swiss-based digital asset technology company and its affiliate as co-respondents and counterclaimants in an arbitration under the SCC Arbitration Rules. The firm also has a strong track record for enforcing arbitral awards in Ukraine and other jurisdictions. The practice team is led by partner Olexander Droug. Well-known arbitration practitioner Dr. Tatyana Slipachuk, FCIArb, C.Arb, is involved in certain cases as a special advisor. In February 2024, Olga Vorozhbyt joined the firm as a partner, to strengthen international commercial and investment arbitrations and large-scale litigation proceedings in Ukraine and abroad.
Eterna Law traditionally has an extensive caseload of high-value claims in commodities arbitration, regularly representing clients from Ukraine and other states in GAFTA and FOSFA proceedings as well as handling LMAA and ICAC matters. The firm also acts at local level during the procedure of enforcement of arbitration awards in Ukraine. The recent portfolio includes representation of a BVI-registered company that operates the Ukrainian state-owned vessels for oceanic pelagic shipping in LMAA arbitration proceedings and related matters; advising a Ukrainian company on arbitration and restructuring the liability for supply of crop protection substances from several Chinese companies; representation of Ternopilvodokanal in arbitration under UNCITRAL Rules in a dispute with contractors in a World Bank led project for rebuilding a wastewater treatment plant in Ternopil. The firm handled representation of Ukrainian Railways in recognition and enforcement of the ICAC Award in Switzerland against a Swiss company regarding transportation tariffs. The practice is led by Eugene Blinov. Oleh Beketov, head of the international litigation practice, regularly acts as an expert in Ukrainian law in significant arbitration cases as well as handling cases regarding the recovery of damages caused as a result of armed aggression of the Russian Federation. The sizeable international arbitration team includes partner Aleksandr Lugovskyi, counsels Kristina Shapovalova and Lidiya Zhovtyak.
EVERLEGAL represents clients in arbitration across a wide range of sectors, including energy and renewables, defense, manufacturing, technology, infrastructure, construction, international trade, agriculture, and commodities. The firm handles sector-specific disputes — such as grain supply under GAFTA rules and equipment supply under ICC rules — alongside ad hoc arbitrations, and is actively involved in proceedings concerning the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards and foreign court judgments both in Ukraine and abroad. The team’s recent arbitration experience includes representing clients in high-value cross-border disputes in the defense industry under SCC Rules. During the research period the firm handled cases involving contractual disputes over the supply of equipment, as well as claims arising from the breach of share and sale-purchase agreements, including claims for damages due to non-performance. Partner Vsevolod Volkov heads the international arbitration and cross-border disputes practice.
The Kyiv office of Swiss-based Fortior Law specializes in international commercial disputes as well as maritime disputes, related to chartering and the carriage of goods by sea. The team traditionally has an extensive track-record in GAFTA and FOSFA arbitrations, as well as LCIA, LMAA and ad-hoc arbitrations. It represents clients under English Law in respect of interim measures such as worldwide freezing orders, enforcement and other issues. Danil Hristich handled noteworthy arbitration proceedings. Swiss-based partner Vitaliy Kozachenko is the practice head. In December 2024, Ivan Lishchyna, former Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine and Ukrainian Government Agent before the European Court of Human Rights and multiple investor-state disputes, joined the firm as partner and head of the Ukrainian office.
Hillmont Partners expands its cross-border disputes practice, including international arbitration cases. The team acted as global co-counsel alongside Astraea Group, advised the Moldova-based Stati parties in enforcing a USD 580 million arbitral award against the Republic of Kazakhstan under the Energy Charter Treaty, ultimately leading to a landmark global settlement in December 2024 after a 11-year dispute over the expropriation of oil and gas assets. The practice’s commercial arbitration practice has grown significantly with new engagements to represent clients in the LCIA, ICC, ICAC and VIAC. The work highlights include winning a LCIA arbitral award against a Ukrainian banker and winning an another LCIA arbitral award for a Ukrainian petroleum business as well as in ICAC arbitration. International dispute resolution is co-chaired by the firm’s partners – James Hart and Andrii Chornous.
Kinstellar’s Kyiv office team has broad experience of representing clients in arbitration cases under a number of arbitration rules of various arbitral institutions, including ICC, SCC, LCIA, UNCITRAL, ICAC, and others. Energy disputes are one of the team’s key recognized strengths. The public portfolio includes representing PJSC NPC Ukrenergo in commercial arbitration at European Arbitration Chamber (Brussels), set-aside, recognition and enforcement procedures; representing Premier Energy SRL before Ukrainian courts in the matter of recognition and enforcement of an LCIA Award in Ukraine. The team has actively engaged in providing war-related legal advice, pursuing legal remedies for compensation for damages caused by Russia’s war. Renowned market long-timer Olexander Martinenko, partner in the Kyiv office and the firm-wide head of dispute resolution, is experienced in representing clients in international commercial, investment arbitration proceedings, both within and beyond Ukraine as well as submitting Ukrainian law expert reports. Danylo Volkovetskyi, managing associate, is a key contributor.
With its exceptionally strong standing in litigation, LCF Law Group rapidly expands its reach and capacities in the area of international arbitration. The team is experienced in handling both investment and commercial arbitrations arising from breaches of contracts, include debt recovery, breach of duty, corporate and other disputes. This past year the firm also acted in a variety of enforcements of foreign arbitration awards in Ukraine. Experienced practitioner Olga Kostyshyna (previously – ICAC) joined the company as counsel and head of international arbitration in May 2024. Polina Bitiuk, senior associate, is another key member of the arbitration team.
Ukrainian market old-timer Lexwell & Partners is renowned for representing the State of Ukraine in large-scale investment disputes and state-owned companies in commercial arbitration proceedings. In particular, the firm continued to act as the local counsel of the Government of Ukraine in the investment arbitration initiated by Mr. Ihor Boyko (ex-owner of a confectionary business in Ukraine) against Ukraine. In November 2024, the tribunal made an award which dismissed the claim in its entirety. The team is also the Ukrainian law counsel in investment arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty initiated by Littop Enterprises Limited, Bridgemont Ventures Limited and Bordo Management Limited vs. Ukraine; acts as a local counsel for Naftogaz of Ukraine in LCIA proceedings regarding corporate governance of Ukrnafta. Igor Nagai and Zhanna Goriacha are the core members of the team, as led by Andriy Kolupaev.
Ukrainian law firm ARMADA rapidly increases its experience in resolving disputes in various arbitration institutions as well as in enforcing awards in Ukraine and abroad. The firm recently acted on collection of debt, return of payment for undelivered goods before the ICAC; accompanied a dispute between a Ukrainian timber supplier and a buyer from Ethiopia due to a delay in payment for the delivered goods; led arbitration proceedings at the Vienna International Arbitral Centre regarding non-fulfillment of contractual obligations of supplying agricultural machinery from Germany as well as regarding violation of delivery terms by a supplier of electricity generators from China at the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. Illia Shevchenko is practice head.
Odesa-based Interlegal specializes in maritime, shipping, international trade and related commodities arbitration. The team has a pipeline of cases in GAFTA and ICAC. During the researched period the firm ensured the recovery of damages under the contract and compensation for demurrage. Oleksii Remeslo and Karina Gorova are the main contacts.
KPMG Law has recently renewed its presence in international arbitration mandates, advising clients on related matters and supporting them within international arbitrations processes. Yuriy Katser, director and head of legal services, is the key contact.
In 2024, MORIS enhanced its international arbitration practice with Khrystyna Kostiushko, of counsel. Not long ago the firm represented a Ukrainian chemical client in London-seated arbitration under LMAA Rules, defeating a force majeure defense related to martial law, and securing full compensation, interest, and arbitration costs for breach of contract.
Given its strong international focus Redcliffe Partners represents both Ukrainian and international clients in high-stake arbitrations, particularly in the energy, construction, infrastructure, pharmaceutical, banking, insurance, IT, and telecommunications sectors. In a recent highlight the firm was addressed with issues of war-related damage recovery. The core practitioner is Victoria Ivasechko, counsel and head of dispute resolution.
Our market research highlights law firms and professionals who, despite not submitting information for the current study, remain vivid market players in international arbitration.[1]
AEQUO* stands out in the Ukrainian arbitration scene, and is particularly recognized for its expertise in energy-related disputes. Partner Pavlo Byelousov is noted as a seasoned and respected practitioner in this field.[2]
Ukrainian law firm AVELLUM* was recognized for its dynamic arbitration practice, with newly-promoted partner Oleksii Maslov acknowledged as a key driving force behind its development.
Sergiy Gryshko, partner and head of Queritius Ukraine*, and Irina Nazarova, partner of ENGARDE*, were mentioned for their arbitration expertise.
Market old-timer Oleg Alyoshin, partner of Vasil Kisil and Partners*, was recognized for his strong, active presence on the arbitration market, acting for ultra-high net worth individuals.
[1] The firms marked with asterisk (*) have not submitted information for the current research.
[2] In April 2025, Pavlo Byelousov left the firm and became a co-founder of BONO Legal law firm.