ADER HABER is a trusted advisor in relation to land law regulations, regulatory expertise, being active on both the advisory and litigation fronts. Among recent highlights is representing Uman Greenhouse Complex in court in connection with the establishment and approval of land easements; defending MHP, one of Ukraine’s largest agriholdings, as to its alleged abuse of monopoly position on the primary chicken meat sales market. The firm’s expertise also spans tax litigation, and demonstrated a busy workload of representing Panda LLC, a large Ukrainian agriholding, Vinnytsia Poultry Farm LLC, Starynska Poultry Farm, Agricultural JSC, in appealing against additional tax assessments. The sizeable team has two practicing partners on board, namely Oleksandra Fedotova (land, real estate) and Denys Dutchak (competition), with significant input from attorneys Volodymyr Babichev (WCC), Stanislav Karpov (tax).
AGA Partners advises major international and Ukrainian agribusiness holdings on international trade, commodities arbitration, maritime and shipping issues, with a strong focus on English law-governed contracts. The firm has expanded its reach beyond Ukraine, maintaining a significant presence in markets such as Turkey, Morocco, Moldova, the Baltics, and Georgia. It has handled over 100 arbitration cases in the past year, particularly under GAFTA and FOSFA rules. Most recently AGA Partners advised MHP in several complex international trade disputes, including cases involving force majeure claims following a Turkish earthquake, pesticide-related cargo rejection in Germany, and cargo contamination and theft during sunflower oil exports. The team has been instrumental in representing Agroprosperis LLC, one of Ukraine’s three largest agricultural commodity exporters, in a series of high-stakes disputes; COFCO International, the largest food producer in China and a global agricultural giant, with the development of critical contracts; UKRPROMINVEST-AGRO in cases of non-payment of the balance price and agreed contractual interest for delivered sugar of contractual quality and quantity; Quadra Commodities SA in a dispute with one of the largest Turkish food production companies. The key practice leaders are partners Iryna Moroz and Ivan Kasynyuk. Maksym Fesenko was endorsed by market insiders for his efficient performance.
In 2024, the Ukrainian law firm ARMADA demonstrated multidisciplinary capabilities across a range of complex matters, while being enhanced by its regional network. It supported one of the world’s largest agricultural enterprises with debt recovery, and was repeatedly noted for its efficient enforcement practice. The team advised on the relocation of production facilities, licensing for field demining, and advised on regulatory compliance in international markets. It also handled transactions involving the sale of agricultural assets and provided legal support for establishing new farming operations. Among the recent work highlights were assisting with the launching of an investment project to build an oil extraction plant in Ukraine, including tax advice, purchase of an integral property complex, commissioning and registration of production facilities. Anastasiia Luuk and Valentyna Ponomarenko are the key points of contact. Valentyn Hamei was noted for proficiency in handing commercial litigation.
The full-service Ukrainian heavyweight Asters advises major domestic and international agricultural companies across the full cycle of operations, encompassing competition, corporate, finance, dispute resolution in Ukrainian courts and international arbitration. It represents clients in GAFTA proceedings, property and insurance disputes, as well as cases related to war damages and tax authority claims. Its longstanding cooperation with institutions like the EBRD and IFC underscores its role in major financing projects for agrarian and food enterprises, while recently the dedicated team assisted with restructuring of financial arrangements. During the research period the firm defended MHP in the ongoing investigations into alleged abuse of dominance; obtained merger clearance for the acquisition by AGCO Corporation of equity interest in Trimble Solutions, LLC from Trimble Inc. in order to create a joint venture. The firm defended the interests of one of Ukraine’s largest fertilizer and agricultural traders in a USD 3.5 million maritime dispute arising from the loss of cargo caused by an accident to the vessel during its carriage to Ukraine. In addition, the firm advises agrarian clients on legal matters related to electricity generation. The sizeable team is led by partners, namely Vadym Samoilenko (corporate) and Gleb Bialyi (dispute resolution), and counsel Anton Sintsov (international trade).
Baker McKenzie provides comprehensive legal support on M&A and joint venture transactions, competition law, corporate reorganizations, financing arrangements, supply chain structuring, land regulations, and tax matters. The Kyiv office has extensive experience in the agricultural production and soft commodities sector, advising both international investors and major Ukrainian agricultural holdings. During the research period, the firm advised major Ukrainian agribusinesses on their international expansion, providing legal support on M&A, competition, joint ventures, and corporate restructuring, often within multijurisdictional mandates requiring coordination with counsel across several jurisdictions. The office also acted for international financial institutions, including the EBRD, IFC, and Black Sea Trade and Development Bank, on project finance transactions in the agricultural sector. Most recently the firm represented MHP SE in connection with the acquisition of the KTL Group of companies. The team also assisted clients with enforcement of arbitral awards. The multidisciplinary practice is led by several partners — Viacheslav Yakymchuk (corporate and M&A), Oksana Simonova (competition), Lina Nemchenko (real estate and construction), and Hennadiy Voytsitskyi (tax).
The agricultural and land law practice at EVERLEGAL is a multidisciplinary area that brings together the firm’s expertise in corporate and M&A, competition, commercial, and dispute resolution. The firm especially stands out for extensive litigation practice representing prominent sector players. In particular, the firm represents a long-standing client, Danish agricultural holding Agromino, in over 150 complex land disputes and criminal proceedings related to the restoration and termination of lease rights, as well as recovery of rent arrears. The team is also involved in a challenging case regarding the ownership of wheat grain delivered by unidentified individuals to Agromino’s elevator in Vovchansk, Kharkiv Region, during temporary occupation of the area in 2022. The dispute portfolio also includes cases on recovering penalties for non-delivery of agricultural goods, disputes over transportation-related penalties, and enforcement proceedings related to crop deliveries secured by agricultural receipts. Among other public clients of the firm are Ukrainian subsidiaries of Louis Dreyfus Company, Thirdwave Ukraine, Kivshovata Agro, part of SDGs Corporation, and others. Andriy Porayko is lead partner, while Svitlana Teteria heads the practice.
Gramatskiy & Partners continues to demonstrate strong engagement in supporting complex land acquisitions, export transactions, and regulatory compliance across the agricultural value chain. The team advised MGT Black Sea on acquiring over 1,000 hectares of farmland, structuring cross-border grain and oil exports to EU, Asian, and MENA markets, and establishing a grain processing facility involving foreign investors. The litigation team represented clients in disputes over seed quality and provided ongoing legal support for leasing agreements and changes in land use. The practice handled diverse matters ranging from agricultural receipts and infrastructure leasing to tax-optimized deal structuring and environmental compliance. The practice is overseen by Andrii Trembich, with significant contribution from Igor Kasianov and Volodymyr Khomenko.
Renowned dispute resolution powerhouse Ilyashev & Partners is highly sought-after in the agricultural sector for litigation, regulatory and transactional support. The firm is praised for its well-established track record of default cases and enforcement in Ukraine and abroad. Another area of the firm’s focus is support of construction and/or sale and purchase of elevators, land plots, production facilities, and other real estate objects. The firm represents COFCO Agri Resources Ukraine in a series of complex disputes, including claims for damages, penalties, and enforcement of supply agreements, as well as in bankruptcy proceedings against counterparties. Notably, it secured the enforcement of a court decision for the return of 30,000 tons of wheat requisitioned by military command and not returned post-cancellation, and continues to act in multiple debt recovery cases related to the non-delivery of sunflower seeds. The international trade team advised Syngenta, one of the world’s leading agribusiness companies, in dealings with government authorities regarding regulatory changes in the context of Ukraine’s accession to the EU. Other disclosable clients include GrainCorp Ukraine, Nitrogénművek Zrt., Rolweg S.A., Vertiga Trading LLC. Valeriia Gudiy is recognized for her strategic counsel in default-related disputes and land easement matters. The firm’s Odesa office, led by Sergey Nedelko, offers strong expertise in maritime and shipping law. Olena Omelchenko heads the firm’s international trade practice.
In 2024, INTEGRITES expanded its agribusiness portfolio, advising a broad range of clients including major agriholdings, exporters, and producers of grain and sunflower oil. A notable part of the firm’s activity involved cross-border disputes, GAFTA arbitration, insurance compensation claims, cargo damage recovery, and tax disputes. Most recently the firm successfully represented US clients in a precedent-setting case regarding enforcement and recognition of the LCIA award ordering payment of over USD 140 million by a Ukrainian fruit juice tycoon. The firm also advised on asset acquisitions, including land banks and industrial real estate, and advised on loan extension and restructuring. The banking and finance team headed by Igor Krasovskiy advised Nibulon Group, on the reprofiling of a USD 80 million pre-export credit facility granted by a syndicate of banks. The firm acts as a legal counsel for outbound investment of its clients, and acted for Perutnina Ptuj D.O.O., a subsidiary of MHP, on obtaining seven merger control clearances in Ukraine relating to establishment of a joint venture with a subsequent acquisition of certain assets and several companies in Albania and Kosovo. Other recent representations include criminal proceedings related to trademark infringement and product counterfeiting. The agribusiness workload is led by five partners — Olena Perepelynska (international arbitration), Dmytro Marchukov (cross-border litigation), Viktoriya Fomenko (tax and customs), Illya Tkachuk (corporate and M&A), and Oleksandr Onishchenko (domestic litigation).
In 2024, KM Partners focused on resolving complex tax and customs issues affecting agricultural enterprises. The team successfully challenged the suspension of a tax invoice registration, secured the cancellation of a customs clearance refusal, and defended VAT refund claims following an unscheduled tax audit. It also advised on compliance with CFC reporting requirements and tax implications for Ukrainian citizens receiving profits from foreign entities. The team also handled multiple disputes over tax notifications related to alleged fictitious transactions in the supply and transport of agricultural products. The TP team, as guided by Ivan Shynkarenko, is developing and implementing a transfer pricing defense strategy for the agricultural export sector in response to the tax authorities’ retrospective and controversial application of quoted pricing rules, which threatens significant TP adjustments across the industry. The firm’s partners, namely Alexander Minin, Maxim Oleksiyuk, Alexander Shemiatkin are involved in the firm’s relevant practice.
Kosovan Legal Group has supported agribusiness operations for over a decade, with a strong client base including agri-food businesses and grain traders. The firm’s recent work includes advising on M&A, supply contracts, export of grain and oil products, land and tax law, along with representing clients in litigation. The firm advised a private client in the course of an acquisition of stressed assets — two agricultural companies in Odesa Region with the land bank in amount of 3,500 hectares; advised an agricultural company on acquiring 1,200 hectares of land by purchasing leasing rights instead of shares — an innovative transaction structure introduced into Ukrainian law in 2023. The firm has an established international trade practice advising clients with commodities contracts. In particular, the firm provided legal support to grain trader Grain Power in concluding English law-governed forward contracts with Swiss company Orsett Trading SA for the supply of feed corn and wheat, with disputes subject to GAFTA arbitration; advised grain trader LLC Bioenergy-Vinnytsia on FOSFA cross-border delivery contracts with Bunge SA on sunflower oil. In addition, the team rendered support to Grain Power on a tax audit regarding the reimbursement of VAT; supported with conclusion by Olimp Farm of an easement agreement with National Energy Company Ukrenergo on the use of 45 land plots for the purpose of building and further serving a new high-voltage power line. Anatoliy Kosovan, lead partner, is recognized by market sources for his strong presence in the sector and deep understanding of the industry.
Interlegal, headquartered in Odesa, is recognized for its strong focus on claims handling and debt recovery, with notable experience in international litigation and arbitration before LCIA, GAFTA, and FOSFA. During the research period, the firm represented clients in GAFTA and FOSFA arbitrations involving a wide array of commodity trade disputes, including non-payment, delayed payments, contract repudiation, force majeure, demurrage claims, frustration, and disputes over quality, condition, and sampling of goods. Partner Oleksii Remeslo leads the commodity arbitration practice, while Larysa Karakach oversees executive operations.
Investment Lawyer Group (ILG) offers litigation support and demonstrates involvement in debt recovery cases. The firm recently supported SDGS Trading LLC in several debt recovery matters under agricultural receipts, including from Tokarchuk V.M. Farm, Agrosvit Farm LLC, and Zernotrade LLC. Oleksiy Vinnyk heads the practice.
KPMG provides comprehensive legal services in the agribusiness sector, focusing on structuring transactions, business restructuring, protecting land rights, land bank expansion, etc. Yuriy Katser, director, is the main point of contact.
The Ukrainian boutique Mamunya IP advises leading domestic and international agrichemical and agri-tech companies on a wide range of IP matters, including patent and trademark prosecution, plant variety registration, and regulatory compliance. It also represents clients in enforcement and litigation, with a focus on anti-counterfeiting and protection from unfair competition. The firm represents a digital agriculture company in over 35 complex patent prosecutions before the Ukrainian PTO, successfully addressing office actions related to algorithms and business methods that face significant scrutiny under national patenting standards. Oleksandr Mamunya, managing partner, is the main contact.
The agricultural sector players rely on NOBLES expertise across multiple practice areas — including antitrust, employment, dispute resolution, and international trade. During the research period the team advised AGRO LV on the purchase of assets of one of the biggest elevators in Lviv Region and relevant merger filing strategy; represented Continental Farmers Group in the merger clearance infringement case related to acquisition back in 2021 of one of the biggest elevator facilities in Ivano-Frankivsk Region. The firm is also hired to handle disputes, and represents Naturias GmbH in a dispute against its Ukrainian supplier of sunflower oil, in enforcing a Ukrainian court judgment over unpaid advance payments, while exploring the debtor’s insolvency and personal liability of its owners. Another area of recent focus involves assistance with supply chain operations and compliance with international trade laws. Partners Oleksandr Aleksyeyenko and Alexander Weigelt are the main contacts.
Redcliffe Partners possesses expertise in supporting the financing of Ukrainian agribusiness, handling competition matters and M&A, with notable work regarding the fixation and recovery of the war-related damages. Among the recent highlights is advising Renaisco B.V., a Viterra group company, on its acquisition of a grain elevator complex in Vinnytsia Region. The team historically represents foreign lenders, and is regularly enlisted by international financial institutions. The projects are led by partners Olexiy Soshenko (finance), Denys Medvediev (competition), and counsel Natalia Gerus, and Victoria Ivasechko (international arbitration).
In 2024, the agribusiness practice of Cherkasy-based Rezultat Law Firm focused on securing and protecting land use rights, land banks expansion, renewal of agricultural land lease agreements for private and municipal property, and litigation support for termination of a land lease. The firm assisted with land use rights for Agro-Rezultat with a total area of 67 hectares, and ADANA-3 LLC with agricultural land lease agreements for 82 land plots. Litigation is also ongoing regarding the termination of private ownership of 272.5 hectares of land. The firm supported SCAR-T LLC and the Dytiachyi Tabir “Kozatska Fortetsia” with registration of land use rights for 15 hectares of land plots, including water bodies for fish farming and adjacent coastal protection strips. Liubov Polishkevych leads the practice head and is also the main contact.
Arzinger*[1] is noted for its comprehensive expertise across a wide range of legal matters in the agrarian sector, and the particular strength of its partners. Anzhelika Levitska is, in particular, noted for her extensive expertise in structuring land deals, construction, and environmental regulation, as well as for her client-oriented approach. Kateryna Gupalo is recognized for her work in tax-related matters and representation in associated criminal proceedings.
AVELLUM* is noted for its extensive experience in handling major corporate transactions involving agricultural assets, as well as advising on a range of financing matters.
Sensum Law Firm* was endorsed for extensive expertise in agrarian land regulation.
Syutkin & Partners* was mentioned during the poll with respect to tax audit support and tax litigation, as well business protection services.
PwC Legal* is another vivid market player, mentioned during the poll for its presence in market tenders.
Vasil Kisil and Partners* received praise for corporate law advisory in the agrarian sector, with particular reference to its partner Volodymyr Igonin.
[1] The firms marked with asterisk (*) have not submitted information for the current research. The highlights were taken from public sources to underscore their market presence, a fact consistently confirmed during in-depth interviews.