• Timur BONDARYEV|Arzinger

    Last year was without doubt the most remarkable one in recent transactional real estate history of Ukraine. A number of significant commercial properties all over Ukraine changed hands. The transaction pipeline was largely filled by the domestic banking sector putting up for sale repossessed distressed assets with a large market share belonging to Russian (state-owned) banks fleeing the country in the aftermath of the Russian — Ukrainian conflict.

    The residential market has been continuing to grow even if, according to some experts, this segment is largely overheated, — condominium investments remain the most accessible investment opportunity for Ukrainian private investors with “spare money on their hands”, given the underdeveloped stock market and not too much trust in Ukrainian currency and the banking system.

    Ukraine has proudly established itself as a very attractive manufacturing country for global manufacturers constantly looking for low-cost production destinations. Despite the constant salary increase on the domestic blue-collar market, Western Ukraine remains an attractive and unique manufacturing destination for global industries all across the sectors (automotive, construction materials, food processing etc.), wishing to take advantage of the comparably low domestic manufacturing costs, talented and motivated people and unique logistics. A similar trend has been observed in other corporate, infrastructure and industrial real estate sectors with major global strategic companies taking significant funds in the hands for their Ukrainian greenfield and brownfield investment projects.

    The hospitality market has seen new openings. LOFT has opened its doors in Kyiv, a new IBIS arrived in Kyiv and Lviv, the very first MERCURE entering the Kyiv market, etc. Global and regional hospitality chains are very eager to get or expand their foot in the door in Ukraine but their expectations seem not to match with those of landlords hoping for higher and faster returns.

    New major players entering the Ukrainian retail sector as well as existing retailers expanding their presence all over the country are confirming the significance of the market and confidence in tomorrow’s Ukraine. H&M, IKEA, ZARA home, Auchan, Leroy Merlin, KFC and other brands revealed expansion plans and opened new stores. All this was in combination with the arrival of a number of low-cost flyers helps Ukraine to proudly claim its position as a regional shopping destination.

    Lending remains the main issue holding the market, — the project finance for property developments is still not available as banks (even domestic subsidiaries of international banks) are exercising extreme caution with property transactions. The majority of banks have an internal ban on new property lending and even successful commercial properties, with a zero vacancy rate, and an outstanding tenants mix with understandable and transparent international sponsors cannot refinance the assets locally.

    The majority of transactions are still structured as share deals at Cyprus level, which has been the go-to jurisdiction for Ukrainian inbound investments for years, with UK law being the most comfortable and usual law to govern respective deals.

    A very important regulatory element for property transactions remains Ukrainian merger control providing for very low notification thresholds and triggering a filing obligation for each and every significant property transaction, which works not only for direct or indirect sale and purchase transactions (both asset and share deals) but also for the long-term leases of stand-alone properties and hotel management agreements. Merger control remains one of the main stumbling points for transactions involving assets backed by Russian sanctioned UBOs, — recently implemented changes clearly prohibit such transactions, which means, that respective assets cannot legally change hands at the moment when Russian landlords find themselves literally caught in a “suitcase without a handle” situation.

    The overall trend seems to be very positive, with vacancy rates in all classes of commercial properties at around zero, which triggers an increase in leases. The market definitely requires new commercial properties so investors should hurry up to fill the missing gaps in a timely manner.

Baker McKenzie is one of the most influential firms on the Ukrainian market, with an exceptionally well-versed expertise in real estate and construction projects. The Kyiv practice team is primarily noted for supporting international real estate transactions, leases and property mortgages, property investment financing. The firm has a long commitment in Ukraine and gained a following of developers, investors, financial institutions, contractors and operators. The diverse expertise includes commercial, retail, industrial, residential, and mixed-development projects. Baker McKenzie provided full legal support to Monsanto, Bayer Group, on the long-lasting construction project of the seeds processing facility that opened in 2018 in Zhytomyr Region. The significant project was advising Phoenix-Capital on a multi-tiered sale of Victoria Gardens, the largest mall in Western Ukraine, located in Lviv, to Dragon Capital. Other notable clients include Amstar Europe, Arcelor­Mittal, Auchan Ukraine, Billa Ukraine, British Embassy, Canada, McDonald’s Ukraine and other major companies. Two lead partners, Serhiy Piontkovsky and Lina Nemchenko, have extensive experience of the sector, and are known as leaders with an excellent reputation.

DLA Piper has a strong international and local reputation, as its dedicated team provides full legal support in real estate and land transactions, lease matters, real estate and pre-investment due diligence, construction and engineering, real estate finance. Areas of recent growth take in retail, infrastructure and industrial projects, sea ports and agribusiness. In a recent highlight the firm advised Hutchison Westports Limited on its expansion to Ukraine and development of container terminal facilities at Chornomorsk Port on the Black Sea. The office actively advised on construction matters regarding renewable energy plants alongside last year’s boom in renewables. Among the new areas is providing comprehensive real estate services to government institutions and advising on international development and humanitarian aid programs led by international donors. In 2018 the team advised Royal Norwegian Embassy and Statsbygg, the Norwegian state-owned company on lease extension of a building in downtown Kyiv as the location of its embassy. The list of public clients traditionally consists of respected names like the EBRD, IFU (CEE investment fund, established by the Danish government), Inditex, InterContinental ­Hotels Group, Leroy Merlin and many others. Natalia Kochergina, partner, is the eminent practice head and has wealth experience in real estate. Another important practitioner is Oleg Milchenko, senior associate.

Arzinger’s real estate and construction team is known for well-rounded expertise and geographical reach throughout its offices in Lviv and Odesa. The team is mandated for scaled projects, including share and asset deals involving foreign jurisdictions, assets alienation, lease relations, construction. The firm provides legal due diligence of the target, land transfer issues, in-court enforcement of pledged property, taxation and many other legal issues. Public clients include Leroy Merlin and Raiffeisen Group. Timur Bondaryev, the firm’s bright managing partner, heads the practice. Other important practitioners in the real-estate practice of the Kyiv office are Tetiana Storozhuk and Bohdan Shmorhun. Dr. Markian Malskyy, head of the Lviv office, coordinates real estate and construction projects in Western Ukraine. Victor Syzonenko is the key contact for the South Ukrainian Branch.

Dentons is often a preferred legal counsel for significant foreign companies who have their investments and operations in Ukraine. The firm advises international banks on real estate financing and restructuring mandates, and works closely with the Ukrainian agribusiness sector on a broad range of land matters. The Kyiv office advises on complex real estate and regulatory issues, being increasingly active in the construction of renewable energy plants and production facilities. The company acts as a legal counsel to DTEK Renewables B.V. on the implementation of a project for the construction of a solar power plant in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Region. It also advises on Grand Solutions’ project on building the fourth metro line in Kyiv with a length of about 20 kilometers, linking residential district of Troyeschyna with the central business district, which is the first and largest infrastructure project led and financed by a Chinese consortium in Ukraine. The client roster takes in VTB Bank, CUB Energy, COFCO Agri Ukraine ACCIONA Energia Global and others. Since Myron Rabij left the firm, Volodymyr Monastyrskyy took the role of lead partner, and is especially praised for his M&A work in agriculture.

Gramatskiy & Partners has a sizeable, well-versed practice team with special focus on issues related to commercial real estate, residential and infrastructural construction, as well as lease and real estate sale. The firm’s expertise also includes juridical support on acquiring ownership rights, commercial lease relations, land use, project finance, taxation and dispute resolution. Notable clients take in City Capital Group, which was provided with full legal advice and support in the project to reconstruct a mall with office premises and a project to build cottages near Kyiv. Other significant highlights of 2018 were 5-6 stages of construction of the Park Avenue VIP residential complex and the ongoing ­project to build the Airport City business park, where the team represents a long-standing client, Seven Hills. Another scaled project is support of Luxon LLC in construction of the residential apartment complex Platforma, surrounded with entertainment infrastructure Art Zavod Platforma. The firm renders full legal support to GRAAL, LLC with an ongoing project to rebuild European Square, which is right in the centre of Kyiv, and construct the Stolychnyi multi-storey office and hotel complex. This past year the firm enhanced its positions in the horeca sector, social and municipal infrastructure. The practice is led by Ernest Gramatskiy, the firm’s founder, who is known on the market as one of the leading lawyers in real estate and construction.

The real estate and construction practice of Vasil Kisil & Partners is known for its strong market positions and wide expertise in different types of property. This past year the team was busy with share and asset deals, due diligence projects, lease matters, and litigation. The company has also kept on advising Auchan Ukraine on obtaining a lease for its premises and opening a new store in Dnipro; it advised Arcona Property Fund N.V. on Ukrainian law matters, which concluded an implementation agreement to acquire most of the property assets of Secure Property Development & Investment Plc in an all-share transaction. The team represented a member of the Mondelēz International group of companies, in a dispute with Trostianets City Council on increasing the cost of rent. Such first-rate companies as Seven Hills, BSG Group, Tetra Pak, EBRD were also among its clients in 2018. The head of the practice, Alexander Borodkin, had a marked impact on the market.

Sayenko Kharenko has been active advising on a diverse range of legal issues involving real estate, including structuring real estate acquisition deals, performing real estate due diligence, regulatory and permitting issues, matters related to FIDIC contracts, as well as resolving real estate disputes. This past year the practice team was boosted with M&A work and high-profile property rights disputes. In 2018 the firm advised Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) on financing for the development and construction of the Central Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone; also acted as a legal advisor to the EBRD on EUR 35 million of financing for a solid waste management project in Lviv. The firm advises Auchan on various Ukrainian law issues, including real estate investment issues, regulatory, land matters. DTEK Renewables, Interstate Consultants Engineers Guild (ICEG), Toronto-Kyiv, Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine are among public clients. Partners Oleksandr Nikolaichyk and Vladimir Sayenko were active in M&A in development sector and industrial investment. Since Konstantin Gribov moved of counsel, commercial, regulatory issues and construction are covered by the senior team. Sergey Pogrebnoy led disputes and conflicts. Counsel Volodymyr Yaremko ­advised on FIDIC.

AVELLUM has a strong M&A background and market leading finance practice that turns into an impressive track record of deals in the real estate sector. This past year the firm notably showed an increase in real estate advisory work, construction and land matters. The firm acted as the Ukrainian legal advisor to Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. on the acquisition, together with Dragon Capital, of Horizon Business Centre from LLC Proekt-“A” and Horizon Park Business Centre from Ukrsotsbank. Another significant project is the sale of a 50% stake in a project company to VR Capital Group and further establishment of a joint venture with VR Capital Group to develop a solar power plant, where the firm represented Investment Capital Ukraine, the seller. The firm possesses expertise related to the restructuring of real estate assets in Crimea upon its annexation by the Russian Federation. The AVELLUM client roster includes Diligent Capital Partners, Kernel Holding, MTI, private clients and many others. The ­projects are led by renowned M&A professional Mykola Stetsenko, co-managing partner, and Maksym Maksymenko, counsel, who is praised for his deep regulatory expertise.

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang supported transactions involving real estate, greenfield development projects in Ukraine, lease and construction matters. The Kyiv team stands out for its market leading energy and infrastructure practices, as well as strong presence in the commercial property segment. Its English-qualified capabilities on the ground in Ukraine is another advantage. The firm constantly advises on real estate aspects and construction issues related to a renewable energy project. This past year the firm advised Scatec Solar on acquisition of land for the construction of three solar projects in Ukraine. Natalia Kushniruk, who was promoted to counsel, leads the practice.

AEQUO has at its disposal a multidisciplinary team that includes practitioners from real estate and construction, corporate/M&A, banking and finance, tax, dispute resolution, ensuring legal advice on a wide spectrum of property issues. The firm is primarily noted for its M&A work in the sector, financing and property matters. Over the last couple of years the team has supported expansion of investments of Dragon Capital Group into commercial real estate. One of the recent highlights was advising Dragon on acquiring the shopping mall Sky Park in Vinnytsia and acquisition of a company — owner of the frontal building of Horizon Business Center Complex in Kyiv. The firm is traditionally called upon by prominent retailers ATB Group and Epicentr K. The client portfolio saw the addition of construction companies and developers, investment players, agrarian and food producers. The practice is co-led by managing partner Denys Lysenko and partner Yulia Kyrpa. Another key member of the team is Mykhaylo Soroka, senior associate.

ADER HABER has a well-versed practice team focused on a broad range of transaction types in real estate and land use in connection with commercial, residential and investing real estate projects, including acquisition, development, financing and leasing, investing in real estate abroad, land use regulation. The firm advised ­Dragon Capital on conducting due diligence as part of the acquisition of the Horizon Park Business Center, an office building in Kyiv. ADER HABER lawyers also provided comprehensive legal advice for Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd according to the project to construct a high-voltage line at the Chornobyl NPP-Severnaya site at the Kyivska sub-station. One established client, MERX PJSC, a large construction and business centres lease holding, continues to instruct the firm on acquisition of real estate assets and land plots. Other key clients include UkrAVTO, Inditex Group, British American Tobacco, Alfa-Bank. Aleksandra Fedotova, partner and co-founder, leads the real estate practice.

Real estate and construction is among key practices at ANTIKA Law Firm. The dedicated team is customarily engaged in operations related to commercial real estate, comprehensive construction projects, investment in this area, property rights matters as well as representation in related disputes. Within the research period the firm developed for long-lasting client AWT Bavaria Ukraine an effective model for operating and maintaining its own importer centre which includes different types of contracts (lease, maintain services, utilization, etc.). The important project is providing full legal support for a business transaction from the seller on the sale of an industrial-warehouse complex. Alexander Burtovoy, partner, heads the practice. Partners Sergii Korniienko and Maxim Korchagin are also involved in projects.

The real estate practice of Asters has a broad offering encompassing real estate transactions regarding all types of property, property development and management, lease and industrial construction, land and zoning matters. The team advises Salini Impregilo S.p.A. on the restructuring of its Ukrainian assets and operations in connection with the disposal of Todini Costruzioni Generali; represented Quinn Properties Ukraine, a real estate development and management company, on negotiation and registration of land lease rights over the land plot on which the Leonardo Business Centre in downtown Kyiv is located. PRADA Group remains its client, receiving full legal support for its first mono-brand boutique in Ukraine. The practice team ­extended its portfolio via its merger with EPAP Ukraine. Selected highlights include advising Univermag Ukraina land lease and rent matters, including necessary legal filings and negotiations with municipality, operational issues and risks; advising Wine Bureau (Goodwine), a major Ukrainian direct importer and distributor, on further development of the major real estate complex acquired from a multinational food packaging and processing company, facilitating further operations related to project development. The impressive client list, among others, includes Sprint-42, Anadolu Efes, Cinema City, Concorde Industries AG, Euro­Chem, Kyivmiskbud and other investors, developers, financial institutions, construction companies and individual customers. Oleg Boichuk and Roman Kostenko, both partners, co-lead the practice. Anzhelika Livitska joined the team as a counsel (previously worked in Dentons).

The Kyiv office of CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz has a strong following of German-speaking clients. The scope of real estate practice includes real estate transactions and leasing, real estate aspects of investments. The Kyiv office represented Conwert Group on the sale of the largest Class A business centre in Zaporizhzhya to Dragon Capital Investments Limited; advises Euroventures Austria CA Management GmbH, owner of a Class B office building in Kyiv, on leasing out office space. Anna ­Pogrebna, partner, leads the practice.

Ilyashev & Partners has broad practice encompassing both transactional and dispute fronts and a broad range of regulatory matters pertaining to construction and land. Its own network of offices enables the firm to carry out projects involving several jurisdictions, and expand its presence locally in those countries where it has a presence. The firm advises Canadian iron ore exploration and development company Black Iron Inc. on a project to develop deposits Kryvyi Rih, an industrial city in Dnipropetrovsk Region. The firm also advises Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on structuring relationships with recipients of technical assistance from the German Government for building and rebuilding social infrastructure in Eastern Ukraine. This past year the firm accomplished a series of significant real estate M&A deals and continued to expand its practice in Russia. As a market leading dispute resolution team, the firm is regularly called into high value property rights and regulatory disputes. The firm advises a wide scope of foreign and local clients, that includes A1 Investment Group, Group DF, BTA Bank (Kazakhstan and Ukraine), ­COFCO Agri Ukraine. Mikhail Ilyashev, managing partner, leads the practice.

INTEGRITES real estate team enhances its expertise in large investment and infrastructure projects in retail, healthcare, energy and natural resources, automotive industry and agribusiness. The firm acts on land and real estate lease, acquisitions, regulatory and property management issues. Given its flourishing practice of renewable energy in the outgoing year, the firm has a steady flow of assignments on the development and construction of renewable energy plants. The firm currently advises NBT, a large Norwegian power generating company, on development and construction of a wind farm in the south of Ukraine. ­Another notable project is giving advice and support in the performing of a land lease agreement as to land plot for the building of the UK Embassy in Kyiv. The firms provides legal services to clients like the EBRD, AKW Ukrainian Kaolin, Dyckerhoff GmbH, Hopsteiner, UMITLI, United Green and others. Dr. Oleksiy Feliv, managing partner, who is a widely known figure on the market, is the practice head. The real estate team was also strengthened in the previous year by Dmytro Kiselyov as a senior associate, who used to work in private practice.

Kinstellar has strong positions of its real estate practice across jurisdictions in Emerging Europe and Central Asia. The Kyiv office successfully grows its offering, which covers acquisitions of real estate and land, commercial and industrial construction, regulatory and lease matters, investments and related disputes. In 2018 the firm began its work on the privatization of the authorized capital of PJSC Odesa Port Plant, one of the largest enterprises of the chemical industry in Ukraine, representing the State Property Fund of Ukraine, which owns the plant. With boosting renewable energy practice in 2018, the real estate team grows its portfolio of industrial real estate projects. For example, the team advised TBEA, China’s largest energy equipment manufacturer and a global leader in the power T&D equipment manufacturing sector, on Ukrainian law matters relating to its investment in a wind power plant in Southern Ukraine. An important project in the hospitality sector was advising International Hotel Licensing Company S.a r.l., a subsidiary of Marriott International, in connection with the opening of Aloft Kiev, the first managed hotel of Marriott International in Ukraine. Other key clients are business and governmental institutions, like BTA Bank, Marriott International, ADM International, Andreas Stihl, Syngenta, Colliers International and others. In April 2018 Oleg Matiusha, an experienced practitioner (previously at DLA Piper), joined the team as a counsel and new practice head.

Ukrainian law firm KPD Consulting has a strong presence on the real estate and construction market. The team is constantly preferred by banks for advising on real estate and collateral matters, and has an established following of financial groups and property management companies. The firm assisted the real estate management company Solum, part of Piraeus Bank Group, in construction and regulatory matters related to dividing the office building into several independent parts. The firm provided limited legal due diligence of hotel acquisition through the privatization procedure subsequently renovated by the owner and mortgaged to the First Ukrainian International Bank; rendered legal support to YUZHNOYE Design Office, leader of the aerospace industry, on land law issues with respect to construction of new facility on the public lands. Another significant project of the firm is advising its long-lasting client KRER FUND in building property management with respect to a building in the historical centre of Kyiv. Among publishable clients are Ukr­SibBank, Euroventures-Austria-CA-Management, Sberbank of Russia, Shell, DCH, Kiev Real Estate Recovery Fund, UDP. Vladyslav Kysil, partner, leads the practice.

SDM Partners possesses many years of experience in real estate practice. The firm provides legal support of project development for international and domestic investors as well as financial institutions. The team has experience in residential, commercial and corporate real estate transactions. SDM Partners has, in the main, recently acted for a leading international healthcare and diagnostic services provider in the construction of the most advanced maternity hospital in Ukraine; supported a famous French jewelry boutique in concluding the lease agreement for one of the most prominent buildings in Kyiv and the franchise agreement for opening a client’s boutique in the capital. Partners Serhiy Dzis and Yuri Rudenko are active across subsequent projects.

The real estate, construction and land practice is among the central ones for TOTUM law firm. It provides a wide scope of legal services in land law, including due diligence, GR, advisory, registrations of the land plots and others. The team has experience in construction and real estate deals, including development projects. The firm provided legal support on the registration of lease rights for major construction companies, such as KAN Development, KDD Group and UNIT City for projects in Kyiv. Another notable highlight was that the firm was providing due diligence in the legal situation of ongoing land use and formation of mechanisms for land plot rent for Budspetsservis LLC. One City Development Investment Building Group, KFC, Fozzy Group, Poznyakyzhylbud are clients of the firm. Bogdan Yaskiv and Yuriy Khapko are lead partners.

The Kyiv office Wolf Theiss is preferred by Ukrainian and foreign investors, international enterprises for supporting acquisitions pertaining to real estate and lease matters. In 2018 the firm conducted due diligence of a leading Ukrainian telecommunications company for A1 Telekom Austria; advised a large Chinese electronics company on the real estate aspects related to setting up an R&D centre in Ukraine. In addition to transactional work, this past year brought office dispute resolution matters representing mortgage holders, property owners and construction companies. The firm represented SHID XXI in multiparty litigation that was initiated by the State Enterprise Horse Farming of Ukraine with respect to a land plot located in Odesa; ­advises a British investor in the Kyiv Terminal LLC on a major real estate investment dispute with the city of Kyiv and its municipal authorities. The practice is led by managing partner Taras Dymuch, who is recognized on the market.

Ante Law Firm has a notable presence in the aviation sector and advises its clients on issues related to real estate (offices, airports, stations). The firm advised Qatar Airways on complicated issues regarding lease of premises at Boryspil Airport and office premises in Kyiv. Other notable clients are Dogusan, Orbi Group, Zdravo and Emirates. Andriy Guck, partner, leads the practice.

The real estate team of EY Ukraine has a narrow specialization in the sector. The team renders advice on problematic real estate and land law matters, legal due diligence of construction projects, and also advises on issues raising in conjunction to M&A deals. The firm advised ByFrederic, an international agricultural company, on the sale of Shpola-Agro Industry, a Ukrainian agribusiness with a land bank of about 8,500 hectares. EY also advised Fusion Capital Partners Assets Management Company LLC on the sale of Kuznya on ­Rybalsky Plant PJSC, performing financial due diligence of the group, which was focused particularly on real estate matters. The key practitioners are Albert Sych, partner, and Bogdan Malnev, senior associate.

GOLAW is specialized in structuring of real estate transactions, property management, mainly representing the interests of investors. The firm recently provided legal support in the sale of Kuzminetsky brick plant by Česká exportní banka, a.s. (ČEB) in Ukraine to Vitagro Group; represented DF Trading Group in obtaining leasehold interest over commercial premises in Mykolaiv, Lviv and Poltava airports for placement of Duty Free stores. The firm advises MP-Prosperity LLC regarding privatization of a recreation complex in Odesa Region. Given the firm’s strong tax expertise, it is often enlisted to render tax planning of transactions relating to real estate. Another area of recent activity is commercial disputes involving real estate. The practice is led by three partners of the firm: Valentyn Gvozdiy, Sergiy Oberkovych and Max Lebedev.

KM Partners provides legal support at all stages of real estate and construction, its practice includes due diligence of real estate, legal support of construction financing, taxation and mandatory contributions to municipal infrastructure in respect of construction. In the recent project portfolio of the firm to note are alienation of real estate objects and land plots, land lease, share deals and support of multi­faceted construction. Maxim Oleksiuk, who is known as a notable market practitioner, is the lead partner.

In 2018 Konnov & Sozanovsky provided clients with comprehensive legal support of acquisition of the real estate and land plots, abroad, particularly in Cyprus. Notably, the firm has an office in Cyprus. Among other projects, the firm advised on acquisition of a land plot and project for the construction of an office center in Limassol and gave support to an acquisition of a land plot for the construction of residential property in Nicosia. The real estate team is led by Sergei Konnov, senior partner.

This past year Lexwell & Partners acted as a legal counsel on the purchase of a land plot and complex of buildings for further construction of a logistics centre, and also supported the construction process. The firm also advised the buyer on the sale of an office building in the downtown Kyiv by Bank Austria Unicredit Group. The key practitioners are Andriy Kolupaev, Igor Nagai and Zhanna Goriacha.

Law Offices of OMP has its a distinctive focus on land law matters related to agribusiness. Among other juridical services are legal audit of agricultural land, complex support to agrarian companies with large land banks and advises on land purchase matters, as well as litigation related to land issues. Yaroslav Sverdlichenko is the head of many land-related projects.

The Kyiv branch of the Czech law firm Peterka & Partners advises on various aspects of lease and sale/purchase for real estate, also provides full support for deals. Regus, part of a Luxembourg multinational corporation that provides global workplaces (offices), is a major client of the firm for issues related to real estate leases. Partner Taras Utiralov is the director for Ukraine.

1 On 5 July 2019 he was appointed head of Lviv Regional State Administration.

 

Regional Counsels

ANK Law Office is a highly influential firm in Southern Ukraine with extensive practice in port infrastructure. During 2018 the firm acted as a legal counsel to a few port operations within their long-term projects on construction of new and rebuilding of existing port terminals. Among notable recent highlights was legal support to Brooklyn-Kiev during construction of the second and fifth stages of the grain transshipment complex in Odesa Sea Port; legal assistance to Ferry Complex Orlovka on construction of the Orlovka-Isakcha ferry line over the Danube River in Reniyskiy District, Odesa Region. The firm is also active in commercial real estate projects, and most recently advised LLC Automaster on extending dealer centres of Renault, Ford, Skoda, Hyundai cars in Odesa. Delta-Wilmar CIS, Sunshine Terminal, Risoil Terminal, SC CTO of the company HHLA are important clients of the firm. Dmitrii Kolodiazhniy and Alexander Kifak are responsible partners.

Jurline, a law firm based in Odesa, has significant experience in supporting the activities of construction companies in the region. The firm is known for implementing projects in the field of residential, commercial and industrial real estate. This past year the team maintained a strong presence in significant construction ­projects in the residential real estate area, and supported clients with financial and tax structuring of transactions. Sound regional names among clients include ZARS, Kadorr Group, TIS, TIS-Grain, etc. Nina Rizun was appointed the head of the real estate practice.

Dynasty Law Firm, which is headquartered in Dnipro and also has an office in Kyiv, has one of the most vivid real estate practices in the region. Its team provides full legal support of real estate and construction operations, including audit of property and investment projects and land relations, as well as litigation. The firm advised on the projects of PJSC Energomashspetsstal and other industrial enterprises and developers. Vyacheslav Kokhlyakov, Evhenyy Smiyukha, Tamila Petrenko are the main practitioners.

ILF Law Firm, a domestic law firm with offices in Kharkiv and Kyiv, focuses its practice on dispute resolution and investment advisory practice. The firm has a sizeable litigation team particularly skillful in property rights disputes. This past year the firm acted as a legal counsel to the Volyn Region Union of Consumer Societies in a dispute related to the right to disposal of a land plot, conducting legal audit of the situation and representing the interests of a client in court. The team has experience of advising sensitive situations concerning property rights on real estate objects in occupied Crimea. The firm also provides legal support in real estate purchase, sale, lease and other deals. The practice is led by Olexiy Kharytonov, dispute resolution partner.

Shkrebets & Partners is a Kharkiv-based law firm that often advises on issues related to the municipal infrastructure of the region. The team provided legal support to the project to rebuild Taras Shevchenko City Garden (a park in the central part of Kharkiv). Eugene Shkrebets and Oleksiy Meniv are lead partners.

Krolevetskyi & Partners, a law firm based in Kharkiv with an office in Kyiv, advises on issues of engineering, construction and commissioning of real estate. In 2018 the firm provided complex legal support to LLC Steelconstruction, an enterprise specialized in the performance of civil and erection works of industrial and civil purpose, on a public-private partnership project on construction of infrastructure projects, school and kindergarten, in the town of Pesochyn, Kharkiv Region. Viktoriia Lubich heads the practice.

Matviyiv and Partners is located in Lviv and acts on real estate, construction and land related mandates. The firm is primarily known for its litigation focus, representing estate development companies, energy and agrarian sector clients. The caseload includes property rights and land disputes, as well as tax matters. Selected clients include Rubicon Group, construction and investment company in Lviv Region, Corporation KRT, a leader on the Ukrainian manufacturing market of permanent way elements, parts and components used in rail fastening. Partners Iryna Pyatkovska and Serhiy Matviyiv are the key contacts.

Regional Counsels
Listed in alphabetical order