News date: 13 April 2023
The Legal 500 – EMEA 2023 ranks Ilyashev & Partners as the country’s leading law firm. The reputable international survey rated Ilyashev & Partners highly in all 12 practice areas evaluated in Ukraine. As the #1 dispute resolution firm in Ukraine for 11 years running, the firm holds the prestigious Tier 1 recognition.
Recommendations in the ranking published on April 12, 2023 received the following practice areas and firm’s experts:
Competition – tier 1
Leading individuals: Oleksandr Fefelov
Ilyashev & Partners act on large and precedent-setting competition law matters in sectors as varied as agriculture, energу, real estate, transport, pharmaceuticals and life sciences. Areas of focus include unfair competition and abuse of dominance cases, competition matters in commercial agreements and public procurement. Practice Head Oleksandr Fefelov is a recognized expert in the protection of economic competition.
Dispute Resolution – tier 1
Hall of Fame: Mikhail Ilyashev, Roman Marchenko
Rising stars: Oleh Trokhymchuk
According to one of the clients, Ilyashev & Partners ‘are No 1 in dispute resolution practice in Ukraine’. According to the source, ‘the team has an exceptionally efficient dispute resolution practice covering a broad range of areas. The strengths are the level of service and deep industry and legal knowledge, very business-oriented and tailored approach to the issues’.
Clients note that ‘lawyers demonstrate a high level of knowledge and expertise, and the team is very service-minded and fast. The quality of work, drafting and litigating is excellent’.
Mikhail Ilyashev ‘is a versatile soldier at the head of the strong army’. According to the source ‘Mikhail Ilyashev is a “heavy artillery” and a brilliant speaker, he represents interests in Ukrainian and international courts’.
Intellectual Property – tier 1
Rising stars: Dmytro Nikulesko
Managing Partner Mikhail Ilyashev leads the practice. Attorney Dmytro Nikulesko is also recommended. The firm is particularly well-known for its work in IP litigation, as well as pro bono work – representing the Red Cross Society of Ukraine. Clients note that ‘the team is very skilful and efficient’.
International Trade – tier 1
Leading individuals: Olena Omelchenko
Rising stars: Oleksiy Gorbatyuk
Ilyashev & Partners has a leading position in the practice of international trade. The firm handles anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard investigations, it is also adept in matters involving customs regulations, export controls, sanctions, free trade agreements, WTO law and trade disputes.
Olena Omelchenko is head of international trade and is considered one of Ukraine’s leading advisers on trade remedies and WTO law. Attorney Oleksiy Gorbatyuk is also recommended.
White-Collar Crime – tier 1
Leading individuals: Mikhail Ilyashev, Roman Marchenko
‘Among the top three biggest law firms, Ilyashev & Partners seems the most independent from the state, fearless and able to stand for any client’. The client notes that the firm ‘handles the most complex issues and are hugely respected among local businesses’.
Roman Marchenko ‘is an excellent attorney and a big name in the legal landscape. He is a top guy in this sphere’. According to one of the sources ‘his style is very practical, he immediately takes care of the issue right away. Roman is very pragmatic and always close to his clients’.
Banking, Finance and Capital Markets – tier 2
Clients call Ilyashev & Partners team ‘absolutely professional’. One of the sources noted that ‘its strengths are derived from decades of legal experience and the traditional values instilled by its founders – uncompromising professionalism and ethics’.
The banking and finance team at Ilyashev & Partners ‘excels at getting deals done efficiently, even in difficult circumstances’. The department ‘distinguishes itself thanks to its partner-led service and long-standing relationship with some of the most prominent law firms around the globe’. The client calls the firm’s attorneys specialists with ‘broad experience, well known for their ability to serve in vastly complex transactions’. ‘Co-operation with the firm ensures gaining a reliable partner in legal matters and the stability of the timely delivery of quality services at reasonable budgets’, says the source.
Commercial, Corporate and M&A – tier 2
Hall of Fame: Mikhail Ilyashev
Leading individuals: Roman Marchenko
‘The firm has an excellent corporate and M&A team, in particular Mikhail Ilyashev, who is very knowledgeable of our industry and is well versed in the corporate law in Ukraine’. According to the source, ‘Mikhail and his team have a very deep knowledge of commercial realities, which allows them to advise on the full range of legal aspects of the transaction’.
According to the client, the team ‘can easily cope with the tasks, despite large volumes and tight deadlines. This law firm is a top choice for challenging deals where you need to invent a new kind of solution or improve the current practice’. Clients note that from the very beginning of the Russian Federation’s full-scale aggression in Ukraine, ‘the team has been heroically working on the ground, lawyers and partners constantly keep in touch’. ‘The firm is considered a leading international firm in Ukraine’, says the source.
Mikhail Ilyashev ‘is a unique dealmaker whose strategic advice is a very valuable asset in managing complex, stressful and time-sensitive transactions’. Clients describe Roman Marchenko as a ‘strong professional’.
Employment – tier 2
Ilyashev & Partners continues to handle some of the largest employment cases in Ukraine, often acting for local subsidiaries of large international companies. The firm also advises on contractual matters, outsourcing, employee transfers and relocation, and regulatory compliance. Founding partner Mikhail Ilyashev leads the employment practice.
Energy – tier 2
Ilyashev & Partners represents leading Ukrainian and international companies in relation to energy and infrastructure projects, as well as regulatory matters and disputes.
‘Ilyashev & Partners has absolutely everything needed for quality support of the work in the energy sector. The team is very well versed in the technical issues’. The source notes ‘a very deep practical knowledge of the industry’. Mikhail Ilyashev ‘deeply understands the energy sector’.
Private Client – tier 2
Leading individuals: Mikhail Ilyashev, Roman Marchenko
The firm’s team is ‘extremely prepared and delivers timely and client-friendly service in all cases they handle’. It ‘keeps confidentiality and professional attitude towards private matters it works with’. ‘Strict adherence of the firm to confidentiality allows me to completely trust my lawyers, even in the most personal situations’, the source notes.
Mikhail Ilyashev and Roman Marchenko ‘provided such a comfortable environment for clients that there is no need to contact anyone else. Being able to get their advice on a personal financial issue is invaluable’.
Real Estate and Construction – tier 2
Rising stars: Dmytro Hrybov
The team of Ilyashev & Partners ‘is fundamentally versed in issues of land allocation, lease of communal and state property, and privatisation’. The client notes that ‘the firm has a precedent-setting caseload regarding several well-known construction and historical architectural objects in the Ukrainian capital’.
Mikhail Ilyashev and Roman Marchenko ‘for many years, have been authoritative advisers in the acquisition, registration, lease and management of real estate’. Counsel Dmytro Hrybov ‘is a very strong and technical team player’.
Tax – tier 2
Leading individuals: Roman Marchenko
The tax practice team ‘is very well-versed in the nuances of the pharmaceutical business. The brilliant team that every year expands the range of services’.
The source noted a ‘focus on customer service’. ‘I was impressed by the firm’s reactivity, quick understanding of our requests and needs, speed in delivering the work and excellent interpersonal contacts’, says the client. ‘Lawyers strictly follow professional and ethical standards, and billing is fair and accurate’.