Criminal Law / Business Crime

Solodko & Partners attorneys at law remain one of the most highly esteemed Ukrainian crime defense boutiques. The firm is often enlisted for resonant cases to defend state officials, businessmen and entities. White-collar crime has been always regarded as one of the main activities of the firm. Under the guidance of Evgeniy Solodko, managing partner, the firm represents clients as Public Stock Joint Company Bank Forum, IDS Group, Private Stock Company Nestle, Dr. Reddis Laboratories, Public Company Kiev Vitamin Factory and others. Olena Sotnyk, partner, stands out for her remarkable track record in white-collar crime cases and human rights protection market standing. Among her recent notable representations are defending people after riots at Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Kiev). She is a defender of the legal rights of the clients mentioned above and creator of complex economic interests defence strategies.

 

Established in October 2012 AVER LEX attorneys at law has rapidly grown a reputation as a proficient business crime boutique. The 7-attorney strong team provides complex legal defense at all stages of criminal proceedings, dealing with business and white-collar crime matters, in particular, abuse of office, property crime, tax evasion. The attorneys regularly take part in resonant cases, representing top managers, CEOs, prominent politicians. Over the past year the firm acted on more than 70 criminal cases. Vitaliy Serdyuk, one of the founding partners, is a highly regarded crime defense attorney. The firm benefits from the extensive litigation track record of managing partner Olga Prosyanyuk. In 2013 the team was strengthened by the arrival of another partner Igor Fedorenko to co-head the practice. Seasoned practitioners Yuriy Matushevskiy and Volodymyr Malysh, as well as a number of rising stars, contribute to the market standing of the team.

 

The Kiev office of Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners (EPA&P) has one of the most reputed white-collar crime practices among full-service law firms. The 9-lawyer team acted on 25 cases, amongst others related to tax evasion, sham business, fraud, smuggling, bribery, etc. The practice of EPA&P Ukraine is co-headed by Serhii Sviriba, managing partner, and Sergiy Grebenyuk, counsel, who got endorsements from peers.

 

VB PARTNERS has been seen to develop its business crime practice, taking part in fraud, tax evasion cases. The team acted for Prilucky Tobacco Company in a number of criminal proceedings regarding manufacturing and turnover of counterfeit cigarettes.

 

Sayenko Kharenko, is a full-service law firm that has a separate criminal law/white-collar crime practice. The criminal law practice group includes 11 certified criminal defense attorneys, which have reported on over 15 large-scale cases over the past year. The firm’s clients include individuals, corporations and banks. The scope of services comprises different types of alleged criminal offences, including commercial, credit card, computer/internet, bank, insurance, IP rights violations, securities, and bankruptcy fraud, tax evasion, bribery, counterfeiting, economic espionage, embezzlement, extortion, forgery and money laundering. The team develops and implements anti-fraud compliance programs to help detect and mitigate legal risks, which can lead to criminal charges. In particular, criminal defense attorneys are currently implementing a 12-month EU-funded project aimed at analyzing the new Criminal Procedural Code. Counsel Igor Sukhomudrenko, senior associates Anton Zhdanov and Sergey Smirnov are the main figures of the practice group headed by partner Sergey Pogrebnoy.

 

With its core focus on criminal proceedings for tax evasion, in 2013 KM Partners broadened its profile with defense incriminal forgery, criminal negligence, other white-collar crime matters. The team represented officials of clients in a series of criminal cases against suspected of large-scale tax evasion. Alexander Minin, senior partner, is known for his extensive practice in tax related issues. Alexander Shemiatkin, partner,is another known market name.

 

The Kharkov-based Kibenko, Onika & Partners has an established regional market standing. Recently the firm’s advocates rendered legal support to the top-management of a major national distributor of spare parts, tires, oils, batteries on the territory of Ukraine in a criminal procedure connected to the murder of the controlling shareholder and general director of the corporation. Maksim Sheverdin, partner, is the main contact. Hespecializes in business and white-collar crime.

 

Asters, full-service Ukrainian law firm, continued to develop its white-collar crime practice by making new hires for its dedicated team. The team members deepened their practical experience of investigation activities at law-enforcement agencies. Asters enjoys its legacy for receiving queries from top industry names. A huge part of its caseload was determined by tax evasion criminal proceedings, as well as abuse of office, labor protection violations, falsifications. The firm has a wealth of experience advising on Ukrainian anti-money laundering legislation. Oleksandr Yakovenko and Oleksiy Ukolov are the primary members of white-collar crime practice. Oleksiy Didkovskiy, managing partner, supervises the team.

 

In 2013 Arzinger reinforced its white-collar crime practice. The firm brought in a new partner, Vitalii Kasko, whose primary specialization is complex criminal proceedings, in particular corruption crimes and offenses, white-collar crimes, criminal assets recovery from foreign jurisdictions, extradition proceedings and protection of human rights, including at the European Court of Human Rights.

 

With the vast tax practice, especially bolstering tax disputes, International Legal Center EUCON has a strong following from corporate clients (PJSC Linyk, Vostok, LLC Agrofirma Rubanskiy, Einhell Ukraine, LLC First project investment fund) on representing their officials in tax evasion cases. Oleksey Bonyuk is the center’s counsel on criminal law. Yevgen Petrenko, head of litigation, represents clients in court and investigative authorities. Yaroslav Romanchuk, managing partner, oversees the practice.

 

In 2013 Gramatskiy & Partners continued to expand its practice in criminal matters and special investigations of business crime. The firm continues to implement into the business practice of its the permanent clients its comprehensive system of business defense in relations with law-enforcement authorities. The team’s clients include SKS, Prodmarket, Seven Hills, Investtradeservice, Media-Trade Ukraine, SNT, LKO. Oleksandr Koval and Mykola Voitovich are the main points of contact.

 

In 2013 ARBITRADE, Ukrainian arbitration-litigation boutique, was boosted by white-collar crime proceedings. The firm successfully represented a number of CEOs in tax-related criminal proceedings. The firm was engaged in the criminal case of Mr. Korduban, owner and shareholder of KFF Econom-Service, in connection with accusations of avoidance of taxation of UAH 11 million and forgery of documents, seals and stamps. Another notable highlight of the team is a complicated legal and factual matter initiated against the director of Hado Ukraine LLC (the company focuses on repairing aircraft motors of Russian airplanes on the territory of Ukraine) regarding accusations of tax avoidance. The managing partner Pavel Trytenichenko, head of the litigation practice, is the main professional. Andriy Shulga, partner, is another important figure with specialization in tax law.

 

Lexcellence Law Firm (Odessa)represents individuals and companies in criminal proceedings, especially focusing on shipping related cases. In March 2013 the firm prevented the fraudulent plans of criminals during the carriage of cars on board of the FAINA merchant vessel. Moreover, the firm’s lawyers released the vessel MASTER ISMAIL from seizure by customs at Oktyabrsk Sea Port and provided legal support to Ship Owner Ocean Shipmanagement Ltd, whose money was fraudulently taken over by criminals. Senior partner Vagif Mallayev is the practice head. Yuriy Ryazanov has been active in this field.

 

ALIAS Law Firm, a compact team that has criminal law practice as its major credential, regularly represents CEOs, businessmen, politicians and state officials in criminal cases. The past year was especially rich in resonant representations: the case of MP Oleg Markov, Dreger Vladyslav and Dmitriy Sazonov, deputies of Donetsk Regional Administration, Andrey Yatsen, general director of PJSC Khersonautotrans. Oleksandr Gorovyi and Yulia Tykhonenko acted on recent representations.

 

FCLEX, a Ukrainian law company with industrial manufacturers in its client portfolio, has a white-collar crime practice. The reported number of criminal proceedings in 2013 reached 16. The team led by Victor Barsuk and Taras Poshyvanuyk advised such clients as AvtoKraz, Finance and Credit Bank, Ocean Shipyard, Bilotserkivska CHP plant in criminal proceedings on alleged tax evasion and sham business, including criminal and tax law advice, legal support of the company’s management in the course of investigative activities.

 

Juscutum Attorneys Association is known for its IT industry focus. The firm represented Camo-IT, a Nikolayev based IT company in a criminal case on copyright infringement and labor law infringement. The criminal law practiceof Jurline Law Firm, based in Odessa, is centred on representing private individuals. The firm acted for a group of individuals blamed for grabbing a large market property complex.

 

Vox Legum, a Ukrainian law firm established in March 2013, was caught up in representation of individuals in fraud cases, tax violation, white-collar crime cases.

 

Inna Rafalska, сhairman of the Kiev City Bar Council, has a remarkable reputation for her long standing professional practice. In 2013 she worked out changes to the On Free Legal Aid Act of Ukraine. Among the soundest representation of late is the resonant Pavlichenko case, where she represented the interests of wife of the murdered judge, Sergei Zubkov.

 

Andriy Fedur, partner of Ageyev & Fedur attorneys at law, is one of the top recognized criminal defense attorneys in Ukraine. The outstanding representation of 2013 is the defense of the interests of the former Prime Minister of Republic of Tajikistan Abdumalik Abdullajanov, which resulted in denial of an extradition request.

 

Sole practitioner Igor Fomin, is widely known for his participation in resonant cases, namely representation of former interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko.

 

S.T. Partners, Ukrainian compact team, is known for criminal defense work. One of the founding partners Svitlana Trofymchuk, has extensive track of cases over the last years. Mykola Siryy, renowned criminal defense attorney and counsel at S.T. Partners, is often involved in resonant criminal cases in Ukraine. He is also known for his scientific activities.

 

Oleksandr Plakhotnyuk, DiFa attorneys at law, criminal defense attorney with over 20 years of experience, is named by peers for his long standing on the market.

 

Angelika Sitsko, partner at Gvozdiy & Oberkovych, has grown her reputation for leading criminal cases with respect to the business sector.

 

Yaroslav Zeikan, is admired for his scientific input.

 

Andriy Kravets & Partners has experience of representingprivate individuals in fraud cases.