Latham & Watkins and Sayenko Kharenko have advised JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs as the joint lead managers and joint dealer-managers on Ukraine’s successful completion of the settlement of its new USD 2 billion 7.253% Eurobond due 2033, as well as on its first-ever intra-day switch tender offer in relation to its outstanding USD-denominated 7.75% senior notes due 2021 and USS-denominated 7.75% senior notes due 2022. Avellum and White & Case advised the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine.

In 2009, deep in the throes of the global financial crisis, Mykola Stetsenko, a partner at Baker & McKenzie in Kyiv, stepped away from that secure position to start his own law firm. His ambitious move paid off, and now, eleven years later, the firm he launched – Avellum – is among the most successful and highly regarded in Ukraine.

Under the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement of June 27, 2014, Ukraine undertook to harmonize its legislation with EU law by 2023, including the regulatory framework for IP. Subsequently, in February 2020, the Parliament of Ukraine adopted a long-awaited set of draft IP protection laws (the “Draft Laws”), which are likely to have a significant impact on companies doing business in Ukraine, as well as on the measures which may be taken by businesses in connection with IP commercialization.

The many crises that have arisen during the more than twenty years of my legal practice show that, if you remain professional, you will be in demand regardless of the market or jurisdiction in which you practice.

AVELLUM researched how the coronavirus outbreak affected the plans of businesses to purchase or sell assets or companies in the next 6 to 12 months.

On 23 May 2020, Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine Aimed to Improve Tax Administration, Eliminate Technical and Logical Inconsistencies in Tax Legislation” No. 466-IX, dated 16 January 2020 (“Law”), came into force. The Law implements changes to tax legislation, including recommendations under the OECD Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) and changes to tax administration procedures. Certain changes will come into force on 1 July 2020 and 1 January 2021.

What is the procedure for dismissal of Chief Executive Officers in Ukrainian companies with foreign shareholders?

AGA Partners and Avellum have announced that the two Ukrainian firms, which merged almost two years ago, will officially separate, continuing their relationship as an alliance.

Before being elected President of Ukraine last May, Volodymyr Zelensky had virtually no experience in public office. Despite his inexperience – or perhaps because of it – over 73% of the electorate concluded that the comedian and entertainer was the right man to replace Petro Poroshenko, the previous President, and now Zelensky finds himself, at 41, leading an entire nation.

Love them or hate them, conferences are a fundamental part of the successful commercial lawyer’s calendar. But time is precious. Those calendars are full. It’s vital for conference organizers to get them right, and critical for lawyers to choose wisely in determining which events to attend and which to skip.

On 28 April 2020, the President signed the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Ukrainian Laws on Agricultural Lands Turnover” (“Law”). The Law lifts a long-lasting moratorium on private agricultural land sale, but it also introduces and leaves intact certain restrictions and limitations for the argicultural land market.

A little more than two years following its establishment, the Ukrainian Supreme Court is undergoing significant reform of its role in delivering justice. As distinct from the massive judicial reform back in 2017, which was launched by a single comprehensive law, the new overhaul of the Supreme Court is happening gradually.

2019 was a very successful year for Ukrainian renewables industry attracting around €3.7 billion of investments (as reported by the State Agency on Energy Efficiency). However, the COVID-19 pandemic may have an adverse effect on this industry as well.

Contributed by Avellum.

Avellum has advised Ukrainian development company UDP on the acquisition of a 33.35% stake in Ocean Plaza, a shopping and entertainment center in Ukraine.

Since mid-2019 Ukrainian authorities have been bringing to public fora various suggested amendments to Ukrainian “green” (feed-in) tariff framework. The most recent proposal from the Ministry of Energy and Environmental Protection mentioned creating an option with voluntary 5-25% reductions to the existing tariffs simultaneously with prolongation of their lifespan.

Avellum and Watson Farley & Williams have advised the EBRD on a long-term secured loan of up to EUR 52.5 million to Novi Biznes Poglyady.

Attendees to the 2019 CEELM Winter Party were cornered, over the course of the evening, and asked, without warning or an opportunity to prepare, what achievement over the past 12 months they were proudest of.