The firm enters the table following strong market feedback for its domestic tax practice, which includes regular appointments in tax-related litigation. M&A, customs law and commercial dispute resolution also feature.
Alexander Minin is clearly the firm’s standout figure and is consistently referred to as “the best for tax law in Ukraine”. His previous experience with an international consulting firm and economics background mean he has excellent knowledge of the subject. But what impress foreign clients most is his feel for how things work in the jurisdiction: ”He is a head and shoulders above the others – he gives quick, practically-oriented, creative input and advice”.
KM Partners was established by former senior employees of one of the major international professional services organizations (namely Arthur Andersen), who started their own business as a group in March 1999. Since then, servicing Ukrainian and international commercial and financial institutions as well as Ukrainian state agencies, the firm has enjoyed the reputation of a regarded multi-practice law firm.
Throughout the long presence (more than 14 years) in the legal services market, specialists of KM Partners established extensive working contacts and gained experience of representing the interests of the clients before the state authorities of Ukraine as well as in business operations and contacts. Using the whole range of its people’s specialization and experience, the firm places emphasis on ensuring multidisciplinary support of its clients’ business projects. The firm’s services cover virtually all areas of legal, tax and general business consulting matters. Its main practice areas are: tax law, investments, corporate and contract law, competition law, labor law, and real estate. Apart from purely its consulting record, the firm is proud to note that it has a well-established and quite successful litigation practice, including tax matters. For example, in 2005 the sum total of legal disputes with its lawyers participating exceeded US$500 million. Since 2004 the company has been receiving the largest number of top references from clients and competitors. The firm constantly works with transnational giants like Philip Morris, Kraft Foods, GlaxoSmithKline, Coca Cola, Schneider Electric, Raiffeisen Group, etc. According to The Ukrainian Law Firms Handbook, KM Partners and its senior partner Alexander Minin held their top position in the area of tax law in 2005 and 2006. KM Partners has good working relations with a number of respected law firms in Europe, Asia, South and North America.
International clients: Today the firm’s clients include: AES (Kyivoblenergo and Rivneenergo), BP Aviation, British Airways, Cargill, Coca- Cola Beverages Ukraine, CSFB, Double W Firm (Radisson SAS Hotel Project), Europolis, Exxon/Mobil (lubricants), Freescale, GlaxoSmithKline, Golden Telecom, International Business Centre (MDC), International Bureau & Hotel Centrum (IBM), Kemira, Kraft Foods Ukraine, Lactalis Ukraine, Lesaffre Ukraine, Lukor (chemical division of Lukoil), L’viv Confectionery Svitoch (Nestle), Motorola, Oracle, Philip Morris Ukraine, Preparados Alimenticios S. A., Raiffeisen Evolution (and some other entities of Raiffeisen Group), Renaissance Construction, SAP Ukraine, Schneider Electric Ukraine, Shell (lubricants), Syngenta, TetraPak Ukraine, Transbalkan, Ukrainian Radio Systems (Beeline), Whirlpool, Zеpter International Ukraine and others.
Main international areas of practie:
Tax Law: KM Partners advises on all tax aspects, including legal support of structuring, tax litigation and other particular questions.
Commercial Property / Real Estate: The firm handles all types of commercial property transactions, real estate and engineering projects for a number of foreign investors.
Construction: KM Partners provide the legal support to developers and investors from the moment of acquisition of land plots, their conversion to the proper status. The firm also provides legal due diligence of SPVs in this area before acquisition.
Corporate & Commercial Law: Lawyers advise on corporate restructuring and M&A projects.
Energy & Natural Resources: The firm handles various projects in energy sector (eg legal support of American Energy Systems in Ukraine) and natural resources-related projects (eg Vanco International Ltd. bidding for project on Black Sea shelf). KM Partners supports signing emissions trading agreements under the Kyoto protocol.
Foreign Direct Investment: KM Partners supports launch of foreign investment projects, such as the US$500 million investment project of Lukor Ukraine (incl. subsidiary Karpatnaftochim).
The firm also advises on disputes with the state on reprivatisation and related issues.