Asters, a leading independent Ukrainian law firm, announces the accession on 14 April 2008 of Irina Nazarova as an equity partner and chair of litigation practice group and Andriy Vishnevsky as an equity partner and co-chair of business law practice group together with seven attorneys in their respective practices.

Mrs. Nazarova and Mr. Vishnevsky and the team of their lawyers have previously worked at the law firm Sergiy Koziakov & Partners.

Irina Nazarova is well-known as one of the most experienced litigators in Ukraine who dealt with a broad range of cases in courts and arbitrations, including international commercial arbitration. She has represented Ukrainian and international companies in the Supreme Court of Ukraine, the High Commercial Court of Ukraine, and the International Commercial Arbitration Court of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce. She also has extensive experience in such areas as privatization, corporate law and intellectual property. Mrs. Nazarova has a consistent record of representation of clients in a number of prominent cases in Ukrainian courts, including the dispute over improper privatization of Kryvorizhstal, one of Ukraine’s major steel works, and Nikopol Ferroalloy Works, one of the world’s major ferroalloys plants; representation of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in a lawsuit against a Russian media company in the matter of rebutment of the untrue statements; and counseling an owner of Studio 1+1, one of the leading Ukrainian TV channels, in the case regarding title to equity in the company.

Andriy Vishnevsky is recognized as one of the leading business law practitioners in Ukraine. The focus of his practice is in M&A, corporate law, securities, real estate and property, tax law, foreign investment, natural resources, litigation, and private international law. He has extensive experience in advising Ukrainian and international clients on a wide range of transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, privatization and business restructuring, securities and real estate transactions. Mr. Vishnevsky’s transactional record includes representing Smart Group in several M&A transactions; advising a Ukrainian client on the EUR 450 million acquisition of a major German steel plant; advising the investors in the USD 500 million development of Globus trade and entertaining centre; representing Henkell & Sohnlein in the acquisition of control in one of the major Ukrainian champagne manufacturing plants; representing LLC Eugene in a Ukrainian court in the case the Government of Ukraine, Football Federation of Ukraine, and the Kyiv City Council v. LLC Eugene regarding demolishing of the LLC Eugene’s real estate with approximate value of USD 300 million.

The accession to Asters of a large group of attorneys, including two partners, is an important event indicating the rapid growth of the firm which has reinforced its position as the leading Ukrainian independent law firm. It also evidences the success of the firm’s strategy on diversifying its practices with introduction of the litigation practice group and widening its business law capabilities in general. Today, with 9 partners, more than 70 lawyers and over 110 employees, Asters remains one of the biggest and most capable of all Ukrainian law firms.

Commenting on the latest arrivals, Asters’ Managing Partner Oleksiy Didkovskiy said: "Irina Nazarova and Andriy Vishnevsky with their expertise and strong professional reputation will be a great addition to our powerful team of professionals. With their arrival Asters strengthened its leading market positions in general corporate practice and established new litigation practice. Now we became a truly full service law firm and this is the great news for our clients."

Commenting on new partnership, Irina Nazarova said: "Asters’ strong reputation in the market and access to its diversified Ukrainian and international client base represent a fantastic opportunity for us to build a successful litigation practice."

Andriy Vishnevsky adds: "Asters is clearly in the ascendancy and it is the right time to join this large and extremely professional team and have a chance to contribute to the firm’s dedication and continuing success."

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Asters is a Kyiv-based Ukrainian law firm founded in 1995 as Shevchenko Didkovskiy & Partners. The firm is among the most recommended law firms for Ukraine according to reputable international legal directories The Legal 500, PLC Which Lawyer?, Chambers Global, IFLR 1000, and Ukraine’s legal market research publications. A list of the firm’s clients includes major international corporations, such as Beiersdorf AG, Coca-Cola, Damen Shipyards Group, News Corp., Nissan Motor, Nokia Corporation, Philip Morris, Telenor ASA, Toshiba Corporation, and the world’s leading financial institutions Barclays Capital, Citibank, Deutsche Bank, Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, EBRD, IFC, ING Bank, Standard Bank та Swedbank AB.

For further information please contact Svitlana Novikova, Marketing Director
Mobile: +380 67 916 4210     Tel: +38 044 230 6000     E-mail: svitlana.novikova@asterslaw.com