Konnov & Sozanovsky provides a wide range of services in the area of corporate law. Konnov & Sozanovsky's corporate and competition lawyers advise clients on a broad scope of corporate issues related to business activity in different areas, corporate reorganizations and M&A issues. We also have a strong practice in representing clients before the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMC), in particular in obtaining consents for concentrations and concerted practices.
 

Corporate Consulting

• Advising clients on entry to the Ukrainian market and choice of the best legal and organizational framework for doing business in Ukraine;
• Preparing corporate documents of the companies related to their registration and launching of their commercial activity (including in particular articles of association, bylaws and other internal regulations and minutes of the corporate governance bodies );
• Registering different legal entities, separate subdivisions, representative offices of foreign companies, accreditation of representative offices of foreign banks;
• Providing legal assistance in establishment of associations of legal entities;
• Providing legal assistance in reorganizion and liquidation of companies;
• Arranging convocations and holding general meetings of shareholders (participants) of the companies;
• Providing comprehensive legal support in share purchase transactions, including development of the optimal structure of a transaction;
• Advising on corporate restructuring of the business, supervision and implementation of the restructuring scenarios;
• Performing legal due diligence of companies;
• Representing clients in shareholders’ and other corporate disputes.

Legal Support of Investment Activity

• Advising on the particulars of investing, recovery of investments, receipt of dividends and other corporate profit related matters, compliance with requirements of the foreign investment regulations, issues hard currency control;
• Opening of ivestment accounts;
• Registration of foreign investments;
• Obtaining licenses of the National Bank of Ukraine for investing abroad.
  

Securities Transactions

• Legal support to securities transactions, including inter alia, bank papers;
• Legal support to the issues, placements of securities, preparation and registration of prospectuses on public and private placements;
• Providing legal assistance for termination of circulation or placement of securities and annulment of securities issuance;
• Representing clients before the State Commission on Securities and Stock Market of Ukraine and its territorial administrations.
  

Relations with executive officers and foreign employees of Ukrainian companies

• Drafting labor contracts and agreements with executive officers, members of corporate bodies of the companies and foreign employees;
• Providing legal support for termination of labor relations with the above employees of the companies;
• Advising on peculiarities of labor relations with foreigners, obtaining work permits, stay permits, registration of the companies and foreign employees with the Department; for Citizenship, Immigration and Registration of Natural Persons.

Specialists of corporate department provide consultations to leading international and Ukrainian companies such as Canon, Film UA. Hellenic Bank, Microsoft Ukraine, Star Media Group, Tupperware.

Our recent cases, in which corporate department’s lawyers were engaged:

• Konnov & Sozanovsky conducted legal due diligence of Yalta Film company. Yalta Film is a major Ukrainian movie producer which in particular is known for its recent film Safo.

• Konnov & Sozanovsky advised Tupperware on the form of entry to the Ukrainian market and corporate presence in Ukraine, and assisted in the establishment and start-up of its Ukrainian subsidiary.

• Konnov & Sozanovsky advised UkrTelemont Group on its corporate and tax restructuring. UkrTelemont Group is active in the area of construction of mobile communication networks and infrastructure in Ukraine, and is a general contractor of the majour Ukrainian mobile and landline operators such as MTS Ukraine (networks GSM and CDMA), Ukrtelecom (UMTS – 3G) and MMDS Ukraine (mobile WiMax-4G).

• Konnov & Sozanovsky performed a due diligence exercise concentrating on corporate and land matters in respect of a major Ukrainan agro holding capturing more than 20 companies with more than 70 000 hectares

• Konnov & Sozanovsky advised the overseas Olimpia Real Estate Holding LTD on its buyout of a major Ukrainian land owner. The corporate team of Konnov & Sozanovsky led due diligence of corporate issues.

• Konnov & Sozanovsky acted as a legal counsel to Star Media in its acquisition of a controlling stake in Ukrainian and Russian TV production and film making companies. The Star Media group includes Ukrainian and Russian companies, the number of which has been growing continuously. In addition to the acquisition structuring, Konnov & Sozanovsky performed legal due diligence of eight Ukrainian and Russian companies.

• Konnov & Sozanovsky advised Star Media Group on its corporate and tax restructuring. The group includes Ukrainian and Russian companies in the field of TV production and film making.

• Konnov & Sozanovsky,  First Law International exclusive partner law firm in Ukraine, and the law firms Linklaters (Poland), Alrud (the Russian Federation) and Grata (Kazahstan) acted as Ukrainian legal counsel to FLI’s client NFI Empik Media & Fashion on the acquisition of the Maratex group of companies, an owner of retail network of stores of casual dress (Esprit and Peacocks). The corporate team of Konnov & Sozanovsky led due diligence of corporate issues.

• Konnov & Sozanovsky conducted legal due diligence of the internet provider in Kiev, Industrial Media Network closed joint-stock company (IPNET).

• Konnov & Sozanovsky advised a Polish-based client – LSP – on the entry to Ukrainian market of educational services and launching of the network of language schools Speak Up. The corporate team of Konnov & Sozanovsky advised the client on corporate issues.

M&A Practice (PDF)