Benchers Law Firm partners Oleg Valendyuk, Myroslav Gnatyuk, and Nataliya Gnatenko attended the International Forum on Business Protection, which is held annually by the Legal Practice publishing house, and shared their experiences of the event.

The forum brought together attorneys, judges and members of the business community to discuss criminal legal risks, asset protection issues, anti-crisis strategies, practical application and counteraction of sanctions, and judicial practice.

“In addition to contributing a report to International Forum for Business Protection, delivered by our speaker Olga Shapovalova, Benchers Law Firm was the forum’s partner this year. This is yet another way in which we support the development of Ukraine’s legal field, which is in sore need of reforms,” said Oleg Valendyuk, Managing Partner of Benchers Law Firm.

Nataliya Gnatenko, a partner at Benchers, emphasized the importance of discussion around sanction policies in Ukraine. “As my main focus lies with administrative disputes, I was primarily interested in the subject of contesting sanction rulings, as discussed by the forum speakers. This is a complex issue at the intersection of private interests and societal needs. Many of the forum attendees were of the opinion that the state often abuses its power when it comes to disclosing the real reason behind the sanctions, and the review of such cases in the Supreme Court tends to get drawn out due to difficulties with obtaining evidence. However, fortunately for our clients, we know how to combat this in the legal arena.”

The topics discussed by the forum attendees clearly demonstrate that businesses in today’s world face serious challenges and risks, many of which demand legal professionals with a deep understanding of the mechanisms to overcome them. “Other matters on the agenda today include hostile takeovers, protection of client interests in Ukraine and abroad, interaction with law enforcement agencies, compliance to European standards, and more. It is an entire range of issues, which also contains opportunities for their resolution. As attorneys, it is important that we stay at the center of the events and have a good grasp of the key trends – by knowing the development directions of the legal field, we can best serve our clients’ interests,” says Myroslav Gnatyuk, a partner at Benchers.