WASHINGTON, D.C. - EPAM USA PLLC law firm in Washington, D.C., has been approved for membership in the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), the USUBC executive committee announced today.  The announcement was made on behalf of the entire USUBC membership of over 189 companies and organizations who have business operations, investments or other development programs in Ukraine. 

The EPAM USA PLLC law firm was launched in Washington, D.C. in 2011 by Andrew Mac, Managing Partner, and is associated with Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners (EPAM), the leading law firm in the CIS with offices in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and an associated office in the UK (www.epap.ua). 

ANDREW MAC HEADS EPAM USA

Andrew Mac heads EPAM USA PLLC.  He specializes in cross-border transactions with the involvement of Russia, Ukraine and other CIS states. He is an expert in M&A, corporate and competition law, corporate compliance, FCPA/Bribery Act, capital markets and state regulations.

In 2005-2011 Andrew was a Partner, Head of M&A Practice and later Managing Partner of the Kyiv office at Magisters, a pan-CIS law firm that merged with Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners. In this capacity he advised leading multinational and CIS-based companies on their operations in Ukraine, Russia and other CIS states, including support for M&A deals, joint ventures, greenfield investments, restructurings, labour law issues, corporate compliance, and other matters.

At Magisters, he played a key role in advising: Altimo in the USD 23.8bn merger of telecom assets in the CIS with Telenor; CEDC on various acquisitions in Russia; Sanyo Foods on acquisition in Russia and Ukraine; Stock Spirits Group on the planned acquisition of Nemiroff; Intesa Sanpaolo on its USD 750m acquisition of Pravex-Bank; and Shell on its market entry and operations in Ukraine.

Mac was also involved in Erste Bank's acquisition of a controlling stake in Prestige Bank; EastOne Group in the acquisition of Ekonomika Publishing House; Goldman Sachs in its acquisition of a stake in Dragon Capital; Saint-Gobain on the development of a gypsum quarry and adjacent road construction in Ukraine; and PZU in a number of projects in Ukraine. For around two years, he had been the representative of Ukraine in ICC FraudNet, a global organization of lawyers combating fraud.

Before joining Magisters, Andrew worked at PwC in Ukraine, directing legal support for M&A transactions. Most notably, he advised on the acquisition of a leading Ukrainian cleaning products manufacturer by a multinational investor and supported a leading global steel company in its bid for Krivorizhstal and other acquisitions in Ukraine.

Prior to PwC, Andrew practiced law in the United States with a regional law firm based in Pittsburgh. He focused on mergers and acquisitions, securities, antitrust, banking and general corporate matters. His most notable projects include advising a USD 6bn pharmaceutical company with respect to a USD 20bn merger, and advising a USD 2.5bn private equity fund on its bid in a bankruptcy sale of the assets of a leading American automotive supplier.

Andrew is recommended as an M&A and corporate law expert by authoritative guides including Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, The IFLR 1000, Legal Experts: EMEA, PLC Which Lawyer, Best Lawyers, Who's Who Legal: CIS and others. In 2010, he was also recognized as one of the most influential foreigners in Ukraine in the Kyiv Post's Most Successful Expats list.

A member of the American Bar Association, he earned his J.D. at The Vanderbilt University School of Law, Nashville, USA (2000), and his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Russian Studies at the Political Science Department of the Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA (1997). He speaks English, Ukrainian and Russian.

EPAM UKRAINE - EGOROV PUGINSKY AFANASIEV & PARTNERS
Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners (EPAM Ukraine) is a leading full-service law firm in Ukraine, advising global and local businesses in Ukraine, throughout the CIS and worldwide. In Ukraine the Firm was founded in 1997 as Magisters.  In July 2011 Magisters merged with Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners.  Serhii Sviriba is Managing Partner of the Kyiv office of Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners (http://www.epam.ru/eng/partners/sergei-sviriba).  

Sviriba is Head of the International Arbitration & Litigation Practice, specializing in pre-arbitration and arbitration procedures in Ukraine, the European Union, and the United States. In 2004 Mr. Sviriba rejoined the Firm after serving for more than two years as the Deputy Chief of Trade & Economic Mission to the Embassy of Ukraine in the USA, where his major responsibilities included supervising trade, investment and commercial disputes between Ukraine and the USA, as well as between Ukrainian and U.S. companies.

EPAM USA PLLC AND U.S.-UKRAINE BUSINESS COUNCIL (USUBC) 
"USUBC's management has known and worked with Andrew Mac for several years. "USUBC is very pleased to be working once again with Andrew Mac as the managing partner of EPAM USA PLLC," said Morgan Williams,  President, U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC).

"Andrew Mac represents EPAM USA on the USUBC board of directors. USUBC has also been working closely with Andy Hunder, International Business Development Director, for the EPAM associated office in London, UK.  Andy is also director of the Ukrainian Institute in London (www.ukrainianinstitute.org.uk)," according to Williams.

TWENTY-ONE NEW USUBC MEMBERS IN 2012
New members of the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC) in year 2012 include the following twenty-one companies: Arzinger law firm; Bank Kontrakt; BDO LLC Ukraine; Cub Energy; DuPont Ukraine LLC; Encom Group; EPAM USA PLLC; HPI, LLC; Intel Ukraine; Invenergy LLC; McLarty Associates; NEI (New Energy Innovation); Pioneer Hi-Bred Ukraine LLC; Public-Private Partnership Development Program (P3DP)/ FHI 360; Raven Industries; SC Johnson; Sunrise Agro; TD International; Vanco Prykerchenska Ltd; Willard; and the World Federation of Ukrainian Medical Associations. 

USUBC MEMBERSHIP REACHES 189  
USUBC membership has grown rapidly during the past six years. Membership now stands at 189. In January 2005 membership was eight; two years later it had grown to 22; in January 2009 it reached 100; and in January of 2011 topped 150. A complete list of USUBC members can be found at:http://www.usubc.org/members.php. For a list of the USUBC board of directors go to: http://www.usubc.org/site/u-s-ukraine-business-council-board-of-directors.