On March 27, 2013, a renowned international directory Legal 500 published its 2013 law firm ratings for Europe, Central Asia and Africa. According to this globally acclaimed source Vasil Kisil & Partners is a first tier firm in Dispute Resolution, Banking, Finance and Capital Markets, as well as Real Estate and Construction. VKP is also recommended as one of the leading Ukrainian firms in Corporate and M&A, Intellectual Property and Tax.

Professional experience of Vasil Kisil & Partners was highly recognized by the directory and the firm itself was claimed to be an “excellent domestic firm ... competing well with international law firms”. Aside from recommended practice groups VKP's lawyers received extensive individual acknowledgements from peers and clients for their work in all areas of practice that were rated.

For four years in a row Dispute Resolution practice of Vasil Kisil & Partners has been highly recommended by Legal 500 and remains “top choice for contentious work in Ukraine”. Oleg Makarov, Managing Partner with the firm, and Oleksiy Filatov, Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution practice group, are both recommended. According to the respondents, the firm is “a delight to work with on complex international matters”. Yaroslav Teklyuk, Partner, is marked for representing Swedbank in a £150m series of disputes with borrowers.

The interviewed clients “rate very highly the level of service, technical knowledge and willingness” of VKP’s Banking, Finance and Capital Market practice. Denis Lysenko, Partner, Head of Corporate/M&A and Banking & Finance practice groups, is “co-operative, diligent and responsive”, and Yulia Kyrpa, Partner, shows “strong technical knowledge and diligence”. The firm’s achievements are highly praised for advising IKB Deutsche Industriebank and Bank Forum as creditors on respective restructuring of borrowers’ debts.

Legal 500 also names Vasil Kisil & Partners as a top firm in Real Estate and Construction. Oleg Alyoshin, Partner, Head of Real Estate and Construction, Infrastructure, Energy and Natural Recourses practice groups, is acknowledged for advising Seven Hills on its $140m Park Avenue office, parking, retail and residential development. Aleksandr Borodkin, Partner, is also recommended.

Corporate and M&A practice of the firm remains a first choice for clients due to its extensive experience. The publication marked professional achievements of Denis Lysenko and Anna Babych, both Partners with the firm, for recently advising Energy Standard Group on a $22m acquisition and also consulting such clients as Ukrainian Media Holding and Danone on various corporate issues.

VKP’s IP practice led by Oleksiy Filatov received high praises from the researches in particular for advising Google on trade mark infringement matters, and also for advising a famous internet video search provider on rights management and enforcement.

The directory recognizes sound tax expertise of Denis Lysenko in particular noting his recent work with Thomson Reuters on tax risk management and advising a leading Ukrainian retail group on VAT issues.