Kyiv-based multi-practice law firm with taxation focus
U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC)
Washington, D.C., Monday, April 9, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. - KM Partners, a Kyiv-based law firm which services Ukrainian, international businesses and Ukrainian state agencies and has enjoyed the reputation of a respected multi-practice law firm with special focus on tax matters, has been approved for membership in the U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC), the USUBC executive committee announced today on behalf of the entire USUBC membership of 175 companies and organizations who have business operations, investments or other development programs in Ukraine.

KM Partners was established in 1999 by former senior employees of Arthur Andersen, an international auditing, tax, and consulting services organization.

KM Partners’ services cover virtually all areas of legal, tax and general business consulting matters. The main practice areas of the firm are Taxation, Dispute Resolution (including out-of-court settlements), Customs, Real Estate & Construction, Agriculture and Land, Natural Resources and Mining, and Antitrust.

The firm also provides legal support in Trade and Distribution, Corporate and M&A, Investment and Foreign Economic Activity, Labor and Employment, Banking and Finance and some aspects of Intellectual Property. Partners’ and other practitioners’ broad expertise allows the firm to emphasize the multi-disciplinary support of clients' business projects.

KM PARTNERS AREAS OF EXPERTISE
KM Partners has especially successful experience in Tax and Customs Law. The firm is able to give comprehensive consultations on any legal issues with optimization of customs and tax aspects at the same time. Tax litigation's and general defence on tax and customs related issues (including defence in criminal cases and against forcible actions of authorities) is currently one of the most requested practice.

The firm has notably successful practice of Dispute Resolutions with tax and customs authorities, as well as land disputes including court cases initiated by prosecutor’ office, including setting of “precedents” – adoption of new ways of resolving a problem ambiguously regulated by legislation.

The firm provides representation to parties in international commercial arbitration, deals with enforcement of foreign arbitration decisions in Ukraine. KM Partners has experience in complex disputes involving parties from various jurisdictions. In Customs Law the firm can offer deep understanding of economic grounds of the case, legal support in the inspection stage, which helps avoid excessive charges and sanctions; successful court practice, especially for customs valuation and classification.

Providing legal support in Real Estate and Land the firm works both with common real estate projects (logistic parks, business centers and residential real estate) and also with specialized projects, such as port terminals, railway branches, quarries. It has been very successful in handling complex land law issues, including in court.

The firm has good results in Antitrust Legislation area: successful work with major projects, including unfair competition issues (advertising). Analytical work is one of the strongest types of KM Partners’ legal activity: the firm has rich experience in conducting Due Diligence including legal analysis of current state and risks, especially successful due to the fact that some KM Partners’ lawyers have economic education.

KM PARTNERS IN LEGAL PROFESSION RATINGS
For many years KM Partners has been recommended by respected national and international annual professional polls. In last 7 years, many national and international professional editions rate KM Partners as a leader in tax practice in Ukraine .

In 2011 the firm was again recognized among the best Ukrainian law firms in the results of the annual national research “50 leading Ukrainian law firms”. Ukrainian national poll “Ukrainian Law Firms. A Handbook for Foreign Clients” strongly recommends KM Partners as an expert in such practices as Tax, Litigation, Corporate, and Labor & Employment.

In 2011 KM Partners was recognized as the best law firm on tax matters in Ukraine and recommended as an expert on Dispute Resolution and Corporate and M&A in The Legal 500 EMEA annual research. Tax Directors Handbook-2011 highly appreciated achievements of the firm on tax related matters. WHO’S WHO LEGAL CIS 2011 research recommends KM Partners and its senior partner Alexander Minin on Corporate Tax and Mergers & Acquisitions.

KM PARTNERS AND USUBC USUBC has been meeting regularly with KM Partners representatives in Kyiv for the last year. Alexander Minin, senior partner of the firm, will represent KM Partners on the USUBC board of directors. For many years, he has been named among the best legal experts in Ukraine, especially in tax matters, as per TOP-100 Ukrainian best lawyers, TOP-25, Client Choice Awards (held by International Law Office), Who is Who Legal, Tax Directors Handbook and other rankings of Ukrainian legal personalities.

"USUBC is very pleased to be working with Alexander Minin and his colleagues at KM Partners and now to welcome them as members. KM Partners does legal work for several USUBC members, " said Morgan Williams, Director, Government Relations, Washington office, SigmaBleyzer Private Eqyity Investment Firm, who serves as President, U.S.-Ukraine Business Council (USUBC).

INFORMATION: For additional information about KM Partners law firm go to: http://www.km-partners.com/en/firm.

USUBC MEMBERSHIP REACHES 175
USUBC membership has grown rapidly during the past five years. Membership now stands at 175. 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.