MOSCOW, October 19 /PRNewswire/ — Top five Ukrainian law f… MOSCOW, October 19 /PRNewswire/

MOSCOW, October 19 /PRNewswire/ — Top five Ukrainian law firm Magister & Partners and dispute resolution specialists Legas Legal Solutions have today announced their decision to proceed to a full merger.

The merger, which will be effective from 1 Nov., 2006, follows the
firms’ decision to form a strategic partnership in July this year, and will create a firm of more than 85 lawyers with annual revenues forecast at $18 million, positioning it among the leading independent firms in Russia and the CIS. The firm will be known as Magister & Partners in both Russia and Ukraine.

The merger creates a powerful full-service law firm with a
significantly strengthened Moscow base for further expansion throughout the CIS, with the firm’s market-leading Ukrainian practices (in banking and finance, corporate and commercial, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property and international trade) supplemented by Legas’ established dispute resolution and real estate practice groups in Moscow.

The firm’s combined arbitration and litigation groups now comprise more than 30 lawyers, making it one of the largest dispute resolution practices in the CIS.

Oleg Riabokon, Managing Partner, Magister & Partners, commented: “This
merger is the logical step for both firms, in view of our objective to
position ourselves as a major full-service, independent legal services
provider throughout the CIS. With approximately half of our current work
cross-border in scope, our combined capabilities and CIS-wide client base
will further strengthen our key practice areas in Russia, Ukraine and
internationally.”

Dmitry Dyakin, Managing Partner, Legas Legal Solutions, added: “The
synergies between our two firms are quite clear, and merging Magisters’
wide-ranging practices with our corporate, dispute resolution and real
estate teams marks the successful conclusion of our strategic alliance
formed earlier this year.”

The firm will be led by Oleg Riabokon as firm-wide Managing Partner,
with Dmitry Dyakin Managing Partner of the Moscow office.

About Magister & Partners
Magister & Partners is a full-service Kiev-based law firm advising
clients in Ukraine and worldwide. It has over 120 partners and staff,
having merged with Ukrainian legal firm Pravis, Reznikov, Vlasenko and
Partners in March 2006. Magister & Partners’ fee revenues have doubled
annually for each of the past three years, to $12.8 million in 2005.
Magister & Partners is a recognised leader in banking and finance, tax,
corporate and commercial law and international trade. More information
about the firm and its international practices can be found at
http://www.magisters.com.
About Legas Legal Solutions
Legas Legal Solutions is an independent law firm specialising in
corporate and commercial law, dispute resolution and real estate. Founded
in 2002 by Managing Partner Dmitry Dyakin, it has over 30 partners and
staff.
Press contacts:
Hillary Gilbert
+7-495-251-5245
contact@urgentedits.com
+7-915-4979-146
+44-207-617-7390