At the end of 2022, Baker McKenzie marks the 30th anniversary of its operation in Ukraine. In the current unprecedented circumstances, the Kyiv office of the leading international law firm held a similarly unprecedented online celebration. It was attended by all the team members and over 100 significant invitees, including the Firm's Global Chair Milton Cheng, all four of the office's former managing partners, and managing partners and other colleagues from London, Warsaw, Chicago, Brussels and other offices worldwide.
In his welcome speech, Milton Cheng congratulated the Kyiv colleagues on this milestone anniversary and noted the Kyiv office's achievements over the 30 years. Mr. Cheng expressed his admiration of the resilience and courage of the Ukrainian team, which continues to provide services to Ukrainian and international clients and maintain the Kyiv office's operation in the unprecedented circumstances.
Serhiy Chorny, Managing Partner of the Kyiv office, greeted the colleagues at this memorable event, noting:
I am proud to be part of this prominent Firm and to work with the best legal professionals from all over the world, who share common values and aspirations. I am proud to be part of our great Ukrainian nation and our excellent Kyiv team that show so much courage, resilience and dignity in this difficult time. I am grateful to our clients for entrusting us with their most significant and complex legal matters. Upon Ukraine's victory, our Kyiv office and the global Firm will continue to help Ukrainian and international businesses to rebuild the economy of Ukraine and to further integrate our country into the European and global community of free democratic nations.
Serhiy Piontkovsky, Managing Partner of the Kyiv office, commented in his welcome speech: "The Kyiv office was established 30 years ago, when Ukraine had just become an independent sovereign state. Our office grew and developed along with our country and its legal system. We were pioneers in the legal market in Ukraine and are the alma mater for many outstanding Ukrainian lawyers who started their legal careers at Baker McKenzie. Together with our clients, we navigated through periods of investment booms and economic downturns, reforms and revolutions, setbacks and victories. Today, our Kyiv lawyers continue to provide top-notch legal advice to our valuable clients, and we are absolutely confident that rule of law and justice will prevail!"
Since its inception in 1992, Baker McKenzie's Kyiv office has provided Ukrainian and international clients with the full range of legal services in Ukraine. For many consecutive years, we have been the legal market leaders in Banking & Finance, M&A, Real Estate, Tax, Competition, Employment, Intellectual Property and Dispute Resolution, according to Chambers Global, Chambers Europe, Legal 500, IFLR1000, Ukrainian Law Firms and Ukrainian Legal Awards. Thus far, we have advised almost 2000 clients, about a quarter of which are Ukrainian companies and institutions.