Expert services

The CIS Arbitration Forum team prepares analytical reports and gives expert opinions on issues related to international dispute resolution and the laws of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and other CIS states in current or potential proceedings in courts and tribunals.

Our experts have worked with states, private entities and international organisations in western Europe and the former Soviet Union. Our services include providing expert testimony in courts, as well as in arbitration and mediation proceedings.

The CIS Arbitration Forum has the following strengths:

  • Our experts have practical experience working for leading law firms in the United Kingdom and the region as well as the skills necessary to provide analysis and testimony on complex cross-jurisdictional legal issues
  • Several CIS Arbitration Forum experts are not only qualified lawyers in different jurisdictions but also have PhDs in law and years of experience teaching law in Russia and the United Kingdom
  • We have access to a network of scholars and practitioners in all former Soviet Union countries who follow the most recent developments in law and practice in their jurisdictions and can help unravel the most complex legal issues
  • We have experience of preparing and presenting legal opinions and expert reports to international arbitral tribunals and state courts, particularly on matters of Russian and international law
  • Our experts have drafted legal opinions in arbitral proceedings under rules of various arbitration institutions including the LCIA, ICC, SCC, Swiss Chambers’ Arbitration Institution, International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russian Federation (MKAS) and Amsterdam District Court.

Our principal areas of expertise include:

  • Commercial arbitration
  • Private international law
  • Law and policy in former Soviet Union countries
  • Russian law
  • Ukrainian law
  • Belarusian law
  • Alternative dispute resolution (including mediation)
  • Recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards
  • Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments
  • Challenging arbitral awards in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the United Kingdom
  • International legal assistance
  • Economic crimes
  • Extradition and political asylum
  • Russian commercial and procedural law
  • International and Russian maritime law
  • International economic law and sanctions
  • Sovereign and diplomatic privilege and immunity
  • State succession issues with respect to assets and debts
  • Bilateral investment treaties
  • International commercial contracts
  • Human rights law and business-related conflicts in the CIS region
  • Investor-state arbitration
  • International administrative law and tribunals
  • Comparative law research.

Key individuals:

Prof Yarik Kryvoi (London)

Based in London, Yarik is the founder and a co-editor of the CIS Arbitration Forum. He is the Senior Research Fellow in International Economic Law and Director of the Investment Treaty Forum at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law (BIICL).

Prof Kryvoi holds law degrees from Harvard, Moscow and St Petersburg. Originally from Belarus, he was qualified to practice law in Russia and New York. He has been teaching and practising international arbitration in Russia, the United States, and England for around fifteen years and is listed as arbitrator by several arbitration institutions. He often acts as a Russian law expert in domestic and international proceedings in English and Irish courts. See full profile on LinkedIn and at kryvoi.net.

 

Dr Dmitry Davydenko (Moscow)

Based in Minsk, Dr Davydenko is the Director and a co-editor of the CIS Arbitration Forum. He is an associate professor at Belarusian State University, Department of  International Law. He worked as Chief expert of the Center of Arbitration and Mediation and Executive Secretary of the Maritime Arbitration Commission at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Dmitry has experience as a co-arbitrator in the ICC arbitral proceedings and is listed as a recommended arbitrator of the HKIAC, International Commercial Arbitration Court and Maritime Arbitration Commission at the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as of other reputed arbitral institutions. For more than 18 years he also advises Russian and international companies on international business law matters. 

Included in the list of best practitioners in arbitration in Russia (“Future leaders”) as of the years 2017-2021 by Who’s Who Legal and Global Arbitration Review (GAR). Global leader in 2022. See curriculum vitae in Russian, in English and full LinkedIn profile.

For further information please email editor@cisarbitration.com.