Roman Shulyar focuses his practice on M&A, with a particular emphasis on acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures, and corporate restructurings (both pre- and post-transaction). He works on sell and buy side representing domestic and international clients. Roman has a particular interest in M&A deals in IT and infrastructure industries. Below are some examples of his notables cases:

— acting for Dubai-based DP World on one of the largest Ukrainian M&A deals in 2020 – an acquisition of a controlling stake in TIS Container Terminal;

— representing EnergoGroup in connection with an over US$700 million sale of the largest coking coal business in Ukraine (comprised of Colliery Group Pokrovske, Concentrating Factory Sviato-Varvarynska, Donetsksteel — Iron and Steel Works, and several other companies) to a group of buyers including Metinvest B.V.; and

— advising the shareholders of Ecosoft, a major Ukrainian manufacturer and distributor of water purification equipment, on a sale of the business to Austria-based BWT Aktiengesellschaft.

Given his transaction management skills and extensive background in financial matters, Roman also counsels Clients on finance deals where he concentrates on cross-border loans (acting for foreign lenders), debt restructurings (representing individual lenders and creditors’ committees as well as borrowers and security providers), and innovative financial solutions (FinTech, RegTech, neobanks, blockchain and AI-based technologies, etc.). Roman’s finance practice covers agricultural, power, chemical, metals, mining, retail, oil and gas, and machine building industries. His selected representative matters are as follows:

— advising the Export-Import Bank of the United States (acting as guarantor) and US lenders cooperating with it (Citibank, PEFCO and Atrafin) on a series of export credit loans extended to Ukrainian corporate borrowers (Ferrexpo Poltava Mining, Ferrexpo Yeristovo Mining, Nibulon, Rise and Sharivske) for the total amount about US$200 million;

— representing Amsterdam Trade Bank in connection with over 20 trade finance transactions where ATB provided loan facilities to state and privately held borrowers for the total amount of approximately US$700 million; and

— acting for EnergoGroup on the restructuring of approximately US$1 billion debt under the PXF facility granted by a syndicate of international banks including ING Bank, UniCredit Bank, VTB Bank (France), Raiffeisen Bank International and others.


Roman’s understanding and insights into M&A and finance are derived from his 15+ years’ experience of working at Ukrainian and international law firms where he made his way from paralegal to partner. He gained his first experience in M&A deals and cross-border loan financing in 2006-2007, when the Orange Revolution spurred a keen interest in Ukraine among foreign investors and lenders. The global financial crisis of 2007-2008 and the armed conflict in Donbas that followed the 2014 Maidan revolution put on hold many deals but, at the same time, brought much work in debt restructuring and distressed M&A. Presently, with the Ukrainian booming IT sector and the country’s burgeoning infrastructure industry, Roman primarily concentrates his practice on these particular areas offering the Clients not only his transaction experience but also relevant industry expertise.

Roman has been repeatedly recognized as a prominent practitioner in M&A and finance by The Legal 500, IFLR1000, Who’s Who Legal and Ukrainian Law Firms. The Clients praise Roman for his "well-developed helicopter view, inherent attentiveness to important details, and extraordinary negotiating skills". The transactions practice group led by Roman is described by the Clients as "a team of diligent lawyers meeting the deadlines, knowing the subject, and available at the time you need them" who are also "very responsive, highly qualified specialists dedicated to their clients".

When Roman is not analysing, drafting and negotiating, he is roller skating, running OCRs and reading social sci-fi.

• Career Experience:

  2019 - now

  Marchenko Partners, Partner

  2017 - 2019

  Nobles, Partner

  2012 - 2017

  Phenomena, Partner

  2008 - 2012

  Chadbourne & Parke LLP, Associate

  2006 - 2008

  Shevchenko Didkovskiy & Partners, Paralegal

  2005 - 2006

  Arsenal-Center LLC, Junior Counsel

• Master of Laws (International Law), with honors, Kyiv International University
• BA (International Law), with honors, Kyiv International University

Amsterdam Trade Bank, Citibank, DP World, East-West United Bank, Ecosoft Group, EnergoGroup, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Gemcorp Commodities Trading, Klimasan, Holcim Group, Morgan Furniture, NBT, Phase One Karma, Subway, Western NIS Enterprise Fund