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Naftogaz is currently in litigation with Russia's Gazprom under gas supply and gas transit contracts.
National joint-stock company Naftogaz of Ukraine has hired the London-headquartered Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP law firm for UAH 30.7 million, or US$1.155 million at the current forex rate, for providing legal support of the Ukrainian company's foreign economic activities.
The contract was signed on July 23, 2018, the company said in an announcement posted in Ukraine's ProZorro e-procurement system.
Legal support includes the protection of Naftogaz's interests in foreign jurisdictions, including at foreign government agencies, institutions, in foreign or international courts, arbitration, international organizations, foreign financial institutions, in relations with other legal entities and individuals in all issues, which arise in the process of foreign economic activities of Naftogaz.
The contract was signed for two years.
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Naftogaz is currently in litigation with Russia's Gazprom under gas supply and gas transit contracts.
Late in May 2018, Naftogaz launched the procedure to recover US$2.6 billion from Gazprom, as was awarded by a Stockholm arbitration court. Ukraine is seeking the seizure of the Russian gas giant's assets in England, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Among the assets Ukraine shows interest in are shares of the companies that operate two gas pipelines – Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2.
In the middle of June 2018, Gazprom announced that the June 13 decision by Sweden's Court of Appeals suspended a ruling by the Stockholm arbitration court that had found against Gazprom. Naftogaz is currently challenging that decision.
According to open sources, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, which is considered to have been founded in 1743, is a multinational law firm headquartered in London and a member of the Magic Circle of elite British law firms.
Freshfields is the oldest firm within the Magic Circle and is reported to be the oldest international law firm in the world. Its origins can be traced back to the early 18th century, when it was appointed solicitor to the Bank of England, which it continues to advise today.