Counsel

Mykhaylo Soroka

Languages

English
Ukrainian
Russian

Social media

Mykhaylo Soroka is a Counsel in the Real Estate and Construction team at CMS Ukraine. Specialising solely in the Land Use, the Real Property, and the administrative bodies of law for more than 20 years, Mykhaylo has developed unparalleled real estate and construction expertise. His career as a lawyer in this sector began at governmental land authorities at the beginning of the land cadastral reform. This practical experience has been enhanced by 13 years of working with Ukrainian law firms highly rated in real estate matters. A degree in land surveying, taken in addition to his law degree, helps Mykhaylo a great deal when considering land use and construction matters.

Mykhaylo has advised IFIs, investment funds, banks, real estate developers, port operators, and retail companies. He assists in high-value acquisitions, conducts due diligence reviews, and helps with risks assessments, providing full legal support to clients on all real property issues.

Mykhaylo recognised by Chambers & Partners directory and their sources praise his "high level of service and understanding of the client's needs."

Relevant experience

Arise AB on its acquisition of a 70% stake in Norway and Ukraine-focused renewables developer Fenix Repower AS in a bid to diversify its business technologically and gain a foothold in the Ukrainian market
Goldbeck Solar Investment GmbH, international company specializing in the turnkey construction of industrial and large-scale photovoltaic power plants on:
- the contemplated acquisition of a portfolio of RES projects in Ukraine (due diligence and transactional parts)
- establishing a JV with EBRD owning a portfolio of RES projects in Ukraine
EBRD on EUR 9.6 million loan to Agrosem to improve Ukraine’s grain export facilities by expanding rail terminal near Polish border and building grain transhipment complex
Major Ukrainian mining and processing plant on reviewing environmental and land documents related to an inspection by the State Environmental Inspectorate, developing legal arguments regarding unlawful demands by the state authorities and replies to claims by those authorities
Polish development bank on due diligence of a facility under construction in the city of Zaporizhzhia, as well as the due diligence review of the project to provide an export credit financing
Ukrainian investment company on development of a medical centre with a cyclotron facility and a positron emission tomography (PET) scan
One of the world’s leading sport & clothing companies on the expansion of its operations in Ukraine to produce winter sports products with production facilities up to 50,000 sq. m. on 25 ha of land (this project is one of a very few greenfield development projects in Ukraine)
Posco Daewoo, Korea's largest trading company with over USD 21 billion annual revenue, on Ukrainian law matters in connection with its acquisition of a grain export terminal located in Mykolaiv, Ukraine. The legal due diligence of the real property of the terminal, a significant part of which was under construction and renovation, covered complex issues related to construction, environment matters, health and safety
An investment company on legal due diligence of more than 30 companies and real estate objects, including business centres, warehouses, malls and industrial parks
Dragon Capital, an investment company and one of the leading private equity funds in Ukraine, on the acquisition of a 13,000 sq.m. shopping and entertainment centre called Smart Plaza Obolon in the City of Kyiv. The acquisition was conducted while the construction of the mall was still ongoing and the due diligence review with the in-depth analysis of related matters
American multinational company that manufactures, markets, and distributes consumer electronics, on a review and advice on energy efficiency measures implemented in 2022 across various European jurisdictions and their impact on the client's business
A Boston-based tech company on lease agreements early termination regarding six offices in Ukraine and one office leases renewal in the City of Kyiv
Novus Ukraine, a large Ukrainian food retail chain, on the acquisition of its competitor Billa Ukraine from REWE Group, participating in legal due diligence of 46 target’s facilities
A global SaaS company dedicated to ensuring the integrity of education and research and supporting the development of original thinking skills, on lease agreements termination regarding two offices in the City of Kyiv
Ardagh Group, a NYSE listed global leader in packaging solutions, on the acquisition of a food metal packaging factory located in the city of Khotyn, Chernivtsi region. After being significantly renovated, the factory was acquired from the state-owned Ukreximbank through Prozorro. Subsequent to the deal’s completion, one of Ukraine’s largest food metal packaging factories became operational again
A world-leading company specialising in managing small multi-purpose ports including container, bulk and general cargo terminals, on the legal status of the state enterprise “Sea Port “Yuzhnyi” and its assets, providing comparison of the lease and concession as scenarios for PPP. Drafting documents to prompt the government to initiate a process of transferring the integral property complex of this port to lease

Publications

2023

March 2023 – Корупція на відбудові, свобода слова та контроль військовозобов’язаних. Що значать для нас нові закони

2022

September 2022 – Ukraine reforms housing market by introducing new transferable titles to future apartments
September 2022 – Закон про захист інвестора на первинному ринку: ризики недобудов зняті, але не всі
September 2022 – Ukraine passes law to make war recovery projects more attractive to investors
June 2022 – Ukrainian Parliament Exempts Industrial Parks from Taxes and Duties
June 2023 – Дерегуляція Бізнесу на Період Воєнного Стану: Як Спрацювали Нововведення
June 2022 – Ukraine again amends land use legislation to meet war challenges
June 2022 – Ukraine introduces priority urban planning measures to overcome the war consequences
June 2022 – Ukraine extends municipal and state property leases, provides aid to tenants
May 2022 – War Da mage in Ukraine: All You Need to Know to Obtain Compensation
May 2022 – Ukraine further simplifies notarial and state registration procedures
April 2022 – Simplified Procedures for Acquiring Uncultivated Agricultural Land
April 2022 – Ukraine passes simplified procedures for acquisition of agricultural lands
March 2022 – Registration procedures in Ukraine during the Martial Law
February 2022 – New Ukrainian laws transfer land plots for transactions involving buildings
February 2022 – Ukrainian tender underway for Kyiv Bypass Road

Memberships & Roles

Member of EBA
Member of ACC in Ukraine
Member of Confederation of Builders of Ukraine in Ukraine

Education

2002 – LL.M., Ivan Franko Lviv National University, Lviv
2010 – Bachelor’s Degree in Land Surveying, National Aviation University, Kyiv

Practice Areas

Real Estate

sectors

Infrastructure & Projects Hospitality, Travel & Leisure in Ukraine

Insights

Global Reach