Post-Event Release for the Seminar “Maritime Disputes in Ukraine: Court and Arbitration Perspectives”
29 October, 2024
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On October 25, Odesa hosted a special event – a scientific and practical seminar titled “Maritime Disputes in Ukraine: Court and Arbitration Perspectives.” The event was organized by the Bar Council of the Odesa Region, the Ukrainian Bar Association, the Transport Law Committee, and Serhieiev Legal Bureau, with the support of Interlegal.
For the first time in a long while, leading experts in maritime law, legal professionals, scholars, and maritime arbitrators gathered with members of the judiciary to discuss specific professional issues related to litigation in the field of commercial shipping.
The seminar served as a unique platform for dialogue between two key legal community groups – lawyers and judges. Key speakers included:
- Olga Dmitrieva, President of the Ukrainian Bar Association
- Andrii Klymenko, Head of the Monitoring Group on Sanctions and Freedom of Navigation at the Institute of Black Sea Strategic Studies
- Karina Gorova, Arbitrator of the International Commercial Arbitration Court, and Associate Partner at Interlegal
- Albert Yezerov, PhD in Law, Associate Professor, and Judge of the Supreme Court in the Administrative Court of Cassation
- Yuliia Bezdolia, Judge of the Commercial Court of Odesa Region
- Oleh Podtserkovny, Doctor of Law, Professor, and Arbitrator of the International Commercial Arbitration Court
- Andrii Dryshliuk, Deputy Head of the Odesa Court of Appeal
- Andrii Seliutin, Lawyer and Contract Adviser at Metinvest Holding LLC
Over four intensive hours, participants addressed a wide range of pressing topics. They reviewed the Supreme Court’s stance on maritime law disputes, explored specificities in adjudicating disputes arising from seafarers’ employment contracts, examined complex issues and notable cases on vessel arrests, and discussed the operations of the Maritime Arbitration Commission and the International Commercial Arbitration Court at the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The seminar agenda was enriched by a special presentation on current war-related risks affecting Black Sea ports and an insightful account of Metinvest, one of Ukraine’s largest maritime exporters, which has had to navigate significant legal challenges in its operations.
Interlegal partners proudly joined the panel of experts and organizers for the seminar. For many years, we have embraced our mission to bring together and unite the finest representatives of the maritime and legal communities for knowledge exchange, to shape a shared vision, and to develop approaches to emerging challenges in our field.
Gatherings with both judiciary representatives and practising lawyers create an environment for constructive dialogue on critical issues, foster a shared understanding of maritime law’s nuances, and ultimately contribute to the fair and effective resolution of legal disputes. Equally significant, such scientific and practical events play a substantial role in enhancing the professional standards of both Ukrainian legal practitioners and judges.
The seminar participants were unanimous in their belief that judge-lawyer gatherings should be held more frequently, as these joint initiatives are a vital driver for the legal community’s development. We fully support this sentiment and sincerely thank the Ukrainian Bar Association for the opportunity to be part of this outstanding event!
