- LLM, Birkbeck University of London, International Law & Human Rights
- GDL and LPC, BPP Law School, London
- BA Honours, Kyiv Taras Shevchenko National University, History
- English
- Ukrainian
- Russian
Galyna is a partner at Fortior Law and the head of Fortior’s London office. Galyna is qualified in England & Wales. She specialises in civil matters concerning high-value complex corporate, commercial and financial disputes in the Senior Courts in England and in international arbitration under LCIA, ICC, UNCITRAL and LME rules. The main areas of her expertise include civil fraud and assets recovery, cross-border disputes and banking litigation. Galyna also possess substantial experience in alternative dispute resolution such as mediation.
Prior to joining Fortior Law, Galyna gained experience in large English and US firms in the City of London. She is a member of the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), The Energy Arbitration Club, the Ukrainian Bar Association (UBA) and the Ukrainian Arbitration Association (UAA). She is also on the committee of the British Ukrainian Law Association (BULA).
Notable cases:
• JSC Commercial Bank PrivatBank -v- Kolomoisky and Others – represented Igor Kolomoisky in the alleged misappropriation of more than £1.5 billion from the bank.
• Dynasty Company for Oil & Gas Trading Limited v the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq (the “KRG”) & Anor – represented Dynasty in $1.8 billion claim in respect of oil assets in Kurdistan. Dynasty’s primary claim was one of conspiracy and unlawful interference against the KRG, which was acting through Dr Hawrami (a former minister). Law360 published an article on 10 February 2021 reporting on a preliminary hearing on jurisdiction. The judgement has been published on Bailii and also was listed as a second largest High Court case for 2021.
• GFH Capital Ltd v David Haigh & Ors [2020] EWHC 1269 (Comm) – represented GFH. The Judgment enforced the Dubai International Commercial Court’s judgement against former Leeds United owner, David Haigh, who appropriated £5 million from GFH by way of fraud. The judgement has been published on Bailii and outlines the common law position on the enforcement of foreign judgments in the jurisdiction of England and Wales.
• Kazakhstan Kagazy PLC & Ors -v- Maskat Askaruly Arip & Ors – acted on behalf of the Respondents to the Charging Orders. Successfully resisted the Claimants’ attempts to summarily obtain final charging orders against two London properties worth circa £38 million.
• Filatona Trading Limited, (2) Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska v (1) Navigator Equities Limited, (2) Vladimir Anatolevich Chernukhin, (3) Navio Holdings Limited AND (1) Lolita Vladimirovna Danilina -v- (1) Vladimir Anatolevich Chernukhin, (2) Navigator Equities Limited, (3) Vadim Kargin [2019] EWHC 173 (Comms) – represented Oleg Deripaska. A $100 million dispute started with the LCIA arbitration and progressed to the High Court litigation under S67 and S68 of the Arbitration Act 1996. The case made law and in the White Book.
• Victor Mikhailovich Pinchuk -v- Gennadiy Borisovich Bogolyubov, Igor Valeryevich Kolomoisky (settled) – represented Igor Kolomoisky in this High Court case as well as LCIA arbitration on a separate matter.
• Represented a Russian party (the Claimant) in matter concerning breach of the SHA circa £20 million in the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA). Successful settlement in favour of my client.
• Successfully represented a client in resisting a jurisdictional challenge and winning on the merits in a London Metal Exchange (LME) arbitration. The dispute related to the sale of zinc ingots from a Belgium company to a Saudi Arabian counterparty, and raised complex issues as to conditions precedent, letters of credit, and hedging losses. The Tribunal awarded a substantial sum to the claimant as damages for breach of contract plus costs.
• Successfully represented a client in an arbitration matter before the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The dispute was between two telecoms services terminating a Reciprocal Carrier Services Agreement. The Tribunal found for the Claimant (Galyna’s client) and awarded the Claimant all of the sums claimed plus legal costs and the expenses of the arbitration. The arbitration award was enforced in England by an application to the Commercial Court.