NATALIA ISAKHANOVA

Recognition & Professional Achievements

・Recognized among the world’s best experts in Trade & Customs Law by Who’s Who Legal: Trade & Customs.

・Ranked as a Leading Lawyer in International Trade & Competition Law by The Legal 500 EMEA.

・Included in the “Top 100 Best Lawyers of Ukraine” by Yurydychna Hazeta, recognized in International Trade, Antitrust, and Investments Law.

・Honored as one of Ukraine’s most successful female lawyers by Euromoney’s Women in Business Law 2022.

・Recognized as a national expert in Trade & Customs and Cartel Regulation by Getting the Deal Through and recommended as Ukraine’s exclusive expert in Trade & Customs Law by Global Law Experts.

・Recognized as a Leading Lawyer in International Trade and Corporate Law by Best Lawyers.

Notable Legal Cases & Experience

International Trade & Antitrust Law

・Successfully represented Lactalis Group in a safeguard investigation on cheese imports to Ukraine, leading to a decision with no restrictive measures imposed.

・Defended Turkish Business Association members in a safeguard investigation on PVC profile imports, resulting in a positive outcome with no provisional measures applied.

・Represented Chinese manufacturer ZHEJIANG AOPENG INDUSTRY AND TRADING CO., LTD in an anti-dumping investigation on aluminum ladders, securing a favorable decision without AD measures.

・Advised Chinese manufacturer HUIDA SANITARY WARE CO LTD in a safeguard investigation on ceramic tiles imports, ensuring no restrictive measures were applied.

・Provided legal support to Chinese Commerce Association, including members such as Lenovo Ukraine, Huawei Ukraine, and SSES-Ukraine, in protecting economic and business interests in Ukraine.

・Advised global companies on tariff and non-tariff trade regulations, certification of imports, and compliance with World Trade Organization standards.

Corporate Law, M&A & Investment Advisory

・Secured AMCU approval for Lenovo Group Limited (Hong Kong) in acquiring Motorola Mobility Holdings LLC (USA), a $2.9 billion transaction.

・Represented General Motors Company in obtaining AMCU clearancefor the $3.2 billion acquisition of Delphi Corporation, a major automotive parts producer.

・Provided strategic M&A advisory to Budhouse Group Limited, obtaining regulatory approval for acquiring construction and real estate businesses in Ukraine.

・Supported Peugeot S.A. (Paris) and General Motors Holdings LLC (Detroit) in AMCU clearance for joint development and production of automotive components.

・Advised one of Ukraine’s leading agro-industrial holdings on corporate restructuring and antitrust compliance.

・Provided legal guidance on foreign direct investment projects, ensuring compliance with Ukrainian investment regulations.

Regulatory & Compliance Leadership

・Drafted the National Export Strategy for Ukraine (2016-2020) and the Implementation Action Plan under the request of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine.

・Served as advisor to the Government of Adjara (Georgia) on foreign investment and trade matters.

・Participated in the preparation of a WTO compliance report for the World Bank, analyzing Ukrainian trade policies and legislation.

・Acted as Deputy Chairman of the Export-Import Committee of the Chinese Commerce Association, reinforcing Ukrainian-Chinese trade relations.

Thought Leadership

Nataliia is actively engaged in legal education and professional development. She serves as:

・Academic Advisor & Panelist at the National WTO Moot Court Competitions co-organized by ELSA Ukraine and Koziakov & Partners.

・Author of WTO Law training materials and the Introductory Online Legal Course on WTO Law for students.

・Regular contributor to Global Trade and Customs Journal, Getting The Deal Through, CorporateLiveWire, Legal Week, and Legal Newspaper, writing on international trade, competition law, and corporate governance.

・Co-author of academic materials for students of the Institute of International Relations, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.

Ph.D. in International Law, Institute of International Relations, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Dissertation topic: “International legal regulation of foreign economic relations of Ukraine with the CIS member states”.

Master’s Degree in Law & English Translation, Institute of International Relations, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.