Vladimir Sayenko- WLG Key Contact Partner, Sayenko Kharenko (Ukraine)
Member Voices
Vladimir Sayenko
WLG Key Contact Partner
Sayenko Kharenko* (Ukraine)
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*WLG Observer Firm
1. Briefly describe your practice.
Traditionally, I specialize in both Corporate/M&A and Competition/Antitrust law, while also managing some firm-wide operations as a board member. Our firm has handled more M&A transactions than any other Ukrainian law firm over the past 20 years. Despite a decrease in the value of transactions during the last two years, the demand for M&A support and competition law advice remains reasonably high. Therefore, now I focus on business development in these areas, as well as for other practices within the firm.
2. Your firm, Sayenko Kharenko, has recently joined WLG. What do you most look forward to from network involvement?
Joining WLG provides an excellent opportunity to strengthen relationships with top independent law firms globally, engage our lawyers in cross-border professional and business development, and learn more about international best practices in the legal profession.
3. Do you look forward to discussing any specific topics with WLG colleagues?
We are open to discussing topics of interest to WLG colleagues and their clients. Some have clients in the military sector looking to enter the Ukrainian market or require support for their existing operations. Others are interested in collaborating to assist with the reconstruction of the country.
Many foreign law firms are seeking ways to help the Ukrainian people during the ongoing war. Some offer secondments to Ukrainian lawyers, while others participate in pro-bono projects to assist with legal reforms in Ukraine. We coordinate these activities through Safe Ukraine 2030, an NGO established to make Ukraine a safer and more attractive place to live and do business. We also run a charity called Breathe, which has received donations from law firms worldwide and directed them towards hospitals and humanitarian initiatives in the medical sphere, including a major mental health restoration project.
4. Have you made a connection with or collaborated with another WLG member firm?
We have collaborated with several leading law firms from our region, many of whom are proud members of WLG. Their positive experiences with WLG inspired us to join the network, and we have since discovered many other excellent WLG member firms globally with whom we are building relationships.
5. What is your favorite quote/saying, and why?
Recently, I have been reflecting on the famous quote by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, "What doesn't kill me, makes me stronger" (Was mich nicht umbringt, macht mich stärker). Our country is currently facing difficult times, and international support has provided us with the necessary resources to restore and build a strong democratic country.
6. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I believe that people should pursue careers they enjoy so that work doesn't feel like an obligation but rather something that can be done with pleasure. Since remote work became common during the pandemic, the line between work and leisure time has blurred for me. In terms of "non-billable time," using our professional terminology, I enjoy activities that enrich me physically and mentally, recharge my batteries, create new neural connections, and don't leave me feeling like I've wasted my time. This includes spending time with family and friends, reading professional literature and fiction, exploring new destinations, exercising, and learning new things. For many years, my son was deeply engaged in archaeology, and I was happy to support his hobby by arranging expeditions to discover ancient settlements and search for artifacts using a metal detector and a shovel.