Property at risk. A contractor has breached the agreement. A creditor has filed a claim. Heirs cannot reach agreement. In each of these situations, every day of delay costs more: a court may rule in the other party's absence, the limitation period runs out, and the evidentiary position weakens without proper documentation.
Yurinkom Law Firm has handled civil cases since 1992. Over this time we have built a practice spanning hundreds of cases: from real estate and inheritance disputes to matrimonial property division and debt recovery. Initial consultation from UAH 1,000. If you then engage us to handle your case, the consultation fee is credited against the engagement fee.
We act in Kyiv courts and remotely across Ukraine. Clients abroad do not normally need to travel: the retainer agreement is signed remotely, and the advocate represents you in court on the basis of a legal services agreement and an advocate's order. No notarised power of attorney is required for court representation.
Quick Facts
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | from UAH 1,000 (credited against engagement fee) |
| Statement of claim | from UAH 2,500 |
| First-instance hearing | from UAH 3,000 per hearing |
| Appeal submission | from UAH 4,000 |
| Appeal hearing | from UAH 5,000 per hearing |
| Coverage | Kyiv + remotely across Ukraine and from abroad |
| Experience | Since 1992, hundreds of cases |
Send us your available documents for an initial assessment — we will evaluate the prospects and give you a fee estimate.
Practice Areas
We handle the main categories of civil cases. Below are the practice areas with indicative fees.
Divorce Through Court
Dissolution of marriage through court proceedings, including where one spouse is abroad or refuses to appear. Remote handling without a notarised power of attorney.
Full case management from UAH 5,000
Matrimonial Property Division
Division of jointly acquired assets on divorce or after it: apartments, vehicles, business interests, bank accounts. Protection against fraudulent transfers.
From UAH 10,000
Family Disputes
Child maintenance (alimony), determination of residence for children, termination of parental rights, establishment or contestation of paternity.
From UAH 5,000
Inheritance Disputes
Restoration of the inheritance acceptance deadline, contesting a will, recognition of the right to a compulsory share, disputes between heirs.
From UAH 10,000
Inheritance Registration
Acceptance of inheritance through a notary or court, judicial recognition of title to inherited property.
Fee subject to case assessment
Debt Recovery
Recovery under promissory notes, loan agreements, court orders. Disputes with homeowners' associations and housing cooperatives over utility charges.
Fee subject to case assessment
Real Estate Disputes
Recognition of title, removal of obstacles to use of property, challenging real estate transactions, eviction proceedings.
Fee subject to case assessment
Contractual Disputes
Recovery of damages and penalties, declaring a contract void, termination of contracts, protection against bad-faith counterparties.
Fee subject to case assessment
Housing Disputes
Challenging decisions of homeowners' associations, disputes over utility charges, protection against unlawful disconnection of utility services.
Fee subject to case assessment
Consumer Protection
Return of defective goods, recovery of compensation for consumer rights violations, disputes with sellers and property developers.
Fee subject to case assessment
What the Lawyer Does in Your Case
A civil case moves through several consecutive stages. At each stage the lawyer carries out specific work that affects the outcome.
1. Initial document review and case assessment
During the consultation we analyse your documents, establish the legal position, and assess the risks and merits. By the end of this stage it is clear whether there are grounds for a court claim or whether pre-trial settlement is worth exploring. Fee: from UAH 1,000 (credited against the engagement fee).
2. Pre-trial settlement
Where there are grounds, we prepare a demand letter or conduct negotiations on your behalf. In many property and contract disputes this resolves the matter without a court hearing — faster and at lower cost. If the other party ignores the demand, we proceed to court with a position that is already documented.
3. Preparation of procedural documents
We draft the statement of claim, defence submissions, applications and requests for interim measures. A properly drafted claim is not just a list of demands — it also sets out the evidentiary basis, legal references and calculation of the relief sought. Fee: from UAH 2,500.
4. First instance
We represent your interests at every hearing: presenting arguments, submitting evidence and responding to the other side's position. You do not need to attend. The advocate acts under the retainer agreement and advocate's order. Fee: from UAH 3,000 per hearing.
5. Appeal
If the first-instance judgment is unsatisfactory, or if the other party challenges a judgment in your favour, we prepare the appeal or the response to it and represent your interests in the court of appeal. Fee: appeal submission from UAH 4,000 + from UAH 5,000 per hearing.
6. Enforcement
Winning the case and recovering the money are two different outcomes. Once the judgment becomes final, we obtain the enforcement order and supervise the opening and progress of enforcement proceedings.
Questions That Decide the Outcome
When can a dispute be resolved without going to court?
Pre-trial settlement produces results where there is written evidence of the amount owed and the breach: a contract, promissory note, act or correspondence. In such cases a well-drafted demand letter often moves the other party to pay without litigation. If the other party consistently ignores demands or denies the debt, court proceedings are unavoidable. Mediation is an option in some family and property disputes where both parties are open to compromise.
When to contact a lawyer: before filing a claim, after receiving a summons, or after judgment?
Before filing a claim is ideal. A sound position and proper evidence from the outset significantly influence the outcome. After receiving a summons it is not too late: we join the proceedings and prepare the defence. After judgment there are 30 days to appeal under Article 354 of the Civil Procedure Code of Ukraine. The earlier the engagement, the wider the range of procedural tools available.
What affects the cost and duration?
Cost factors: number of hearings, complexity of the evidence, the other party's conduct, need for expert witnesses. Time factors: court caseload, number of parties, procedural challenges raised by the other side. A straightforward divorce with no property or child disputes: 2–4 months. A property or inheritance dispute: 6 months or more.
Common mistakes that undermine a court position
Signing documents without legal review — this often locks in unfavourable terms permanently. Missing limitation periods: the general limitation period is 3 years (Article 257 of the Civil Code of Ukraine); shorter periods apply to certain categories of claims. Absence of written evidence: an oral agreement without a note or written record is practically impossible to prove in court. Filing in the wrong court: an error in jurisdiction results in the claim being returned and time being lost.
Which documents to send for an initial assessment?
The list depends on the type of dispute. Divorce: marriage certificate and passports of both parties. Property division: acquisition documents and evidence of the source of funds. Debt recovery: the promissory note or loan agreement, and the debtor's identity details. Inheritance matters: death certificate and documents relating to the property. Send whatever you have — we will tell you what else is needed.
When You May Not Need a Lawyer
If the dispute is straightforward, the amount is modest, the other party does not contest the claim, and the documentation is clear — sometimes a single consultation or the preparation of one document is sufficient. We say so directly at the first meeting.
Full case management is warranted where there is a contested court dispute, a risk of losing property or real estate, missed procedural deadlines, a complex evidentiary picture, or active opposition from the other side. In such situations, self-representation frequently leads to procedural errors that are difficult to correct later.
Why Yurinkom
Lawyer Igor Balaban has handled civil cases since 1992. 34 years of practice, hundreds of cases in Kyiv and Ukrainian courts. Igor Balaban is registered in the Unified Register of Lawyers of Ukraine (NAAU).
We do not promise guaranteed outcomes: civil litigation depends on the evidence, the court's assessment and the other side's actions. We give an honest assessment of prospects at the consultation, before any engagement fee is paid.
Office in Kyiv. Consultations in person or remotely. Clients from across Ukraine and abroad.
Case Studies
The cases below are drawn from the public Unified State Register of Court Decisions of Ukraine (ЄДРСР). All personal data has been anonymised in accordance with statutory requirements. Past results do not guarantee the same outcome in another case.
Inheritance deadline restored: apartments and garages did not pass to the state
Problem. Our client had missed the statutory six-month deadline to accept an inheritance by more than one and a half years. The estate — several apartments and garages — was at risk of being claimed by the state as escheat property.
Strategy. We gathered evidence establishing valid grounds for the delay and applied to court for restoration of the acceptance deadline.
Result. The court restored the deadline. Our client registered all the property in her name. Decision in ЄДРСР No. 134481914.
Default judgment for utility arrears set aside
Problem. Kyivteploenerho (the city heating utility) obtained a default judgment against our client for utility debt without our client's actual participation in the proceedings.
Strategy. We challenged the default judgment, obtained its annulment, and the case was reopened for consideration on its merits. We are currently analysing the utility's calculations for limitation period issues and arithmetical errors.
Result (ongoing). The default judgment has been set aside. There are grounds for a substantial reduction of the amount claimed. Decision in ЄДРСР No. 133811757.
Divorce obtained for a client who could not return to Ukraine
Problem. Our client was abroad and could not return to Ukraine because of the state of martial law. The divorce proceedings had stalled.
Strategy. We concluded the retainer agreement remotely. The advocate represented our client at all hearings without a notarised power of attorney, acting under the legal services agreement and advocate's order.
Result. The court issued a judgment dissolving the marriage. Our client did not travel to Kyiv at any point. Decision in ЄДРСР No. 135724969.
Remote Case Handling
Most civil cases do not require the client's personal attendance at hearings. The advocate acts under a legal services agreement and advocate's order. No notarised power of attorney is required for court representation — the agreement and order are sufficient.
Ukraine's Electronic Court system (cabinet.court.gov.ua) allows documents to be filed with the court electronically. Hearings may be conducted by video conference: participants join from any location without attending court in person.
For clients abroad: the retainer agreement is signed remotely, documents are transmitted electronically, and payment is made by bank transfer. We have handled cases for clients who remained abroad throughout the proceedings without travelling to Kyiv.
Fees
Transparent fee model: you pay for work actually performed. Each hearing is documented in an act. Fees are fixed in the retainer agreement before work begins.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | from UAH 1,000 (credited against engagement fee) |
| Statement of claim / defence / application | from UAH 2,500 |
| Attendance at first-instance hearing | from UAH 3,000 per hearing |
| Appeal submission | from UAH 4,000 |
| Attendance at appeal hearing | from UAH 5,000 per hearing |
Full case management package (claim + all hearings through first-instance judgment): divorce from UAH 5,000, family cases from UAH 5,000, property division and inheritance disputes from UAH 10,000, debt recovery by agreement. Court filing fees are paid separately by the claimant.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What civil disputes do you handle in Kyiv?
- We handle a wide range of civil cases: divorce and family matters (child maintenance, residence of children), matrimonial property division, inheritance disputes and inheritance registration, debt recovery (promissory notes, loan agreements, court orders), real estate disputes, contractual disputes, housing disputes (homeowners' associations, utility charges) and consumer protection.
- Can a dispute be resolved without going to court?
- In many cases pre-trial settlement produces a result faster and more cheaply than litigation. Where there is written evidence of the amount and the breach — a contract, promissory note, act or correspondence — a demand letter often leads to payment without court proceedings. We assess the prospects of a pre-trial approach at the initial consultation.
- When should I contact a lawyer: before filing a claim, after receiving a summons, or after judgment?
- Before filing a claim is the best time: a sound position and proper evidence from the outset significantly affect the outcome. After receiving a summons it is not too late — we join the proceedings and prepare the defence submission. After judgment there are 30 days to appeal under Article 354 of the Civil Procedure Code of Ukraine.
- How much does the consultation cost and what determines the fee for handling the case?
- The initial consultation costs from UAH 1,000. If you subsequently engage us for the case, this amount is credited against the engagement fee — the consultation is effectively free upon signing the retainer. The case fee depends on the type of dispute, the number of hearings and the other party's conduct. Transparent model: statement of claim from UAH 2,500, each hearing from UAH 3,000.
- Can you handle the case without my personal attendance?
- Yes. In most civil cases the client is not required to attend hearings. The advocate represents your interests under the retainer agreement and advocate's order. Clients abroad handle their cases remotely. No notarised power of attorney is required for court representation — the agreement and order are sufficient.
- Which documents should I send for an initial case assessment?
- The list depends on the type of dispute. Divorce: marriage certificate and passports of both parties. Property division: acquisition documents and evidence of the source of funds. Debt recovery: the promissory note or loan agreement, and the debtor's identity details. Inheritance matters: death certificate and documents relating to the property. Send whatever you have — we will advise on what else is needed.
- How long do the stages take: drafting a claim, first instance, appeal, enforcement?
- Preparation of the statement of claim: from a few days to a week. First-instance proceedings: 2–6 months in a typical case. Judgment becoming final: 30 days after delivery if no appeal is filed. Appeal: 2–4 months. Enforcement: depends on the liquidity of the debtor's assets.
- What happens after the judgment: appeal or enforcement?
- If judgment is in your favour and the other party does not appeal: we obtain the enforcement order and open enforcement proceedings. If the other party has appealed: we represent your interests in the court of appeal. If judgment is against you: there are 30 days to file an appeal.
- Can the other party be ordered to pay my legal fees?
- Yes. Article 141 of the Civil Procedure Code of Ukraine provides for the recovery of legal assistance costs from the losing party. The court determines the reasonable amount. We prepare a detailed record of work performed for submission to the court.
Contact a Lawyer
Yurinkom Law Firm
Advocate Igor Balaban, civil cases since 1992
Office: Kyiv
Phone: +380 44 232 50 60
Mobile: +380 93 390 60 60
Appointments: in person at the Kyiv office or remotely. Clients abroad are served without travelling.