On October 1, 2013 Arzinger admitted Vitalii Kasko, Attorney-at-law, as a new partner. Mr. Kasko will head and strengthen the dedicated teams of lawyers focusing on white collar defense and representation at the European Court of Human Rights. Given Vitalii Kasko’s extensive experience in the above areas as well as his good reputation on the market, Arzinger will obtain additional and quite valuable expertise required for the relevant type of proceedings.

Vitalii Kasko, Attorney-at-law, is an expert of the Council of Europe, the World Bank and a number of other international organizations on public law, criminal law and human rights. He specializes in defending clients in highly complex criminal proceedings (corruption crimes and offenses, white collar crimes, etc.), criminal assets recovery in foreign jurisdictions, extradition proceedings and protection of human rights, including in the European Court of Human Rights.

Prior to joining the team of Arzinger, he gained considerable experience of protection in criminal proceedings, criminal assets recovery, and relations with law enforcement agencies as well as representation in the European Court of Human Rights. Altogether, Vitalii Kasko advised, defended and represented clients in more than 200 complex criminal proceedings.

Vitalii started his career over 10 years ago as an investigator in the prosecution, where he led the investigation in complex white collar and corruption crimes. Later on he headed the International Legal Department at the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine.

As a member of the Expert Group of the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, he participated in drafting international treaties of Ukraine on legal relations and legal assistance in civil and criminal cases, and was a Eurojust representative in Ukraine. He also represented the Prosecutor General of Ukraine in the Secretariat of the Coordinating Council of Prosecutors General of CIS countries and was a member of the Consultative Council of European Prosecutors (CCPE). While working with the UN Intergovernmental Expert Group, he drafted a model bilateral agreement on allocating confiscated criminal assets and was a member of the World Bank’s expert group that developed a Guide on criminal assets recovery for practitioners. Vitalii initiated and was one of the authors of the International Cooperation Section of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, which was essentially reproduced in the new Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Since 2011, he is a member of the national working group on reforming the prosecution and the Bar.

Since 2002 Vitalii Kasko is engaged as an expert in the field of criminal law and human rights. Being an expert of the Council of Europe and other international organizations, he held training and seminars for judges, lawyers, prosecutors, investigators, penitentiary system and migration service in Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Bulgaria, Poland and other countries. 

“We have known Vitalii and his team for several years through successful cooperation on many projects. Therefore, the decision to combine our forces was a logical step in the further improvement of collaboration and obtaining a synergy effect. Arzinger has a leading position in the Ukrainian market of legal representation, legal services in criminal law and procedure being an integral part thereof. It is no secret that most disputes with fiscal authorities are either way accompanied by the criminal prosecution of corporate officers. Arzinger’s unique advantage in working on such projects has always been the ability to offer its clients a complete package of services in the relevant field, starting from the appeal of misconduct and ending with support in criminal proceedings, which certainly benefits our clients in many ways. In view of the recent global developments in terms of enhanced application of foreign anti-corruption laws as well as of today’s trends and realities in Ukraine (including the introduction of criminal liability for legal entities and the forecasted criminalization of competition violations), we strongly believe that Vitalii’s joining our team will significantly strengthen our position in the relevant market and will help our clients feel more comfortable in working with Arzinger,” commented Arzinger’s Managing Partner Timur Bondaryev.

Given the specifics of Arzinger’s work involving the development of a regional network and the fact of its presence in the large “border” cities Lviv and Odessa, the law firm has always to deal with customs legislation issues, which often entail criminal sanctions. The said is also part of the activities Vitalii will be involved in.

“It is a great honor for me to join one of the leading law firms in the Ukrainian market, which has been working for a long time in the areas I am also engaged in. It has achieved significant results and has formed a dedicated team of lawyers. In the light of the trends towards liability for competition violations and anti-corruption laws in Ukraine, the development of white collar defense practice and representation at the ECHR is more than eminent. I am sure that I will be able to contribute my expertise, including my experience in the prosecution, to the qualitative strengthening of Arzinger’s position in the said areas,” Vitalii Kasko added.