Ekaterina Churanova

Ekaterina Churanova focuses on commercial litigation (in the U.K. and internationally) and arbitration, as well as investment treaty arbitrations involving Commonwealth of Independent States entities and high-profile individuals. In recognition of her work in international arbitration, Ms. Churanova was named one of Best Lawyers’ 2023 Ones to Watch.

Her recent experience includes advising:

• Gennadiy Bogolyubov in:
  • a claim brought against him by Ukrainian businessman Victor Pinchuk for an amount in excess of US$2 billion in relation to an alleged breach of contract and trust (High Court of England and Wales);
  • the strike-out of a US$380 million civil fraud claim (with associated worldwide freezing order) brought by oil giant Tatneft in the English High Court; and
  • a civil fraud claim (with associated worldwide freezing order) brought against him by a recently nationalised Ukrainian bank PrivatBank for an amount in excess of US$2 billion (High Court of England and Wales);
• a client in a US$800 million LCIA arbitration involving a shareholder dispute relating to distribution of profits of a Ukrainian ferroalloy holding;
• Sequana S.A. in its company law dispute with British American Tobacco concerning challenges, on various grounds, to the lawfulness of dividends, including issues regarding directors’ duties and the scope of key provisions of the Insolvency Act 1986 (Court of Appeal and the U.K. Supreme Court); and
• an ultra high-net-worth individual in relation to potential bilateral investment treaty UNCITRAL arbitration claim in respect of the nationalised assets.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Churanova was practicing in Moscow where she was working on a number of commercial and investment disputes.