AVELLUM provided full legal support to American University Kyiv in establishing campus in historic Kyiv River Port building

AVELLUM provided comprehensive legal support to American University Kyiv in establishing its first-of-its-kind educational institution in Ukraine, located in the historic Kyiv River Port building on Poshtova Square in the centre of Kyiv. Throughout the project, our team worked diligently to ensure legal integrity, and sustainability of the university’s presence in the building.

Given the building’s architectural heritage status and the long-term nature of the project, our team conducted a thorough legal due diligence, analysed the possibility of using and adapting the building for educational purposes, and identified related legal risks. Our comprehensive legal advice helped to protect the client’s interests and mitigate the risks and served as a basis for successful negotiations with various stakeholders.

In 2022, our team continued to provide legal support to the university’s establishment, advising the client on the works conducted in the building and renegotiation of the lease agreement aiming to enhance the provisions protecting the client’s interests. The building was recently commissioned and will be opened for students to study offline in May.

American University Kyiv (AUK) is a private university in Ukraine designed as an innovative world-class institution with its foundation fully based on U.S. higher education standards. It is the first university in Ukraine to partner with Arizona State University (ASU), the most innovative university in the U.S. according to the U.S. News & World Report. This partnership gives AUK access to ASU curriculum, exchange programs, and unique opportunities to offer dual degrees from both AUK and ASU.

Maksym Maksymenko, a partner at AVELLUM, commented: “We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to work on the project of establishing American University in Kyiv. The success of this project not only contributes to the development of Ukrainian education but also strengthens the relationship between Ukraine and its foreign partners.” AVELLUM’s real estate team was led by partner Maksym Maksymenko, with significant support from senior associate Daryna Mykhailenko and associates Rostyslav Mushka, Yuliia Pidlisna, and Inna Erbelidze.