Magisters


Magisters was a large CIS-based law firm. The firm was founded in Kiev, Ukraine, in 1997 as Magister & Partners. The firm has since changed its name to Magisters and expanded across the territory of the Commonwealth of Independent States. In July 2011, Magisters merged with Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners.

History

The firm was founded in 1997 in Ukraine as "Magister & Partners" by two young lawyers – Oleg Riabokon and Serhii Sviriba. Riabokon and Sviriba were studying of the Kiev Institute of International Relations Law department, and the idea to establish a law firm came to them right at the university prom.
In 2006, "Magister & Partners" merged with Ukrainian law firm "Pravis:Reznikov, Vlasenko & Partners" and launched in Russia by merging with "Legas Legal Solutions", this merge became the first-ever cross-border merger between independent law firms in the CIS and marked the beginning of the Firm's CIS-wide expansion.
After conducting a rebranding campaign in 2008 Magisters & Partners became Magisters.
The years 2008 and 2009 have been a period of active expansion for Magisters. The firm merged with a Belarusian law firm BelJurBureau and opened an office in Astana, Kazakhstan. Early 2009, Magisters also set up a representative office in London, UK.
The firms Kiev office was raided by the Ukrainian police on February 3, 2011 for undisclosed reasons.
In July 2011, Magisters merged with Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners.