Veronika Hodlevska and Valeriia Yakimova are among the co-founders of Ukraine Very Young Arbitration Practitioners

Asters' Senior Associate Veronika Hodlevska and Associate Valeriia Yakimova are among the co-founders of Ukraine Very Young Arbitration Practitioners (Ukraine VYAP), established together with fellow Ukrainian arbitration practitioners as the Ukrainian chapter of the Global VYAP Network.

Ukraine VYAP brings together young lawyers and early-career professionals interested in international arbitration. The initiative aims to foster knowledge sharing, mentorship, professional development, and meaningful engagement of young practitioners in Ukraine’s evolving arbitration landscape.

As part of the Global VYAP Network, which unites more than 30 national chapters worldwide, Ukraine VYAP aims to strengthen connections between Ukrainian practitioners and the global arbitration community while showcasing the resilience of Ukraine’s legal profession.

"Professional growth often starts with a conversation. Ukraine VYAP creates opportunities for those conversations to happen across firms, generations, and borders," says Valeriia Yakimova.

"Supporting the next generation of arbitration practitioners is an investment in the future of arbitration itself. Ukraine VYAP aims to connect emerging talent with experienced professionals, fostering mentorship, knowledge-sharing, and new opportunities, while creating a strong sense of belonging within the broader arbitration community," adds Veronika Hodlevska.

On 25 June 2026, Ukraine VYAP will officially launch at the "Ukraine VYAP Launch Event", featuring a panel discussion and a networking reception. The key discussion will be held around the topic of "Interim Measures, Arbitrator Challenges, Personal Liability: How Russia is Testing the Limits of International Arbitration". The event will be held free of charge offline in Kyiv. For more details and updates, we encourage to follow the group's LinkedIn page.

We invite arbitration practitioners, students, and everyone interested in international arbitration to register and join the event, follow Ukraine VYAP’s updates to be part of this new voice for the Ukrainian arbitration community.