EQUITY successfully defends local community's interests in pro bono case involving over 100 hectares of land

The attorneys at EQUITY provided pro bono legal representation to protect the territorial community's rights and interests in commercial case No. 925/1423/24. The case concerned the lease of land plots totalling over 100 hectares.

The plaintiff, a business entity, applied to the court to oblige the village council to enter into a new land lease agreement, citing an alleged pre-emptive right.

EQUITY's legal team developed and implemented a comprehensive defence strategy for the court, successfully proving the following:

• the tenant's lack of a pre-emptive right due to their failure to comply with the essential terms of the agreement;
• the incompatibility of the tenant's proposed terms and conditions with the village council's decisions, particularly with regard to the rent;
• that the village council had complied with all land legislation requirements when disposing of communal land.

The court confirmed the legitimacy of the village council's actions and its right to decide independently whether to enter into lease agreements and whether to renew them, without being obliged to accept terms imposed by the tenant.

The Supreme Court's decision is available here.

EQUITY team working on the project was led by partner Serhiy Chuyev and included counsels Andrii Ivaniv and Maksym Halan, as well as senior associate Taras Shtokalo.

EQUITY consistently supports pro bono legal aid practices by providing professional legal support to local authorities and communities in land dispute cases.