Mikhail Vishnyakov

“Mikhail Vishnyakov is a tenacious litigator, who fights hard for clients and is fearless in the face of the opposition” (Legal 500, 2025)”

Mikhail’s practice focuses on international arbitration and complex litigation. He also has extensive expertise of financial sanctions and acting in disputes arising out of sanctions.

Additionally:

He is experienced in post-M&A arbitrations and complex shareholder conflicts.
He regularly acts in claims concerning assets in the emerging markets.
Mikhail has extensive commodities and sale of goods disputes experience.
Mikhail has conducted arbitrations under the major arbitral institutions and rules, including LCIA, ICC, SCC and UNCITRAL, as well as GAFTA and FOSFA.
His sector experience includes manufacturing, metals and mining, oil and gas, retail, FinTech, media and financial services.

Mikhail is a Solicitor Advocate, is registered with the Cyprus Bar Association, and has Higher Rights of Audience with the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC).

Background

Mikhail is a partner and international arbitration specialist at the London dispute resolution boutique Cooke, Young & Keidan LLP.

Mikhail joined the firm in 2021 from Linklaters LLP, where he practised for over seven years and was identified as a key lawyer in the international arbitration team by Legal 500. Mikhail trained at the international law firm SJ Berwin LLP, qualifying in 2011.

Mikhail has over ten years’ experience in international arbitration and has been a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators since 2020.

Mikhail is a Solicitor Advocate and is also registered as an Advocate with the Cyprus Bar Association. He is fluent in English and Russian and moderate in Greek.

Professional groups

Mikhail is registered as an arbitrator with the Minsk Chamber of Arbitrators and with the Cyprus Arbitration and Mediation Centre.

Mikhail is a member of the following professional groups: CIARB; ICC YAF; LCIA Young International Arbitration Group; Ukrainian Arbitration Association; RAA40; Hungarian Arbitration Association; Young ISTAC; and Young ICCA.

What the legal directories say

Mikhail is recognised in the following leading legal directories:

“Future Leader” in Who’s Who Legal: International Arbitration (2024, 2025), Asset Recovery (2024) and Commercial Litigation (2023, 2024, 2025),
“Next Generation Partner” in international arbitration by Legal 500 (2025).

The testimonials in the Legal 500 describe Mikhail as:

“Mikhail Vishnyakov is a tenacious litigator, who fights hard for clients and is fearless in the face of the opposition.”
“I have worked with Lydia Danon and Mikhail Vishnyakov. They are both superb. They know the detail, but never lose sight of the big picture. They have excellent client manners and they are a real pleasure to work with.”
“Mikhail Vishnyakov is the standout practitioner.”
“…a tenacious litigator. He relishes the fight, and presses for every legitimate advantage for his client. He works hard to ensure that all the angles have been considered and covered. It is great to have him in your corner.”

Publications, articles and seminars

Dubai Arbitration Week 2024: presentation on anti-suit injunctions and operation of arbitration clauses with sanctioned parties.

Thought Leaders 4 arbitration series webinar: presentation on enforcement of arbitral awards, October 2024.

Cyprus Arbitration Days 2024: presentation on reforms to the Arbitration Act 1996.

Thought Leaders 4 sanctions and disputes conference: presentation on sanctions and arbitration, February 2024.

‘Contracts with Russian and Russian-related parties – disputes about disputes’, Business Reporter, December 2023

‘Arbitration Act 1996: working well, says Law Commission‘, Solicitors Journal, September 2023

‘Preparing for dispute – understanding FOSFA arbitrations‘, Food Manufacture, June 2023

‘Law Commission’s “herculean” task of reform‘, Law Society Gazette, May 2023

‘Staying “best in class”‘, New Law Journal, April 2023

‘Enforcement post-Brexit: big win for arbitration?‘, IBA, December 2022

‘Financial Institutions litigation‘, ThoughtLeaders4 Disputes, October 2022

Cases of Note

Obtaining an Anti-Suit, Anti-Anti-Suit and Anti-Enforcement injunction for a European bank against a Russian bank, prohibiting proceedings in the Russian Courts brought in breach of an LCIA arbitration clause.
BPY v MXV [2023] EWHC 82 (Comm): Successfully defending a challenge brought under Section 68 of the Arbitration Act 1996 to an arbitral award. This case is significant because of the numerous and notable grounds for the challenge, which included: rules applicable to cross examinations in London-seated arbitrations; alleged bias; and treatment of allegedly unlawfully obtained documents.
Acting for a FinTech company in an LCIA arbitration against an international supplier of software support services in claims arising out of stopping contractual performance allegedly due to export controls and financial sanctions.
Defending a major agricultural company in an LCIA arbitration arising out of the purchase of claims concerning major agricultural assets (including a transshipment terminal) in Ukraine.
Defending two high-net-worth individuals in claims arising out of the sale of their majority shareholding in an Eastern European steel enterprise to a financial-institution-buyer.
Defending a major Ukrainian commodities business in LCIA arbitration claims concerning unjust enrichment, breach of contract, and frustration.
Defending a high-net-worth individual from a US$1 billion claim arising out of the disposal of an online gaming platform.
Pursued a breach of warranty claims against the sellers of a telecommunications company, arising out of the target’s undisclosed failures to comply with applicable laws.
Representing Ukrainian sellers of a manufacturing business in breach of contract and fraud claims.
Representing an Asian bank in an ICC arbitration, defending over 1000 breach of warranty and indemnity claims arising out of the disposal of a subsidiary.
Representing the purchasers of a recycling business in a claim under the warranty and indemnity insurance policy, arising out of fraud.
Bringing breach of contract and fraudulent misrepresentation claims against the sellers of a coffee house chain, arising out of surreptitious payments made to local officials.
Pursued a breach of contract claim against the sellers of a telecommunications company.
Applying for and obtaining authorisations from the UK and EU competent authorities required under the EU and under the UK sanctions regimes.
Advised a central bank of an Eastern European country on potential civil fraud and asset recovery proceedings against the former owners of a major bank following its nationalisation.
Challenging a fine imposed by OFSI for breach of financial sanctions.

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Background

Professional groups

What the legal directories say

Publications, articles and seminars

Recent articles

Contracts with Russian and Russian-related parties – disputes about disputes

Arbitration Act 1996: working well, says Law Commission

Preparing for dispute – understanding FOSFA arbitrations

Law Commission’s ‘herculean’ task of reform

Staying ‘best in class’

Sanctions and contracts: “reasonable endeavours” to overcome impact of sanctions – is accepting payments in an alternative currency required?

Enforcement post-Brexit: big win for arbitration?

Financial Institutions Litigation

Russia Sanctions: key restrictions and potential claims

Is a parent company bound by an arbitration clause entered into by its subsidiary?

Warranty claims: to what extent are post-transaction events relevant?

Financial sanctions and English law contracts – what’s the potential impact for business?

Cases of Note