Profile
He specializes in international commercial law, aviation and maritime accident litigation, and maritime (admiralty) law. He has been advising and litigating for over 27 years. His law experience has involved matters in more than 40 jurisdictions worldwide (Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, etc.).
He graduated from the Kaliningrad Law Institute, where he obtained degree in jurisprudence. Then he completed post-graduate studies in international law at St. Petersburg State University. His scientific supervisor was Prof. Viktor Sidorchenko, who was one of the leading Soviet scientists in international and maritime law. Before attending law school, Aleksej Sidoruk received his marine engineering degree (at the navigation faculty) from the Kaliningrad Higher Maritime Engineering School and several years served as a licensed navigating officer on the seagoing merchant vessels (Panamax size) upon graduation.
Following law school, Aleksej practiced in the field of international maritime and commercial law. Then, he joined a well-known international law firm, where he concentrated his practice on cross-border and complex admiralty, aviation and maritime accident cases. After that, he formed his own law firm where he is currently practice. Additionally, he served as an outside member (non-executive director) of the board in international shipping (steamship) companies in some periods throughout his career. He was qualified to the post of the judge of Kaliningrad Arbitration Court.
He became one of the trailblazers in the field of plaintiff’s maritime personal injury law in representing seamen and their families from Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Ukraine. He has represented numerous seafarers and their families in high profile personal injury and wrongful death cases over his career with notable results. Aleksej argued substantive motions on leading cases in U.S. district courts where doctrine “forum non conveniens” applied in respect of Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian and Ukrainian plaintiffs. He has been involved in aviation crash cases, including the crash of Armavia 967, the crash of Aeroflot-Nord 821.
He is member of Pan-European Organization of Personal Injury Lawyers, American Society of International Law, International Law Association. He has published articles in academic and law journals on issues of international maritime law and safety, maritime personal injury law and on other actual legal issues.