BLC Law Office

Partners: Alexander Bolkvadze, Ketti Kvartskhava, Giorgi Batlidze, Tamta Ivanishvili, Lasha Uplisashvili, Rusa Tchkuaseli

Number of partners: 6

Number of lawyers: 25

Languages: Georgian, English, French, German, Russian

Firm Overview:

Based in Georgia and described by clients as “fully comparable with the Magic Circle”, BLC is a true leader of the market practicing in virtually all areas of law. Having thorough knowledge of Georgian legislation and legal practice, as well as various key industries, lawyers of BLC are devotedly serving the interests of their clients. With 25 qualified attorneys currently employed full time with BLC and several off counsels, BLC certainly has larger capacity to handle several complicated transactions and cases at a time than most of the law-firms in Georgia. Most importantly, BLC Law Office is the only legal practice in Georgia having a branch in Batumi (the investment center of the West Georgia).

BLC is truly exceptional with the approach to the Client’s needs, as well as the best possible understanding of the respective business environment. Our approach to each particular matter is to adapt to and understand the commercial, as well as policy and strategic rationale behind the relevant issue with the purpose of creating value through legal advice.

Main Areas of Practice:

■ Banking & Finance, Capital Markets

■ Competition Law

■ Corporate Matters and M&A

■ Criminal Law & International Courts

■ Dispute Resolution

■ Employment Law

■ Energy & Infrastructure

■ Hospitality

■ Intellectual Property

■ Legislative Drafting

■ Personal Data Protection

■ Privatisation & Government Relations

■ Real Estate & Construction, Project Development

■ Tax & Customs Advice

■ Telecommunications, Media & Information Technologies

Recent Key Matters:

• Assisting Pave Bank, first digital bank engaged in programmable banking, in obtaining its banking license in Georgia;
• Assisting MyCoins in registering the very first Virtual Assets Service Provider with the National Bank of Georgia;
• Acting for the consortium of international financial institutions like ADB, FMO, Proparco and IFC to finance Georgian Renewable Project Operation Company – the first green bond issuance in the amount of USD 80 million at the Georgian Stock Exchange;
• As part of technical assistance rendered by the USAID Economic Governance Program, BLC drafted the legislative package for introducing the concept of trust in Georgia, as well as the new Securitization Law;
• BLC has handled the registrations of absolute majority of investment funds operating in Georgia, including the first real estate fund (Elysium Asset Management) and the first crypto fund (Cash Plus Capital);
• Advising Pace Group, group of companies operating seaport terminal facilities in Poti, in obtaining finance from DFC, as well as other key matters like structuring the relationship with APM Terminals, which operates the Poti Sea Port and Georgia Railways;
• BLC acts as a counsel on Georgian law in the pending international commercial arbitration between Anaklia Development Consortium and the Government of Georgia (ICC arbitration seated in Geneva); BLC, together with Baker & McKenzie, represents Bob Meijer (Dutch investor) in an ICSID arbitration against Georgia;
• BLC acts as a legal counsel of different local and foreign developers of renewable energy projects in Georgia. Involved in developing of Namakhvani HPP, Shuakhevi HPP, Dariali HPP, Paravani HPP, Mtkvari HPP, Tekhuri HPP, Khelvachauri 1 HPP, Kirnati HPP, Nigoza WPP and many other small and medium power plants, BLC has been named as the standalone leader at the energy legal market of Georgia;
• Being the largest real estate and construction market after Tbilisi, BLC has opened its branch in Batumi and assisted our clients in developing of the real estate, construction and hospitality projects such as Sheraton Batumi, Hilton Kobuleti, Semiramida Gardens Hotel, Babillon Tower, Batumi International Bus Terminal, Atlas Residence, Casino & Hotel, Welmond Hotel and Casino, Dreamland Oasis (hotel and residential complex, Golden Palace Hotel and Casino, Mandarin Batumi Project, Batumi Palm Hotel and Residential Complex, Geverse Development, Realm Holdings and many others.

Key Clients:

ADB (Asia Development Bank); Adjara+(Georgia); Alfred Kärcher GmbH&Co KG (Germany); Anadolu Group (Turkey); Anaklia Development Consortium (Georgia/USA); Bank Republic (Société Générale Group) (Georgia); Bauer (Germany); BNP Paribas (Switzerland); British Petroleum (UK); China Development Bank Corporation (China); City Loft (Georgia); CMA-CGM (France); Credit Suisse (UK); Diplomat Georgia (Georgia/Israel); Gazelle Finance (USA), Georgian Co-Investment Fund (Georgia); Georgian Healthcare Group (Georgia); Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation (Georgia); GRDF (The fund managing the US Millennium Challenge Georgia funds); EBRD (International); EIB (International); Embassy of the Republic of France in Georgia; Embassy of Swiss Confederation in Georgia; Embassy of German Federal Republic in Georgia; EU Delegation in Georgia; Embassy of Brazil in Georgia; General Electric Co. (USA); JSC Georgian Railway (Georgia); Gras Savoye (France); Hewlett-Packard (USA); HSBC Bank Georgia (UK-Georgia); IBM (USA); ING Bank (Netherlands); IFC (International); IS Bank (Turkey); Johnson & Johnson (USA); Panalpina (Switzerland); Partnership Fund of Georgia (Georgia); Pace Group (Georgia); Pave Bank (Singapore); Philip Morris (International); Premier League (Uk); Pepsi Bottlers in Georgia (Georgia/Armenia); Procredit Bank (Georgia); R. Bosch GmbH (Germany); Sayali LLC (Subsidiary of Azercon Holdings, Georgia/Azerbaijan); Sabah Group Georgia (Georgia/Azerbaijan); Sheraton Batumi (USA); Socar Petroleum (Azerbaijan); Teliani Valley (Georgia); TBC Bank (Georgia); TBC Bank Group plc. (UK); Tiffany & Co.