The Legal 500

The firm

DLA Piper is one of the largest global legal services practices in the world, with over 4,200 lawyers in 76 offices in 30 countries. From its offices in Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and the US, legal and business advisers provide a broad range of services to local, regional and international clients.

The Georgian part of DLA Piper, DLA Piper Georgia LP, is in the top tier of legal services providers in Georgia. The practice’s reputation for excellence attracts clients in the most high-profile international investment, financing and privatisation transactions in Georgia, as well as the most significant business disputes in local courts and international arbitrations.

To extend its already substantial geographic presence, DLA Piper has an exclusive agreement with independent law firms in Africa, Australasia, Europe and the Middle East, collectively known as DLA Piper Group. Through the alliance, DLA Piper provides integrated international legal solutions for clients, wherever they chose to do business.

Areas of practice

Energy: acts on behalf of major oil and gas companies in the negotiation and implementation of production sharing agreements, land acquisition, litigation, host government agreements and the creation of special tax regimes for major pipeline projects. The practice also has extensive experience in the electric power sector.

Corporate: advises on the establishment of Georgian companies and joint ventures, including advice on the selection of corporate vehicles, drafting and negotiation of shareholder agreements, creating corporate charters and carrying out legal due diligence on domestic targets.

Capital markets: the internationalisation of debt and equity securities offerings by Georgian companies, including acting for the first Georgian company to list its shares on the LSE and undertake a Eurobond offering.

Banking and finance: represents multilateral and sovereign lending agencies, private commercial banks, ECAs, private equity funds, and project sponsors and borrowers in debt and equity financings in the energy, infrastructure, industrial, real estate and banking sectors.

Litigation and arbitration: contract and commercial matters, privatisation-related disputes, tort and property damage claims, tax disputes, and IP. Lawyers serve as local counsel in international arbitration and litigation matters related to Georgian transactions and assets, including recognition and enforcement of arbitration awards.

Real estate: advises clients on acquiring all types of real estate, whether purchases of greenfield sites from private owners or brownfield sites from the government (privatisations) with development commitments, and everything in between. Lawyers also handle leasing and land use transactions. Clients include, among others, buyers, project sponsors, developers, lenders, borrowers and investment funds.

Employment: services include drafting and negotiating employment agreements, conducting employment law compliance audits for clients, and employment due diligence in the context of corporate M&A and reorganisations, and advice on wage and hour issues, employment-related tax issues, family and medical leave matters, safeguarding trade secrets, and IP and insurance coverage for employment claims.

IP: patent and trade mark licensing and registration and representation of clients in litigation concerning protection of IP rights, infringement of copyright and trade marks and product certification.

Tax and customs: advises international clients on the Georgian tax consequences of investments into Georgia, and Georgian clients on tax-optimal structures for joint ventures with foreign partners.

Telecommunication, transport and infrastructure: acts for international clients on a variety of telecoms matters, including licensing, regulatory and legal issues. It also has a strong practice in both transportation and infrastructure in the non-energy sector, representing both Georgian and international companies and public entities.

Contacts
Ted Jonas
Otar Kipshidze

Languages
Georgian
English
Russian

Other offices
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Belgium
Bosnia-Herzegovina*
China
Croatia*
Czech Republic
Egypt*
France
Germany
Ghana*
Hong Kong
Hungary
Italy
Japan
Kenya*
Kuwait
Netherlands
New Zealand*
Norway
Oman
Poland
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Slovak Republic
South Africa*
Spain
Sweden*
Tanzania*
Thailand
Turkey
UAE
UK
US
Ukraine
Venezuela
Zambia*

Number of lawyers 4,200

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