Over almost 30 years of its successful practice, AEQUITAS has accumulated respectable professional experience and theoretical knowledge in the areas most sought after when doing business in Kazakhstan, which enables its lawyers to navigate clients through the most complex legal issues. World famous companies trust and cooperate with AEQUITAS.
The key areas in which AEQUITAS, year after year, enjoys deserved recognition as the leading and most recommended law firm in Kazakhstan, include business law, corporate law, banking and finance, natural resources and environmental, labor & employment, and M&A.
Certain areas of the firm’s practice have altered – AEQUITAS has always been quick to respond to changes in the legal regulation and economy and seeks to develop and enhance the areas of practice most in demand by clients during certain historical periods of time. In the 90’s the firm’s important area of practice was legal support of privatization projects. AEQUITAS lawyers were advising the largest foreign investors and governmental agencies in the course for privatization of the country’s major enterprises and facilities. In recent years, the firm’s actively developing areas of practice are healthcare, medicine and pharmaceuticals, and the potentially popular – public-private partnership.
The firm has gained a most positive reputation in such areas as insurance, mass media, customs, and many others.
AEQUITAS lawyers are also ready to assist individual clients in matrimonial and inheritance law matters, providing services that involve the drafting of various contracts and court documents, as well as client representation in court.
Business law. A large portion of AEQUITAS ’s day-to-day practice comprises services relating to the legal support of its clients’ businesses. The firm’s lawyers are assisting clients in diverse matters — from the drafting of contracts to due diligence of companies.
Corporate law. AEQUITAS’ corporate law practice started at the same time as the adoption of the new Kazakhstan’s legislative acts on legal entities, and with the establishment of Kazakhstan’s first joint ventures with foreign capital participation in 1993.
Banking and finance. AEQUITAS ’s long-standing clients are the world’s leading investment and commercial banks, state-owned organizations, international payment systems, institutional investors and other players in the capital markets.
Environmental. AEQUITAS’ environmental practice is one of Kazakhstan’s strongest. The key clients using aequitas environmental legal services are the leading local and international companies active in the construction, industrial production and subsoil use sectors in Kazakhstan.
Natural resources. AEQUITAS is particularly proud
of its subsoil use practice. AEQUITAS ’s experience in the natural resources area is domestically unique, as the firm partook in the national-significance projects and projects completely new to Kazakhstan.
Labor and employment. AEQUITAS’ labor law practice is the best in Kazakhstan. The firm’s lawyers are advising on most intricate issues unregulated by local legislation. AEQUITAS possesses extensive experience in defending both employers and employees, in and out of court.
M&A. AEQUITAS’ M&A practice was launched together with the privatization of the key entities of Kazakhstan’s economy in the early 90s. The firm’s legal support accompanied the largest subsoil deals in Kazakhstan.
Competition and antitrust. AEQUITAS’ antitrust practice dates back more than ten years. The firm boasts dozens of successful approvals of M&A transactions significant to Kazakhstan’s economy. AEQUITAS’ lawyers are perfectly familiar with the legislation and the law-application and judicial practice and can address most complex aspects of the national and supra-national antitrust legislation application.
Regulatory compliance. The advent of large foreign companies to the Kazakhstani market increasingly brings the term ‘compliance’ into practice. Although management of legal and compliance risks is still an under explored domain, AEQUITAS has amassed a considerable experience in this area.
Construction and real estate is one of AEQUITAS’ oldest and most active areas of practice, accumulating the firm’s impressive experience. AEQUITAS has contributed its legal support to projects involving construction of major industrial and social facilities and large residential compounds in Kazakhstan.
Infrastructure projects. Public-Private Partnership (PPP). AEQUITAS is regularly supporting infrastructure projects of great importance for different sectors of the Kazakhstan economy: energy, transportation, mining, etc. Regardless of the industry and project complexity, the firm’s lawyers possess sufficient experience and knowledge to promptly render legal services necessary to implement the project. Taking into account the state policy pursued in this area and the clients’ interest, AEQUITAS is paying most serious attention to PPP matters.
Healthcare, medicine and pharmaceuticals. Legal services in the field of healthcare is AEQUITAS’s actively developing area of practice. The firm’s lawyers are rendering all-round support to large pharmaceutical companies coming to the Kazakhstan market for their business establishment and development.
Industry and trade. AEQUITAS has amassed noteworthy expertise advising clients active in the production, distribution, marketing and sale of consumer and industrial goods, including contract drafting and negotiation, client representation before governmental agencies and dispute settlement.
Transport and merchant shipping. The firm regularly advises clients on a variety of issues pertaining to legal regulation of transportation activities in Kazakhstan. AEQUITAS is one of the few local law firms possessing experience in the merchant shipping area.
Agriculture. In the past several years, AEQUITAS’ lawyers have been advising the leading banks and financial companies, such as BNP Paribas, Société Générale, HSBC France, as well as major local agricultural producers, on various issues of trade finance secured by grain and cotton collaterals in Kazakhstan.
Dispute resolution. AEQUITAS has a successful dispute resolution practice, representing clients in the Kazakh courts at all levels, including in cases involving financial instruments, debt restructuring, construction contracts, employment, transportation and insurance.
Technology, media & telecommunications (TMT). AEQUITAS’ clients, in differing IT and communications projects, have been the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and major international cellular, landline and postal operators.
Law-making. AEQUITAS’ partners and associates are engaged, on a regular basis, to participate in the law-making activities to develop new acts and improve current legislation. The Civil Code, Foreign Investment Law, Privatization Law and Petroleum Law and other Kazakh legislative acts have been developed with AEQUITAS participation.
