Written by Editor on 06 October 2014.
♦ Breaking BigLaw News ♦ Astana, Kazakhstan
Morgan Lewis has opened a new office in the Kazakhstan capital of Astana, formalizing its existing presence in the Central Asian country. The firm has operated and served its global clients in the region from Morgan Lewis’s Almaty office since 2012. Morgan Lewis lawyers in Kazakhstan handle a wide variety of corporate, investment, energy, finance, telecommunications, utilities and other business transactions—both within the country and the broader Central Asia and Caspian region—with an emphasis on energy, banking and capital markets projects. The firm recently served as English, U.S. and Kazakhstan legal adviser to Intergas Central Asia, the operator of Kazakhstan’s national natural gas pipeline system on a successful consent solicitation involving $600 million in Notes.
“Our presence in Astana allows us to provide important support for our clients and facilitates our interaction with the Kazakhstan government agencies that drive many of their projects,” said Firm Chair Jami McKeon. The office will be under the leadership of Aset Shyngyssov, who is also the Managing Partner of the firm’s Almaty office, and will initially host three resident lawyers. Mr. Shyngyssov has more than 15 years of experience handling complex transactions in a wide range of industries throughout Kazakhstan and Central Asia, and his presence in both offices enables their seamless cooperation and integration. “Although we have been working with our clients in Astana for years, a permanent office in the capital brings us closer to many of them, further enhancing our ability to serve both our existing and future clients,” Mr. Shyngyssov said. “ Both offices in Kazakhstan offer local and international clients access to a full range of legal services, with a focus on significant mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate finance, debt and equity capital markets transactions, and disputes. Morgan Lewis lawyers also advise on matters involving intellectual property, real property, tax, environmental law, competition law, anti-bribery compliance, and corporate governance, among other matters.
Written by John on 04 September 2013.
♦ Breaking BigLaw News ♦ Astana, Kazakhstan
Following the combination of Salans, FMC and SNR Denton which was launched in April, Dentons has continued the expansion of its operations in Kazakhstan with the opening of a new satellite office in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Astana satellite office will be headed by newly promoted Partner Birzhan Zharasbayev. Birzhan specialises in construction and real estate, infrastructure and PPP, corporate and commercial matters and M&A. He has acted as lead lawyer on a number of major M&A and development projects and frequently represents clients in high-level negotiations with the Kazakhstan government. Birzhan has provided advice on several draft laws and acted as leading co-drafter of Kazakhstan’s legislation on Islamic banking and finance. He has been with the Firm since 2006. The new Astana satellite office was opened in July 2013 and acts as an integral part of Dentons’ existing Kazakh practice and Almaty office, headed by Partner Aigoul Kenjebayeva. It will enable Dentons’ lawyers to service the growing number of national and international clients doing business in Astana more quickly and efficiently on the ground. The combined Kazakh practice of Dentons now has over thirty-five fee earners (including six partners) with further growth expected in the near term, positioning it as the leading and the largest international law firm in the country. Dariusz Oleszczuk, Dentons’ Europe Chief Executive Officer, said: “I am delighted to announce Birzhan’s promotion to partner and his relocation to head our new satellite office in Astana. This is a great opportunity for us to build on the success we have had in Almaty and to provide our clients with legal advice in the locations where they need it. Kazakhstan is a rapidly growing economic hub in the CIS region, so strengthening our capabilities and presence in this country is of strategic importance to us. I am confident that with Aigoul and Birzhan at the lead, we will continue to be successful in taking advantage of the opportunities in this key market.“
Written by John on 01 June 2012.
♦ Recent Deals ♦ Almaty, Astana, Kazakhstan, Middle East
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP represented Kazakhstan in negotiations that have resolved certain disputes with the North Caspian Sea Consortium regarding the development of the Kashagan field, reported to be the world's largest oil discovery since the 1970s. The agreement also settles related alternative dispute resolution proceedings. The settlement resulted in agreement between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the North Caspian Sea Consortium for the commencement of oil production from the Kashagan field by June 30, 2013 and the reduction of budget increases requested by the Consortium for the development of the Kashagan field. Approximately $1 billion of the increased development costs to be borne by Consortium-member KMG Kashagan BV, a subsidiary of the national oil company of Kazakhstan, KazMunaiGas, will be financed by the other Consortium members, i.e., subsidiaries of Eni S.p.A., Exxon Mobil Corporation, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Total S.A., ConocoPhillips Company and Inpex Corporation. The settlement also provides for the non-reimbursement of certain development costs incurred by the Consortium and the agreement that the Consortium will sell natural gas to KazTranGas, the national operator for gas transportation in Kazakhstan, largely for domestic consumption in Kazakhstan at domestic prices. Curtis represented Kazakhstan utilizing a team of lawyers from four of its international offices (New York, Paris, Almaty and Astana). Partners Eric L. Gilioli and Askar N. Moukhitdinov led the negotiations along with associates Askhad Koshkarbayev and Nurlan Mukhitdinov. Partners George Kahale III and Ben Preziosi and associates Sabrina Aïnouz, Marie-Claire Argac and Yerzhan Mukhitdinov represented Kazakhstan in the related alternative dispute resolution proceedings.