Leveraging the knowledge of a number of highly experienced partners, the ‘responsive and knowledgeable’ team at BGI Legal has the critical mass and level of expertise to handle a broad range of mandates for lenders and borrowers. The firm is ‘an ideal choice on cross-border transactions involving a Georgian element’ because of its ability to effectively meld strong local knowledge with an international mindset. Dual New York and Georgian qualified Lasha Gogiberidze has the ‘ability to effectively handle challenging legal issues that financial institutions in Georgia may encounter,’ including capital markets and project finance work. Unana Gogokhia is adept at handling debt and equity capital markets work for issuers and underwriters, which she combines with a more general finance offering. The team is rounded out by Sandro Bibilashvili, who excels at handing project and energy financing transactions.

BLC Law Office LLC has the strength-in-depth to handle a significant volume of transactional and regulatory mandates for both lenders and borrowers. Advising on a significant amount of conventional bank financing work, including on large-scale infrastructure projects, the team, headed by newly promoted partner Rusa Tchkuaseli, has been at the cutting-edge of domestic capital markets work, including in relation to work on the first ever gender bond issued on the Georgian Stock Exchange. It has also been at the vanguard of the developing domestic fund market and since the passing of the new law promoting the sector, has been involved in the majority of all registrations with the National Bank of Georgia. Tamta Ivanishvili is a key contact and is best-known for her equity and debt capital markets mandates on both the local and international markets.

Leveraging the firm’s vast global resources, Dentons is a popular choice among international and domestic entities raising finance for myriad purposes. Capital markets and project finance work remains a strength, with dual UK and Georgia-qualified practitioner Avto Svanidze regularly advising corporate issuers on bond issuances and also being well-versed in handling work for International Financial Institutions (IFIs). Managing partner Otar Kipshidze co-heads the team alongside Svanidze and has a broad-based finance offering which includes regulatory knowledge, project finance and transportation finance expertise. Neli Tsivtsivadze has been an integral part of the firm’s success on the capital markets front, while Sopho Mebonia is adept handling project finance mandates.

Under the guidance of Nick Gvinadze, Gvinadze & Partners LLC has developed strong ties with global financial institutions and international law firm referrers, ensuring that it has strong market visibility across a range of transactional and regulatory matters. A significant volume of these instructions flow from IFIs, including on its financing in relation to the ongoing development, construction and operation of a wind power plant in Georgia. Sophie Panjikidze regularly assists Gvinadze on key finance transactions and regulatory matters, including recent work for American Express on Georgian regulations related to payment systems and payment services applicable to their operations in the Georgian market.

Although it does handle some debtor mandates, BLB (Business Legal Bureau) is best-known for its work on behalf of commercial lenders and development banks providing finance to Georgian entities across a range of new money and refinancing settings. Project finance is a particular strength, with the firm regularly instructed by US development finance institution, DFC, on its work partnering with the private sector across a range of mandates including within the hospitality sector. Team head Kakha Sharabidze has been at the forefront of much of the development bank lender-side work, as has Ana Rekhviashvili, whose practice also includes advice on syndicated lending transactions and fintech-related regulatory work.

The ‘exceptional’ team at EY Law draws upon ‘a diverse mix of financial and legal expertise’ to advise clients engaged in regulatory and transactional work in Georgia. New York and Georgia-qualified team head Tato Chantladze combines international sensibilities with an excellent knowledge of the local banking landscape, gleaned from his many years’ in private practice, as well as in-house at several domestic banks. ‘Exceptionally attentive’ associate Mako Maisuradze is a key member of the team, working alongside Chantladze across a range of key mandates, including a considerable volume of fintech-related work and investment fund structuring matters.

MKD Law regularly handles banking and finance mandates as part of its overarching full-service expertise. Victor Kipiani is engaged in finance transactions, running the gamut from project finance mandates and capital markets work through to complex banking and structured finance matters. In particular, Kipiani has strong credentials among development banks, including acting for them on lari-denominated debt securities issuances. Sandro Samadbegishvili has niche expertise in relation to aviation finance mandates, including work for aviation lessors.

The ‘reliable’ team at Nodia, Urumashvili & Partners is a popular choice among local banks across a range of day-to-day advisory work, including on regulatory compliance matters. In addition, the firm has assisted a number of banking entities gain the necessary licensing documentation to establish subsidiaries in the country. On the transactional front, Lasha Nodia has debt capital markets expertise and has also been active advising both creditors and debtors in relation to insolvency and restructuring matters. Nodia heads the team alongside tax expert Eprem Urumashvili.