Gvinadze & Partners LLC > Tbilisi, Georgia > Firm Profile
Gvinadze & Partners LLC Offices
10 Melikishvili Street
0179
Georgia
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Gvinadze & Partners LLC > The Legal 500 Rankings
Georgia > Dispute resolution Tier 1
Under the leadership of Nick Gvinadze, Gvinadze & Partners LLC provides robust representation of clients from a range of industry sectors, including aviation, construction and energy, across the spectrum of commercial, employment, IP and debt recovery. Drawing upon strong relationships with many well-known international law firms, the team is particularly accomplished at handling cross-border matters with a nexus to Georgia. Gvinadze himself is adept at handling conventional litigation as well as arbitration, including on construction and FIDIC-related matters. As part of his broad litigation expertise, which spans construction and land permitting, through to tax disputes, Zakaria Shvelidze regularly advises on labour law matters. Sophie Panjikidze is also recommended.Practice head(s):
Nick Gvinadze
Other key lawyers:
Zakaria Shvelidze; Sophie Panjikidze; Tornike Amilakhvari; Anzor Khatiashvili
Key clients
Tsavkisi Valley Community
Catena Media UK Ltd
European Broadcasting Union
Cushman & Wakefield (Veritas Brown Caucasus LLC)
MTU Maintenance Lease Services
The Amorim Group
Harper Macleod LLP/E&M Manufacturing Ltd.
Work highlights
- Collaborated with a major global law firm on legal due diligence and investigation of the Georgian counterparty for and on behalf of a US financial institution in connection with a pending dispute.
- Worked with a London-based litigation firm in connection with a pending arbitration case on claims arising out of major oil and gas exploration and production operations in Georgia.
- Represented, together with a Scottish firm, a European client before a major Georgian bank, Georgian Courts and other state authorities concerning the multi-jurisdictional theft of funds from the client’s bank accounts.
Georgia > Banking and finance Tier 2
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.Practice head(s):
Nick Gvinadze
Other key lawyers:
Sophie Panjikidze; Zakaria Shvelidze; Tornike Amilakhvari; Tinatin Javakhishvili
Key clients
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Asian Development Bank
American Express
Raiffeisen Bank
Export-Import Bank of China
Buren Legal
Viber Media
Score Capital
Klarna Bank
Nobel Oil Group
G-Core Labs
EnerMech
Global Benefits Group
China Development Bank (CDB)
Dreymoor Fertilizers Overseas Pte. Ltd.
Commerzbank
Paysend Group
Work highlights
- Acted for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in the financing of the largest wind power project in Georgia.
- Advised the Asian Development Bank in relation to its $100m policy-based loan to the Georgian government, supporting reforms in the state-owned enterprises sector and helping to strengthen Georgia’s fiscal resilience to external shocks.
- Advised American Express on Georgian regulations related to payment systems and payment services applicable to their operations in the Georgian market.
Georgia > Commercial, corporate and M&A Tier 2
Leveraging strong longstanding relationships with international corporates and banks, and also drawing upon excellent ties with a raft of large global law firms, Gvinadze & Partners LLC excels at handling the Georgian aspects of cross-border M&A and advice relating to businesses operating and expanding in the jurisdiction. Team head and founding partner Nick Gvinadze draws upon vast institutional knowledge gleaned from his many years practising law in the country, marrying deep local expertise with an international mindset. Sophie Panjikidze is also noted for her diverse skillset, which encompasses a myriad of corporate and commercial matters, including due diligence, employment, competition and IP issues. The arrival in February 2023 of senior counsel Lesley Rogers further enhances the team’s capabilities.Practice head(s):
Nick Gvinadze
Other key lawyers:
Sophie Panjikidze; Zakaria Shvelidze; Tornike Amilakhvari; Tinatin Javakhishvili
Key clients
BenevolentAI Limited
DataArt Solutions, Inc.
Kevelt AS
SAMSUNG/Technologies of Trust
TradingView Inc.
Viber Media SARL
G-Core Labs S.A.
Global Benefits Group
zooplus SE
Monster Energy
Nestlé
Robert Bosch
SPORTRADAR GROUP
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Inc.
NEXTCLINICS International GmbH
SOCAR Midstream Operations Ltd.
Syneos Heal
Work highlights
- Advised Samsung on all aspects of Georgian law compliance tied to the contemplated expansion of its operations in the Georgian market.
- Acted for Global Benefits Group in relation to its divestiture of an insurance business.
- Advised US government-funded media organisations Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in relation to their operations in Georgia.
Georgia > Real estate and construction (and projects) Tier 2
Under the leadership of the vastly experienced Nick Gvinadze, Gvinadze & Partners LLC is particularly effective advising international stakeholders engaged in a myriad of major commercial real estate, energy and infrastructure projects. In this context, clients benefit from a deep knowledge of the nuances of Georgian law, but with advice which is delivered with a core understanding of international legal and commercial standards. Although the team is also abreast of renewables work, it continues to advise on a number of major oil and gas projects, including its role as exclusive Georgian counsel to SOCAR Midstream Operations on all aspects of their extensive activities related to the operation of the biggest gas pipeline transiting Georgia (the South Caucasus Pipeline). Sophie Panjikidze and Zakaria Shvelidze are also recommended.Practice head(s):
Nick Gvinadze
Other key lawyers:
Sophie Panjikidze; Zakaria Shvelidze; Tornike Amilakhvari; Anzor Khatiashvili
Key clients
SOCAR Midstream Operations
SAMSUNG/Technologies of Trust
Yusen Logistics Co.
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Sinohydro Corporation
Hotels Group
EnerMech Limited
Nobel Oil
The Norwegian Embassy in Tbilisi
San Diego State University
Veritas Brown Caucasus LLC (Cushman & Wakefield)
RCI Europe
Levenfeld Pearlstein LLC
Infinite Energy
Work highlights
- Acted as Georgian counsel to SOCAR Midstream Operations on all aspects of their activities related to the operation of the biggest gas pipeline transiting Georgia (the South Caucasus Pipeline).
- Advised the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Tbilisi on real estate matters related to the lease of the embassy and residential premises in Georgia.
- Advised one of the largest oil and gas exploration and production companies in Georgia on complex legal aspects of their large-scale operations in Georgia.
Gvinadze & Partners LLC > Firm Profile
The firm: Gvinadze & Partners is a leading Georgian business law firm with a long and successful history of serving inward investment in Georgia. In this crucial post-independence period of Georgia’s development, the firm has represented the lion’s share of a truly diverse international clientele, ranging from international NGOs and diplomatic missions to industrial giants, multilateral lending institutions and multi-billion oil and gas consortia. The firm’s experience is equally diverse and all-inclusive, ranging from start up guidance and incorporation of numerous investment vehicles to representation in some of the most noteworthy and complicated projects of the region in the past two decades. Gvinadze & Partners is equally well-known for its dispute resolution expertise, having acted in some of the highest profile disputes in the Georgian courts as well as in international arbitration, and having provided quality support to many cross-border arbitration and litigation matters involving Georgian law, including successful enforcement of a number of foreign arbitral awards in Georgia.
Throughout the firm’s various name changes and reincarnations since the early 1990s, its core value and the key element to its success has been the unparalleled and uncompromised quality of the firm’s legal work. Indeed, ever since the early days of Gvinadze & Partners’ legacy firm GCG Law Office, its law practice has been known as the highest quality legal service provider in Georgia. The firm is proud that in a difficult transitional period it has been at the forefronts of the development of Georgia’s newly born legal profession, and has aspired to the highest standards of professional ethics with the clients and peers alike.
Areas of practice: Gvinadze & Partners prides itself on over two decades of extensive private practice experience in all key areas of business law, such as corporate and M&A, banking and finance, capital markets, energy and infrastructure, real estate and construction, tax and customs, dispute resolution, intellectual property, employment and competition. The firm is led by three partners and is supported by highly experienced counsel and associates.
Perhaps the most telling example of the firm’s profound expertise in virtually every area of business law is its role as lead Georgian legal counsel throughout the planning, negotiation and implementation of all the major oil and gas pipeline projects in transit through Georgia – the Baku-Supsa, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC), and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) projects, which have put Georgia firmly on the energy map of Europe and assured its strategic place as the nexus of the modern silk road. The firm’s 15 years of intensive work on these projects of the century has involved the widest possible spectrum of commercial law practice, including drafting, negotiation and implementation of complex intergovernmental and host government agreements, legislative drafting, representation in multi-billion secured syndicated financing, elaboration, documentation and implementation of detailed land acquisition strategies, detailed advice on a myriad of real property, tax and customs, environmental, labour, permitting and contractual matters, and finally successful resolution of hundreds of compensation, environmental and right of way disputes in the Georgian courts.
Nick Gvinadze (managing partner) with nearly a quarter of a century in busy private practice, he has accumulated abundant experience in the whole spectrum of both Georgian and cross-border commercial law, with particular focus on energy, infrastructure, tax and dispute resolution. Nick has advised on a number of key foreign investment projects in Georgia, including major oil and gas transportation projects in the Caspian region, and has acted in a number of higher profile proceedings in the Georgian Courts as well as in international arbitration.
Sophie Panjikidze (partner) having started with the legacy firm Georgian Consulting Group (GCG Law Office) back in 2002, Sophie has been responsible for successful incorporation, reorganization and winding up of many dozens of foreign investment vehicles, and has advised on a number of complex cross-border corporate and finance transactions as well as major privatization matters. With nearly 15 years of extensive private practice experience, Sophie has acquired valuable expertise in corporate, banking and finance, contracts, real estate, labor, insurance, IP and competition law matters, and has also been instrumental in supporting the firm’s extensive litigation practice with important background research and due diligence.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Corporate M&A | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Corporate M&A | Sophie Panjikidze | ||
Banking and finance | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Banking and finance | Sophie Panjikidze | ||
Energy and infrastructure | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Real estate and construction | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Tax and customs | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Dispute resolution | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Privatisations and regulatory compliance | Sophie Panjikidze | ||
Intellectual property | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Intellectual property | Sophie Panjikidze | ||
Employment | Sophie Panjikidze | ||
Antitrust | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Antitrust | Sophie Panjikidze | ||
Capital markets | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Capital markets | Sophie Panjikidze | ||
Restructuring and insolvency | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Restructuring and insolvency | Sophie Panjikidze | ||
Private equity | Nick Gvinadze | ||
Private equity | Sophie Panjikidze |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Nick Gvinadze | Managing Partner | View Profile | |
Sophie Panjikidze | Partner | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of lawyers : 16Languages
English French Georgian German RussianMemberships
American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Georgia Georgian-Swiss Business Association EU-Georgian Business Council (EUGBC) German Economic Association (DWV) Chamber of Commerce and Industry France-Georgia- Dispute resolution