In 2018, we celebrated the 18th anniversary of successful legal practice. BLC was established in 2000 by the attorneys educated in Georgia and the United States of America and experienced in different fields of law. Our company grew together with Georgian market and businesses. We have provided legal services to the very first direct investors, multinational companies, international organizations, financial institutions, foreign Embassies and diplomats, NGOs and Georgian companies.
Partners and associates of BLC, educated in the prominent schools of US and EU, have predetermined the Western orientation of the company, its highest ethical standards, diligence and dedication to its clients and legal profession. BLC is the only Georgian law firm with international practice operating the branch in Batumi (The Autonomous Republic of Adjara) and number of correspondents in the neighbor- ing Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia and Ukraine.
Through our practice, we have worked in collaboration with prominent international practices, a few examples of which are: Slaughter & May, Baker & McKenzie, White & Case, etc.
We have carried out many successful litigations and arbitrations, provided our clients with comprehensive due diligence studies, have been engaged in large and medium transactions involving mergers and acquisitions. Through its associates and experts, BLC has provided services in the family law matters, inheritance, criminal and administrative matters. BLC has been largely involved in privatizations and auctions, carried out by the Georgian government
Two Georgian lawyers educated in the United States established BLC in early 2000. BLC Law Office initially operated under the name Business and Legal Consulting (B-LEG). The Company was renamed in 2003 and currently is managed by four partners Alexander Bolkvadze, Ketti Kvartskhava, Giorgi Batlidze and Tamta Ivanishvili. BLC has the largest team of Senior Associates and Associates in Georgia.
Company operates a head office in the capital of Georgia – Tbilisi and a branch in Batumi, a city on the Black Sea and a second largest industrial center in Georgia.
BLC Law Office grew together with Georgian businesses and economy. We serve local and international clients, multinational companies, international organizations, financial institutions, foreign Embassies and diplomatic missions. We value loyalty of our long-standing clients. Indeed, our experience on the local market and the ability to adapt to the particular needs of our clients, are the qualities that are hardest to replace.
BLC has been largely involved in privatizations and auctions, carried out by the Georgian government
Alexander Bolkvadze is a founding partner at BLC since 2000. His practice area includes civil and corporate law, M&A, energy and infrastructure. Alexander has personally managed and participated in various significant corporate transactions completed by BLC, large investment projects, loan and equity financing. Alexander leads the energy and infrastructure practice at BLC and has a vast experience in representing investors with the State and State entities.
Alexander is praised by Chambers Global to be: “easy-going and will always be available if you get into difficulty.“ He has been recognized as Eminent Practitioner by Chambers Europe in 2017 and entered the Legal 500 Hall of Fame in 2018.
Prior to founding BLC in 2000, Alexander served as a senior counsel at the GCG law office in Georgia representing a variety of international businesses engaged in Banking & Finance, Oil & Gas sectors and project finance. Prior to this, Alexander served as In-House Counsel for the US-Georgian Commercial Bank JSC Absolute Bank, representing bank on issues of Civil and Commercial Law, Banking and Finance and during litigation. His experience includes judicial clerkship at New York Supreme Court First Judicial District preparing a wide variety of jury charges, writing opinions, drafting pre-trial motions and his work as a counsel at the UNHCR office in Tbilisi.
Education and other credentials:
Executive Business Degree from the Yale Management School (GELP);
LL.M. University of Notre Dame Law School (1996);
Bachelors Degree, Tbilisi State University, Georgia (1994);
Admitted to Georgian Bar;
Member of Chartered Institute for Arbitrators;
Languages: Georgian, English, Russian, French.
Ketti Kvartskhava has been engaged in the legal practice since 1997. She joined BLC in 2001 and was gradually promoted to partnership in 2005. Ketti Kvartskhava is a Managing Partner of BLC Law Office, mainly practicing corporate, finance, tax and commercial laws. She acted as a team leader in number of financings, corporate, commercial and infrastructural negotiations and transactions, due diligence exercises of the largest entities in Georgia, high profile tax, civil and administrative cases.
Ketti Kvartskhava is “one of the best litigation and transaction lawyers in Georgia” notes Legal 500. “She understands the problem and takes all necessary actions to solve them in the best way” says Chambers Global. “Ketti Kvartskhava is one of the market’s most widely praised figures, being “an extraordinary lawyer – always reliable, very active, results-oriented and dedicated to the clients” says Legal 500. “Ketti Kvartskhava one of the country’s most esteemed litigators. Peers note her ability to take the lead in instructions and find her a pleasure to work with” notes Chambers Europe.
Prior to joining BLC, Ketti served as a Commercial Law Advisor at the USAID Georgia, whereby she was actively engaged in the reform of tax inspections and associated qualification tests, evaluated and established the needs in further development of Georgian state authorities to facilitate economic growth in the country. Before that, Ketti worked as a legal counsel for the US-Georgian Commercial Bank JSC Absolute Bank (1999-2000) and JSC Transcaucasia Bank (1997-1998).
Ketti Kvartskhava has been actively involved in the legislative drafting process. She led the teams in drafting the Comments to the Tax Code; amendments to the banking laws, Competition laws, Covil Procedure Code, Forestry, etc. She was nominated and granted number of annual business and professional awards in Georgia.
Apart from her extensive legal practice, Ketti is a member of the Board of Directors of American Chamber of Commerce in Georgia (AmCham), Association of Georgian Law Firms (ALFG), Charity – American Friends of Georgia (AFG) and Association Women for Tomorrow (WFT).
Education and other credentials:
Alumni of the Stanford Executive Program (SEP) delivered by Stanford Graduate School of Business (2017);
LL.M. Wake Forest University School of Law (1999);
Bachelor’s Degree, Tbilisi State University (1997);
Admitted to Georgian Bar;
Member of Chartered Institute for Arbitrators;
Languages: Georgian, English, Russian.
Giorgi Batlidze has been engaged in the legal practice since 2005. He joined BLC in 2008 and was promoted to a partnership in 2012. His practice areas include civil and corporate law, M&A, energy and project financing. Giorgi is also heavily involved in litigation and commercial arbitration. He has experience of acting as an arbitrator on various commercial disputes. Giorgi was a lead partner in various significant corporate and M&A transactions and several large-scale renewable energy projects. Giorgi is also actively engaged in policy studies and legal drafting.
Giorgi Batlidze is one of the best-recognised names in the market in terms of energy law expertise. He also assists with litigious issues and general transactional instructions. “He’s eager to jump in,” a client says, adding: “He has very good communication skills and is very responsive.” He is praised as “knowledgeable, competent and trustworthy” by Legal 500 and is said to be “an increasingly recognized name in the area of dispute resolution” by Chambers Europe.
Prior to joining BLC, Giorgi served as paralegal in a law firm in Göttingen (Germany) and as an international legal advisor to a leading Georgian construction company.
Giorgi Batlidze has been actively involved in the legislative drafting process. He is member of the working group for corporate law reform, insolvency law reform, Civil Procedures Code, etc. Giorgi is also co-author of new edition of Civil Law Commentary (law of damages).
Apart from his extensive legal practice, Giorgi Batlidze is a member of the Board of Directors of German Business Association (DWV), Georgian Association of Arbitrators (GAA) and Co-Founder and Member of the Board of German International School Tbilisi (DIST).
Education and other credentials:
LL.M. Degree in Corporate and Civil Law from Göttingen University (2007);
Full course of studies of law at the Faculty of Law of Göttingen University (2001-2005);
Bachelors Degree, Tbilisi State University (2005);
Admitted to Georgian Bar;
Member of ICC (Paris) Arbitration and ADR Committee;
Languages: Georgian, English, Russian, German.
Tamta Ivanishvili has been engaged in the legal practice since 2007. She joined BLC in 2008 as a Paralegal and was gradually promoted to the position of the Legal Director in 2017. Tamta’s practice area includes complex matters of corporate and commercial law, capital market deals, structuring the cross-border investments, advising the client on collateralization of debt financing, acting as a lead counsel in various M&A arrangement, elaboration and advising the Clients on various mechanisms of equity financing. Furthermore, along with the litigation team of BLC, Tamta is often involved in complex disputes in corporate and administrative law.
Tamta Ivanishvili is “calm, professional and responsive” (IFLR), a “strong associate” (Chambers Europe), “a remarkable professional with a surprisingly deep sense of industry needs” (Legal500) and “excellent, very intelligent” and “detail-oriented”, “noted for her hands-on presence in the firm’s key deals” (Chambers Global).
Prior to joining BLC in 2008, Tamta interned in the Chamber of Administrative Cases of the Supreme Court of Georgia and in the legal department of the Georgian National Communications Commission. Her working experience also includes the position of a lawyer in the non-governmental organization New Generation – New Initiative, where she used to consult observers with regard to electoral law issues throughout elections.
Tamta Ivanishvili is active in academic field. Over the years she has been and continues to be an invited lecturer at the Tbilisi Free University teaching the masters students Legal Writing and Deals (a cross disciplinary course oriented at risk assessment skills in transactional lawyers). In addition, she has been actively involved in various ongoing reforms in Georgia. Especially, in the process of reforming Georgian insolvency laws and setting up a deposit insurance system.
Tamta is a listed arbitrator at Georgian International Arbitration Center (GIAC) and Dispute Resolution Board (DRB) and often speaks at various conferences and round table discussions.
Education and other credentials:
LL.M. Central European University, Legal Studies (2010);
Bachelor’s Degree, Tbilisi State University (2009);
Admitted to Georgian Bar;
Member of Chartered Institute for Arbitrators;
Languages: Georgian, English, Russian.
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