Interlegal opens the office in Batumi, Georgia

Officially in Georgia law practice was opened in 2013 – it is just when the clients of Interlegal started to use regularly legal services in maritime law and international trade in that country. It is noteworthy that our aim is neither to compete with local lawyers nor to render services under the Georgian law. We get focused on international contracts and disputes arising during cargo transportation.

Mehmet Dogu, partner of Interlegal, notes, “We became the first among the former USSR countries and even among the whole Black Sea/Sea of Azov Region who started to provide legal assistance for clients 24 hours and 7 days round. It is especially important, for example, for ship owners, time charterers, cargo owners, brokers. It is not a secret that our London colleagues implemented similar services for their clients even before”.

Nikolay Melnykov, partner of Interlegal, states, “Our main specialization – shipping and international trade – exceeds 90% of the total volume of our activities. Our work in the Black Sea Region and practice of settling various disputes at LMAA (London Maritime Arbitrators Association) – it is just where we will go on working hard”.

Arthur Nitsevych, partner of Interlegal, summarizes, “In Georgia there are two active ports, Poti and Batumi. Transit cargos make up nearly 90% of the total volume transported via Poti and Batumi. As we know, Georgia is located at the crossroads of important transport ways “East – West” and provides access to the sea for Armenia and Azerbaijan. Ferries from Baku to Aktau and Turkmenba?i facilitate cargo transportation to the Central Asia and give an opportunity to create alternative transport corridors, both in the framework of bilateral international relationship and by means of various programs including TRACECA project. No doubt, it is a strategic solution in the history of our company – to open the office in Georgia”.