3 March 2010: GRATA Held Joint Seminar with Kennedys

3 March 2010: GRATA Held Joint Seminar with KennedysOn 3 March 2010, GRATA Law Firm, together with Kennedys, held a seminar at the Old Square Business Centre in Almaty, the subject of which was International Trade, Transport and Banking Fraud Recoveries.

The seminar focused on a range of international dispute issues, which raise important questions for those working in the banking and financial sectors. The format of the seminar enabled participants to raise questions with the speakers following each presentation and to exchange ideas further over lunch.   

GRATA Law Firm was represented by Shaimerden Chikanayev, who is a partner and Head of the Finance and Securities Department at the firm. Shairmerden spoke on the Debt Restructuring of a Company, particularly in the context of the banking industry. Having previously worked for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London, Shaimerden was able to offer the participants theoretical, as well as practical, advice on the restructuring of banks.
 
GRATA lawyer, Zhibek Karamanova, spoke about Co-ordinating Claims Internationally, an issue which arises when the components of a particular claim transcend different jurisdictions. The presentation also covered the extent of GRATA’s presence and services across Central Asia, in addition to providing information about the firm’s representative offices in London, New York and Istanbul. GRATA’s London representative, Aliya Aralbayeva, was present at the seminar to address questions about the firm’s office in the UK.

John Harvey, a partner at Kennedys in London, spoke about International Banking Fraud and Recoveries. The crucial issue raised was that of freezing orders, a form of interlocutory relief available within the English legal system. This topic is of particular importance to those working in the banking industry, as the need to freeze the assets of a debtor can arrive suddenly and urgently, before steps are taken to hide the relevant assets.

His colleague, Shane Sayers, also a partner at Kennedys, spoke on International Trade and Transport Disputes, placing a particular emphasis on the importance of contractual certainty between the parties and the need to familiarise oneself with the limitation periods and rules of different jurisdictions. In response to questions from the audience, Shane also briefly provided participants with an enlightening perspective on the practical matters surrounding international arbitration, an area in which he has extensive experience.

The seminar, which offered invaluable insight into the pressing issues faced by the current finance and legal markets, was attended by a wide range of representatives from the banking and investment sectors.