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Another Seminal Case Won by BGI

On April 17, 2019, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Fady Asly, the Chairman of International Chamber of Commerce in Georgia, in a defamation case brought by a sitting judge. Asly had publicly criticized the Judge in connection with his highly controversial rulings issued against the foreign investors charging them almost USD 150 million. The Judge considered the criticism defamatory and filed a claim, which, if successful, could have potentially led to restrictions on free speech in Georgia.

After lengthy battles in Tbilisi City and the Appellate Courts, the Supreme Court reversed the decisions of the lower courts, fully rejected the defamation claim of Judge Vladimir Kakabadze, and ruled in favor of the Chairman of ICC Georgia, represented by BGI.

“This was a precedential case, and we are proud to have acted on this mandate. The Supreme Court shared our argument that freedom of expression is a fundamental right in any democratic society and the Judiciary should respect the different opinions and tolerate criticism,” noted George Sarajishvili, Head of BGI’s Litigation Practice who led the effort.

BGI is one of Georgia's leading firms in all areas of corporate law and in energy and infrastructure has acted on key projects in the oil and gas, energy, transport infrastructure areas. Previous comments have included: "Very good law firm for this jurisdiction...very knowledgeable, they get the job done on time and on budget...they are very professional and good lawyers". Thanks for universal praise from competitors and clients alike, BGI sits comfortably in the top tier... BGI is client-focused and solution-oriented... [with] excellent local counsel, not just for Georgian standards, but by international standards... [A major international client says:] "In terms of local law firms... I have a strong preference for BGI."

IFLR1000 - 2017

Excellent team known for acting on high-profile and significant mandates. Clients commend the team's expertise, saying: "They are all very solid, have excellent knowledge, are hard-working and give great practical advice." They further praised the service adding that the lawyers are "client-oriented, quite patient and understand the client's internal procedures."

Chambers Europe - 2017

Zaza Bibilashvili is a well-known and highly regarded figure in the Georgian legal market. One of the founding partners of the firm, he oversees projects and is a key contact for clients. Lasha Gogiberidze has been called "one of the leading lawyers in Georgia" and "a central person not just in capital markets, but in the legal market in general." Considered an expert in capital markets and project finance work, particularly in the energy sphere, he is highly respected by his peers, who say: "He`s among the top lawyers who shaped the legal market."

Chambers Global - 2016