SALANS HERTZFELD HEILBRONN CHRISTY & VIENER

SHH has been active in counseling companies, financial institutions and government entities in the legal aspects of investment, trade and finance in Azerbaijan since 1990. It opened its Baku office in 1999, when the Wicklow Group became an integral part of SHH's worldwide practice.

The Wicklow Group, which was established in Baku in May 1996, was the first foreign law firm to be licensed in Azerbaijan. Its Managing Partner, Mr. Alum Bati, is a U.K. lawyer with more than 20 years of legal experience who has been based in Baku since 1993.

In the Baku office, SHH strives to combine detailed knowledge of Azerbaijan law and practice with the firm's experience elsewhere in the CIS in similar legal specializations and industry groups. As a result, the Baku office works closely with lawyers in other offices of the firm on a client-by-client basis in order to deliver high quality legal services which take advantage of the experience of the entire firm. The office continues to be headed by Alum Bati, who is now a partner in the firm, and it currently consists of six lawyers, almost all of whom speak fluent English, Azeri and Russian, plus legal support staff. Partners in the Paris, London, New York and Moscow offices support the office on a daily basis.

SHH's lawyers are experienced advising on the whole spectrum of legal issues in Azerbaijan, and the particular strengths of the office include foreign investment, energy and natural resources, infrastructure projects, taxation and finance. SHH also has substantial expertise in areas such as: banking and investment; privatization; securities; company law; currency regulation; competition law; intellectual property protection; and employment and property law. SHH's most senior Baku staff have extensive experience in government negotiations at the highest level.