Dateline: Tbilisi, Georgia
Almost a decade has passed since my first visit to Georgia. I quickly realized that there was a lot of potential in such a business-friendly country, and I was eager to meet people who would help me unlock it.
Today I am introducing you to my best point of contact at the Tbilisi Law Office which I personally use for my own business and real estate endeavors in Georgia.
My first day in Georgia
I arrived in Tbilisi via Istanbul and took a rickety taxi that seemed to defy the laws of physics by cruising down the highway at such high speeds before taking me to my hotel near the city’s Marjanishvili Square. (Cabs are way better now, with apps like Bolt and Yandex removing the need to pay tourist fares.)
The next day I woke up early and literally started knocking on lawyers’ doors. The downtown neighborhood where I lived was mostly Turkish speaking and most of the lawyers only spoke Georgian or Turkish. Although Turks invested in Georgia early on for obvious geographical reasons, I don’t speak Turkish.
By chance, I finally came across an international law firm. Their office security wouldn’t let me in, so I returned to my hotel and called them. The lawyer answered the phone and asked to make an appointment immediately.
Search for a lawyer in Tbilisi
While a good law firm in Tbilisi or another up-and-coming city is often the best place to start to make contacts for business, investment or real estate, in emerging markets – and especially in a small country like Georgia – finding a good lawyer often matters , who you know, or just knocking on doors.
With more than a dozen years of exploring opportunities around the world, finding the best attorney often boils down to a similar combination of cold calling and good luck.
While I ended up working with several different lawyers for different projects, this law firm in Tbilisi served me for years. Along the way I met some of their young lawyers, and one in particular stood out for his boundless energy.
This young lawyer is Lika Tsintsabadze and after years as Associate Lawyer in this firm she branched out to start her own law firm in Tbilisi called Nomos Georgia.
As far as I’m concerned, she is one of the best lawyers in Georgia if you are a foreign entrepreneur looking to get started in Georgia.
Best lawyer in Tbilisi
I have seen a number of young lawyers in Georgia and Lika was way ahead of the rest both in terms of her energy and high level of legal knowledge. Strange as it may sound, many lawyers in a small town like Tbilisi still work under a kind of “good old boys” mentality and don’t keep up to date with changes in the law.
As Georgia becomes a more developed economy, the law is changing to reflect this. Even though Georgia has far fewer stupid laws than a country like the United States, attorneys still need to keep up to date, and Lika has done that very well. Not only does she oversee several international companies in Georgia, she also had a government contract to educate villagers about their legal rights.
Lawyers in Georgia tend to focus on a broader range of services than lawyers in the West; For example, you will find very few law firms in Tbilisi that only practice family law.
The focus of von Lika Law Firm is on business and immigration law, which includes:
• Open bank accounts with Georgian banks like TBC or Bank of Georgia (as with any bank, it becomes more difficult as a non-resident)
• Registration of a company in Georgia
• Purchase of real estate in Georgia, including real estate contracts and transfer of ownership
• Immigration, including temporary and permanent residence permits
• Register for Georgia’s 0% and 1% tax incentives if you plan to move to Georgia
• Georgian citizenship through naturalization or marriage
• Business process services
• Family law, such as marriages and marriages
Basically, Lika Law Firm offers a wide range of business, financial and immigration law services aimed at foreigners.
Conclusion
If you are a foreigner, you might not need the best lawyers in Georgia; Fees and hourly rates at both US-run law firms and the largest Georgian law firms rival those in the United States.
As an entrepreneur, I often find these types of lawyers difficult enough to understand, while someone like Lika understands your needs and gets to the point without messing around.
Of course, before hiring a professional in any country, I would always advise that you have a holistic view of what you want to achieve.
This is exactly what Nomad Capitalist does, and you can learn more about our service here.
You should always understand all your options around the world and how to comply with regulations in your home country.
For example, Georgia is not a zero tax country, so you should have a good reason to incorporate it there, rather than say a free zone in Dubai.
If you just want to open a bank account with TBC or buy an apartment and don’t need tax advice on how to do this in your home country, Lika can help.
She has always done a good job for me and speaks with a good knowledge of Georgian law.
She also works with local accountants who can help you run your business or pay the (very small) property taxes when buying a property in Tbilisi.
If you are interested in working with Lika, you can learn more and contact her at Nomos Georgia.
Disclaimer: Nomad Capitalist offers a limited number of such recommendations to the public. Whilst such recommendations are made in good faith that the Attorney’s services are of good quality and have worked for us, we accept no liability for the services you receive.