About us
AEQUITAS, a Kazakh national law firm, was founded in 1993. One of the persons to found AEQUITAS was Professor Yuri G. Bassin, Doctor of Law, a forefather of civil law science in Kazakhstan.
In the early 90s, AEQUITAS was one of the first counsel to provide legal support both to foreign investors coming to Kazakhstan’s market and to the starting domestic businesses. First joint ventures with foreign participation in Kazakhstan were organized with AEQUITAS legal support.
AEQUITAS is one of Kazakhstan’s leading law firms acknowledged in the global legal services market. For many years, authoritative legal guides, including Chambers & Partners, Who’s Who Legal, Legal 500, Asialaw Profiles, Best Lawyers and IFLR1000, are rating AEQUITAS and its partners and associates as the country’s most recommended in the Energy & Natural Resources, Corporate & Finance, M&A, Dispute Resolution and other areas. Many publications specifically acclaim the firm’s Labor, Environmental and Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals practice. AEQUITAS is recognized as the "Firm of the Year" in Kazakhstan by Lexology Index (WWL Awards) in 2021-2024.
Ratings
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“Individuals I have worked with are notable for their expertise and dedication. They stand out from competitors because of their strong client focus and practical solutions. This has been particularly valuable in our collaboration.” The Legal 500 2025
AEQUITAS’s clients are companies active in the leading sectors of economy from more than 50 countries, including major international corporations, companies representing world famous brands, banks and financial institutions, most of them working with AEQUITAS for years. According to the rating agencies and the firm’s clients and business partners, AEQUITAS is one of the most client-oriented law firms in Kazakhstan. Alongside with providing legal services of invariably high quality, AEQUITAS is regularly informing its clients of the business-relevant changes in legislation and practice, organizing trainings and seminars and annually holding a Client Day.
Clients
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AEQUITAS reputation is supported by close professional ties with the world’s largest international and national law firms, such as A&O Shearman, ALRUD, Baker Botts, Clifford Chance, Debevoise & Plimpton, Haiwen & Partners, Zhong Lun, JunHe, Yingke Global, Guantao, Better Chance, Denuo, Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners, Freshfields, Pepeliaev Group, and others. The firm’s lawyers are well informed about the legal service markets of Russia, UK, USA and CIS countries. Thanks to cooperation with its international and national partners, AEQUITAS is prepared to provide services in different jurisdictions, without lowering their quality and timeliness.
The firm’s long presence in the legal market, reputation and extensive professional ties allow AEQUITAS engaging the leading Kazakh and foreign experts in all areas of law to participate in its projects and preparation of legal opinions. AEQUITAS’s consultants are renowned scholars, specialists from different sectors of economy and representatives of international organizations.
“AEQUITAS team knows the Kazakhstan market very well; they are very detailed and concrete.” Asialaw Profiles 2024
AEQUITAS and its lawyers are members in different professional organizations and unions, including International Bar Association (IBA), Kazakhstan Bar Association (KazBar), Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN), European Business Association of Kazakhstan (EUROBAK), Kazakhstan Petroleum Lawyers' Association (KPLA), Ius Laboris Alliance and SIPAC global network.
AEQUITAS partners are among the founders of Kazakhstan Bar Association (National Public Association) set up on the initiative of the leading Kazakh law firms, including AEQUITAS. Olga Chentsova, the firm’s Managing Partner, is one of the founders of Kazakhstan Bar Association and a member of its Management Board. AEQUITAS partners and associates are on the lists of arbitrators for the following courts of arbitration and domestic arbitration tribunals. AEQUITAS lawyers act as local law experts in disputes reviewed by the leading international courts of arbitration.
“AEQUITAS demonstrates a keen understanding of business needs and an ability to provide pragmatic legal advice aligned with commercial objectives.” Chambers Asia Pacific 2025
AEQUITAS is widely known for its research and analytical work. The firm is annually engaged to prepare reviews on different local law areas for IBA and World Bank. Analytical articles and reviews on different aspects of the Kazakh law and legislation by AEQUITAS lawyers are published in specialized magazines and analytical-and-legal compendia in Kazakhstan and abroad.
The firm’s potential allows providing services to embrace practically all issues its clients may have arising, be it legal support in complex projects, advice on various civil law matters, establishment of new companies, or representation in courts at any level. The firm has offices in Almaty and Astana (Kazakhstan).
AEQUITAS experts have been actively participating in the development and improvement of the most important acts of Kazakhstan’s civil and economic legislation, including the Civil Code and such laws of key importance to the country’s economy as the Foreign Investment Law, Petroleum Law, Subsoil Law, Law on International Commercial Arbitration and a number of other regulatory legal acts.