Partner Arman Berdalin Took Part in the First Kazakhstan Corporate Law Forum

On 25-26 May 2017, Holiday Inn Almaty hosted the Kazakhstan Corporate Law Forum sponsored by the Kazakhstan Bar Association, a nation-wide public association of commercial lawyers.

The Forum has become the first of such kind platform intended for discussion of the most vital problems and issues of the Kazakhstan corporate law.  In the course of its organisation the Forum had sparked such enormous interest and brought together so many participants, that its program had to be spread over two days.

On the first day of the Forum, SZP Partner Arman Berdalin moderated two sessions devoted to the competitiveness of the Kazakhstan corporate legislation, prospects for its development and numerous issues related to corporate disputes and successful enforcement practice in Kazakhstan.  On the second day, Arman moderated the session which focused on the problems arising from interaction between businesses and government authorities, in particular, the National Bank as a regulator of joint stock companies’ activities.

Besides, the Forum participants discussed such important matters as:

   - liability of JSC officers;

   - extra-contractual and contractual rights and remedies for shareholders;

   - review of arbitration practice in Kazakhstan corporate law enforcement;

   - liability of LLP officers: outward glance;

   - “vicious circle” of increase in an LLP’s authorized capital; and

   - set up of a supervisory board and board of directors in a Kazakhstan LLP: legal framework and potential risks.

The Forum’s keynote speakers included representatives of the Kazakhstan National Bank, Arbitration Centre of Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Unified Register of Securities, Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan, PetroKazakhstan Kumkol Resources, Angels Niko Advisory and a number of leading Kazakhstan law firms.

The Forum participants had an unprecedented possibility of establishing a direct dialogue with government officials, gathering vital information, and sharing professional views and knowledge.  Many topics aroused much interest and spawned vivid discussions among attendees.  The Forum sponsor has collected feedback from participants with the intention to forward it to the National Bank for its further consideration in an attempt to improve the Kazakhstan corporate law.