YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Nine leading law firms from the countries of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) economic region, Ameria from Armenia, FINA LLP from Azerbaijan, Vlasova, Mikheil & Partners from Belarus, Aequitas from Kazakhstan, Turcan & Turcan from Moldova, Yegorov, Puginski, Afanasyev & Partners from Russia, ACT from Turkmenistan and RULG Ukrainian Legal Group from the Ukraine announce the launch of a new alliance The CIS Leading Counsel Network, which aims to transcend the national boundaries and offer clients a seamless advice across these fast developing markets. According to Ameria CJSC, CIS LCN takes to a new level their time-tested relationships and offers clients integrated teams in these dynamic and challenging jurisdictions. The network, chaired by a rotating chairperson from participating firms, aims to combine the highest international professional standards with a unique local insight in these regions, which are increasingly attracting international investments. The inaugural meeting of the LCN members, hosted by Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners, the 2009 Law Firm of the Year in Russia and CIS by The Lawyer European Awards, in Moscow on 28 September, elected Ms Irina Paliashvili as first Chair of the Network. She is the president of RULG Ukrainian Legal Group and founder and co-chair of the CIS Local Counsel Forum, an informal annual conference of managing and senior partners of the CIS and international law firms. Representatives of a leading German law firm Hengeler Mueller, Mr Oleg de Lousanoff, and a leading French law firm Bredin Prat, Mr Patrick Dziewolski, have attended the inaugural meeting as guests of honor and shared their experience of building up a Best Friends Network in Europe as a model to be followed by the CIS Leading Counsel Network. LCN members have a long history of successful collaboration. The alliance takes to a new level their time-tested relationships and offers clients integrated teams in these dynamic and challenging jurisdictions. LCN will offer members a platform to pull resources to get the latest in law firm technology, training and knowledge management systems. The network will also offer annual training programs for the associates of the participating law firms and regular seminars for clients, giving unique perspective on the local markets across the CIS. Member law firms of the LCN are not exclusively bound and are free to work with non-member firms. Founded in 1998, Ameria is a leading advisory firm in Armenia. It acts as a financial, legal and strategic development counsel and partner to the public and private sectors, as well as to international organizations in Armenia and the South Caucasus. Ameria advises its clients through an effective structure of five advisory units comprising Management Advisory Services, Legal Practice, Assurance and Taxation, and Investment Banking.

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