Dechert LLP brochure (PDF)
With offices throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, Dechert LLP is an international law firm focused on complex litigation and international arbitration, life sciences, financial services and asset management, corporate and securities, labour and employment, business restructuring and reorganization, intellectual property, real estate finance and tax law.

“The smooth and seamless transition of this office has been paramount to us,” said Dechert’s Chief Executive Officer Daniel O’Donnell. “Our first priority has been to make sure our clients’ needs are met.”

Resident in Kazakhstan for over a decade, Mack has extensive experience advising clients on transactions in the energy, natural resources, telecoms, capital markets and bank and project financing sectors throughout Central Asia and Russia. He also acts as counsel to multinational companies on a variety of investment disputes with private entities in Kazakhstan. He is the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan, and has been ranked by the Chambers Global and Legal 500 EMEA directories as a leading lawyer for energy and corporate/commercial matters.

“Ken and his team are dynamic and entrepreneurial lawyers whose practice enjoys strong ties and synergies with our Moscow office and our practices in Central Asia and China. Their talent and knowledge of an increasingly important region adds tremendous experience and resources to our global energy practice, a key area of expansion for the firm, and we are delighted to welcome them to Dechert,” said O’Donnell.

The team has advised numerous major international corporations, including ExxonMobil, Shell, China National Petroleum Corporation and Conoco Phillips, on various transactional, regulatory and litigation matters.

“We look forward to working with Ken and his entire office on cross-border deals in the region,” said Laura Brank, head of Dechert’s Russia practice. “Kazakhstan is of great strategic importance not only to our Russian client base, but also our Chinese and multinational corporate clients.”

Other lawyers joining Dechert are:

Victor Mokrousov (National Partner, U.S. and Kazakhstan qualified) advises international and domestic clients across a wide spectrum of corporate, finance and regulatory matters, most notably in the energy and mining sectors. His finance experience includes acting for multilateral lenders, commercial banks and private equity funds on debt and equity financings, as well advising Kazakhstan-based issuers on international capital markets offerings. Earlier in his career, Mokrousov advised on the privatization of Kazakhstan state oil companies.

Sergei Vataev (National Partner, Kazakhstan qualified) focuses on commercial, regulatory and international arbitration disputes, as well as corporate and project finance matters, most notably for clients in the energy and mining sectors. A former legal advisor to the Kazakhstan government, he is a member of the International Arbitration Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan International Arbitrage and the International Arbitration Court.

Mukhit Yeleuov (National Partner, Kazakhstan qualified) advises clients on litigation, energy and finance matters. He has advised and represented many clients in complex contractual, corporate, and other business disputes, as well as numerous regulatory and fiscal disputes, including before the Supreme Court.

Ainur Abdalova (Associate, Kazakhstan qualified) regularly advises international and local investors and banks on Kazakhstan banking and finance matters. She also has experience in the corporate and energy sectors.

Abzal Kassymzhanov (Associate, Kazakhstan qualified) acts for clients on litigation, commercial contracts and real estate matters. He advises companies on contract regulation and licensing issues, and has handled significant due diligence assignments.

Yevgeniya Nossova (Associate, Kazakhstan qualified) primarily represents clients in the banking and finance sectors. She has advised on various aspects of currency regulation, due diligence projects and corporate law, as well banking and finance regulations.

Nadezhda Oparina (Associate, Kazakhstan qualified) advises clients on matters of corporate law, project financing, and energy and environmental matters. On the contentious front, she represents clients in relation to disputes involving breaches of contract, debt recovery, shareholder claims and employment issues.

Benjamin Paine (Associate, England and Wales qualified) focuses on cross-border banking and finance and energy matters for international banks and major oil companies. He practiced in London, Istanbul and Baku prior to moving to Almaty several years ago.

Elshat Seksembayeva (Associate, Kazakhstan qualified) focuses on corporate transactions in the energy and natural resources sectors in Kazakhstan and other CIS countries. She has successfully conducted numerous negotiations with various departments and agencies of Kazakhstan’s government at the local and national levels in relation to privatization issues, contracts and licenses.

Asel Yermekova (Associate, Kazakhstan qualified) has a broad practice with an emphasis on tax, corporate, regulatory and energy matters. She has advised on various aspects of domestic tax legislation and international treaties, tax regimes under subsoil use contracts, tax planning, customs law, investment structuring, banking and currency regulations and cross-border transactions.