{"id":135,"date":"2026-06-20T22:40:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T17:40:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zan360.kz\/?p=135"},"modified":"2026-06-25T01:31:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T20:31:35","slug":"135","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zan360.kz\/?p=135&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"KAZAKHSTAN LEADING INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION LAWYERS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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The Almaty office of Dentons, an international law firm, has announced the appointment of Nurbek Sabirov as Counsel. He is widely regarded as one of Kyrgyzstan\u2019s leading lawyers in international investment arbitration and is well known for his extensive experience acting both as an arbitrator in commercial disputes and as counsel in investment arbitration proceedings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is worth noting that Nurbek Sabirov spent more than 18 years at Kalikova & Associates (Kyrgyzstan), including 10 years as a Partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It appears that, through this appointment, Dentons intends to strengthen its international commercial and investment arbitration practice. Against this background, it is interesting to look at the lawyers who are regarded as leading practitioners in this field in Kazakhstan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traditionally, one of the key advantages of arbitration is its confidentiality. It is rarely possible to obtain information about arbitral awards, their outcomes, or the lawyers who represented the parties. Therefore, in compiling this list, we relied, to some extent, on the public profile and visibility of the lawyers concerned. In addition, we conducted a survey of the legal community in order to form a more objective picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accordingly, we present 10 lawyers whom Kazakh corporations, investors and State turn to for the resolution of disputes in international arbitration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valikhan Shaikenov<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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He is a Partner and Co-Founder of ADL Disputes<\/a>, a law firm specialising in dispute resolution in courts and arbitral tribunals. He also chairs the Court and Arbitration Committee of the Kazakhstan Bar Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valikhan has represented parties under the rules of the leading international arbitral institutions, including the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA), as well as arbitral tribunals in Kazakhstan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an arbitrator, he has participated in arbitral proceedings seated in London, Geneva, Washington, Tashkent and Astana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, he represented Naftogaz Ukraine against Gazprom in case No. AIFC-C\/CFI\/2026\/0002 concerning the recognition and enforcement of an arbitral award before the AIFC Court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Valikhan is also regularly engaged as a legal expert in international proceedings. In particular, he acted as an expert in the investment arbitration Aktau Petrol Ticaret AS v. Republic of Kazakhstan (ICSID Case No. ARB\/15\/8)<\/em>, as well as before the Supreme Court of the State of New York in Zhakiyanov & Zarubekova v. Ogai & Others (Index No. 652148\/2024)<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He lives and works between Kazakhstan and Germany.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adilbek Tussupov<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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He is a Senior Associate at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer<\/a> (Germany office), an international law firm specialising in the resolution of complex cross-border disputes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adilbek has significant experience representing states, state-owned entities and private companies in international arbitrations involving the oil and gas sector and infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In particular, he represented the Republic of Kazakhstan in an ICC arbitration concerning a multi-million-dollar claim brought by an investor under the Energy Charter Treaty. He has also represented sovereign wealth funds, government authorities and diplomatic missions in complex cross-border disputes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His experience includes investment arbitrations conducted under the rules of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is admitted to practise as a solicitor in England and Wales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ardak Idayatova<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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She is a Partner at Kinstellar<\/a>, an international law firm. With over 20 years of experience, she specialises not only in arbitration but also in public-private partnerships, real estate, and the support of infrastructure projects, primarily representing foreign investors, international development banks and foreign contractors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She has participated in international commercial arbitrations, primarily construction disputes based on FIDIC forms of contract. She has also been involved in arbitration proceedings seated in Stockholm, Paris and London under the ICC, UNCITRAL, LCIA and SCC rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among her notable cases, she has represented:<\/p>\n\n\n\n