About VLM
Welcome to VLM & Partners
We Keep It Simple and Excellent
Track record
Market firsts
- Fintech
First PSD2-style payment institution licence in Azerbaijan
Token AzerbaijanRead the case - Offshore wind
First offshore wind project in the Caspian Sea
Azerbaijan Green Energy CompanyRead the case - Maritime
First Azerbaijani-flag registration of a non-self-propelled drilling unit
Caspian Oilfield ServicesRead the case - Renewable energy
Azerbaijan’s first auction-based renewable energy project
Universal Solar Co., Ltd.Read the case - Oil & gas
Rare onshore Production Sharing Agreement
MOL Group and SOCARRead the case - Competition
Among the first merger filings under Azerbaijan’s new Competition Code
Helmerich & Payne and KCA DeutagRead the case
Trusted by
The firm
See how we work
The firm in numbers
Thirty-three practices and fourteen industries, one team
- 33
- Practice areas
- 14
- Industries
- 4
- Rankings
- 6
- Memberships
Our practices
Corporate & commercial
Formation, governance and day-to-day corporate advisory.
Business setup & reorganization
Registering a presence, then mergers, spin-offs and changes of legal form.
Mergers & acquisitions
Due diligence, transaction documents and closing mechanics.
Foreign investment & investment structuring
The vehicle, the route in and the protection that comes with it.
Joint ventures & shareholders' agreements
Control, deadlock and exit, agreed before anyone needs them.
Securities & capital markets
Issuance, disclosure and market conduct requirements.
Real estate & construction
Title, leases, permits and the contracts that get a building built.
Project finance
Security packages, lender negotiation and conditions to disbursement.
PPP & infrastructure finance
Making a concession or PPP agreement bankable.
Funds & venture capital
Fund formation, licensing and venture investment terms.
Real estate finance
Mortgages, development loans and security over property.
Banking & financial regulation
Licensing, prudential rules and Central Bank requirements.
Energy, oil & gas
Upstream and midstream contracts, licences and host agreements.
Renewable energy
Auctions, permits and power purchase agreements for wind and solar.
PPP & infrastructure
Structuring, tendering and negotiating partnerships with the state.
Licensing & regulatory compliance
Permits, notifications and sector approvals.
Competition & antitrust
Merger clearance, conduct rules and distribution arrangements.
Public procurement
Tender documents, bids and challenges to procurement decisions.
Tax advisory & structuring
Holding structures that survive tax and regulatory review.
Tax compliance
Filings, bookkeeping and correspondence with the tax authority.
Transfer pricing
Pricing, documenting and defending transactions within a group.
Tax exemptions & incentives
Economic zones, investment certificates and the conditions attached.
Customs & indirect tax
Classification, valuation, VAT and excise on goods crossing the border.
Tax disputes
Audits, objections and appeals, from the first letter to court.
Employment & labour
Employment documents, HR processes and labour inspections.
Immigration & migration
Work permits, residence permits and migration inspections.
Commercial litigation
Representation before every level of the Azerbaijani courts.
Arbitration & mediation
From the arbitration clause to the award, and mediation first.
Shareholder disputes
Deadlock, minority rights and claims between owners.
Investment disputes
Treaty claims and disputes between foreign investors and the state.
Who we support
Fourteen industries we know from the inside
Our specialism
Renewable energy
Permitting, power purchase agreements and grid connection.
- Permitting across four regulators
- Power purchase agreement negotiation
- Grid connection and financial close
Industry
Public private partnership
Tenders, concessions and long-form contracts.
- Tender documentation review
- Concession and PPP agreements
- Government approvals
Our specialism
Maritime and shipping
Vessel registration, licensing and Caspian operations.
- Vessel registration in Azerbaijan
- Flag and safe manning certificates
- Charter, agency and marine insurance contracts
Industry
Banking and finance
Licensing, lending and prudential compliance.
- Licence applications and renewals
- Facility and security documentation
- Central Bank reporting duties
Practice
Project finance
Security packages, lender negotiation and conditions to disbursement.
- Facility documentation
- Legal and tax due diligence
- Azerbaijani law legal opinions
Industry
Aviation and aerospace
Leasing, permits and ground operations.
- Aircraft lease and finance documents
- Operating permits and slots
- Ground handling contracts
Industry
Hotels and leisure
Management agreements and development.
- Hotel management agreements
- Development and fit-out contracts
- Licensing and employment
Industry
IT, telecommunication and transport
Licensing, data and logistics.
- Operator licensing and spectrum
- Personal data and localisation
- Freight and logistics contracts
Industry
Health and pharmaceuticals
Registration, import and promotion.
- Product registration dossiers
- Import and distribution permits
- Promotion and pricing rules
Industry
Fintech
Payments, e-money and market entry.
- Payment institution licensing
- E-money and safeguarding rules
- Market entry structuring
Industry
Manufacturing and heavy industry
Sites, permits and employment.
- Site acquisition and permits
- Environmental and safety compliance
- Workforce and migration
Industry
Real estate and construction
Title, planning and construction contracts.
- Title and due diligence
- Planning and construction permits
- FIDIC and bespoke build contracts
Industry
Oil & Gas
Upstream and downstream operators, and the firms that serve them.
- Production sharing and joint operating agreements
- Exploration and transportation permits
- Local content and procurement rules
Industry
Agribusiness
Land tenure, subsidies and supply contracts.
- Land tenure and lease review
- Subsidy and support scheme eligibility
- Offtake and supply contracts
Industry
Consumer goods and retail
Distribution, labelling and franchising.
- Distribution and agency agreements
- Labelling and advertising compliance
- Franchise structuring
Our team
Clients retain people, not letterheads
Managing Partner
Vugar Mammadov
Recognised by IFLR1000 and Legal 500. Energy, corporate, arbitration.
- Energy and infrastructure mandates
- Cross-border corporate structuring
- International arbitration
Junior Legal Associate
Aydan Karimova
Corporate and commercial law, M&A, contracts.
- Corporate and commercial law
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Commercial contracts
Legal Associate
Elizaveta Milyayeva
Corporate and commercial law, migration and employment.
- Corporate and commercial law
- Work and residence permits
- Employment and HR
Junior Legal Associate
Fatima Aliyeva
Corporate and commercial law, contracts, migration.
- Corporate and commercial law
- Commercial contracts
- Migration law
Junior Legal Associate
Gunel Ahmadova
Corporate and commercial law, migration.
- Corporate law
- Commercial law
- Migration
Senior Tax Advisor
Ilkin Orujzade
Azerbaijani and international tax, audits, structuring.
- Tax compliance and reporting
- Tax audits and health checks
- Double tax treaties and cross-border work
Senior Legal Associate/Attorney
Ismayil Aliyev
Criminal and procedural law, trade and shipping, contracts.
- Criminal and procedural law
- Trade and shipping law
- Contracts and business law
Senior Legal Associate/Attorney
Jamila Majidli
Competition, corporate law, mergers and acquisitions.
- Competition law
- Corporate law and M&A
- Intellectual property
Senior Tax Associate
Ramin Abbasov
Tax compliance, regulatory review, incentives in economic zones.
- Filings and bookkeeping
- Regulatory and tax review
- Economic zone incentives
Senior Legal Associate
Sara Aghamaliyeva
Energy, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, dispute resolution.
- Energy, oil and gas
- Health and pharmaceuticals
- Alternative dispute resolution
Experienced Legal Associate
Shovkat Rasulova
Corporate governance, licensing, commercial contracts.
- Corporate law and governance
- Licensing
- Commercial contracts
Senior Legal Associate
Sujayat Aliyeva
Labor and migration, employment disputes, corporate advisory.
- Employment documentation
- Work permits and residence
- Dispute representation
Tax Associate
Teymur Gubiyev
Tax reporting and accounting for corporate clients.
- Tax reporting
- Accounting
- Corporate client affairs
Senior Legal Associate
Vusala Babayeva-Nazirli
Licensing and regulatory compliance, contracts, project work.
- Permits and sector approvals
- Commercial contract drafting
- Project lifecycle support
News and insight
VLM Times
The amendments, decrees and court decisions that change what a business operating in Azerbaijan has to do next.
Contact
Tell us what you are trying to do in Azerbaijan
Marine Plaza, 3rd floor, Uzeyir Hajibeyli 62, AZ 1010, Baku. A partner replies within one business day.
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