Core practice
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Litigation, Arbitration & Disputes
We align forum choice (courts vs arbitration), evidence and document strategy, and interim relief with your recovery goal—so disputes are pursued where they can be heard and enforced, not only where the first instinct was to file.
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Who We Help
This service is built for
This service is built for
- Foreign investors and sponsors facing contract breaches, shareholder friction, or governance deadlocks with Georgian counterparties.
- International creditors who need to understand enforcement against assets in Georgia and how foreign judgments or awards may be recognized.
- Construction, energy, and infrastructure parties operating under international contract frameworks that specify escalation, arbitration, or hybrid dispute paths.
- Founders and operators who need early protective measures while a dispute is developing, not only after a final judgment.
What We Handle
Where we add legal value
Where we add legal value
- Arbitration mandates under institutional rules (including, where selected, GIAC and other recognized forums) and ad hoc processes governed by Georgian arbitration law.
- Recognition and enforcement proceedings for foreign court judgments and international arbitral awards, following the procedures that apply before the competent Georgian courts.
- Interim and protective measures in civil proceedings where urgent relief is available and proportionate to the claim.
- High-value commercial litigation in Georgian courts, including debt recovery and complex contract disputes, with attention to chamber practice and appellate risk.
Key Checkpoints
What matters under Georgian law
What matters under Georgian law
- Civil litigation is governed primarily by the Civil Procedure Code of Georgia and substantive civil law; private international law rules matter when foreign elements, judgments, or awards are involved.
- Georgian procedure generally places the burden of proposing evidence and procedural steps on the parties; courts typically do not independently investigate facts on a party’s behalf.
- Arbitration in Georgia is governed by the Law of Georgia on Arbitration; timelines and process depend on the parties’ agreement, applicable rules, and tribunal case management—not a single fixed schedule for every dispute.
- Disputes concerning immovable property located in Georgia often raise specific jurisdictional questions; forum-selection clauses must be assessed against Georgian rules for local real estate matters.
- Court-annexed and judicial mediation has been expanded in recent reforms; in suitable case types, judges may direct parties toward mediation before or alongside trial—exact requirements depend on category and current rules.
Document Prep
Documents to prepare before we start
Documents to prepare before we start
- Litigation or arbitration power of attorney, in a form acceptable to the receiving forum, with apostille/legalization and certified Georgian translation where required.
- Core contracts, amendments, and correspondence; foreign-language exhibits need certified translation for typical court use.
- Corporate standing for legal entities: registry extracts and authority documents for signatories, legalized or apostilled as needed.
- Proof of payment of state fees and compliance with any mandatory pre-filing steps applicable to the claim.
Common Mistakes
Where clients lose time, leverage, or money
Where clients lose time, leverage, or money
- Filing in court when the contract contains a valid arbitration agreement—risk of dismissal, lost time, and unrecoverable costs.
- Delaying apostille, legalization, and Georgian translations until litigation is urgent; protective measures and early hearings often fail without court-ready exhibits.
- Assuming the losing party will pay all legal costs; fee shifting is often limited or discretionary, which can change the economics of trial versus settlement.
- Pursuing a merits judgment without an early view on assets and interim relief, then finding enforcement targets have already moved.
Price of Silence
The cost of doing nothing (or doing it wrong)
Wrong forum choice, weak evidence timing, or late interim relief can turn a strong claim into an uncollectible paper win. We map enforcement and procedure before filings lock you in.
Supporting Guides
Read before you start
Practical guides to questions clients commonly ask before a Case Assessment.
Enforcing Foreign Judgments and Arbitral Awards in Georgia
How international awards and foreign court decisions can become enforceable in Georgia—and why the right court, documents, and timing matter.
Arbitration vs State Courts in Georgia: Strategy and Timelines
When arbitration clauses, institutional rules (e.g. GIAC), or Tbilisi court practice affect how fast and how far a commercial dispute can move.
Client Prep
The 2026 executive guide to commercial dispute resolution in Georgia
A partner-level overview of when courts, arbitration, or recognition proceedings fit your case—and how arbitration clauses, interim relief, and evidence timing affect recoverability in Georgia.