Banking & Finance

Salans has been active in counseling companies, financial institutions and government entities in the legal aspects of investment, trade and finance in Azerbaijan since 1990. Salans is an acknowledged leader in Azerbaijan in the provision of banking and finance advice. We have acted as general counsel for all major foreign banks operating in Azerbaijan and for micro-finance banks and other financial institutions. Our Baku office is experienced in trade finance, project finance, and lease finance.

Our Approach

In the banking and finance sector we combine our experience and in-depth knowledge of domestic legislation with international banking and financial sector expertise in London, Paris, and New York. This enables our lawyers to devise appropriate solutions for our clients, by selecting from local law financial structures and the most suitable offshore law mechanisms, to render English, New York, and French law legal opinions.

• Advising the Government of Azerbaijan on its planned debut USD 500 million Sovereign Eurobond Offering;
• Advising a local bank in the first Eurobond offering made by an Azerbaijani institution on international capital markets;
• Advising on the merger of two non-banking credit organisations;
• Advising the controlling shareholder of a major Azerbaijani bank on the sale of a majority stake in the bank to a European bank;
• Advising a U.S. financial institution in an OPIC-guaranteed loan to a large Azerbaijani bank;
• Advising an international bank in the construction and development financing of a five-star hotel and prime office complex in Baku;
• Advising the Canadian export credit agency in a loan to a major Azerbaijani bank;
• Advising an IFI on the enforceability of the ISDA Master Agreement under Azerbaijani law
• Advising an IFI on its rights as shareholder in a major insurance company;
• Advising a domestic iodine producer in the conclusion of a Loan Agreement with an IFI;
• Advising several leading overseas investment funds on their dealings with Azerbaijani banks, including review and revision of deposit agreements and performance of due diligence and compliance checks on local banks;
• Advising an international financial institution in respect of its small business lending programme and conducting legal due diligence of the relevant Azerbaijan banks;
• Advising an international lease-finance company on the leasing of aircraft in Azerbaijan;
• Advising a leading European bank on a structure for consumer credit activity;
• Advising an international credit card issuer in connection with its franchise agreement with leading Azerbaijani banks;
• Advising on a syndicated loan to a major State enterprise;
• Advising a major international bank on the drafting of its standard contracts and banking documents relating to trade finance and banking facilities under Azerbaijani law; and,
• Advising a foreign bank in obtaining a retail banking license and conducting the associated legal due diligence.