Tbilisi, February 26, 2020 – Dentons’ Tbilisi office has continued its tradition and provided both professional and financial support to the Arbitration Initiative Georgia (AIG) in organizing the Tbilisi Vis Pre-Moot competition. Mariam Malidze and Lela Basilaia, paralegals at Dentons Tbilisi, were in the core team of organizers of the 9^th Tbilisi Vis Pre-Moot for Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot Court Competition that took place on 21-23 February, 2020.

In addition, senior counsel Ted Jonas, senior associate Mariam Vashakidze and associate Darejan Beridze served as arbitrators.

”Dentons and the legacy firms on which it is based in Tbilisi have supported the Vis Pre-Moot for years, as well as on occasion travel costs for winning Georgian teams to attend the Vis Moot Court Competition in Vienna. Our support for the Tbilisi Pre-Moot is not only about financial support, but also encouraging and allowing our lawyers and paralegals to play significant roles at all levels – as organizers, judges, and competitors.” – commented Ted Jonas, Senior Counsel at Dentons. ”Mariam and Lela — our two paralegals who have been key organizers of the Tbilisi Pre-Moot for the past three years — are just great publicity for Dentons with a community of international lawyers, students and professors who come to Tbilisi for the Pre-Moot, and also with our competitor and client community here in Tbilisi. This is an activity that really helps to develop the legal profession in Georgia, and it is gratifying to be a part of it.”

The major partner of the 9^th Annual Tbilisi Vis Pre-Moot was the Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) of the U.S. Department of Commerce. By the support of CLDP the event hosted 70 students from 15 universities and 8 countries, with more than 50 arbitrators, well regarded lawyers from Georgia and other jurisdictions.

For many Georgian teams and teams from the surrounding international region, the Tbilisi Pre-moot is the only pre-moot which they can attend and where they can practice oral arguments before the Vis Moot Competition in Vienna. Therefore, Dentons Georgia is proud to continue this tradition and be actively involved in such an important event, which aims to promote arbitration and students’ involvement not only in Georgia, but in the region as well.

About Dentons

Dentons is the world’s largest law firm, delivering quality and value to clients around the globe.  Dentons is a leader on the Acritas Global Elite Brand Index, a BTI Client Service 30 Award winner and recognized by prominent business and legal publications for its innovations in client service, including founding Nextlaw Labs and the Nextlaw Global Referral Network.  Dentons’ polycentric approach and world-class talent challenge the status quo to advance client interests in the communities in which we live and work.  www.dentons.com.