Yekaterina Khamidullina is specializing in dispute resolution, corporate, financial, labor and contract law. She is also highly experienced in advising on the laws of the Astana International Financial Centre, personal data protection, compliance, project financing, real estate, healthcare, and TMT matters. She joined AEQUITAS in 2012 and has been acting as the Head of AEQUITAS AIFC Branch since 2024.

Yekaterina acted as a member of the working group of Kazakhstan Bar Association formed to draft the Law "On Introduction of Amendments into Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Corruption Control Issues" as part of the project "Implementation of a system-based, structured and efficient policy for increasing business integrity and development of corporate management in Kazakhstan in accordance with the OECD standards".

She was a member of the working group on the draft Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Amendments to the Labor Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan". Yekaterina also acted as a respondent for the World Bank's legislation monitoring in the Doing Business ratings.

Kazakhstan Bar Association

Ius Laboris

Astana International Financial Centre (Legal Adviser)

Sino International Professional Advisory Council (SIPAC)

2024–present AEQUITAS Law Firm – Partner, Head of AEQUITAS AIFC Branch

2023–2024 AEQUITAS Law Firm – Senior Associate, UK Representative

2020–2023 AEQUITAS Law Firm – Senior Associate

2016–2020 AEQUITAS Law Firm – Associate

2014–2016 AEQUITAS Law Firm – Junior Associate

2012–2014 AEQUITAS Law Firm – Paralegal

2023 King's College London, Master's Degree in Financial Law, Technology & Data Protection, the United Kingdom. Chevening Scholar.

2016 Central European University, LLM, Hungary

2014 Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, LLM, Kazakhstan (with distinction)

2012 Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, LLB, Kazakhstan (with distinction)

LAWS OF THE ASTANA INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL CENTRE

• Advising one of the largest companies registered in the AIFC on share buyback, purchase of shares of a parent company by a subsidiary, charter capital increase, publishment of financial statements, and extension of financing as part of intragroup transactions.
• Comprehensive legal support of a number of companies on the issues of registration, selection of an optimum organizational legal form, and taxation. Drafting of all required corporate documents, advice regarding the structure of management bodies, including drafting and adaptation of the required corporate and labor documents.
• Drafting and adaptation of internal global operating procedures and policies of companies in accordance with requirements of the AIFC laws.
• Comprehensive support of a number of international companies on the issues of provision of services as a procedural agent.
• Drafting of legal opinions on the impact of sanctions and due diligence for various clients for the purpose of registration of companies in the AIFC, opening of bank accounts, and obtainment of the required permitting documents (licenses). Clients include such world famous companies as DataArt, Turkish Aerospace, Forex Club, Reliance Petrochem, and others.
• Comprehensive support of a number of international broker companies on the issues of provision of services of a procedural agent in order to obtain the status of a Recognized Non-AIFC Member. Among the clients are such major players as Cifra Broker, BCS, Atonline, AMBROK, and others.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

• Drafting of legal opinions on disputable situations and evaluation of the prospects of case resolution in courts and arbitrations pursuant to queries of different clients.
• Successful representation of a local subdivision of a leading world technology concern in a case involving debt recovery under a supply contract for more than USD 2 million. Development of a strategy allowing to defend client's interests, drafting of a statement of claim, amicable agreement, and other documents.
• Successful representation of an international US school carrying out its activities in Kazakhstan in connection with a dispute over personal data disclosure and compensation for moral damages.

BANKING & FINANCE, REAL ESTATE

• Representation of lenders in many financing transactions with Kazakhstan borrowers governed by Kazakhstan and English laws, advice regarding security structures, and drafting of financing, security documents and legal opinions.
• Advice to Eurasian Development Bank on restructuring of a loan agreement entered between the Bank and large Kazakhstan power plant, including preparation of legal opinions concerning the pledge of property of the company to the Bank, change of the company’s shareholders and issuance of guarantees by the company’s shareholders to secure performance under the loan agreement.
• Overall legal support in the process of pledging immovable property of a major local company to a foreign bank.
• Legal support in the process of registering pledges over immovable and movable property (shares, participatory interests, land use rights and other property) of local companies in favor of Islamic Development Bank, Eurasian Development Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
• Advice to a transnational energy company on the transfer of movable and immovable property as part of the project involving restructuring of this company's business in Kazakhstan.
• Advice to a number of South Korean banks on a wide range of issues relating to financing and activities of the Apple Town residential complex in Almaty.
• Advice to foreign investors on the issues of construction of solar and wind power plants and obtainment of required permits.
• Advice on the issues of currency regulation and control.

TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

• Comprehensive advice to one of the largest telecommunications operators of China regarding a business structure for the company's activities in Kazakhstan, as well as on the issues of qualification requirements to communications operators, requirements to the management of resources of code numbers for mobile satellite communications, preparation and orbital launching of mobile communications satellites, and installation of special purpose land satellite stations.
• Advising one of the largest aerospace companies on national security issues, carrying out of telecommunication activities in Kazakhstan, provision of satellite communication services, qualification requirements, data interception, blocking of Internet resources, and requirements to telecommunications equipment.
• Advising a company representing a global platform for creation and review of short videos on various issues relating to activities of this company in Kazakhstan, including with respect to automatic subscription extension, content moderation, consumer protection, confidentiality, personal data protection, conditions of using the platform, language requirements, monetization and payment, refund, liability for dark patterns, etc.
• Advice on the issues of import of cryptographic information protection facilities to Kazakhstan.
• Advising foreign cryptocurrency exchanges on the issues of advertising of cryptocurrencies in Kazakhstan.
• Advice on the issues of placing advertising of a betting company in mass communication means, and provision of recommendations regarding regulation of activities of foreign mass media in Kazakhstan.

LABOR & EMPLOYMENT. DATA PROTECTION

• Advice to Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Chevron, Metro Cash & Carry, Willis Towers Watson, Visa, and other major companies on the Kazakhstan labor law matters, including with respect to procedure for hiring employees, amendment of labor conditions, grounds and procedure for termination of labor relations, remote work, personal data protection, compliance with the GDPR and other issues.
• Drafting of employment contracts with different categories of employees, non-compete agreements, incentive payment regulations and other employer's acts.
• Regular advice to clients on different personal data protection issues (collection, processing, localization of personal data in Kazakhstan) and drafting of the forms of consent for collection and processing of personal data.
• Conducted webinars for clients on the issues of Kazakhstan labor and migration legislation, personal data protection together with IUS Laboris (alliance of the leading law firms specializing in labor law matters).

ANTI-CORRUPTION COMPLIANCE

• Advising on anti-money laundering and terrorist financing legislation, compliance with mandatory requirements and procedures, liability for violating legislation.
• Verification of the activities and internal documentation of companies for compliance with anti-corruption laws. Adaptation of internal global operating procedures and companies’ policies to requirements of Kazakhstan and international legislation. Development of recommendations for the prevention and elimination of compliance risks.

M&A. CORPORATE LAW

• Regular participation in due diligence of major Kazakhstan oil, construction and pharmaceutical companies, including review of corporate and labor documents, companies' assets, contracts with counterparties and required permitting documents for doing business in Kazakhstan.
• Advising on matters related to registration and liquidation of legal entities and their structural subdivisions in Kazakhstan, increase in the charter capital, reorganization, bankruptcy of companies, and change of shareholders (participants), support of M&A transactions.
• Advice on dividend payment, procedure for approval of transactions and posting of information about corporate events of joint stock companies on the website of the Financial Reporting Depository.

HEALTHCARE & PHARMACEUTICALS

• Advice to transnational companies (Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, AstraZeneca, Santo, Pfizer, Dr. Theiss Naturwaren GmbH, Terumo, Canon Medical Systems and other companies) on various issues regarding regulation of activities in Kazakhstan, including expert examination, import, procurement, registration, circulation, sale and advertising of medicines, medical products and medical equipment.
• Drafting of different contracts for pharmaceutical companies, including advertising/marketing agreements, contract for the implementation of a patient support program, pharmacy chain services contracts, car auction contract, etc.
• Analysis of a major pharmaceutical company's standard operating procedures as to compliance with the Republic of Kazakhstan's legislation.

BUSINESS SUPPORT

• Advice regarding the issues of registration and record-keeping of freight rolling stock in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
• Legal support in the obtainment of a license to provide services in the atomic energy use area for General Electric.
• Legal analysis/drafting of contracts of various types and degrees of complexity (supply, services, lease, pledge, guarantee, trust, insurance, licensing agreements and other types of contracts governed by local laws).
• Preparation of information memoranda concerning amendments to the Republic of Kazakhstan's current legislation.

INDUSTRY AND TRADE

• Advising on legal regulation of advertising in the Republic of Kazakhstan, including drafting of various contracts for the provision of marketing/advertising and advisory services.
• Advice to Shoppinglive on different legal matters of selling goods in the Kazakhstan territory using a TV channel and an online store.
• Advising companies on the matters of TV and radio broadcasting, VoIP telephony, technical regulation, product marking, advertising campaigns, etc.

COMPETITION LAW

• Advice on obtainment and issuance of the Republic of Kazakhstan Ministry of Energy's authorization to alienate the subsoil use right-related objects.
• Advising companies on a range of antitrust legislation issues.
• Preparation of notifications and applications on behalf of clients to obtain consent to economic concentration from the authorized competition protection agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
• Participated in the preparation and conduct of training on local antitrust law and advertising regulation in Kazakhstan.